Low cycle fatigue numerical estimation of a high pressure turbine disc for the AL-31F jet engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spodniak, Miroslav; Klimko, Marek; Hocko, Marián; Žitek, Pavel

This article deals with the description of an approximate numerical estimation approach of a low cycle fatigue of a high pressure turbine disc for the AL-31F turbofan jet engine. The numerical estimation is based on the finite element method carried out in the SolidWorks software. The low cycle fatigue assessment of a high pressure turbine disc was carried out on the basis of dimensional, shape and material disc characteristics, which are available for the particular high pressure engine turbine. The method described here enables relatively fast setting of economically feasible low cycle fatigue of the assessed high pressure turbine disc using a commercially available software. The numerical estimation of accuracy of a low cycle fatigue depends on the accuracy of required input data for the particular investigated object.

Ablation of intervertebral discs in dogs using a MicroJet-assisted dye-enhanced injection device coupled with the diode laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartels, Kenneth E.; Henry, George A.; Dickey, D. Thomas; Stair, Ernest L.; Powell, Ronald; Schafer, Steven A.; Nordquist, Robert E.; Frederickson, Christopher J.; Hayes, Donald J.; Wallace, David B.

1998-07-01

Use of holmium laser energy for vaporization/coagulation of the nucleus pulposus in canine intervertebral discs has been previously reported and is currently being applied clinically in veterinary medicine. The procedure was originally developed in the canine model and intended for potential human use. Since the pulsed (15 Hz) holmium laser energy exerts photomechanical and photothermal effects, the potential for extrusion of additional disc material to the detriment of the patient is possible using the procedure developed for the dog. To reduce this potential complication, use of diode laser (805 nm - CW mode) energy, coupled with indocyanine green (ICG) as a selective laser energy absorber, was formulated as a possible alternative. Delivery of the ICG and diode laser energy was through a MicroJet device that could dispense dye interactively between individual laser 'shots.' Results have shown that it is possible to selectively ablate nucleus pulposus in the canine model using the device described. Acute observations (gross and histopathologic) illustrate that accurate placement of the spinal needle before introduction of the MicroJet device is critically dependent on the expertise of the interventional radiologist. In addition, the success of the overall technique depends on consistent delivery of both ICG and diode laser energy. Minimizing tissue carbonization on the tip of the MicroJet device is also of crucial importance for effective application of the technique in clinical veterinary medicine.

Efficiency of thin magnetically arrested discs around black holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avara, Mark J.; McKinney, Jonathan C.; Reynolds, Christopher S.

2016-10-01

The radiative and jet efficiencies of thin magnetized accretion discs around black holes (BHs) are affected by BH spin and the presence of a magnetic field that, when strong, could lead to large deviations from Novikov-Thorne (NT) thin disc theory. To seek the maximum deviations, we perform general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations of radiatively efficient thin (half-height H to radius R of H/R ≈ 0.10) discs around moderately rotating BHs with a/M = 0.5. First, our simulations, each evolved for more than 70 000 rg/c (gravitational radius rg and speed of light c), show that large-scale magnetic field readily accretes inward even through our thin disc and builds-up to the magnetically arrested disc (MAD) state. Secondly, our simulations of thin MADs show the disc achieves a radiative efficiency of ηr ≈ 15 per cent (after estimating photon capture), which is about twice the NT value of ηr ˜ 8 per cent for a/M = 0.5 and gives the same luminosity as an NT disc with a/M ≈ 0.9. Compared to prior simulations with ≲10 per cent deviations, our result of an ≈80 per cent deviation sets a new benchmark. Building on prior work, we are now able to complete an important scaling law which suggests that observed jet quenching in the high-soft state in BH X-ray binaries is consistent with an ever-present MAD state with a weak yet sustained jet.

A Recollimation Shock in a Stationary Jet Feature with Limb-brightening in the Gamma-Ray-emitting Narrow-line Seyfert 1 Galaxy 1H 0323+342

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doi, Akihiro; Hada, Kazuhiro; Kino, Motoki; Wajima, Kiyoaki; Nakahara, Satomi

2018-04-01

We report the discovery of a local convergence of a jet cross section in the quasi-stationary jet feature in the γ-ray-emitting narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy (NLS1) 1H 0323+342. The convergence site is located at ∼7 mas (corresponding to the order of 100 pc in deprojection) from the central engine. We also found limb-brightened jet structures at both the upstream and downstream of the convergence site. We propose that the quasi-stationary feature showing the jet convergence and limb-brightening occurs as a consequence of recollimation shock in the relativistic jets. The quasi-stationary feature is one of the possible γ-ray-emitting sites in this NLS1, in analogy with the HST-1 complex in the M87 jet. Monitoring observations have revealed that superluminal components passed through the convergence site and the peak intensity of the quasi-stationary feature, which showed apparent coincidences with the timing of observed γ-ray activities.

The disc-jet symbiosis emerges: modelling the emission of Sagittarius A* with electron thermodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ressler, S. M.; Tchekhovskoy, A.; Quataert, E.; Gammie, C. F.

2017-05-01

We calculate the radiative properties of Sagittarius A* - spectral energy distribution, variability and radio-infrared images - using the first 3D, physically motivated black hole accretion models that directly evolve the electron thermodynamics in general relativistic MHD simulations. These models reproduce the coupled disc-jet structure for the emission favoured by previous phenomenological analytic and numerical works. More specifically, we find that the low frequency radio emission is dominated by emission from a polar outflow while the emission above 100 GHz is dominated by the inner region of the accretion disc. The latter produces time variable near-infrared (NIR) and X-ray emission, with frequent flaring events (including IR flares without corresponding X-ray flares and IR flares with weak X-ray flares). The photon ring is clearly visible at 230 GHz and 2 μm, which is encouraging for future horizon-scale observations. We also show that anisotropic electron thermal conduction along magnetic field lines has a negligible effect on the radiative properties of our model. We conclude by noting limitations of our current generation of first-principles models, particularly that the outflow is closer to adiabatic than isothermal and thus underpredicts the low frequency radio emission.

AGN feedback compared: jets versus radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cielo, Salvatore; Bieri, Rebekka; Volonteri, Marta; Wagner, Alexander Y.; Dubois, Yohan

2018-06-01

Feedback by active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is often divided into quasar and radio mode, powered by radiation or radio jets, respectively. Both are fundamental in galaxy evolution, especially in late-type galaxies, as shown by cosmological simulations and observations of jet-ISM (interstellar medium) interactions in these systems. We compare AGN feedback by radiation and by collimated jets through a suite of simulations, in which a central AGN interacts with a clumpy, fractal galactic disc. We test AGNs of 1043 and 1046 erg s-1, considering jets perpendicular or parallel to the disc. Mechanical jets drive the more powerful outflows, exhibiting stronger mass and momentum coupling with the dense gas, while radiation heats and rarefies the gas more. Radiation and perpendicular jets evolve to be quite similar in outflow properties and effect on the cold ISM, while inclined jets interact more efficiently with all the disc gas, removing the densest 20 {per cent} in 20 Myr, and thereby reducing the amount of cold gas available for star formation. All simulations show small-scale inflows of 0.01-0.1 M⊙ yr-1, which can easily reach down to the Bondi radius of the central supermassive black hole (especially for radiation and perpendicular jets), implying that AGNs modulate their own duty cycle in a feedback/feeding cycle.

Confrontation of the Magnetically Arrested Disc scenario with observations of FR II sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusinek, Katarzyna; Sikora, Marek

2017-10-01

The main aim of our work was to check whether powers of jets in FR II radio galaxies (RGs) and quasars (QSOs) can be reproduced by the Magnetically Arrested Disc (MAD) scenario. Assuming that established in the recent numerical simulations of the MAD scenario the (H/R)^2 dependence of the jet production efficiency is correct, we demonstrate that in order to reproduce the observed jet powers in FR II sources: (i) accretion discs must be geometrically much thicker than the standard ones; (ii) and/or that the jet production is strongly modulated.

The jet-ISM interactions in IC 5063

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, Dipanjan; Wagner, Alexander Y.; Bicknell, Geoffrey V.; Morganti, Raffaella; Oosterloo, Tom; Nesvadba, Nicole; Sutherland, Ralph S.

2018-05-01

The interstellar medium of the radio galaxy IC 5063 is highly perturbed by an AGN jet expanding in the gaseous disc of the galaxy. We model this interaction with relativistic hydrodynamic simulations and multiphase initial conditions for the interstellar medium and compare the results with recent observations. As the jets flood through the intercloud channels of the disc, they ablate, accelerate, and disperse clouds to velocities exceeding 400 km s-1. Clouds are also destroyed or displaced in bulk from the central regions of the galaxy. Our models with jet powers of 1044 and 1045 erg s-1 are capable of reproducing many of the observed features in the position velocity diagram of IC 5063, and confirm the notion that the jet is responsible for the strongly perturbed gas dynamics seen in the ionized, neutral, and molecular gas phases. In our simulations, we also see strong venting of the jet plasma perpendicular to the disc, which entrains clumps and diffuse filaments into the halo of the galaxy. Our simulations are the first 3D hydrodynamic simulations of the jet and interstellar matter of IC 5063.

Propeller-driven outflows from an MRI disc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lii, Patrick S.; Romanova, Marina M.; Ustyugova, Galina V.; Koldoba, Alexander V.; Lovelace, Richard V. E.

2014-06-01

Accreting magnetized stars may be in the propeller regime of disc accretion in which the angular velocity of the stellar magnetosphere exceeds that of the inner disc. In these systems, the stellar magnetosphere acts as a centrifugal barrier and plays a dominant role in the inner disc dynamics by inhibiting matter accretion on to the star. In this work, we investigate the dynamics of the propeller regime using axisymmetric MHD simulations of MRI-driven accretion on to a rapidly rotating magnetized star. The disc matter is inhibited from accreting on to the star and instead accumulates at the disc-magnetosphere boundary, slowly building up a reservoir of matter. Some of this matter diffuses into the outer magnetosphere where it picks up angular momentum and is ejected as an outflow which gradually collimates at larger distances from the star. If the ejection rate is smaller than the disc's accretion rate, then the matter accumulates at the disc-magnetosphere boundary faster than it can be ejected. In this situation, accretion on to the propelling star proceeds through the episodic accretion cycle in which episodes of matter accumulation are followed by a brief episode of simultaneous ejection and accretion on to the star. In addition to the matter-dominated wind component, the propeller also drives a well-collimated, magnetically dominated Poynting jet which transports energy and angular momentum away from the star. The propelling stars undergo strong spin-down due to the outflow of angular momentum in the wind and jet. We measure spin-down time-scales of ˜1.2 Myr for a cTTs in the strong propeller regime of accretion. The propeller mechanism may explain some of the jets and winds observed around some T Tauri stars as well as the nature of their ejections. It may also explain some of the quasi-periodic variability observed in cataclysmic variables, millisecond pulsars and other magnetized stars.

Jet in jet in M87

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sob'yanin, Denis Nikolaevich

2017-11-01

New high-resolution Very Long Baseline Interferometer observations of the prominent jet in the M87 radio galaxy show a persistent triple-ridge structure of the transverse 15-GHz profile with a previously unobserved ultra-narrow central ridge. This radio structure can reflect the intrinsic structure of the jet, so that the jet as a whole consists of two embedded coaxial jets. A relativistic magnetohydrodynamic model is considered in which an inner jet is placed inside a hollow outer jet and the electromagnetic fields, pressures and other physical quantities are found. The entire jet is connected to the central engine that plays the role of a unipolar inductor generating voltage between the jets and providing opposite electric currents, and the charge neutrality and current closure together with the electromagnetic fields between the jets can contribute to the jet stabilization. The constant voltage is responsible for the similar widening laws observed for the inner and outer jets. This jet-in-jet structure can indicate simultaneous operation of two different jet-launching mechanisms, one relating to the central supermassive black hole and the other to the surrounding accretion disc. An inferred magnetic field of 80 G at the base is sufficient to provide the observed jet luminosity.

FRB as products of accretion disc funnels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katz, J. I.

2017-10-01

The repeating FRB 121102, the only fast radio burst (FRB) with an accurately determined position, is associated with a variable persistent radio source. I suggest that an FRB originates in the accretion disc funnels of black holes. Narrowly collimated radiation is emitted along the wandering instantaneous angular momentum axis of accreted matter. This emission is observed as a fast radio burst when it sweeps across the direction to the observer. In this model, in contrast to neutron star (pulsar, RRAT or SGR) models, repeating FRBs do not have underlying periodicity and are co-located with persistent radio sources resulting from their off-axis emission. The model is analogous, on smaller spatial, lower mass and accretion rate and shorter temporal scales, to an active galactic nucleus (AGN), with FRB corresponding to blazars in which the jets point towards us. The small inferred black hole masses imply that FRBs are not associated with galactic nuclei.

The host galaxy of the γ-ray-emitting narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy PKS 1502+036

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Ammando, F.; Acosta-Pulido, J. A.; Capetti, A.; Baldi, R. D.; Orienti, M.; Raiteri, C. M.; Ramos Almeida, C.

2018-07-01

The detection of γ-ray emission from narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLSy1) has challenged the idea that large black hole (BH) masses (≥108 M⊙) are needed to launch relativistic jets. We present near-infrared imaging data of the γ-ray-emitting NLSy1 PKS 1502+036 obtained with the Very Large Telescope. Its surface brightness profile, extending to ˜20 kpc, is well described by the combination of a nuclear component and a bulge with a Sérsic index n = 3.5, which is indicative of an elliptical galaxy. A circumnuclear structure observed near PKS 1502+036 may be the result of galaxy interactions. A BH mass of ˜7 × 108 M⊙ has been estimated by the bulge luminosity. The presence of an additional faint disc component cannot be ruled out with the present data, but this would reduce the BH mass estimate by only ˜30 per cent. These results, together with analogous findings obtained for FBQS J1644+2619, indicate that the relativistic jets in γ-ray-emitting NLSy1 are likely produced by massive black holes at the centre of elliptical galaxies.

The host galaxy of the γ-ray-emitting narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy PKS 1502+036

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Ammando, F.; Acosta-Pulido, J. A.; Capetti, A.; Baldi, R. D.; Orienti, M.; Raiteri, C. M.; Ramos Almeida, C.

2018-04-01

The detection of γ-ray emission from narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLSy1) has challenged the idea that large black hole (BH) masses (≥108 M⊙) are needed to launch relativistic jets. We present near-infrared imaging data of the γ-ray-emitting NLSy1 PKS 1502+036 obtained with the Very Large Telescope. Its surface brightness profile, extending to ˜ 20 kpc, is well described by the combination of a nuclear component and a bulge with a Sérsic index n = 3.5, which is indicative of an elliptical galaxy. A circumnuclear structure observed near PKS 1502+036 may be the result of galaxy interactions. A BH mass of ˜7 × 108 M⊙ has been estimated by the bulge luminosity. The presence of an additional faint disc component cannot be ruled out with the present data, but this would reduce the BH mass estimate by only ˜ 30%. These results, together with analogous findings obtained for FBQS J1644+2619, indicate that the relativistic jets in γ-ray-emitting NLSy1 are likely produced by massive black holes at the center of elliptical galaxies.

Radiatively driven relativistic jets in Schwarzschild space-time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vyas, Mukesh K.; Chattopadhyay, Indranil

2018-06-01

Context. Aims: We carry out a general relativistic study of radiatively driven conical fluid jets around non-rotating black holes and investigate the effects and significance of radiative acceleration, as well as radiation drag. Methods: We apply relativistic equations of motion in curved space-time around a Schwarzschild black hole for axis-symmetric one-dimensional jet in steady state, plying through the radiation field of the accretion disc. Radiative moments are computed using information of curved space-time. Slopes of physical variables at the sonic points are found using L'Hôpital's rule and employing Runge-Kutta's fourth order method to solve equations of motion. The analysis is carried out using the relativistic equation of state of the jet fluid. Results: The terminal speed of the jet depends on how much thermal energy is converted into jet momentum and how much radiation momentum is deposited onto the jet. Many classes of jet solutions with single sonic points, multiple sonic points, as well as those having radiation driven internal shocks are obtained. Variation of all flow variables along the jet-axis has been studied. Highly energetic electron-proton jets can be accelerated by intense radiation to terminal Lorentz factors γT 3. Moderate terminal speed vT 0.5 is obtained for moderately luminous discs. Lepton dominated jets may achieve γT 10. Conclusions: Thermal driving of the jet itself and radiation driving by accretion disc photons produce a wide-ranging jet solutions starting from moderately strong jets to the relativistic ones. Interplay of intensity, the nature of the radiation field, and the energetics of the jet result in a variety of jet solutions. We show that radiation field is able to induce steady shocks in jets, one of the criteria to explain high-energy power-law emission observed in spectra of some of the astrophysical objects.

Twin Jet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henderson, Brenda; Bozak, Rick

2010-01-01

Many subsonic and supersonic vehicles in the current fleet have multiple engines mounted near one another. Some future vehicle concepts may use innovative propulsion systems such as distributed propulsion which will result in multiple jets mounted in close proximity. Engine configurations with multiple jets have the ability to exploit jet-by-jet shielding which may significantly reduce noise. Jet-by-jet shielding is the ability of one jet to shield noise that is emitted by another jet. The sensitivity of jet-by-jet shielding to jet spacing and simulated flight stream Mach number are not well understood. The current experiment investigates the impact of jet spacing, jet operating condition, and flight stream Mach number on the noise radiated from subsonic and supersonic twin jets.

A transient radio jet in an erupting dwarf nova.

PubMed

Körding, Elmar; Rupen, Michael; Knigge, Christian; Fender, Rob; Dhawan, Vivek; Templeton, Matthew; Muxlow, Tom

2008-06-06

Astrophysical jets seem to occur in nearly all types of accreting objects, from supermassive black holes to young stellar objects. On the basis of x-ray binaries, a unified scenario describing the disc/jet coupling has evolved and been extended to many accreting objects. The only major exceptions are thought to be cataclysmic variables: Dwarf novae, weakly accreting white dwarfs, show similar outburst behavior to x-ray binaries, but no jet has yet been detected. Here we present radio observations of a dwarf nova in outburst showing variable flat-spectrum radio emission that is best explained as synchrotron emission originating in a transient jet. Both the inferred jet power and the relation to the outburst cycle are analogous to those seen in x-ray binaries, suggesting that the disc/jet coupling mechanism is ubiquitous.

Evolution of an accretion disc in binary black hole systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimura, Shigeo S.; Takahashi, Sanemichi Z.; Toma, Kenji

2017-03-01

We investigate evolution of an accretion disc in binary black hole (BBH) systems and possible electromagnetic counterparts of the gravitational waves from mergers of BBHs. Perna et al. proposed a novel evolutionary scenario of an accretion disc in BBHs in which a disc eventually becomes 'dead', I.e. the magnetorotational instability (MRI) becomes inactive. In their scenario, the dead disc survives until a few seconds before the merger event. We improve the dead disc model and propose another scenario, taking account of effects of the tidal torque from the companion and the critical ionization degree for MRI activation more carefully. We find that the mass of the dead disc is much lower than that in the Perna's scenario. When the binary separation sufficiently becomes small, the mass inflow induced by the tidal torque reactivates MRI, restarting mass accretion on to the black hole. We also find that this disc 'revival' happens more than thousands of years before the merger. The mass accretion induced by the tidal torque increases as the separation decreases, and a relativistic jet could be launched before the merger. The emissions from these jets are too faint compared to gamma-ray bursts, but detectable if the merger events happen within ≲10 Mpc or if the masses of the black holes are as massive as ˜105 M⊙.

Explaining the morphology of supernova remnant (SNR) 1987A with the jittering jets explosion mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bear, Ealeal; Soker, Noam

2018-07-01

We find that the remnant of supernova (SN) 1987A shares some morphological features with four supernova remnants (SNRs) that have signatures of shaping by jets, and from that we strengthen the claim that jets played a crucial role in the explosion of SN 1987A. Some of the morphological features appear also in planetary nebulae (PNe) where jets are observed. The clumpy ejecta brings us to support the claim that the jittering jets explosion mechanism can account for the structure of the remnant of SN 1987A, i.e. SNR 1987A. We conduct a preliminary attempt to quantify the fluctuations in the angular momentum of the mass that is accreted on to the newly born neutron star via an accretion disc or belt. The accretion disc/belt launches jets that explode core collapse supernovae (CCSNe). The relaxation time of the accretion disc/belt is comparable to the duration of a typicalfigu jet-launching episode in the jittering jets explosion mechanism, and hence the disc/belt has no time to relax. We suggest that this might explain the two unequal opposite jets that later lead to the unequal sides of the elongated structures in some SNRs of CCSNe. We reiterate our earlier call for a paradigm shift from a neutrino-driven explosion to a jet-driven explosion of CCSNe.

Reduction and degradation of amyloid aggregates by a pulsed radio-frequency cold atmospheric plasma jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayliss, D. L.; Walsh, J. L.; Shama, G.; Iza, F.; Kong, M. G.

2009-11-01

Surface-borne amyloid aggregates with mature fibrils are used as a non-infectious prion model to evaluate cold atmospheric plasmas (CAPs) as a prion inactivation strategy. Using a helium-oxygen CAP jet with pulsed radio-frequency (RF) excitation, amyloid aggregates deposited on freshly cleaved mica discs are reduced substantially leaving only a few spherical fragments of sub-micrometer sizes in areas directly treated by the CAP jet. Outside the light-emitting part of the CAP jet, plasma treatment results in a 'skeleton' of much reduced amyloid stacks with clear evidence of fibril fragmentation. Analysis of possible plasma species and the physical configuration of the jet-sample interaction suggests that the skeleton structures observed are unlikely to have arisen as a result of physical forces of detachment, but instead by progressive diffusion of oxidizing plasma species into porous amyloid aggregates. Composition of chemical bonds of this reduced amyloid sample is very different from that of intact amyloid aggregates. These suggest the possibility of on-site degradation by CAP treatment with little possibility of spreading contamination elsewhere , thus offering a new reaction chemistry route to protein infectivity control with desirable implications for the practical implementation of CAP-based sterilization systems.

The gamma-ray emitting region of the jet in Cyg X-3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zdziarski, Andrzej A.; Sikora, Marek; Dubus, Guillaume; Yuan, Feng; Cerutti, Benoit; Ogorzałek, Anna

2012-04-01

We study models of the γ-ray emission of Cyg X-3 observed by Fermi. We calculate the average X-ray spectrum during the γ-ray active periods. Then, we calculate spectra from Compton scattering of a photon beam into a given direction by isotropic relativistic electrons with a power-law distribution, both based on the Klein-Nishina cross-section and in the Thomson limit. Applying the results to scattering of stellar blackbody radiation in the inner jet of Cyg X-3, we find that a low-energy break in the electron distribution at a Lorentz factor of ˜300-103 is required by the shape of the observed X-ray/γ-ray spectrum in order to avoid overproducing the observed X-ray flux. The electrons giving rise to the observed γ-rays are efficiently cooled by Compton scattering, and the power-law index of the acceleration process is ≃2.5-3. The bulk Lorentz factor of the jet and the kinetic power before the dissipation region depend on the fraction of the dissipation power supplied to the electrons; if it is ≃1/2, the Lorentz factor is ˜2.5, and the kinetic power is ˜1038 erg s-1, which represents a firm lower limit on the jet power, and is comparable to the bolometric luminosity of Cyg X-3. Most of the power supplied to the electrons is radiated. The broad-band spectrum constrains the synchrotron and self-Compton emission from the γ-ray emitting electrons, which requires the magnetic field to be relatively weak, with the magnetic energy density ≲ a few times 10-3 of that in the electrons. The actual value of the magnetic field strength can be inferred from a future simultaneous measurement of the infrared and γ-ray fluxes.

Spinning disc atomisation process: Modelling and computations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yuan; Sisoev, Grigory; Shikhmurzaev, Yulii

2016-11-01

The atomisation of liquids using a spinning disc (SDA), where the centrifugal force is used to generate a continuous flow, with the liquid eventually disintegrating into drops which, on solidification, become particles, is a key element in many technologies. Examples of such technologies range from powder manufacturing in metallurgy to various biomedical applications. In order to be able to control the SDA process, it is necessary to understand it as a whole, from the feeding of the liquid and the wave pattern developing on the disc to the disintegration of the liquid film into filaments and these into drops. The SDA process has been the subject of a number of experimental studies and some elements of it, notably the film on a spinning disc and the dynamics of the jets streaming out from it, have been investigated theoretically. However, to date there have been no studies of the process as a whole, including, most importantly, the transition zone where the film that has already developed a certain wave pattern disintegrates into jets that spiral out. The present work reports some results of an ongoing project aimed at producing a definitive map of regimes occurring in the SDA process and their outcome.

The dusty silhouette jet HH 1019 in the Carina Nebula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reiter, Megan; Kiminki, Megan M.; Smith, Nathan; Bally, John

2017-06-01

We report the discovery in Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images of the new Herbig-Haro jet, HH 1019, located near the Tr 14 cluster in the Carina Nebula. Like other HH jets in the region, this bipolar collimated flow emerges from the head of a dark dust pillar. However, HH 1019 is unique because - unlike all other HH jets known to date - it is identified by a linear chain of dark, dusty knots that are seen primarily in silhouette against the background screen of the H II region. Proper motions confirm that these dark condensations move along the jet axis at high speed. [S II] emission traces a highly collimated jet that is spatially coincident with these dust knots. The high extinction in the body of the jet suggests that this outflow has lifted a large amount of dust directly from the disc, although it is possible that it has entrained dust from its surrounding protostellar envelope before exiting the dust pillar. If dust in HH 1019 originates from the circumstellar disc, this provides further evidence for a jet launched from a range of radii in the disc, including those outside the dust sublimation radius. HH 1019 may be the prototype for a new subclass of dusty HH objects seen primarily in extinction against the background screen of a bright H II region. Such jets may be common, but difficult to observe because they require the special condition of a very bright background in order to be seen in silhouette.

Driving extreme variability: the evolving corona and evidence for jet launching in Markarian 335

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkins, D. R.; Gallo, L. C.

2015-05-01

Variations in the X-ray emission from the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy, Markarian 335, are studied on both long and short time-scales through observations made between 2006 and 2013 with XMM-Newton, Suzaku and NuSTAR. Changes in the geometry and energetics of the corona that give rise to this variability are inferred through measurements of the relativistically blurred reflection seen from the accretion disc. On long time-scales, we find that during the high-flux epochs the corona has expanded, covering the inner regions of the accretion disc out to a radius of 26_{-7}^{+10} rg. The corona contracts to within 12rg and 5rg in the intermediate- and low-flux epochs, respectively. While the earlier high-flux observation made in 2006 is consistent with a corona extending over the inner part of the accretion disc, a later high-flux observation that year revealed that the X-ray source had become collimated into a vertically extended jet-like corona and suggested relativistic motion of material upwards. On short time-scales, we find that an X-ray flare during a low-flux epoch in 2013 corresponded to a reconfiguration from a slightly extended corona to one much more compact, within just 2 ˜ 3rg of the black hole. There is evidence that during the flare itself, the spectrum softened and the corona became collimated and slightly extended vertically as if a jet-launching event was aborted. Understanding the evolution of the X-ray emitting corona may reveal the underlying mechanism by which the luminous X-ray sources in AGN are powered.

Radiatively-driven general relativistic jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vyas, Mukesh K.; Chattopadhyay, Indranil

2018-02-01

We use moment formalism of relativistic radiation hydrodynamics to obtain equations of motion of radial jets and solve them using polytropic equation of state of the relativistic gas. We consider curved space-time around black holes and obtain jets with moderately relativistic terminal speeds. In addition, the radiation field from the accretion disc, is able to induce internal shocks in the jet close to the horizon. Under combined effect of thermal as well as radiative driving, terminal speeds up to 0.75 (units of light speed) are obtained.

On the illumination of neutron star accretion discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkins, D. R.

2018-03-01

The illumination of the accretion disc in a neutron star X-ray binary by X-rays emitted from (or close to) the neutron star surface is explored through general relativistic ray tracing simulations. The applicability of the canonical suite of relativistically broadened emission line models (developed for black holes) to discs around neutron stars is evaluated. These models were found to describe well emission lines from neutron star accretion discs unless the neutron star radius is larger than the innermost stable orbit of the accretion disc at 6 rg or the disc is viewed at high inclination, above 60° where shadowing of the back side of the disc becomes important. Theoretical emissivity profiles were computed for accretion discs illuminated by hotspots on the neutron star surfaces, bands of emission and emission by the entirety of the hot, spherical star surface and in all cases, the emissivity profile of the accretion disc was found to be well represented by a single power law falling off slightly steeper than r-3. Steepening of the emissivity index was found where the emission is close to the disc plane and the disc can appear truncated when illuminated by a hotspot at high latitude. The emissivity profile of the accretion disc in Serpens X-1 was measured and found to be consistent with a single unbroken power law with index q=3.5_{-0.4}^{+0.3}, suggestive of illumination by the boundary layer between the disc and neutron star surface.

Fully-coupled analysis of jet mixing problems. Part 1. Shock-capturing model, SCIPVIS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dash, S. M.; Wolf, D. E.

1984-01-01

A computational model, SCIPVIS, is described which predicts the multiple cell shock structure in imperfectly expanded, turbulent, axisymmetric jets. The model spatially integrates the parabolized Navier-Stokes jet mixing equations using a shock-capturing approach in supersonic flow regions and a pressure-split approximation in subsonic flow regions. The regions are coupled using a viscous-characteristic procedure. Turbulence processes are represented via the solution of compressibility-corrected two-equation turbulence models. The formation of Mach discs in the jet and the interactive analysis of the wake-like mixing process occurring behind Mach discs is handled in a rigorous manner. Calculations are presented exhibiting the fundamental interactive processes occurring in supersonic jets and the model is assessed via comparisons with detailed laboratory data for a variety of under- and overexpanded jets.

Long term multiwavelength studies of the corona/disc connection in AGN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buisson, D.; Lohfink, A.; Alston, W.; Fabian, A.; Gallo, L.; Kara, E.; Zoghbi, A.; Wilkins, D.; Miller, J.; Cackett, E.

2017-10-01

One way of increasing our understanding of AGN is determining the nature of the connection between the optical/UV emitting accretion disc and the X-ray emitting corona. Studies of variability in these two bands are a key tool for gaining insight into the processes involved. We will present results from a sample of long-term AGN monitoring campaigns in the optical, UV and X-ray with Swift. In particular, we will explore UV/optical-X-ray correlations and associated time lags. We will compare these measurements and the UV/optical RMS spectra with theoretical reprocessing models and confront recent claims of the observed lags being longer than those which are expected for a standard thin disc. Additionally, a new Swift monitoring campaign of the z=2 quasar PG 1247+267 allows us to probe the shorter wavelengths at the peak of the accretion disc spectrum, providing information on the region of the disc closest to the black hole. However, not all AGN show such correlations, including IRAS 13224-3809, the subject of a recent 1.5 Ms XMM observation. Using this and other examples, we will explore the possible reasons for the lack of observed correlation.

The evolving corona and evidence for jet launching from the supermassive black hole in Markarian 335

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkins, Daniel; Gallo, Luigi C.

2015-01-01

Through detailed analysis of the X-rays that are reflected from the accretion disc, it is possible to probe structures right down to the innermost stable circular orbit and event horizon around the supermassive black holes in AGN. By measuring the illumination pattern of the accretion disc, along with reverberation time lags between variability in the X-ray continuum and reflection, unprecedented detail of the geometry and spatial extent of the corona that produces the X-ray continuum has emerged when the observed data are combined with insight gained from general relativistic ray tracing simulations.We conducted detailed analysis of both the X-ray continuum and its reflection from the accretion disc in the narrow line Seyfert 1 galaxy Markarian 335, over observations spanning nearly a decade to measure the underlying changes in the structure of the X-ray emitting corona that gave rise to more than an order of magnitude variation in luminosity.Underlying this long timescale variability lies much more complex patterns of behaviour on short timescales. We are, for the first time, able to observe and measure the changes in the structure of the corona that give rise to transient phenomena including a flare in the X-ray emission seen during a low flux state by Suzaku in July 2013. This flaring event was found to mark a reconfiguration of the corona while there is evidence that the flare itself was cased by an aborted jet-launching event. More recently, detailed analysis of a NuSTAR target of opportunity observation is letting us understand the sudden increase in X-ray flux by a factor of 15 in Markarian 335 seen in September 2014.These observations allow us to trace, from observations, the evolution of the X-ray emitting corona that gives rise to not only the extreme variability seen in the X-ray emission from AGN, but also the processes by which jets and other outflow are launched from the extreme environments around black holes. This gives us important insight into

Emitting electron spectra and acceleration processes in the jet of PKS 0447-439

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yao; Yan, Dahai; Dai, Benzhong; Zhang, Li

2014-02-01

We investigate the electron energy distributions (EEDs) and the corresponding acceleration processes in the jet of PKS 0447-439, and estimate its redshift through modeling its observed spectral energy distribution (SED) in the frame of a one-zone synchrotron-self Compton (SSC) model. Three EEDs formed in different acceleration scenarios are assumed: the power-law with exponential cut-off (PLC) EED (shock-acceleration scenario or the case of the EED approaching equilibrium in the stochastic-acceleration scenario), the log-parabolic (LP) EED (stochastic-acceleration scenario and the acceleration dominating), and the broken power-law (BPL) EED (no acceleration scenario). The corresponding fluxes of both synchrotron and SSC are then calculated. The model is applied to PKS 0447-439, and modeled SEDs are compared to the observed SED of this object by using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method. The results show that the PLC model fails to fit the observed SED well, while the LP and BPL models give comparably good fits for the observed SED. The results indicate that it is possible that a stochastic acceleration process acts in the emitting region of PKS 0447-439 and the EED is far from equilibrium (acceleration dominating) or no acceleration process works (in the emitting region). The redshift of PKS 0447-439 is also estimated in our fitting: z = 0.16 ± 0.05 for the LP case and z = 0.17 ± 0.04 for BPL case.

Shock-capturing parabolized Navier-Stokes model /SCIPVIS/ for the analysis of turbulent underexpanded jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dash, S. M.; Wolf, D. E.

1983-01-01

A new computational model, SCIPVIS, has been developed to predict the multiple-cell wave/shock structure in under or over-expanded turbulent jets. SCIPVIS solves the parabolized Navier-Stokes jet mixing equations utilizing a shock-capturing approach in supersonic regions of the jet and a pressure-split approach in subsonic regions. Turbulence processes are represented by the solution of compressibility corrected two-equation turbulence models. The formation of Mach discs in the jet and the interactive turbulent mixing process occurring behind the disc are handled in a detailed fashion. SCIPVIS presently analyzes jets exhausting into a quiescent or supersonic external stream for which a single-pass spatial marching solution can be obtained. The iterative coupling of SCIPVIS with a potential flow solver for the analysis of subsonic/transonic external streams is under development.

Collimation, Acceleration, and Recollimation Shock in the Jet of Gamma-Ray Emitting Radio-loud Narrow-line Seyfert 1 Galaxy 1H0323+342

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hada, Kazuhiro; Doi, Akihiro; Wajima, Kiyoaki; D’Ammando, Filippo; Orienti, Monica; Giroletti, Marcello; Giovannini, Gabriele; Nakamura, Masanori; Asada, Keiichi

2018-06-01

We investigated the detailed radio structure of the jet of 1H 0323+342 using high-resolution multifrequency Very Long Baseline Array observations. This source is known as the nearest γ-ray emitting radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxy. We discovered that the morphology of the inner jet is well characterized by a parabolic shape, indicating that the jet is continuously collimated near the jet base. On the other hand, we found that the jet expands more rapidly at larger scales, resulting in a conical shape. The location of the “collimation break” is coincident with a bright quasi-stationary feature at 7 mas from core (corresponding to a deprojected distance on the order of ∼100 pc), where the jet width locally contracts together with highly polarized signals, suggesting a recollimation shock. We found that the collimation region is coincident with the region where the jet speed gradually accelerates, suggesting a coexistence of the jet acceleration and collimation zone, ending up with the recollimation shock, which could be a potential site of high-energy γ-ray flares detected by the Fermi-LAT. Remarkably, these observational features of the 1H 0323+342 jet are overall very similar to those of the nearby radio galaxy M87 and HST-1 as well as some blazars, suggesting that a common jet formation mechanism might be at work. Based on the similarity of the jet profile of the two sources, we also briefly discuss the mass of the central black hole of 1H 0323+342, which is also still highly controversial in this source and NLS1s in general.

Penetration Characteristics of Air, Carbon Dioxide and Helium Transverse Sonic Jets in Mach 5 Cross Flow.

PubMed

Erdem, Erinc; Kontis, Konstantinos; Saravanan, Selvaraj

2014-12-08

An experimental investigation of sonic air, CO 2 and Helium transverse jets in Mach 5 cross flow was carried out over a flat plate. The jet to freestream momentum flux ratio, J, was kept the same for all gases. The unsteady flow topology was examined using high speed schlieren visualisation and PIV. Schlieren visualisation provided information regarding oscillating jet shear layer structures and bow shock, Mach disc and barrel shocks. Two-component PIV measurements at the centreline, provided information regarding jet penetration trajectories. Barrel shocks and Mach disc forming the jet boundary were visualised/quantified also jet penetration boundaries were determined. Even though J is kept the same for all gases, the penetration patterns were found to be remarkably different both at the nearfield and the farfield. Air and CO 2 jet resulted similar nearfield and farfield penetration pattern whereas Helium jet spread minimal in the nearfield.

Penetration Characteristics of Air, Carbon Dioxide and Helium Transverse Sonic Jets in Mach 5 Cross Flow

PubMed Central

Erdem, Erinc; Kontis, Konstantinos; Saravanan, Selvaraj

2014-01-01

An experimental investigation of sonic air, CO2 and Helium transverse jets in Mach 5 cross flow was carried out over a flat plate. The jet to freestream momentum flux ratio, J, was kept the same for all gases. The unsteady flow topology was examined using high speed schlieren visualisation and PIV. Schlieren visualisation provided information regarding oscillating jet shear layer structures and bow shock, Mach disc and barrel shocks. Two-component PIV measurements at the centreline, provided information regarding jet penetration trajectories. Barrel shocks and Mach disc forming the jet boundary were visualised/quantified also jet penetration boundaries were determined. Even though J is kept the same for all gases, the penetration patterns were found to be remarkably different both at the nearfield and the farfield. Air and CO2 jet resulted similar nearfield and farfield penetration pattern whereas Helium jet spread minimal in the nearfield. PMID:25494348

The lamppost model: effects of photon trapping, the bottom lamp and disc truncation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niedźwiecki, Andrzej; Zdziarski, Andrzej A.

2018-04-01

We study the lamppost model, in which the primary X-ray sources in accreting black-hole systems are located symmetrically on the rotation axis on both sides of the black hole surrounded by an accretion disc. We show the importance of the emission of the source on the opposite side to the observer. Due to gravitational light bending, its emission can increase the direct (i.e., not re-emitted by the disc) flux by as much as an order of magnitude. This happens for near to face-on observers when the disc is even moderately truncated. For truncated discs, we also consider effects of emission of the top source gravitationally bent around the black hole. We also present results for the attenuation of the observed radiation with respect to that emitted by the lamppost as functions of the lamppost height, black-hole spin and the degree of disc truncation. This attenuation, which is due to the time dilation, gravitational redshift and the loss of photons crossing the black-hole horizon, can be as severe as by several orders of magnitude for low lamppost heights. We also consider the contribution to the observed flux due to re-emission by optically-thick matter within the innermost stable circular orbit.

Noise shielding by a hot subsonic jet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vijayaraghavan, A.; Parthasarathy, S. P.

1981-01-01

An analysis is conducted of the shielding of the noise emitted by a high speed round jet by a hot, subsonic, semicircular jet. A plane wave front in the primary jet is resolved into elementary plane waves which undergo multiple reflections at the jet boundaries of the primary and the shielding jets. The jet boundaries are idealized to be vortex sheets. The far field sound is evaluated asymptotically by a superposition of the waves that penetrate the shielding jet. The angular directivities are plotted for several values of jet temperature and velocity to examine the effectiveness of shielding by the semicircular jet layer.

Electric field numerical simulation of disc type electrostatic spinning spinneret

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, L.; Deng, ZL; Qin, XH; Liang, ZY

2018-01-01

Electrospinning is a new type of free-end spinning built on electric field. Different from traditional single needle spinneret, in this study, a new disc type free surface spinneret is used to produce multiple jets, this will greatly improve production efficiency of nanofiber. The electric-field distribution of spinneret is the crux of the formation and trajectory of jets. In order to probe the electric field intensity of the disc type spinneret, computational software of Ansoft Maxwell 12 is adopted for a precise and intuitive analysis. The results showed that the whole round cambered surface of the spinning solution at edge of each layer of the spinneret with the maximum curvature has the highest electric field intensity, and through the simulation of the electric field distribution of different spinneret parameters such as layer, the height and radius of the spinneret. Influences of various parameters on the electrostatic spinning are obtained.

The Magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in Astrophysical Discs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Contopoulos, I.; Kazanas, D.; Papadopoulos, D. B.

2016-01-01

This is our first study of the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the inner edge of an astrophysical disc around a central back hole. We derive the equations governing small-amplitude oscillations in general relativistic ideal magnetodydrodynamics and obtain a criterion for the onset of the instability. We suggest that static disc configurations where magnetic field is held by the disc material are unstable around a Schwarzschild black hole. On the other hand, we find that such configurations are stabilized by the space-time rotation around a Kerr black hole. We obtain a crude estimate of the maximum amount of poloidal magnetic flux that can be accumulated around the centre, and suggest that it is proportional to the black hole spin. Finally, we discuss the astrophysical implications of our result for the theoretical and observational estimations of the black hole jet power.

On the Radio Detectability of Circumplanetary Discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Zhaohuan; Andrews, Sean M.; Isella, Andrea

2018-06-01

Discs around young planets, so-called circumplanetary discs (CPDs), are essential for planet growth, satellite formation, and planet detection. We study the millimetre and centimetre emission from accreting CPDs by using the simple α disc model. We find that it is easier to detect CPDs at shorter radio wavelengths (e.g. λ ≲ 1 mm). For example, if the system is 140 pc away from us, deep observations (e.g. 5 hours) at ALMA Band 7 (0.87 mm) are sensitive to as small as 0.03 lunar mass of dust in CPDs. If the CPD is around a Jupiter mass planet 20 AU away from the host star and has a viscosity parameter α ≲ 0.001, ALMA can detect this disc when it accretes faster than 10-10M⊙/yr. ALMA can also detect the "minimum mass sub-nebulae" disc if such a disc exists around a young planet in YSOs. However, to distinguish the embedded compact CPD from the circumstellar disc material, we should observe circumstellar discs with large gaps/cavities using the highest resolution possible. We also calculate the CPD fluxes at VLA bands, and discuss the possibility of detecting radio emission from jets/winds launched in CPDs. Finally we argue that, if the radial drift of dust particles is considered, the drifting timescale for millimetre dust in CPDs can be extremely short. It only takes 102-103 years for CPDs to lose millimetre dust. Thus, for CPDs to be detectable at radio wavelengths, mm-sized dust in CPDs needs to be replenished continuously, or the disc has a significant fraction of micron-sized dust or a high gas surface density so that the particle drifting timescale is long, or the radial drift is prevented by other means (e.g. pressure traps).

Accretion disc wind variability in the states of the microquasar GRS 1915+105

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neilsen, Joseph; Petschek, Andrew J.; Lee, Julia C.

2012-03-01

Continuing our study of the role and evolution of accretion disc winds in the microquasar GRS 1915+105, we present high-resolution spectral variability analysis of the β and γ states with the Chandra High-Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer. By tracking changes in the absorption lines from the accretion disc wind, we find new evidence that radiation links the inner and outer accretion discs on a range of time-scales. As the central X-ray flux rises during the high-luminosity γ state, we observe the progressive overionization of the wind. In the β state, we argue that changes in the inner disc leading to the ejection of a transient 'baby jet' also quench the highly ionized wind from the outer disc. Our analysis reveals how the state, structure and X-ray luminosity of the inner accretion disc all conspire to drive the formation and variability of highly ionized accretion disc winds.

On the efficiency of jet production in FR II radio galaxies and quasars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusinek, Katarzyna; Sikora, Marek; Kozieł-Wierzbowska, Dorota; Godfrey, Leith

2017-04-01

Jet powers in many radio galaxies with extended radio structures appear to exceed their associated accretion luminosities. In systems with very low accretion rates, this is likely due to the very low accretion luminosities resulting from radiatively inefficient accretion flows. In systems with high accretion rates, the accretion flows are expected to be radiatively efficient, and the production of such powerful jets may require an accretion scenario, which involves magnetically arrested discs (MADs). However, numerical simulations of the MAD scenario indicate that jet production efficiency is large only for geometrically thick accretion flows and scales roughly with (H/R)2, where H is the disc height and R is the distance from the black hole. Using samples of FR II radio galaxies and quasars accreting at moderate accretion rates, we show that their jets are much more powerful than predicted by the MAD scenario. We discuss possible origins of this discrepancy, suggesting that it can be related to approximations adopted in magnetohydrodynamic simulations to treat optically thick accretion flow within the MAD zone, or may indicate that accretion discs are geometrically thicker than the standard theory predicts.

Backflows by active galactic nuclei jets: global properties and influence on supermassive black hole accretion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cielo, S.; Antonuccio-Delogu, V.; Silk, J.; Romeo, A. D.

2017-06-01

Jets from active galactic nuclei (AGN) inflate large cavities in the hot gas environment around galaxies and galaxy clusters. The large-scale gas circulation promoted within such cavities by the jet itself gives rise to backflows that propagate back to the centre of the jet-cocoon system, spanning all the physical scales relevant for the AGN. Using an adaptive mesh refinement code, we study these backflows through a series of numerical experiments, aiming at understanding how their global properties depend on jet parameters. We are able to characterize their mass flux down to a scale of a few kiloparsecs to about 0.5 M⊙ yr-1 for as long as 15 or 20 Myr, depending on jet power. We find that backflows are both spatially coherent and temporally intermittent, independently of jet power in the range 1043-1045 erg s-1. Using the mass flux thus measured, we model analytically the effect of backflows on the central accretion region, where a magnetically arrested disc lies at the centre of a thin circumnuclear disc. Backflow accretion on to the disc modifies its density profile, producing a flat core and tail. We use this analytic model to predict how accretion beyond the black hole magnetopause is modified, and thus how the jet power is temporally modulated. Under the assumption that the magnetic flux stays frozen in the accreting matter, and that the jets are always launched via the Blandford-Znajek mechanism, we find that backflows are capable of boosting the jet power up to tenfold during relatively short time episodes (a few Myr).

Chasing discs around O-type (proto)stars: Evidence from ALMA observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cesaroni, R.; Sánchez-Monge, Á.; Beltrán, M. T.; Johnston, K. G.; Maud, L. T.; Moscadelli, L.; Mottram, J. C.; Ahmadi, A.; Allen, V.; Beuther, H.; Csengeri, T.; Etoka, S.; Fuller, G. A.; Galli, D.; Galván-Madrid, R.; Goddi, C.; Henning, T.; Hoare, M. G.; Klaassen, P. D.; Kuiper, R.; Kumar, M. S. N.; Lumsden, S.; Peters, T.; Rivilla, V. M.; Schilke, P.; Testi, L.; van der Tak, F.; Vig, S.; Walmsley, C. M.; Zinnecker, H.

2017-06-01

Context. Circumstellar discs around massive stars could mediate the accretion onto the star from the infalling envelope, and could minimize the effects of radiation pressure. Despite such a crucial role, only a few convincing candidates have been provided for discs around deeply embedded O-type (proto)stars. Aims: In order to establish whether disc-mediated accretion is the formation mechanism for the most massive stars, we have searched for circumstellar, rotating discs around a limited sample of six luminous (>105L⊙) young stellar objects. These objects were selected on the basis of their IR and radio properties in order to maximize the likelihood of association with disc+jet systems. Methods: We used ALMA with 0.̋2 resolution to observe a large number of molecular lines typical of hot molecular cores. In this paper we limit our analysis to two disc tracers (methyl cyanide, CH3CN, and its isotopologue, 13CH3CN), and an outflow tracer (silicon monoxide, SiO). Results: We reveal many cores, although their number depends dramatically on the target. We focus on the cores that present prominent molecular line emission. In six of these a velocity gradient is seen across the core,three of which show evidence of Keplerian-like rotation. The SiO data reveal clear but poorly collimated bipolar outflow signatures towards two objects only. This can be explained if real jets are rare (perhaps short-lived) in very massive objects and/or if stellar multiplicity significantly affects the outflow structure.For all cores with velocity gradients, the velocity field is analysed through position-velocity plots to establish whether the gas is undergoing rotation with νrot ∝ R- α, as expected for Keplerian-like discs. Conclusions: Our results suggest that in three objects we are observing rotation in circumstellar discs, with three more tentative cases, and one core where no evidence for rotation is found. In all cases but one, we find that the gas mass is less than the mass of

Accretion Discs Around Black Holes: Developement of Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bisnovatyi-Kogan, G. S.

Standard accretion disk theory is formulated which is based on the local heat balance. The energy produced by a turbulent viscous heating is supposed to be emitted to the sides of the disc. Sources of turbulence in the accretion disc are connected with nonlinear hydrodynamic instability, convection, and magnetic field. In standard theory there are two branches of solution, optically thick, and optically thin. Advection in accretion disks is described by the differential equations what makes the theory nonlocal. Low-luminous optically thin accretion disc model with advection at some suggestions may become advectively dominated, carrying almost all the energy inside the black hole. The proper account of magnetic filed in the process of accretion limits the energy advected into a black hole, efficiency of accretion should exceed ˜ 1/4 of the standard accretion disk model efficiency.

The Outer X-ray and Radio Jets in R Aquarii

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kellogg, E.; Anderson, C.; DePasquale, J.; Korreck, K.; Nichols, J.; Sokoloski, J.; Krauss, M.; Pedelty, J.

2007-01-01

The symbiotic star R Aquarii has been known to emit collimated outflow in the form of jets for many years. We report on five years of observations in x-rays and radio using Chandra, VLA and XMM-Newton. We discuss the evolution of the outer thermal jets, including new observations performed in June and October 2005. We see motion of the NE x-ray jet at a projected velocity of about 600 km (sup -1). The SW x-ray jet has almost disappeared between 2000.7 and 2004.0. An XMM grating spectrum of the NE jet confirms the existence of O VII He-like lines, and offers the possibility of doing plasma density diagnostics. We comment on on the physics of cooling in the SW jet and implications for the density of the x-ray emitting gas, the heating mechanism, and mass and kinetic energy in the jets and its implications for the system as a whole. This work was supported by NASA and NSF.

The nearest X-ray emitting protostellar jet (HH 154) observed with Hubble

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonito, R.; Fridlund, C. V. M.; Favata, F.; Micela, G.; Peres, G.; Djupvik, A. A.; Liseau, R.

2008-06-01

Context: The jet coming from the YSO binary L1551 IRS5 is the closest astrophysical jet known. It is therefore a unique laboratory for studies of outflow mechanisms and of the shocks occurring when expanding material hits the ambient medium as well as of how the related processes influence the star- (and planet-) forming process. Aims: The optical data are related to other data covering the spectrum from the optical band to X-rays with goal of understanding the energetics of low-mass star jets, in general, and of this jet in particular. We study the time evolution of the jet, by measuring the proper motions of knots as they progress outwards from the originating source. Methods: The nebulosities associated with the jet(s) from the protostellar binary L1551 IRS5 were imaged in a number of spectral bands using the Hubble Space Telescope. This allows the proper motion to be measured and permits a simple characterization of the physical conditions in different structures. To this end we developed a reproducible method of data analysis, which allows us to define the position and shape of each substructure observed within the protostellar jet. Using this approach, we derive the proper motion of the knots in the jet, as well as their flux variability and shock emission. Results: The time base over which HST observations were carried out is now about ten years. The sub-structures within the jet undergo significant morphological variations: some knots seem to disappear in a few years and collision between different knots, ejected at different epochs and maybe with different speed, may occur. The velocities along the jet vary between ~100 km s-1 and over 400 km s-1, with the highest speed corresponding to the knots at the base of the jet. Conclusions: There are indications that the HH 154 jet has been active relatively recently. Our results suggest the presence of a new shock front at the base of the jet identified with an internal working surface. From the analysis of the

Ubiquitous equatorial accretion disc winds in black hole soft states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponti, G.; Fender, R. P.; Begelman, M. C.; Dunn, R. J. H.; Neilsen, J.; Coriat, M.

2012-05-01

High-resolution spectra of Galactic black holes (GBHs) reveal the presence of highly ionized absorbers. In one GBH, accreting close to the Eddington limit for more than a decade, a powerful accretion disc wind is observed to be present in softer X-ray states and it has been suggested that it can carry away enough mass and energy to quench the radio jet. Here we report that these winds, which may have mass outflow rates of the order of the inner accretion rate or higher, are a ubiquitous component of the jet-free soft states of all GBHs. We furthermore demonstrate that these winds have an equatorial geometry with opening angles of few tens of degrees, and so are only observed in sources in which the disc is inclined at a large angle to the line of sight. The decrease in Fe XXV/Fe XXVI line ratio with Compton temperature, observed in the soft state, suggests a link between higher wind ionization and harder spectral shapes. Although the physical interaction between the wind, accretion flow and jet is still not fully understood, the mass flux and power of these winds and their presence ubiquitously during the soft X-ray states suggest they are fundamental components of the accretion phenomenon.

External inverse-Compton emission from jetted tidal disruption events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Wenbin; Kumar, Pawan

2016-05-01

The recent discoveries of Sw J1644+57 and Sw J2058+05 show that tidal disruption events (TDEs) can launch relativistic jets. Super-Eddington accretion produces a strong radiation field of order Eddington luminosity. In a jetted TDE, electrons in the jet will inverse-Compton scatter the photons from the accretion disc and wind (external radiation field). Motivated by observations of thermal optical-UV spectra in Sw J2058+05 and several other TDEs, we assume the spectrum of the external radiation field intercepted by the relativistic jet to be blackbody. Hot electrons in the jet scatter this thermal radiation and produce luminosities 1045-1048 erg s- 1 in the X/γ-ray band. This model of thermal plus inverse-Compton radiation is applied to Sw J2058+05. First, we show that the blackbody component in the optical-UV spectrum most likely has its origin in the super-Eddington wind from the disc. Then, using the observed blackbody component as the external radiation field, we show that the X-ray luminosity and spectrum are consistent with the inverse-Compton emission, under the following conditions: (1) the jet Lorentz factor is Γ ≃ 5-10; (2) electrons in the jet have a power-law distribution dN_e/dγ _e ∝ γ _e^{-p} with γmin ˜ 1 and p = 2.4; (3) the wind is mildly relativistic (Lorentz factor ≳ 1.5) and has isotropic-equivalent mass-loss rate ˜ 5 M⊙ yr- 1. We describe the implications for jet composition and the radius where jet energy is converted to radiation.

Control of jet noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schreck, Stefan

1993-01-01

This reports describes experiments conducted at the High-Speed Jet Facility at the University of Southern California on supersonic jets. The goal of the study was to develop methods for controlling the noise emitted from supersonic jets by passive and/or active means. Work by Seiner et al (1991) indicates that eddy Mach wave radiation is the dominant noise source in a heated high speed jet. Eddy Mach radiation is caused by turbulent eddies traveling at supersonic speed in the shear layer of the jet. The convection velocity of the eddies decays with increasing distance from the nozzle exit due to the mixing of the jet stream with the ambient fluid. Once the convection speed reaches subsonic velocities, eddy Mach wave radiation ceases. To control noise, a rapid decay of the convection velocity is desired. This may be accomplished by enhanced mixing in the jet. In this study, small aspect ratio rectangular jet nozzles were tested. A flapping mode was noticed in the jets. By amplifying screech components of the jets and destabilizing the jet columns with a collar device, the flapping mode was excited. The result was a rapid decay of the jet velocity. A reduction in eddy Mach radiation in rectangular supersonic jets may be achieved with this device.

Extraplanar X-ray emission from disc-wide outflows in spiral galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijayan, Aditi; Sarkar, Kartick C.; Nath, Biman B.; Sharma, Prateek; Shchekinov, Yuri

2018-04-01

We study the effects of mass and energy injection due to OB associations spread across the rotating disc of a Milky Way-type galaxy, with the help of three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic simulations. We compare the resulting X-ray emission with that produced from the injection of mass and energy from a central region. We find that the predicted X-ray image shows a filamentary structure that arises even in the absence of disc gas inhomogeneity. This structure stems from warm clumps made of disc material being lifted by the injected gas. We show that as much as half of the total X-ray emission comes from regions surrounding warm clumps that are made of a mix of disc and injected gas. This scenario has the potential to explain the origin of the observed extraplanar X-ray emission around star-forming galaxies and can be used to understand the observed sub-linear relation between the LX, the total X-ray luminosity, and star formation rate (SFR). We quantify the mass contained in these `bow-shock' regions. We also show that the top-most region of the outer shock above the central area emits harder X-rays than the rest. Further, we find that the mass distribution in different temperature ranges is bimodal, peaking at 104-105 K (in warm clumps) and 106-107 K (X-ray emitting gas). The mass-loading factor is found to decrease with increasing SFR, consistent with previous theoretical estimates and simulations.

CLOSE-UP LOOK AT A JET NEAR A BLACK HOLE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

[top left] - This radio image of the galaxy M87, taken with the Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope in February 1989, shows giant bubble-like structures where radio emission is thought to be powered by the jets of subatomic particles coming from the the galaxy's central black hole. The false color corresponds to the intensity of the radio energy being emitted by the jet. M87 is located 50 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. Credit: National Radio Astronomy Observatory/National Science Foundation [top right] - A visible light image of the giant elliptical galaxy M87, taken with NASA Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 in February 1998, reveals a brilliant jet of high-speed electrons emitted from the nucleus (diagonal line across image). The jet is produced by a 3-billion-solar-mass black hole. Credit: NASA and John Biretta (STScI/JHU) [bottom] - A Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) radio image of the region close to the black hole, where an extragalactic jet is formed into a narrow beam by magnetic fields. The false color corresponds to the intensity of the radio energy being emitted by the jet. The red region is about 1/10 light-year across. The image was taken in March 1999. Credit: National Radio Astronomy Observatory/Associated Universities, Inc.

Driving Extreme Variability: Measurements of the changing coronae and evidence for jet launching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkins, D.; Gallo, L.; Fabian, A.; Kara, E.

2015-07-01

Through analysis of the X-rays reflected from the accretion disc, it is possible to probe the innermost structures around accreting black holes and to measure the geometry and structure of the corona that produces the intense X-ray continuum. We conducted detailed analysis of the narrow line Seyfert 1 galaxies 1H0707-495 and Markarian 335, over observations with XMM-Newton as well as Suzaku and NuSTAR spanning nearly a decade to measure the underlying changes in the structure of the X-ray emitting corona that gave rise to more than an order of magnitude variation in luminosity. Underlying this long timescale variability lies much more complex patterns of behaviour on short timescales. We are, for the first time, able to measure the changes accompanying transient phenomena including a flare from Markarian 335 seen during a low flux state. This flaring event was found to mark a reconfiguration of the corona while there is evidence that the flare itself was caused by an aborted jet-launching event. This gives us important insight into the processes by which energy is liberated from black hole accretion flows and allows observational constraints to be placed upon models of how jets are launched and how these extreme objects are powered.

Accretion in active galactic nuclei and disk-jet coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czerny, B.; You, B.

2016-02-01

We review the current state of understanding how accretion onto a black hole proceeds and what the key elements needed to form relativistic jets are. Theoretical progress is severely undermined by the lack of thorough understanding of the microphysics involved in accretion discs and in the formation of jets, particularly in the presence of strong magnetic fields. Therefore, all proposed solutions are still models that need to be validated by observational constraints.

Asymmetric MHD outflows/jets from accreting T Tauri stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyda, S.; Lovelace, R. V. E.; Ustyugova, G. V.; Lii, P. S.; Romanova, M. M.; Koldoba, A. V.

2015-06-01

Observations of jets from young stellar objects reveal the asymmetric outflows from some sources. A large set of 2.5D magnetohydrodynamic simulations was carried out for axisymmetric viscous/diffusive disc accretion to rotating magnetized stars for the purpose of assessing the conditions where the outflows are asymmetric relative to the equatorial plane. We consider initial magnetic fields that are symmetric about the equatorial plane and consist of a radially distributed field threading the disc (disc field) and a stellar dipole field. (1) For pure disc-fields the symmetry or asymmetry of the outflows is affected by the mid-plane plasma β of the disc. For discs with small plasma β, outflows are symmetric to within 10 per cent over time-scales of hundreds of inner disc orbits. For higher β discs, the coupling of the upper and lower coronal plasmas is broken, and quasi-periodic field motion leads to asymmetric episodic outflows. (2) Accreting stars with a stellar dipole field and no disc-field exhibit episodic, two component outflows - a magnetospheric wind and an inner disc wind. Both are characterized by similar velocity profiles but the magnetospheric wind has densities ≳ 10 times that of the disc wind. (3) Adding a disc field parallel to the stellar dipole field enhances the magnetospheric winds but suppresses the disc wind. (4) Adding a disc field which is antiparallel to the stellar dipole field in the disc suppresses the magnetospheric and disc winds. Our simulations reproduce some key features of observations of asymmetric outflows of T Tauri stars.

Connection between jets, winds and accretion in T Tauri stars. The X-shooter view

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nisini, B.; Antoniucci, S.; Alcalá, J. M.; Giannini, T.; Manara, C. F.; Natta, A.; Fedele, D.; Biazzo, K.

2018-01-01

Mass loss from jets and winds is a key ingredient in the evolution of accretion discs in young stars. While slow winds have been recently extensively studied in T Tauri stars, little investigation has been devoted on the occurrence of high velocity jets and on how the two mass-loss phenomena are connected with each other, and with the disc mass accretion rates. In this framework, we have analysed the [O I]6300 Å line in a sample of 131 young stars with discs in the Lupus, Chamaeleon and σ Orionis star forming regions. The stars were observed with the X-shooter spectrograph at the Very Large Telescope and have mass accretion rates spanning from 10-12 to 10-7M⊙ yr-1. The line profile was deconvolved into a low velocity component (LVC, | Vr | < 40 km s-1) and a high velocity component (HVC, | Vr | > 40 km s-1), originating from slow winds and high velocity jets, respectively. The LVC is by far the most frequent component, with a detection rate of 77%, while only 30% of sources have a HVC. The fraction of HVC detections slightly increases (i.e. 39%) in the sub-sample of stronger accretors (i.e. with log (Lacc/L⊙) >-3). The [O I]6300 Å luminosity of both the LVC and HVC, when detected, correlates with stellar and accretion parameters of the central sources (i.e. L∗, M∗, Lacc, Ṁacc), with similar slopes for the two components. The line luminosity correlates better (i.e. has a lower dispersion) with the accretion luminosity than with the stellar luminosity or stellar mass. We suggest that accretion is the main drivers for the line excitation and that MHD disc-winds are at the origin of both components. In the sub-sample of Lupus sources observed with ALMA a relationship is found between the HVC peak velocity and the outer disc inclination angle, as expected if the HVC traces jets ejected perpendicularly to the disc plane. Mass ejection rates (Ṁjet) measured from the detected HVC [O I]6300 Å line luminosity span from 10-13 to 10-7M⊙ yr-1. The

Bipolar Electrode Array Embedded in a Polymer Light-Emitting Electrochemical Cell.

PubMed

Gao, Jun; Chen, Shulun; AlTal, Faleh; Hu, Shiyu; Bouffier, Laurent; Wantz, Guillaume

2017-09-20

A linear array of aluminum discs is deposited between the driving electrodes of an extremely large planar polymer light-emitting electrochemical cell (PLEC). The planar PLEC is then operated at a constant bias voltage of 100 V. This promotes in situ electrochemical doping of the luminescent polymer from both the driving electrodes and the aluminum discs. These aluminum discs function as discrete bipolar electrodes (BPEs) that can drive redox reactions at their extremities. Time-lapse fluorescence imaging reveals that p- and n-doping that originated from neighboring BPEs can interact to form multiple light-emitting p-n junctions in series. This provides direct evidence of the working principle of bulk homojunction PLECs. The propagation of p-doping is faster from the BPEs than from the positive driving electrode due to electric field enhancement at the extremities of BPEs. The effect of field enhancement and the fact that the doping fronts only need to travel the distance between the neighboring BPEs to form a light-emitting junction greatly reduce the response time for electroluminescence in the region containing the BPE array. The near simultaneous formation of multiple light-emitting p-n junctions in series causes a measurable increase in cell current. This indicates that the region containing a BPE is much more conductive than the rest of the planar cell despite the latter's greater width. The p- and n-doping originating from the BPEs is initially highly confined. Significant expansion and divergence of doping occurred when the region containing the BPE array became more conductive. The shape and direction of expanded doping strongly suggest that the multiple light-emitting p-n junctions, formed between and connected by the array of metal BPEs, have functioned as a single rod-shaped BPE. This represents a new type of BPE that is formed in situ and as a combination of metal, doped polymers, and forward-biased p-n junctions connected in series.

Optical observation of metal jet generated by high speed inclined collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mori, A.; Tanaka, S.; Hokamoto, K.

2017-02-01

Explosive welding, one of the high energy rate material processing, is known the technique to weld strongly for the dissimilar metal combinations. When a metal is collided to the other metal at high velocity with a certain angle, good welding is achieved in this technique. Important parameters of the explosive welding method are the collision velocity and the collision angle. And it is necessary to know these parameters to obtain the explosively welded materials of several metals combinations. However, the optical observation for the collision of metal plate accelerated by the explosive is difficult because of the obstruction by the spreading of detonation gas. In the present work a single-stage powder gun and high speed video camera were used to observe the inclined collision of metals at the high velocity. Projectile consisted by a metal disc and sabot was accelerated by the deflagration of a gunpowder and was collided to another metal disc set with a certain angle. Metal jet was generated at the collision point when the projectile was collided to the target disc in the range of suitable conditions. By using this observation system, a series of the flow from the high speed collision to the generation of metal jet could be taken photographs clearly. This investigation shows the experimental results of the similar and dissimilar metal collision, with comparing the visualization of a metal jet simulated numerically.

On the energy dissipation rate at the inner edge of circumbinary discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terquem, Caroline; Papaloizou, John C. B.

2017-01-01

We study, by means of numerical simulations and analysis, the details of the accretion process from a disc on to a binary system. We show that energy is dissipated at the edge of a circumbinary disc and this is associated with the tidal torque that maintains the cavity: angular momentum is transferred from the binary to the disc through the action of compressional shocks and viscous friction. These shocks can be viewed as being produced by fluid elements that drift into the cavity and, before being accreted, are accelerated on to trajectories that send them back to impact the disc. The rate of energy dissipation is approximately equal to the product of potential energy per unit mass at the disc's inner edge and the accretion rate, estimated from the disc parameters just beyond the cavity edge, that would occur without the binary. For very thin discs, the actual accretion rate on to the binary may be significantly less. We calculate the energy emitted by a circumbinary disc taking into account energy dissipation at the inner edge and also irradiation arising there from reprocessing of light from the stars. We find that, for tight PMS binaries, the SED is dominated by emission from the inner edge at wavelengths between 1-4 and 10 μm. This may apply to systems like CoRoT 223992193 and V1481 Ori.

Herschel-PACS observation of gas lines from the disc around HD141569A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thi, Wing-Fai; Pinte, Christophe; Pantin, Eric; Augereau, Jean-Charles; Meeus, Gwendolyn; Ménard, Francois; Martin-Zaidi, Claire; Woitke, Peter; Riviere-Marichalar, Pablo; Kamp, Inga; Carmona, Andres; Sandell, Goran; Eiroa, Carlos; Dent, William; Montesinos, Benjamin; Aresu, Giambattista; Meijerink, Rowin; Spaans, Marco; White, Glenn; Ardila, David; Lebreton, Jeremy; Mendigutia, Ignacio; Brittain, Sean

2013-07-01

At the distance of ˜ 99-116 pc, HD141569A is one of the nearest HerbigAe stars that is surrounded by a tenuous disc, probably in transition between a massive primordial disc and a debris disc. We observed the fine-structure lines of O I at 63 and 145 μm , and the C II line at 157 μm with the PACS instrument on board the Herschel Space Telescope as part of the open-time large programme GASPS. We complemented the atomic line observations with Spitzer spectroscopic and photometric continuum data, ground-based VLT-VISIR image at 8.6 microns, and 12CO J=3-2 observations. We simultaneously modelled the continuum emission and the line fluxes with the Monte-Carlo radiative transfer code MCFOST and the thermo-chemical code ProDiMo to derive the disc gas and dust properties. We modelled the [O I] lines at 63 μm and at 145 μm, and the [C II] line at 157 μm. The models show that the oxygen lines are emitted from the inner disc around HD141569A, whereas the [C II] line emission is more extended. The CO submillimeter flux is emitted from the outer disc. Simultaneous modelling of the photometric and line data using a realistic disc structure suggests a dust mass derived from grains having a radius less than 1 mm of ˜ 2.1 × 10-7M⊙ and a total solid mass of 4.9 × 10-6 M⊙ . We constrained the PAH mass to be between 2 × 10-11 and 1.4 × 10-10 M⊙ depending on the size of the PAH. The associated PAH abundance is lower than those found in the interstellar medium by two to three orders of magnitude. The gas mass is a few 10-4M⊙. We constrained simultaneously the silicate dust grain, PAH, and gas mass in an evolved Herbig Ae disc. The uncertainty on the gas mass is large (around a factor 5) because the different gas tracers give estimates that do not agree with each other.

The life cycle of starbursting circumnuclear gas discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schartmann, M.; Mould, J.; Wada, K.; Burkert, A.; Durré, M.; Behrendt, M.; Davies, R. I.; Burtscher, L.

2018-01-01

High-resolution observations from the submm to the optical wavelength regime resolve the central few 100 pc region of nearby galaxies in great detail. They reveal a large diversity of features: thick gas and stellar discs, nuclear starbursts, inflows and outflows, central activity, jet interaction, etc. Concentrating on the role circumnuclear discs play in the life cycles of galactic nuclei, we employ 3D adaptive mesh refinement hydrodynamical simulations with the RAMSES code to self-consistently trace the evolution from a quasi-stable gas disc, undergoing gravitational (Toomre) instability, the formation of clumps and stars and the disc's subsequent, partial dispersal via stellar feedback. Our approach builds upon the observational finding that many nearby Seyfert galaxies have undergone intense nuclear starbursts in their recent past and in many nearby sources star formation is concentrated in a handful of clumps on a few 100 pc distant from the galactic centre. We show that such observations can be understood as the result of gravitational instabilities in dense circumnuclear discs. By comparing these simulations to available integral field unit observations of a sample of nearby galactic nuclei, we find consistent gas and stellar masses, kinematics, star formation and outflow properties. Important ingredients in the simulations are the self-consistent treatment of star formation and the dynamical evolution of the stellar distribution as well as the modelling of a delay time distribution for the supernova feedback. The knowledge of the resulting simulated density structure and kinematics on pc scale is vital for understanding inflow and feedback processes towards galactic scales.

Irradiation of an Accretion Disc by a Jet: General Properties and Implications for Spin Measurements of Black Holes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

T.Dauser; Garcia, J.; Wilms, J.; Boeck, M.; Brenneman, L. W.; Falanga, M.; Fukumura, Keigo; Reynolds, C. S.

2013-01-01

X-ray irradiation of the accretion disc leads to strong reflection features, which are then broadened and distorted by relativistic effects. We present a detailed, general relativistic approach to model this irradiation for different geometries of the primary X-ray source. These geometries include the standard point source on the rotational axis as well as more jet-like sources, which are radially elongated and accelerating. Incorporating this code in the RELLINE model for relativistic line emission, the line shape for any configuration can be predicted. We study how different irradiation geometries affect the determination of the spin of the black hole. Broad emission lines are produced only for compact irradiating sources situated close to the black hole. This is the only case where the black hole spin can be unambiguously determined. In all other cases the line shape is narrower, which could either be explained by a low spin or an elongated source. We conclude that for those cases and independent of the quality of the data, no unique solution for the spin exists and therefore only a lower limit of the spin value can be given

Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of stratified jets.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanasz, M.; Sol, H.

1996-11-01

We investigate the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of stratified jets. The internal component (core) is made of a relativistic gas moving with a relativistic bulk speed. The second component (sheath or envelope) flows between the core and external gas with a nonrelativistic speed. Such a two-component jet describes a variety of possible astrophysical jet configurations like e.g. (1) a relativistic electron-positron beam penetrating a classical electron-proton disc wind or (2) a beam-cocoon structure. We perform a linear stability analysis of such a configuration in the hydrodynamic, plane-parallel, vortex-sheet approximation. The obtained solutions of the dispersion relation show very apparent differences with respect to the single-jet solutions. Due to the reflection of sound waves at the boundary between sheet and external gas, the growth rate as a function of wavenumber presents a specific oscillation pattern. Overdense sheets can slow down the growth rate and contribute to stabilize the configuration. Moreover, we obtain the result that even for relatively small sheet widths the properties of sheet start to dominate the jet dynamics. Such effects could have important astrophysical implications, for instance on the origin of the dichotomy between radio-loud and radio-quiet objects.

Radio emission from Sgr A*: pulsar transits through the accretion disc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christie, I. M.; Petropoulou, M.; Mimica, P.; Giannios, D.

2017-06-01

Radiatively inefficient accretion flow models have been shown to accurately account for the spectrum and luminosity observed from Sgr A* in the X-ray regime down to mm wavelengths. However, observations at a few GHz cannot be explained by thermal electrons alone but require the presence of an additional non-thermal particle population. Here, we propose a model for the origin of such a population in the accretion flow via means of a pulsar orbiting the supermassive black hole in our Galaxy. Interactions between the relativistic pulsar wind with the disc lead to the formation of a bow shock in the wind. During the pulsar's transit through the accretion disc, relativistic pairs, accelerated at the shock front, are injected into the disc. The radio-emitting particles are long lived and remain within the disc long after the pulsar's transit. Periodic pulsar transits through the disc result in regular injection episodes of non-thermal particles. We show that for a pulsar with spin-down luminosity Lsd ˜ 3 × 1035 erg s-1 and a wind Lorentz factor of γw ˜ 104 a quasi-steady synchrotron emission is established with luminosities in the 1-10 GHz range comparable to the observed one.

Planet-disc interaction in laminar and turbulent discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoll, Moritz H. R.; Picogna, Giovanni; Kley, Wilhelm

2017-07-01

In weakly ionised discs turbulence can be generated through the vertical shear instability (VSI). Embedded planets are affected by a stochastic component in the torques acting on them, which can impact their migration. In this work we study the interplay between a growing planet embedded in a protoplanetary disc and the VSI turbulence. We performed a series of 3D hydrodynamical simulations for locally isothermal discs with embedded planets in the mass range from 5 to 100 Earth masses. We study planets embedded in an inviscid disc that is VSI unstable, becomes turbulent, and generates angular momentum transport with an effective α = 5 × 10-4. This is compared to the corresponding viscous disc using exactly this α-value. In general we find that the planets have only a weak impact on the disc turbulence. Only for the largest planet (100 M⊕) does the turbulent activity become enhanced inside of the planet. The depth and width of a gap created by the more massive planets (30,100 M⊕) in the turbulent disc equal exactly that of the corresponding viscous case, leading to very similar torque strengths acting on the planet, with small stochastic fluctuations for the VSI disc. At the gap edges vortices are generated that are stronger and longer-lived in the VSI disc. Low mass planets (with Mp ≤ 10 M⊕) do not open gaps in the disc in either case, but generate for the turbulent disc an overdensity behind the planet that exerts a significant negative torque. This can boost the inward migration in VSI turbulent discs well above the Type I rate. Owing to the finite turbulence level in realistic 3D discs the gap depth will always be limited and migration will not stall in inviscid discs.

Comparison of animal discs used in disc research to human lumbar disc: torsion mechanics and collagen content.

PubMed

Showalter, Brent L; Beckstein, Jesse C; Martin, John T; Beattie, Elizabeth E; Espinoza Orías, Alejandro A; Schaer, Thomas P; Vresilovic, Edward J; Elliott, Dawn M

2012-07-01

Experimental measurement and normalization of in vitro disc torsion mechanics and collagen content for several animal species used in intervertebral disc research and comparing these with the human disc. To aid in the selection of appropriate animal models for disc research by measuring torsional mechanical properties and collagen content. There is lack of data and variability in testing protocols for comparing animal and human disc torsion mechanics and collagen content. Intervertebral disc torsion mechanics were measured and normalized by disc height and polar moment of inertia for 11 disc types in 8 mammalian species: the calf, pig, baboon, goat, sheep, rabbit, rat, and mouse lumbar discs, and cow, rat, and mouse caudal discs. Collagen content was measured and normalized by dry weight for the same discs except the rat and the mouse. Collagen fiber stretch in torsion was calculated using an analytical model. Measured torsion parameters varied by several orders of magnitude across the different species. After geometric normalization, only the sheep and pig discs were statistically different from human discs. Fiber stretch was found to be highly dependent on the assumed initial fiber angle. The collagen content of the discs was similar, especially in the outer annulus where only the calf and goat discs were statistically different from human. Disc collagen content did not correlate with torsion mechanics. Disc torsion mechanics are comparable with human lumbar discs in 9 of 11 disc types after normalization by geometry. The normalized torsion mechanics and collagen content of the multiple animal discs presented are useful for selecting and interpreting results for animal disc models. Structural organization of the fiber angle may explain the differences that were noted between species after geometric normalization.

Magnetized advective accretion flows: formation of magnetic barriers in magnetically arrested discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mondal, Tushar; Mukhopadhyay, Banibrata

2018-05-01

We discuss the importance of large-scale strong magnetic field in the removal of angular momentum outward, as well as the possible origin of different kinds of magnetic barrier in advective, geometrically thick, sub-Keplerian accretion flows around black holes. The origin of this large-scale strong magnetic field near the event horizon is due to the advection of the magnetic flux by the accreting gas from the environment, say, the interstellar medium or a companion star, because of flux freezing. In this simplest vertically averaged, 1.5-dimensional disc model, we choose the maximum upper limit of the magnetic field, which the disc around a black hole can sustain. In this so called magnetically arrested disc model, the accreting gas either decelerates or faces the magnetic barrier near the event horizon by the accumulated magnetic field depending on the geometry. The magnetic barrier may knock the matter to infinity. We suggest that these types of flow are the building block to produce jets and outflows in the accreting system. We also find that in some cases, when matter is trying to go back to infinity after knocking the barrier, matter is prevented being escaped by the cumulative action of strong gravity and the magnetic tension, hence by another barrier. In this way, magnetic field can lock the matter in between these two barriers and it might be a possible explanation for the formation of episodic jet.

Simulations of Solar Jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

2017-02-01

Formation of a coronal jet from twisted field lines that have reconnected with the ambient field. The colors show the radial velocity of the plasma. [Adapted from Szente et al. 2017]How do jets emitted from the Suns surface contribute to its corona and to the solar wind? In a recent study, a team of scientists performed complex three-dimensional simulations of coronal jets to answer these questions.Small ExplosionsCoronal jets are relatively small eruptions from the Suns surface, with heights of roughly 100 to 10,000 km, speeds of 10 to 1,000 km/s, and lifetimes of a few minutes to around ten hours. These jets are constantly present theyre emitted even from the quiet Sun, when activity is otherwise low and weve observed them with a fleet of Sun-watching space telescopes spanning the visible, extreme ultraviolet (EUV), and X-ray wavelength bands.A comparison of simulated observations based on the authors model (left panels) to actual EUV and X-ray observations of jets (right panels). [Szente et al. 2017]Due to their ubiquity, we speculate that these jets might contribute to heating the global solar corona (which is significantly hotter than the surface below it, a curiosity known as the coronal heating problem). We can also wonder what role these jets might play in driving the overall solar wind.Launching a JetLed by Judit Szente (University of Michigan), a team of scientists has explored the impact of coronal jets on the global corona and solar wind with a series of numerical simulations. Szente and collaborators used three-dimensional, magnetohydrodynamic simulations that provide realistic treatment of the solar atmosphere, the solar wind acceleration, and the complexities of heat transfer throughout the corona.In the authors simulations, a jet is initiated as a magnetic dipole rotates at the solar surface, winding up field lines. Magnetic reconnection between the twisted lines and the background field then launches the jet from the dense and hot solar

Comparison of Animal Discs Used in Disc Research to Human Lumbar Disc: Torsion Mechanics and Collagen Content

PubMed Central

Showalter, Brent L.; Beckstein, Jesse C.; Martin, John T.; Beattie, Elizabeth E.; Orías, Alejandro A. Espinoza; Schaer, Thomas P.; Vresilovic, Edward J.; Elliott, Dawn M.

2012-01-01

Study Design Experimental measurement and normalization of in vitro disc torsion mechanics and collagen content for several animal species used in intervertebral disc research and comparing these to the human disc. Objective To aid in the selection of appropriate animal models for disc research by measuring torsional mechanical properties and collagen content. Summary of Background Data There is lack of data and variability in testing protocols for comparing animal and human disc torsion mechanics and collagen content. Methods Intervertebral disc torsion mechanics were measured and normalized by disc height and polar moment of inertia for 11 disc types in 8 mammalian species: the calf, pig, baboon, goat, sheep, rabbit, rat, and mouse lumbar, and cow, rat, and mouse caudal. Collagen content was measured and normalized by dry weight for the same discs except the rat and mouse. Collagen fiber stretch in torsion was calculated using an analytical model. Results Measured torsion parameters varied by several orders of magnitude across the different species. After geometric normalization, only the sheep and pig discs were statistically different from human. Fiber stretch was found to be highly dependent on the assumed initial fiber angle. The collagen content of the discs was similar, especially in the outer annulus where only the calf and goat discs were statistically different from human. Disc collagen content did not correlate with torsion mechanics. Conclusion Disc torsion mechanics are comparable to human lumbar discs in 9 of 11 disc types after normalization by geometry. The normalized torsion mechanics and collagen content of the multiple animal discs presented is useful for selecting and interpreting results for animal models of the disc. Structural composition of the disc, such as initial fiber angle, may explain the differences that were noted between species after geometric normalization. PMID:22333953

Disc-jet Coupling in the 2009 Outburst of the Black Hole Candidate H1743-322

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller-Jones, J. C. A.; Sivakoff, G. R.; Altamirano, D.; Coriat, M.; Corbel, S.; Dhawan, V.; Krimm, H. A.; Remillard, R. A.; Rupen, M. P.; Russell, D. M.;

Microfog lubricant application system for advanced turbine engine components, phase 2. Tasks 3, 4 and 5: Wettability and heat transfer of microfog jets impinging on a heated rotating disc, and evaluation of reclassifying nozzles and a vortex mist generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shim, J.; Leonardi, S. J.

1972-01-01

The wettabilities and heat transfer rates of microfog jets (oil-mist nozzle flows) impinging on a heated rotating disc were determined under an inert atmosphere of nitrogen at temperatures ranging from 600 to 800 F. The results are discussed in relation to the various factors involved in the microfog lubricant application systems. Two novel reclassifying nozzles and a vortex mist generator were also studied.

Probing jets from young embedded sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nisini, Brunella

2017-08-01

Jets are intimately related to the process of star formation and disc accretion. Our present knowledge of this key ingredient in protostars mostly relies on observations of optical jets from T Tauri stars, where the original circumstellar envelope has been already cleared out. However, to understand how jets are originally formed and how their properties evolve with time, detailed observations of young accreting protostars, i.e. the class 0/I sources, are mandatory. The study of class0/I jets will be revolutionised by JWST, able to penetrate protostars dusty envelopes with unprecedented sensitivity and resolution. However, complementary information on parameters inferred from lines in different excitation regimes, for at least a representative sample of a few bright sources, is essential for a correct interpretation of the JWST results. Here we propose to observe four prototype bright jets from class0/I sources with the WFC3 in narrow band filters in order to acquire high angular resolution images in the [OI]6300A, [FeII]1.25 and [FeII]1.64um lines. These images will be used to: 1) provide accurate extinction maps of the jets that will be an important archival reference for any future observation on these jets. 2) measure key parameters as the mass flux, the iron abundance and the jet collimation on the hot gas component of the jets. These information will provide an invaluable reference frame for a comparison with similar parameters measured by JWST in a different gas regime. In addition, these observations will allow us to confront the properties of class 0/I jets with those of the more evolved T Tauri stars.

Blazar spectral variability as explained by a twisted inhomogeneous jet.

PubMed

Raiteri, C M; Villata, M; Acosta-Pulido, J A; Agudo, I; Arkharov, A A; Bachev, R; Baida, G V; Benítez, E; Borman, G A; Boschin, W; Bozhilov, V; Butuzova, M S; Calcidese, P; Carnerero, M I; Carosati, D; Casadio, C; Castro-Segura, N; Chen, W-P; Damljanovic, G; D'Ammando, F; Di Paola, A; Echevarría, J; Efimova, N V; Ehgamberdiev, Sh A; Espinosa, C; Fuentes, A; Giunta, A; Gómez, J L; Grishina, T S; Gurwell, M A; Hiriart, D; Jermak, H; Jordan, B; Jorstad, S G; Joshi, M; Kopatskaya, E N; Kuratov, K; Kurtanidze, O M; Kurtanidze, S O; Lähteenmäki, A; Larionov, V M; Larionova, E G; Larionova, L V; Lázaro, C; Lin, C S; Malmrose, M P; Marscher, A P; Matsumoto, K; McBreen, B; Michel, R; Mihov, B; Minev, M; Mirzaqulov, D O; Mokrushina, A A; Molina, S N; Moody, J W; Morozova, D A; Nazarov, S V; Nikolashvili, M G; Ohlert, J M; Okhmat, D N; Ovcharov, E; Pinna, F; Polakis, T A; Protasio, C; Pursimo, T; Redondo-Lorenzo, F J; Rizzi, N; Rodriguez-Coira, G; Sadakane, K; Sadun, A C; Samal, M R; Savchenko, S S; Semkov, E; Skiff, B A; Slavcheva-Mihova, L; Smith, P S; Steele, I A; Strigachev, A; Tammi, J; Thum, C; Tornikoski, M; Troitskaya, Yu V; Troitsky, I S; Vasilyev, A A; Vince, O

2017-12-21

Blazars are active galactic nuclei, which are powerful sources of radiation whose central engine is located in the core of the host galaxy. Blazar emission is dominated by non-thermal radiation from a jet that moves relativistically towards us, and therefore undergoes Doppler beaming. This beaming causes flux enhancement and contraction of the variability timescales, so that most blazars appear as luminous sources characterized by noticeable and fast changes in brightness at all frequencies. The mechanism that produces this unpredictable variability is under debate, but proposed mechanisms include injection, acceleration and cooling of particles, with possible intervention of shock waves or turbulence. Changes in the viewing angle of the observed emitting knots or jet regions have also been suggested as an explanation of flaring events and can also explain specific properties of blazar emission, such as intra-day variability, quasi-periodicity and the delay of radio flux variations relative to optical changes. Such a geometric interpretation, however, is not universally accepted because alternative explanations based on changes in physical conditions-such as the size and speed of the emitting zone, the magnetic field, the number of emitting particles and their energy distribution-can explain snapshots of the spectral behaviour of blazars in many cases. Here we report the results of optical-to-radio-wavelength monitoring of the blazar CTA 102 and show that the observed long-term trends of the flux and spectral variability are best explained by an inhomogeneous, curved jet that undergoes changes in orientation over time. We propose that magnetohydrodynamic instabilities or rotation of the twisted jet cause different jet regions to change their orientation and hence their relative Doppler factors. In particular, the extreme optical outburst of 2016-2017 (brightness increase of six magnitudes) occurred when the corresponding emitting region had a small viewing angle

Blazar spectral variability as explained by a twisted inhomogeneous jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raiteri, C. M.; Villata, M.; Acosta-Pulido, J. A.; Agudo, I.; Arkharov, A. A.; Bachev, R.; Baida, G. V.; Benítez, E.; Borman, G. A.; Boschin, W.; Bozhilov, V.; Butuzova, M. S.; Calcidese, P.; Carnerero, M. I.; Carosati, D.; Casadio, C.; Castro-Segura, N.; Chen, W.-P.; Damljanovic, G.; D'Ammando, F.; di Paola, A.; Echevarría, J.; Efimova, N. V.; Ehgamberdiev, Sh. A.; Espinosa, C.; Fuentes, A.; Giunta, A.; Gómez, J. L.; Grishina, T. S.; Gurwell, M. A.; Hiriart, D.; Jermak, H.; Jordan, B.; Jorstad, S. G.; Joshi, M.; Kopatskaya, E. N.; Kuratov, K.; Kurtanidze, O. M.; Kurtanidze, S. O.; Lähteenmäki, A.; Larionov, V. M.; Larionova, E. G.; Larionova, L. V.; Lázaro, C.; Lin, C. S.; Malmrose, M. P.; Marscher, A. P.; Matsumoto, K.; McBreen, B.; Michel, R.; Mihov, B.; Minev, M.; Mirzaqulov, D. O.; Mokrushina, A. A.; Molina, S. N.; Moody, J. W.; Morozova, D. A.; Nazarov, S. V.; Nikolashvili, M. G.; Ohlert, J. M.; Okhmat, D. N.; Ovcharov, E.; Pinna, F.; Polakis, T. A.; Protasio, C.; Pursimo, T.; Redondo-Lorenzo, F. J.; Rizzi, N.; Rodriguez-Coira, G.; Sadakane, K.; Sadun, A. C.; Samal, M. R.; Savchenko, S. S.; Semkov, E.; Skiff, B. A.; Slavcheva-Mihova, L.; Smith, P. S.; Steele, I. A.; Strigachev, A.; Tammi, J.; Thum, C.; Tornikoski, M.; Troitskaya, Yu. V.; Troitsky, I. S.; Vasilyev, A. A.; Vince, O.

2017-12-01

Blazars are active galactic nuclei, which are powerful sources of radiation whose central engine is located in the core of the host galaxy. Blazar emission is dominated by non-thermal radiation from a jet that moves relativistically towards us, and therefore undergoes Doppler beaming. This beaming causes flux enhancement and contraction of the variability timescales, so that most blazars appear as luminous sources characterized by noticeable and fast changes in brightness at all frequencies. The mechanism that produces this unpredictable variability is under debate, but proposed mechanisms include injection, acceleration and cooling of particles, with possible intervention of shock waves or turbulence. Changes in the viewing angle of the observed emitting knots or jet regions have also been suggested as an explanation of flaring events and can also explain specific properties of blazar emission, such as intra-day variability, quasi-periodicity and the delay of radio flux variations relative to optical changes. Such a geometric interpretation, however, is not universally accepted because alternative explanations based on changes in physical conditions—such as the size and speed of the emitting zone, the magnetic field, the number of emitting particles and their energy distribution—can explain snapshots of the spectral behaviour of blazars in many cases. Here we report the results of optical-to-radio-wavelength monitoring of the blazar CTA 102 and show that the observed long-term trends of the flux and spectral variability are best explained by an inhomogeneous, curved jet that undergoes changes in orientation over time. We propose that magnetohydrodynamic instabilities or rotation of the twisted jet cause different jet regions to change their orientation and hence their relative Doppler factors. In particular, the extreme optical outburst of 2016–2017 (brightness increase of six magnitudes) occurred when the corresponding emitting region had a small viewing

Spray Formation from a Charged Liquid Jet of a Dielectric Fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doak, William; de Bellis, Victor; Chiarot, Paul; Microfluidics; Multiphase Flow Laboratory Team

2017-11-01

Atomization of a dielectric micro-jet is achieved via an electrohydrodynamic charge injection process. The atomizer is comprised of a grounded nozzle housing (ground electrode) and an internal probe (high voltage electrode) that is concentric with the emitting orifice. The internal probe is held at electric potentials ranging from 1-10 kV. A pressurized reservoir drives a dielectric fluid at a desired flow rate through the 100-micrometer diameter orifice. The fluid fills the cavity between the electrodes as it passes through the atomizer, impeding the transport of electrons. This process injects charge into the flowing fluid. Upon exiting the orifice, the emitted jet is highly charged and it deforms via a bending instability that is qualitatively similar to the behavior observed in the electrospinning of fibers. We observed bulging regions, or nodes, of highly charged fluid forming along the bent, rotating jet. These nodes separate into highly charged droplets that emit satellite droplets. The remaining ligaments break up due to capillarity in a process that produces additional satellites. All of the droplets possess a normal (inertial) and radial (electrically-driven) momentum component. The radial component is responsible for the formation of a conical spray envelope. Our research focuses on the jet, its break up, and the droplet dynamics of this system. This research supported by the American Chemical Society.

Exploring Jets from a Supermassive Black Hole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

2018-06-01

What are the feeding and burping habits of the supermassive black holes peppering the universe? In a new study, observations of one such monster reveal more about the behavior of its powerful jets.Beams from BehemothsAcross the universe, supermassive black holes of millions to billions of solar masses lie at the centers of galaxies, gobbling up surrounding material. But not all of the gas and dust that spirals in toward a black hole is ultimately swallowed! A large fraction of it can instead be flung out into space again, in the form of enormous, powerful jets that extend for thousands or even millions of light-years in opposite directions.M87, shown in this Hubble image, is a classic example of a nearby (55 million light-years distant) supermassive black hole with a visible, collimated jet. Its counter-jet isnt seen because relativistic effects make the receding jet appear less bright. [The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) and NASA/ESA]What causes these outflows to be tightly beamed collimated in the form of jets, rather than sprayed out in all directions? Does the pressure of the ambient medium the surrounding gas and dust that the jet is injected into play an important role? In what regions do these jets accelerate and decelerate? There are many open questions that scientists hope to understand by studying some of the active black holes with jets that live closest to us.Eyes on a Nearby GiantIn a new study led by Satomi Nakahara (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies in Japan), a team of scientists has used multifrequency Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) and Very Long Array (VLA) images to explore jets emitted from a galaxy just 100 million light-years away: NGC 4261.This galaxys (relatively) close distance as well as the fact that were viewing it largely from the side, so we can clearly see both of its polar jets allows us to observe in detail the structure and intensity of its jets as a function of their distance from the black hole. Nakahara and

The Causal Connection Between Disc and Power-Law Variability in Hard State Black Hole X-Ray Binaries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Uttley, P.; Wilkinson, T.; Cassatella, P.; Wilms, J.; Pottschimdt, K.; Hanke, M.; Boeck, M.

2010-01-01

We use the XMM-Newton EPIC-pn instrument in timing mode to extend spectral time-lag studies of hard state black hole X-ray binaries into the soft X-ray band. \\Ve show that variations of the disc blackbody emission substantially lead variations in the power-law emission, by tenths of a second on variability time-scales of seconds or longer. The large lags cannot be explained by Compton scattering but are consistent with time-delays due to viscous propagation of mass accretion fluctuations in the disc. However, on time-scales less than a second the disc lags the power-law variations by a few ms, consistent with the disc variations being dominated by X-ray heating by the power-law, with the short lag corresponding to the light-travel time between the power-law emitting region and the disc. Our results indicate that instabilities in the accretion disc are responsible for continuum variability on time-scales of seconds or longer and probably also on shorter time-scales.

Interplay between Mach cone and radial expansion in jet events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tachibana, Y.; Hirano, T.

2016-12-01

We study the hydrodynamic response to jet propagation in the expanding QGP and investigate how the particle spectra after the hydrodynamic evolution of the QGP reflect it. We perform simulations of the space-time evolution of the QGP in gamma-jet events by solving (3+1)-dimensional ideal hydrodynamic equations with source terms. Mach cone is induced by the jet energy deposition and pushes back the radial flow of the expanding background. Especially in the case when the jet passage is off-central one, the number of particles emitted in the direction of the push back decreases. This is the signal including the information about the formation of the Mach cone and the jet passage in the QGP fluid.

On gravitational chirality as the genesis of astrophysical jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, R. W.; Walton, T. J.

2017-02-01

It has been suggested that single and double jets observed emanating from certain astrophysical objects may have a purely gravitational origin. We discuss new classes of plane-fronted and pulsed gravitational wave solutions to the equation for perturbations of Ricci-flat spacetimes around Minkowski metrics, as models for the genesis of such phenomena. These solutions are classified in terms of their chirality and generate a family of non-stationary spacetime metrics. Particular members of these families are used as backgrounds in analysing time-like solutions to the geodesic equation for test particles. They are found numerically to exhibit both single and double jet-like features with dimensionless aspect ratios suggesting that it may be profitable to include such backgrounds in simulations of astrophysical jet dynamics from rotating accretion discs involving electromagnetic fields.

A (likely) X-ray jet from NGC6217 observed by XMM-Newton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falocco, Serena; Larsson, Josefin; Nandi, Sumana

2017-12-01

NGC6217 is a nearby spiral galaxy with a starburst region near its centre. Evidence for a low-luminosity Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) in its core has also been found in optical spectra. Intriguingly, X-ray observations by ROSAT revealed three knots aligned with the galaxy centre, resembling a jet structure. This paper presents a study of XMM-Newton observations made to assess the hypothesis of a jet emitted from the centre of NGC6217. The XMM data confirm the knots found with ROSAT and our spectral analysis shows that they have similar spectral properties with a hard photon index Γ ∼ 1.7. The core of NGC6217 is well fitted by a model with an AGN and a starburst component, where the AGN contributes at most 46 per cent of the total flux. The candidate jet has an apparent length ∼15 kpc and a luminosity of ∼5 × 1038 erg s- 1. It stands out by being hosted by a spiral galaxy, since jets are more widely associated with ellipticals. To explain the jet launching mechanism we consider the hypothesis of an advection dominated accretion flow with a low accretion rate. The candidate jet emitted from NGC6217 is intriguing since it represents a challenge to the current knowledge of the connection between AGN, jets and host galaxies.

Morphology and Dynamics of Jets of Comet 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko: Early Phase Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Zhong-Yi; Ip, Wing-Huen; Lai, Ian-Lin; Lee, Jui-Chi; Pajola, Maurizio; Lara, Luisa; Gutierrez, Pedro; Rodrigo, Rafael; Bodewits, Dennis; A'Hearn, Mike; Vincent, Jean-Baptiste; Agarwal, Jessica; Keller, Uwe; Mottola, Stefano; Bertini, Ivano; Lowry, Stephen; Rozek, Agata; Liao, Ying; Rosetta Osiris Coi Team

2015-04-01

The scientific camera, OSIRIS (Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System), onboard the Rosetta spacecraft comprises a Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) for nucleus surface and dust studies and a Wide Angle Camera (WAC) for the wide field of dust and gas coma investigations. The dynamical behavior of jets in the dust coma continuously monitored by using dust filters from the arrival at the comet (August 2014) throughout the mapping phase (Oct. 2014) is described here. The analysis will cover the study of the time variability of jets, the source regions of these jets, the excess brightness of jets relative to the averaged coma brightness, and the brightness distribution of dust jets along the projected distance. The jets detected between August and September originated mostly from the neck region (Hapi). Morphological changes appeared over a time scale of several days in September. The brightness slope of the dust jets is much steeper than the background coma. This might be related to the sublimation or fragmentation of the emitted dust grains. Inter-comparison with results from other experiments will be necessary to understand the difference between the dust emitted from Hapi and those from the head and the body of the nucleus surface. The physical properties of the Hapi jets will be compared to dust jets (and their source regions) to emerge as comet 67P moves around the perihelion.

Screech Tones of Supersonic Jets from Bevelled Rectangular Nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tam, Christopher K. W.; Shen, Hao; Raman, Ganesh

1997-01-01

It is known experimentally that an imperfectly expanded rectangular jet from a thin-lip convergent nozzle emits only a single dominant screech tone. The frequency of the screech tone decreases continuously with increase in jet Mach number. However, for a supersonic jet issued from a bevelled nozzle or a convergent-divergent nozzle with straight side walls, the shock cell structure and the screech frequency pattern are fairly complicated and have not been predicted before. In this paper, it is shown that the shock cell structures of these jets can be decomposed into waveguide modes of the jet flow. The screech frequencies are related to the higher-order waveguide modes following the weakest-link screech tone theory. The measured screech frequencies are found to compare well with the predicted screech frequency curves.

[Research progress of intervertebral disc endogenous stem cells for intervertebral disc regeneration].

PubMed

Liang, Hang; Deng, Xiangyu; Shao, Zengwu

2017-10-01

To summarize the research progress of intervertebral disc endogenous stem cells for intervertebral disc regeneration and deduce the therapeutic potential of endogenous repair for intervertebral disc degeneration. The original articles about intervertebral disc endogenous stem cells for intervertebral disc regeneration were extensively reviewed; the reparative potential in vivo and the extraction and identification in vitro of intervertebral disc endogenous stem cells were analyzed; the prospect of endogenous stem cells for intervertebral disc regeneration was predicted. Stem cell niche present in the intervertebral discs, from which stem cells migrate to injured tissues and contribute to tissues regeneration under certain specific microenvironment. Moreover, the migration of stem cells is regulated by chemokines system. Tissue specific progenitor cells have been identified and successfully extracted and isolated. The findings provide the basis for biological therapy of intervertebral disc endogenous stem cells. Intervertebral disc endogenous stem cells play a crucial role in intervertebral disc regeneration. Therapeutic strategy of intervertebral disc endogenous stem cells is proven to be a promising biological approach for intervertebral disc regeneration.

General relativistic study of astrophysical jets with internal shocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vyas, Mukesh K.; Chattopadhyay, Indranil

2017-08-01

We explore the possibility of the formation of steady internal shocks in jets around black holes. We consider a fluid described by a relativistic equation of state, flowing about the axis of symmetry (θ = 0) in a Schwarzschild metric. We use two models for the jet geometry: (I) a conical geometry and (II) a geometry with non-conical cross-section. A jet with conical geometry has a smooth flow, while the jet with non-conical cross-section undergoes multiple sonic points and even standing shock. The jet shock becomes stronger, as the shock location is situated farther from the central black hole. Jets with very high energy and very low energy do not harbour shocks, but jets with intermediate energies do harbour shocks. One advantage of these shocks, as opposed to shocks mediated by external medium, is that these shocks have no effect on the jet terminal speed, but may act as possible sites for particle acceleration. Typically, a jet with specific energy 1.8c2 will achieve a terminal speed of v∞ = 0.813c for jet with any geometry, where, c is the speed of light in vacuum. But for a jet of non-conical cross-section for which the length scale of the inner torus of the accretion disc is 40rg, then, in addition, a steady shock will form at rsh ˜ 7.5rg and compression ratio of R ˜ 2.7. Moreover, electron-proton jet seems to harbour the strongest shock. We will discuss possible consequences of such a scenario.

Structure of gamma-ray burst jets: intrinsic versus apparent properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salafia, O. S.; Ghisellini, G.; Pescalli, A.; Ghirlanda, G.; Nappo, F.

2015-07-01

With this paper we introduce the concept of apparent structure of a gamma-ray burst (GRB) jet, as opposed to its intrinsic structure. The latter is customarily defined specifying the functions ɛ(θ) (the energy emitted per jet unit solid angle) and Γ(θ) (the Lorentz factor of the emitting material); the apparent structure is instead defined by us as the isotropic equivalent energy Eiso(θv) as a function of the viewing angle θv. We show how to predict the apparent structure of a jet given its intrinsic structure. We find that a Gaussian intrinsic structure yields a power-law apparent structure: this opens a new viewpoint on the Gaussian (which can be understood as a proxy for a realistic narrow, well-collimated jet structure) as a possible candidate for a quasi-universal GRB jet structure. We show that such a model (a) is consistent with recent constraints on the observed luminosity function of GRBs; (b) implies fewer orphan afterglows with respect to the standard uniform model; (c) can break out the progenitor star (in the collapsar scenario) without wasting an unreasonable amount of energy; (d) is compatible with the explanation of the Amati correlation as a viewing angle effect; (e) can be very standard in energy content, and still yield a very wide range of observed isotropic equivalent energies.

Multiwavelength observations of the γ-ray-emitting narrow-line Seyfert 1 PMN J0948+0022 in 2011

DOE PAGES

D'Ammando, F.; Larsson, J.; Orienti, M.; ...

2014-01-28

Here, we report on radio-to-γ-ray observations during 2011 May–September of PMN J0948+0022, the first narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLSy1) galaxy detected in γ-rays by Fermi-Large Area Telescope. Strong variability was observed in γ-rays, with two flaring periods peaking on 2011 June 20 and July 28. The variability observed in optical and near-infrared seems to have no counterpart in γ-rays. The difference in behaviour could be related to a bending and inhomogeneous jet or a turbulent extreme multicell scenario. The radio spectra showed a variability pattern typical of relativistic jets. The XMM spectrum shows that the emission from the jet dominates abovemore » ~2 keV, while a soft X-ray excess is evident in the low-energy part of the X-ray spectrum. Models where the soft emission is partly produced by blurred reflection or Comptonization of the thermal disc emission provide good fits to the data. The X-ray spectral slope is similar to that found in radio-quiet NLSy1, suggesting that a standard accretion disc is present, as expected from the high accretion rate. Except for the soft X-ray excess, unusual in jet-dominated active galactic nuclei, PMN J0948+0022, shows all characteristics of the blazar class.« less

Engineered disc-like angle-ply structures for intervertebral disc replacement.

PubMed

Nerurkar, Nandan L; Sen, Sounok; Huang, Alice H; Elliott, Dawn M; Mauck, Robert L

2010-04-15

To develop a construction algorithm in which electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds are coupled with a biocompatible hydrogel to engineer a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based disc replacement. To engineer a disc-like angle-ply structure (DAPS) that replicates the multiscale architecture of the intervertebral disc. Successful engineering of a replacement for the intervertebral disc requires replication of its mechanical function and anatomic form. Despite many attempts to engineer a replacement for ailing and degenerated discs, no prior study has replicated the multiscale hierarchical architecture of the native disc, and very few have assessed the mechanical function of formed neo-tissues. A new algorithm for the construction of a disc analogue was developed, using agarose to form a central nucleus pulposus (NP) and oriented electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds to form the anulus fibrosus region (AF). Bovine MSCs were seeded into both regions and biochemical, histologic, and mechanical maturation were evaluated with in vitro culture. We show that mechanical testing in compression and torsion, loading methods commonly used to assess disc mechanics, reveal equilibrium and time-dependent behaviors that are qualitatively similar to native tissue, although lesser in magnitude. Further, we demonstrate that cells seeded into both AF and NP regions adopt distinct morphologies that mirror those seen in native tissue, and that, in the AF region, this ordered community of cells deposit matrix that is organized in an angle-ply configuration. Finally, constructs demonstrate functional development with long-term in vitro culture. These findings provide a new approach for disc tissue engineering that replicates multi-scale form and function of the intervertebral disc, providing a foundation from which to build a multi-scale, biologic, anatomically and hierarchically relevant composite disc analogue for eventual disc replacement.

Disc origin of broad optical emission lines of the TDE candidate PTF09djl

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, F. K.; Zhou, Z. Q.; Cao, R.; Ho, L. C.; Komossa, S.

2017-11-01

An otherwise dormant supermassive black hole (SMBH) in a galactic nucleus flares up when it tidally disrupts a star passing by. Most of the tidal disruption events (TDEs) and candidates discovered in the optical/UV have broad optical emission lines with complex and diverse profiles of puzzling origin. In this Letter, we show that the double-peaked broad H α line of the TDE candidate PTF09djl can be well modelled with a relativistic elliptical accretion disc and the peculiar substructures with one peak at the line rest wavelength and the other redshifted to about 3.5 × 104 km s-1 are mainly due to the orbital motion of the emitting matter within the disc plane of large inclination 88° and pericentre orientation nearly vertical to the observer. The accretion disc has an extreme eccentricity 0.966 and semimajor axis of 340 BH Schwarzschild radii. The viewing angle effects of large disc inclination lead to significant attenuation of He emission lines originally produced at large electron scattering optical depth and to the absence/weakness of He emission lines in the spectra of PTF09djl. Our results suggest that the diversities of line intensity ratios among the line species in optical TDEs are probably due to the differences of disc inclinations.

Relativistic jets without large-scale magnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parfrey, K.; Giannios, D.; Beloborodov, A.

2014-07-01

The canonical model of relativistic jets from black holes requires a large-scale ordered magnetic field to provide a significant magnetic flux through the ergosphere--in the Blandford-Znajek process, the jet power scales with the square of the magnetic flux. In many jet systems the presence of the required flux in the environment of the central engine is questionable. I will describe an alternative scenario, in which jets are produced by the continuous sequential accretion of small magnetic loops. The magnetic energy stored in these coronal flux systems is amplified by the differential rotation of the accretion disc and by the rotating spacetime of the black hole, leading to runaway field line inflation, magnetic reconnection in thin current layers, and the ejection of discrete bubbles of Poynting-flux-dominated plasma. For illustration I will show the results of general-relativistic force-free electrodynamic simulations of rotating black hole coronae, performed using a new resistivity model. The dissipation of magnetic energy by coronal reconnection events, as demonstrated in these simulations, is a potential source of the observed high-energy emission from accreting compact objects.

The relationship between quantitative measures of disc height and disc signal intensity with Pfirrmann score of disc degeneration.

PubMed

Salamat, Sara; Hutchings, John; Kwong, Clemens; Magnussen, John; Hancock, Mark J

2016-01-01

To assess the relationship between quantitative measures of disc height and signal intensity with the Pfirrmann disc degeneration scoring system and to test the inter-rater reliability of the quantitative measures. Participants were 76 people who had recently recovered from their last episode of acute low back pain and underwent MRI scan on a single 3T machine. At all 380 lumbar discs, quantitative measures of disc height and signal intensity were made by 2 independent raters and compared to Pfirrmann scores from a single radiologist. For quantitative measures of disc height and signal intensity a "raw" score and 2 adjusted ratios were calculated and the relationship with Pfirrmann scores was assessed. The inter-tester reliability of quantitative measures was also investigated. There was a strong linear relationship between quantitative disc signal intensity and Pfirrmann scores for grades 1-4, but not for grades 4 and 5. For disc height only, Pfirrmann grade 5 had significantly reduced disc height compared to all other grades. Results were similar regardless of whether raw or adjusted scores were used. Inter-rater reliability for the quantitative measures was excellent (ICC > 0.97). Quantitative measures of disc signal intensity were strongly related to Pfirrmann scores from grade 1 to 4; however disc height only differentiated between grade 4 and 5 Pfirrmann scores. Using adjusted ratios for quantitative measures of disc height or signal intensity did not significantly alter the relationship with Pfirrmann scores.

Broadband spectral study of the jet-disc emission in the radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy 1H 0323+342

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Ritesh; Dewangan, Gulab C.; Mallick, Labani; Raychaudhuri, Biplab

2018-06-01

We present a broadband spectral study of the radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy 1H 0323+342 based on multi-epoch observations performed with NuSTAR on 2014 March 15, and two simultaneous observations performed with Suzaku and Swift on 2009 July 26 and 2013 March 1. We found the presence of a strong soft X-ray excess emission, a broad but weak Fe line and hard X-ray excess emission. We used the blurred reflection (relxill) and the intrinsic disc Comptonization (optxagnf), two physically motivated models, to describe the broadband spectra and to disentangle the disk/corona and jet emission. The relxill model is mainly constrained by the strong soft X-ray excess although the model failed to predict this excess when fitted above 3{keV} and extrapolated to lower energies. The joint spectral analysis of the three datasets above 3{keV} with this model resulted in a high black hole spin (a > 0.9) and moderate reflection fraction R ˜ 0.5. The optxagnf model fitted to the two simultaneous datasets resulted in an excess emission in the UV band. The simultaneous UV-to-hard X-ray spectra of 1H 0323+342 are best described by a model consisting of a primary X-ray power-law continuum with Γ ˜ 1.8, a blurred reflection component with R ˜ 0.5, Comptonised disk emission as the soft X-ray excess, optical/UV emission from a standard accretion disk around a black hole of mass ˜107M⊙ and a steep power law (Γ ˜ 3 - 3.5) component, most likely the jet emission in the UV band. The fractional RMS variability spectra suggest that both the soft excess and the powerlaw component are variable in nature.

The physical relation between disc and coronal emission in quasars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lusso, Elisabeta; Risaliti, Guido

2017-12-01

We propose a modified version of the observed non-linear relation between the X-ray (2 keV) and the ultraviolet (2500 Å) emission in quasars (i.e. LX ∝ LUV^γ ) which involves the full width at half-maximum, FWHM, of the broad emission line, i.e. LX ∝ L_UV^γ FWHM^β. By analysing a sample of 550 optically selected non-jetted quasars in the redshift range of 0.36–2.23 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey cross matched with the XMM-Newton catalogue 3XMM-DR6, we found that the additional dependence of the observed LX ‑ LUV correlation on the FWHM of the MgII broad emission line is statistically significant. Our statistical analysis leads to a much tighter relation with respect to the one neglecting FWHM, and it does not evolve with redshift. We interpret this new relation within an accretion disc corona scenario where reconnection and magnetic loops above the accretion disc can account for the production of the primary X-ray radiation. For a broad line region size depending on the disc luminosity as R_blr ∝ L^0.5 , we find that L_X ∝ L_UV^4/7 FWHM^4/7, which is in very good agreement with the observed correlation.

X-Ray Evidence for the Accretion Disc-Outflow Connection in 3C 111

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tombesi, Frank; Sambruna, R. M.; Reeves, J. N.; Reynolds, C. S.; Braito, V.

2011-01-01

We present the spectral analysis of three Suzaku X-ray Imaging Spectrometer observations of 3C III requested to monitor the predicted variability of its ultrafast outflow on approximately 7 d time-scales. We detect an ionized iron emission line in the first observation and a blueshifted absorption line in the second, when the flux is approximately 30 per cent higher. The location of the material is constrained at less than 0.006 pc from the variability. Detailed modelling supports an identification with ionized reflection off the accretion disc at approximately 20-100rg from the black hole and a highly ionized and massive ultrafast outflow with velocity approximately 0.1c, respectively. The outflow is most probably accelerated by radiation pressure, but additional magnetic thrust cannot be excluded. The measured high outflow rate and mechanical energy support the claims that disc outflows may have a significant feedback role. This work provides the first direct evidence for an accretion disc-outflow connection in a radio-loud active galactic nucleus, possibly linked also to the jet activity.

Electron Beams Escaping the Sun: Hard X-ray Diagnostics of Jet-related Electron Acceleration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glesener, L.; Musset, S.; Saint-Hilaire, P.; Fleishman, G. D.; Krucker, S.; Christe, S.; Shih, A. Y.

2017-12-01

Coronal jets, which arise via an interaction between closed and open magnetic field, offer a convenient configuration for accelerated electrons to escape the low corona. Jets occur in all regions of the Sun, but those flare-related jets that occur in active regions are associated with bremsstrahlung hard X-rays (HXRs) from accelerated electrons. However, HXR measurement of the escaping beams themselves is elusive as it requires extremely high sensitivity. Jets are strongly correlated with Type III radio bursts in the corona and in interplanetary space. In this poster we present RHESSI observations of HXRs from flare-related jets, including multiwavelength analysis (with extreme ultraviolet and radio emission) and modeling of the emitting electron populations. We also present predicted observations of Type III-emitting electron beams by the FOXSI Small Explorer, which is currently undergoing a NASA Phase A concept study. FOXSI will measure HXRs from jets and flares in the low corona, providing quantitative diagnostics of accelerated electron beams at their origin. These same electron beams will be measured at higher altitudes by instruments aboard NASA's Parker Solar Probe and ESA's Solar Orbiter. With a planned launch in the rising phase of Solar Cycle 25, FOXSI will be ideally timed and optimized for collaborative study of electron beams escaping the Sun.

Core shifts, magnetic fields and magnetization of extragalactic jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zdziarski, Andrzej A.; Sikora, Marek; Pjanka, Patryk; Tchekhovskoy, Alexander

2015-07-01

We study the effect of radio-jet core shift, which is a dependence of the position of the jet radio core on the observational frequency. We derive a new method of measuring the jet magnetic field based on both the value of the shift and the observed radio flux, which complements the standard method that assumes equipartition. Using both methods, we re-analyse the blazar sample of Zamaninasab et al. We find that equipartition is satisfied only if the jet opening angle in the radio core region is close to the values found observationally, ≃0.1-0.2 divided by the bulk Lorentz factor, Γj. Larger values, e.g. 1/Γj, would imply magnetic fields much above equipartition. A small jet opening angle implies in turn the magnetization parameter of ≪1. We determine the jet magnetic flux taking into account this effect. We find that the transverse-averaged jet magnetic flux is fully compatible with the model of jet formation due to black hole (BH) spin-energy extraction and the accretion being a magnetically arrested disc (MAD). We calculate the jet average mass-flow rate corresponding to this model and find it consists of a substantial fraction of the mass accretion rate. This suggests the jet composition with a large fraction of baryons. We also calculate the average jet power, and find it moderately exceeds the accretion power, dot{M} c^2, reflecting BH spin energy extraction. We find our results for radio galaxies at low Eddington ratios are compatible with MADs but require a low radiative efficiency, as predicted by standard accretion models.

Effects of disc warping on the inclination evolution of star-disc-binary systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zanazzi, J. J.; Lai, Dong

2018-07-01

Several recent studies have suggested that circumstellar discs in young stellar binaries may be driven into misalignement with their host stars due to the secular gravitational interactions between the star, disc, and the binary companion. The disc in such systems is twisted/warped due to the gravitational torques from the oblate central star and the external companion. We calculate the disc warp profile, taking into account the bending wave propagation and viscosity in the disc. We show that for typical protostellar disc parameters, the disc warp is small, thereby justifying the `flat-disc' approximation adopted in previous theoretical studies. However, the viscous dissipation associated with the small disc warp/twist tends to drive the disc towards alignment with the binary or the central star. We calculate the relevant time-scales for the alignment. We find that the alignment is effective for sufficiently cold discs with strong external torques, especially for systems with rapidly rotating stars, but is ineffective for the majority of the star-disc-binary systems. Viscous warp-driven alignment may be necessary to account for the observed spin-orbit alignment in multiplanet systems if these systems are accompanied by an inclined binary companion.

Estimation of mass outflow rates from viscous relativistic accretion discs around black holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chattopadhyay, Indranil; Kumar, Rajiv

2016-07-01

We investigated flow in Schwarzschild metric, around a non-rotating black hole and obtained self-consistent accretion-ejection solution in full general relativity. We covered the whole of parameter space in the advective regime to obtain shocked, as well as, shock-free accretion solution. We computed the jet streamline using von Zeipel surfaces and projected the jet equations of motion on to the streamline and solved them simultaneously with the accretion disc equations of motion. We found that steady shock cannot exist beyond α ≳ 0.06 in the general relativistic prescription, but is lower if mass-loss is considered too. We showed that for fixed outer boundary, the shock moves closer to the horizon with increasing viscosity parameter. The mass outflow rate increases as the shock moves closer to the black hole, but eventually decreases, maximizing at some intermediate value of shock location. The jet terminal speed increases with stronger shocks; quantitatively speaking, the terminal speed of jets vj∞ > 0.1 if rsh < 20rg. The maximum of the outflow rate obtained in the general relativistic regime is less than 6 per cent of the mass accretion rate.

Jet-noise reduction through liquid-base foam injection.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manson, L.; Burge, H. L.

1971-01-01

An experimental investigation has been made of the sound-absorbing properties of liquid-base foams and of their ability to reduce jet noise. Protein, detergent, and polymer foaming agents were used in water solutions. A method of foam generation was developed to permit systematic variation of the foam density. The investigation included measurements of sound-absorption coefficents for both plane normal incidence waves and diffuse sound fields. The intrinsic acoustic properties of foam, e.g., the characteristic impedance and the propagation constant, were also determined. The sound emitted by a 1-in.-diam cold nitrogen jet was measured for subsonic (300 m/sec) and supersonic (422 m/sec) jets, with and without foam injection. Noise reductions up to 10 PNdB were measured.

Magnetorotational instability in protoplanetary discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salmeron, Raquel; Wardle, Mark

2005-07-01

We investigate the linear growth and vertical structure of the magnetorotational instability (MRI) in weakly ionized, stratified accretion discs. The magnetic field is initially vertical and dust grains are assumed to have settled towards the mid-plane, so charges are carried by electrons and ions only. Solutions are obtained at representative radial locations from the central protostar for different choices of the initial magnetic field strength, sources of ionization, disc structure and configuration of the conductivity tensor. The MRI is active over a wide range of magnetic field strengths and fluid conditions in low-conductivity discs. Moreover, no evidence was found of a low-limit field strength below which unstable modes do not exist. For the minimum-mass solar nebula model, incorporating cosmic ray ionization, perturbations grow at 1 au for B<~ 8 G. For a significant subset of these strengths (200mG <~B<~ 5G), the maximum growth rate is of the order of the ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) rate (0.75Ω). Hall conductivity modifies the structure and growth rate of global unstable modes at 1 au for all magnetic field strengths that support MRI. As a result, at this radius, modes obtained with a full conductivity tensor grow faster and are active over a more extended cross-section of the disc than perturbations in the ambipolar diffusion limit. For relatively strong fields (e.g. B>~ 200 mG), ambipolar diffusion alters the envelope shapes of the unstable modes, which peak at an intermediate height, instead of being mostly flat as modes in the Hall limit are in this region of parameter space. Similarly, when cosmic rays are assumed to be excluded from the disc by the winds emitted by the magnetically active protostar, unstable modes grow at this radius for B<~ 2 G. For strong fields, perturbations exhibit a kink at the height where X-ray ionization becomes active. Finally, for R= 5 au (10 au), unstable modes exist for B<~ 800 mG (B<~ 250 mG) and the maximum growth

Supersonic jet noise generated by large scale instabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seiner, J. M.; Mclaughlin, D. K.; Liu, C. H.

1982-01-01

The role of large scale wavelike structures as the major mechanism for supersonic jet noise emission is examined. With the use of aerodynamic and acoustic data for low Reynolds number, supersonic jets at and below 70 thousand comparisons are made with flow fluctuation and acoustic measurements in high Reynolds number, supersonic jets. These comparisons show that a similar physical mechanism governs the generation of sound emitted in he principal noise direction. These experimental data are further compared with a linear instability theory whose prediction for the axial location of peak wave amplitude agrees satisfactorily with measured phased averaged flow fluctuation data in the low Reynolds number jets. The agreement between theory and experiment in the high Reynolds number flow differs as to the axial location for peak flow fluctuations and predicts an apparent origin for sound emission far upstream of the measured acoustic data.

GRB 170817A as a jet counterpart to gravitational wave trigger GW 170817

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamb, Gavin P.; Kobayashi, Shiho

2018-05-01

Fermi/GBM (Gamma-ray Burst Monitor) and INTEGRAL (the International Gamma-ray Astrophysics Laboratory) reported the detection of the γ-ray counterpart, GRB 170817A, to the LIGO (Light Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory)/Virgo gravitational wave detected binary neutron star merger, GW 170817. GRB 170817A is likely to have an internal jet or another origin such as cocoon emission, shock-breakout, or a flare from a viscous disc. In this paper we assume that the γ-ray emission is caused by energy dissipation within a relativistic jet and we model the afterglow synchrotron emission from a reverse- and forward-shock in the outflow. We show the afterglow for a low-luminosity γ-ray burst (GRB) jet with a high Lorentz-factor (Γ); a low-Γ and low-kinetic energy jet; a low-Γ, high kinetic energy jet; structured jets viewed at an inclination within the jet-half-opening angle; and an off-axis `typical' GRB jet. All jet models will produce observable afterglows on various timescales. The late-time afterglow from 10-110 days can be fit by a Gaussian structured jet viewed at a moderate inclination, however the GRB is not directly reproduced by this model. These jet afterglow models can be used for future GW detected NS merger counterparts with a jet afterglow origin.

Swift J1644+57 gone MAD: the case for dynamically important magnetic flux threading the black hole in a jetted tidal disruption event

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tchekhovskoy, Alexander; Metzger, Brian D.; Giannios, Dimitrios; Kelley, Luke Z.

2014-01-01

The unusual transient Swift J1644+57 likely resulted from a collimated relativistic jet, powered by the sudden onset of accretion on to a massive black hole (BH) following the tidal disruption (TD) of a star. However, several mysteries cloud the interpretation of this event, including (1) the extreme flaring and `plateau' shape of the X-ray/γ-ray light curve during the first t - ttrig ˜ 10 d after the γ-ray trigger; (2) unexpected rebrightening of the forward shock radio emission at t - ttrig ˜ months; (3) lack of obvious evidence for jet precession, despite the misalignment typically expected between the angular momentum of the accretion disc and BH; (4) recent abrupt shut-off in the jet X-ray emission at t - ttrig ˜ 1.5 yr. Here, we show that all of these seemingly disparate mysteries are naturally resolved by one assumption: the presence of strong magnetic flux Φ• threading the BH. Just after the TD event, Φ• is dynamically weak relative to the high rate of fall-back accretion dot{M}, such that the accretion disc (jet) freely precesses about the BH axis = our line of sight. As dot{M} decreases, however, Φ• becomes dynamically important, leading to a state of `magnetically arrested disk' (MAD). MAD naturally aligns the jet with the BH spin, but only after an extended phase of violent rearrangement (jet wobbling), which in Swift J1644+57 starts a few days before the γ-ray trigger and explains the erratic early light curve. Indeed, the entire X-ray light curve can be fitted to the predicted power-law decay dot{M} ∝ t^{-α } (α ≃ 5/3 - 2.2) if the TD occurred a few weeks prior to the γ-ray trigger. Jet energy directed away from the line of sight, either prior to the trigger or during the jet alignment process, eventually manifests as the observed radio rebrightening, similar to an off-axis (orphan) γ-ray burst afterglow. As suggested recently, the late X-ray shut-off occurs when the disc transitions to a geometrically thin (jetless) state once

Kozai-Lidov disc instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubow, Stephen H.; Ogilvie, Gordon I.

2017-08-01

Recent results by Martin et al. showed in 3D smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations that tilted discs in binary systems can be unstable to the development of global, damped Kozai-Lidov (KL) oscillations in which the discs exchange tilt for eccentricity. We investigate the linear stability of KL modes for tilted inviscid discs under the approximations that the disc eccentricity is small and the disc remains flat. By using 1D equations, we are able to probe regimes of large ratios of outer to inner disc edge radii that are realistic for binary systems of hundreds of astronomical unit separations and are not easily probed by multidimensional simulations. For order unity binary mass ratios, KL instability is possible for a window of disc aspect ratios H/r in the outer parts of a disc that roughly scale as (nb/n)2 ≲ H/r ≲ nb/n, for binary orbital frequency nb and orbital frequency n at the disc outer edge. We present a framework for understanding the zones of instability based on the determination of branches of marginally unstable modes. In general, multiple growing eccentric KL modes can be present in a disc. Coplanar apsidal-nodal precession resonances delineate instability branches. We determine the range of tilt angles for unstable modes as a function of disc aspect ratio. Unlike the KL instability for free particles that involves a critical (minimum) tilt angle, disc instability is possible for any non-zero tilt angle depending on the disc aspect ratio.

Characteristics of strongly-forced turbulent jets and non-premixed jet flames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lakshminarasimhan, K.; Clemens, N. T.; Ezekoye, O. A.

2006-10-01

Previous researchers have demonstrated that strong pulsations of the fuel flow rate can significantly reduce the flame length and luminosity of laminar/transitional non-premixed jet flames. The physical mechanisms responsible for these changes are investigated experimentally in acoustically-forced jet flows where the peak velocity fluctuations are up to eight times the mean flow velocity. Both reacting and non-reacting flows were studied and Reynolds numbers, based on the mean flow properties, ranged from 800 to 10,000 (corresponding to peak Reynolds numbers of 1,450-23,000), and forcing frequencies ranged from 290 to 1,140 Hz. Both the first and second organ-pipe resonance modes of the fuel delivery tube were excited to obtain these frequencies. An analysis of the acoustic forcing characteristics within the resonance tube is provided in order to understand the source of the high amplitude forcing. Flow visualization of jets with first resonant forcing confirms the presence of large-scale coherent vortices and strong reverse flow near the exit of the fuel tube. With second-resonant forcing, however, vortices are not emitted from the tube as they are drawn back into the fuel tube before they can fully form. Increased fine-scale turbulence is associated with both resonant cases, but particularly at second resonance. The power spectra of the velocity fluctuations for a resonantly pulsed jet show the presence of an inertial subrange indicating that the flow becomes fully turbulent even for mean-Reynolds-number jets that are nominally laminar. It is shown that these pulsed jet flows exhibit strong similarities to synthetic jets and that the Strouhal number, based on the maximum velocity at the fuel tube exit, is the dominant parameter for scaling these flows. The Strouhal number determines the downstream location where the coherent vortices breakdown, and is found to provide better collapse of flame length data (both current and previous) than other parameters that have

Forming H-shaped and barrel-shaped nebulae with interacting jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akashi, Muhammad; Bear, Ealeal; Soker, Noam

2018-04-01

We conduct three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of two opposite jets with large opening angles launched from a binary stellar system into a previously ejected shell and show that the interaction can form barrel-like and H-like shapes in the descendant nebula. Such features are observed in planetary nebulae (PNe) and supernova remnants. Under our assumption, the dense shell is formed by a short instability phase of the giant star as it interacts with a stellar companion, and the jets are then launched by the companion as it accretes mass through an accretion disc from the giant star. We find that the H-shaped and barrel-shaped morphological features that the jets form evolve with time, and that there are complicated flow patterns, such as vortices, instabilities, and caps moving ahead along the symmetry axis. We compare our numerical results with images of 12 PNe, and show that jet-shell interaction that we simulate can account for the barrel-like or H-like morphologies that are observed in these PNe.

Lumbar Disc Degenerative Disease: Disc Degeneration Symptoms and Magnetic Resonance Image Findings

PubMed Central

Saleem, Shafaq; Rehmani, Muhammad Asim Khan; Raees, Aisha; Alvi, Arsalan Ahmad; Ashraf, Junaid

2013-01-01

Study Design Cross sectional and observational. Purpose To evaluate the different aspects of lumbar disc degenerative disc disease and relate them with magnetic resonance image (MRI) findings and symptoms. Overview of Literature Lumbar disc degenerative disease has now been proven as the most common cause of low back pain throughout the world. It may present as disc herniation, lumbar spinal stenosis, facet joint arthropathy or any combination. Presenting symptoms of lumbar disc degeneration are lower back pain and sciatica which may be aggravated by standing, walking, bending, straining and coughing. Methods This study was conducted from January 2012 to June 2012. Study was conducted on the diagnosed patients of lumbar disc degeneration. Diagnostic criteria were based upon abnormal findings in MRI. Patients with prior back surgery, spine fractures, sacroiliac arthritis, metabolic bone disease, spinal infection, rheumatoid arthritis, active malignancy, and pregnancy were excluded. Results During the targeted months, 163 patients of lumbar disc degeneration with mean age of 43.92±11.76 years, came into Neurosurgery department. Disc degeneration was most commonly present at the level of L4/L5 105 (64.4%).Commonest types of disc degeneration were disc herniation 109 (66.9%) and lumbar spinal stenosis 37 (22.7%). Spondylolisthesis was commonly present at L5/S1 10 (6.1%) and associated mostly with lumbar spinal stenosis 7 (18.9%). Conclusions Results reported the frequent occurrence of lumbar disc degenerative disease in advance age. Research efforts should endeavor to reduce risk factors and improve the quality of life. PMID:24353850

Application of a relativistic accretion disc model to X-ray spectra of LMC X-1 and GRO J1655-40

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gierliński, Marek; Maciołek-Niedźwiecki, Andrzej; Ebisawa, Ken

2001-08-01

We present a general relativistic accretion disc model and its application to the soft-state X-ray spectra of black hole binaries. The model assumes a flat, optically thick disc around a rotating Kerr black hole. The disc locally radiates away the dissipated energy as a blackbody. Special and general relativistic effects influencing photons emitted by the disc are taken into account. The emerging spectrum, as seen by a distant observer, is parametrized by the black hole mass and spin, the accretion rate, the disc inclination angle and the inner disc radius. We fit the ASCA soft-state X-ray spectra of LMC X-1 and GRO J1655-40 by this model. We find that, having additional limits on the black hole mass and inclination angle from optical/UV observations, we can constrain the black hole spin from X-ray data. In LMC X-1 the constraint is weak, and we can only rule out the maximally rotating black hole. In GRO J1655-40 we can limit the spin much better, and we find 0.68<=a<=0.88. Accretion discs in both sources are radiation-pressure dominated. We do not find Compton reflection features in the spectra of any of these objects.

`Orphan' afterglows in the Universal structured jet model for γ-ray bursts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossi, Elena M.; Perna, Rosalba; Daigne, Frédéric

2008-10-01

The paucity of reliable achromatic breaks in γ-ray burst afterglow light curves motivates independent measurements of the jet aperture. Serendipitous searches of afterglows, especially at radio wavelengths, have long been the classic alternative. These survey data have been interpreted assuming a uniformly emitting jet with sharp edges (`top-hat' jet), in that case the ratio of weakly relativistically beamed afterglows to GRBs scales with the jet solid angle. In this paper, we consider, instead, a very wide outflow with a luminosity that decreases across the emitting surface. In particular, we adopt the universal structured jet (USJ) model, which is an alternative to the top-hat model for the structure of the jet. However, the interpretation of the survey data is very different: in the USJ model, we only observe the emission within the jet aperture and the observed ratio of prompt emission rate to afterglow rate should solely depend on selection effects. We compute the number and rate of afterglows expected in all-sky snapshot observations as a function of the survey sensitivity. We find that the current (negative) results for OA searches are in agreement with our expectations. In radio and X-ray bands, this was mainly due to the low sensitivity of the surveys, while in the optical band the sky coverage was not sufficient. In general, we find that X-ray surveys are poor tools for OA searches, if the jet is structured. On the other hand, the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-cm radio survey and future instruments like the Allen Telescope Array (in the radio band) and especially GAIA, Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System and Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (in the optical band) will have chances to detect afterglows.

Star-disc interaction in galactic nuclei: formation of a central stellar disc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panamarev, Taras; Shukirgaliyev, Bekdaulet; Meiron, Yohai; Berczik, Peter; Just, Andreas; Spurzem, Rainer; Omarov, Chingis; Vilkoviskij, Emmanuil

2018-05-01

We perform high-resolution direct N-body simulations to study the effect of an accretion disc on stellar dynamics in an active galactic nucleus (AGN). We show that the interaction of the nuclear stellar cluster (NSC) with the gaseous accretion disc (AD) leads to formation of a stellar disc in the central part of the NSC. The accretion of stars from the stellar disc on to the super-massive black hole is balanced by the capture of stars from the NSC into the stellar disc, yielding a stationary density profile. We derive the migration time through the AD to be 3 per cent of the half-mass relaxation time of the NSC. The mass and size of the stellar disc are 0.7 per cent of the mass and 5 per cent of the influence radius of the super-massive black hole. An AD lifetime shorter than the migration time would result in a less massive nuclear stellar disc. The detection of such a stellar disc could point to past activity of the hosting galactic nucleus.

Production of bio-jet fuel from microalgae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elmoraghy, Marian

The increase in petroleum-based aviation fuel consumption, the decrease in petroleum resources, the fluctuation of the crude oil price, the increase in greenhouse gas emission and the need for energy security are motivating the development of an alternate jet fuel. Bio-jet fuel has to be a drop in fuel, technically and economically feasible, environmentally friendly, greener than jet fuel, produced locally and low gallon per Btu. Bic jet fuel has been produced by blending petro-based jet fuel with microalgae biodiesel (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester, or simply FAME). Indoor microalgae growth, lipids extraction and transetrification to biodiesel are energy and fresh water intensive and time consuming. In addition, the quality of the biodiesel product and the physical properties of the bio-jet fuel blends are unknown. This work addressed these challenges. Minimizing the energy requirements and making microalgae growth process greener were accomplished by replacing fluorescent lights with light emitting diodes (LEDs). Reducing fresh water footprint in algae growth was accomplished by waste water use. Microalgae biodiesel production time was reduced using the one-step (in-situ transestrification) process. Yields up to 56.82 mg FAME/g dry algae were obtained. Predicted physical properties of in-situ FAME satisfied European and American standards confirming its quality. Lipid triggering by nitrogen deprivation was accomplished in order to increase the FAME production. Bio-jet fuel freezing points and heating values were measured for different jet fuel to biodiesel blend ratios.

The asymptotic form of non-global logarithms, black disc saturation, and gluonic deserts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neill, Duff

2017-01-01

We develop an asymptotic perturbation theory for the large logarithmic behavior of the non-linear integro-differential equation describing the soft correlations of QCD jet measurements, the Banfi-Marchesini-Smye (BMS) equation. This equation captures the late-time evolution of radiating color dipoles after a hard collision. This allows us to prove that at large values of the control variable (the non-global logarithm, a function of the infra-red energy scales associated with distinct hard jets in an event), the distribution has a gaussian tail. We compute the decay width analytically, giving a closed form expression, and find it to be jet geometry independent, up to the number of legs of the dipole in the active jet. Enabling the asymptotic expansion is the correct perturbative seed, where we perturb around an anzats encoding formally no real emissions, an intuition motivated by the buffer region found in jet dynamics. This must be supplemented with the correct application of the BFKL approximation to the BMS equation in collinear limits. Comparing to the asymptotics of the conformally related evolution equation encountered in small-x physics, the Balitisky-Kovchegov (BK) equation, we find that the asymptotic form of the non-global logarithms directly maps to the black-disc unitarity limit of the BK equation, despite the contrasting physical pictures. Indeed, we recover the equations of saturation physics in the final state dynamics of QCD.

Magnetic Fields in Blazar Jets: Jet-Alignment of Radio and Optical Polarization over 20-30 Years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wills, Beverley J.; Aller, M. F.; Caldwell, C.; Aller, H. D.

2012-01-01

Blazars are highly active nuclei of distant galaxies. They produce synchrotron-emitting relativistic jets on scales of less than a parsec to many Kpc. When viewed head-on, as opposed to in the plane of the sky, the jet motion appears superluminal, and the emission is Doppler boosted. Blazars show rapid radio and optical variability in flux density and polarization. There are two types of blazars that can have strong synchrotron continua: some quasars with strong broad emission lines, and BL Lac objects with weak or undetected broad lines. We have compiled optical linear polarization measurements of more than 100 blazars, including archival data from McDonald Observatory. While the optical data are somewhat sparsely sampled, The University of Michigan Radio Astronomical Observatory observed many blazars over 20-30 years, often well-sampled over days to weeks, enabling quasi-simultaneous comparison of optical and radio polarization position angles (EVPAs). We also collected data on jet direction -- position angles of the jet component nearest the radio core. The project is unique in examining the polarization and jet behavior over many years. BL Lac objects tend to have stable optically thin EVPA in the jet direction, meaning magnetic field is perpendicular to jet flow, often interpreted as the magnetic field compressed by shocks. In quasar-blazars optical and radio EVPA often changes between parallel or perpendicular to the jet direction, even in the same object. The underlying B field of the jet is is parallel to the flow, with approximately 90 degree changes resulting from shocks. For both BL Lac objects & quasars, the scatter in EVPA usually increases from low frequencies (4.8 GHz) through 14.5 GHz through optical. The wide optical-radio frequency range allows us to investigate optical depth effects and the spatial origin of radio and optical emission.

Risk factors of jet fuel combustion products.

PubMed

Tesseraux, Irene

2004-04-01

Air travel is increasing and airports are being newly built or enlarged. Concern is rising about the exposure to toxic combustion products in the population living in the vicinity of large airports. Jet fuels are well characterized regarding their physical and chemical properties. Health effects of fuel vapors and liquid fuel are described after occupational exposure and in animal studies. Rather less is known about combustion products of jet fuels and exposure to those. Aircraft emissions vary with the engine type, the engine load and the fuel. Among jet aircrafts there are differences between civil and military jet engines and their fuels. Combustion of jet fuel results in CO2, H2O, CO, C, NOx, particles and a great number of organic compounds. Among the emitted hydrocarbons (HCs), no compound (indicator) characteristic for jet engines could be detected so far. Jet engines do not seem to be a source of halogenated compounds or heavy metals. They contain, however, various toxicologically relevant compounds including carcinogenic substances. A comparison between organic compounds in the emissions of jet engines and diesel vehicle engines revealed no major differences in the composition. Risk factors of jet engine fuel exhaust can only be named in context of exposure data. Using available monitoring data, the possibilities and limitations for a risk assessment approach for the population living around large airports are presented. The analysis of such data shows that there is an impact on the air quality of the adjacent communities, but this impact does not result in levels higher than those in a typical urban environment.

Fluid Dynamics of a High Aspect-Ratio Jet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Munro, Scott E.; Ahuja, K. K.

2003-01-01

Circulation control wings are a type of pneumatic high-lift device that have been extensively researched as to their aerodynamic benefits. However, there has been little research into the possible airframe noise reduction benefits of a circulation control wing. The key element of noise is the jet noise associated with the jet sheet emitted from the blowing slot. High aspect-ratio jet acoustic results (aspect-ratios from 100 to 3,000) from a related study showed that the jet noise of this type of jet was proportional to the slot height to the 3/2 power and slot width to the 1/2 power. Fluid dynamic experiments were performed in the present study on the high aspect-ratio nozzle to gain understanding of the flow characteristics in an effort to relate the acoustic results to flow parameters. Single hot-wire experiments indicated that the jet exhaust from the high aspect-ratio nozzle was similar to a 2-d turbulent jet. Two-wire space-correlation measurements were performed to attempt to find a relationship between the slot height of the jet and the length-scale of the flow noise generating turbulence structure. The turbulent eddy convection velocity was also calculated, and was found to vary with the local centerline velocity, and also as a function of the frequency of the eddy.

Undercover EUV Solar Jets Observed by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, N.-H.; Innes, D. E.

2016-12-01

It is well-known that extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emission emitted at the solar surface is absorbed by overlying cool plasma. Especially in active regions, dark lanes in EUV images suggest that much of the surface activity is obscured. Simultaneous observations from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, consisting of UV spectra and slit-jaw images (SJI), give vital information with sub-arcsecond spatial resolution on the dynamics of jets not seen in EUV images. We studied a series of small jets from recently formed bipole pairs beside the trailing spot of active region 11991, which occurred on 2014 March 5 from 15:02:21 UT to 17:04:07 UT. Collimated outflows with bright roots were present in SJI 1400 Å (transition region) and 2796 Å (upper chromosphere) that were mostly not seen in Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) 304 Å (transition region) and AIA 171 Å (lower corona) images. The Si IV spectra show a strong blue wing enhancement, but no red wing, in the line profiles of the ejecta for all recurrent jets, indicating outward flows without twists. We see two types of Mg II line profiles produced by the jets spires: reversed and non-reversed. Mg II lines remain optically thick, but turn optically thin in the highly Doppler shifted wings. The energy flux contained in each recurrent jet is estimated using a velocity differential emission measure technique that measures the emitting power of the plasma as a function of the line-of-sight velocity. We found that all the recurrent jets release similar energy (108 erg cm-2 s-1) toward the corona and the downward component is less than 3%.

Rapid Jet Precession During the 2015 Outburst of the Black Hole X-ray Binary V404 Cygni

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivakoff, Gregory R.; Miller-Jones, James; Tetarenko, Alex J.

2017-08-01

In stellar-mass black holes that are orbited by lower-mass companions (black hole low-mass X-ray binaries), the accretion process can undergo dramatic outbursts that can be accompanied by the launching of powerful relativistic jets. We still do not know the exact mechanism responsible for launching these jets, despite decades of research and the importance of determining this mechanism given the clear analogue of accreting super-massive black holes and their jets. The two main models for launching jets involve the extraction of the rotational energy of a spinning black hole (Blandford-Znajek) and the centrifugal acceleration of particles by open magnetic field lines rotating with the accretion flow (Blandford-Payne). Since some relativistic jets are not fully aligned with the angular momentum of the binary's orbit, the inner accretion flow of some black hole X-ray binaries may precess due to frame-dragging by a spinning black hole (Lense-Thirring precession). This precession has been previously observed close to the black hole as second-timescale quasi-periodic (X-ray) variability. In this talk we will present radio-through-sub-mm timing and high-angular resolution radio imaging (including a high-timing resolution movie) of the black hole X-ray binary V404 Cygni during its 2015 outburst. These data show that at the peak of the outburst the relativistic jets in this system were precessing on timescales of hours. We will discuss how rapid precession can be explained by Lense-Thirring precession of a vertically-extended slim disc that is maintained out to a radius of 6 X 1010 cm by a highly super-Eddington accretion rate. This would imply that the jet axis of V404 Cyg is not aligned with the black hole spin. More importantly, this places a key requirement on any model for launching jets, and may favour launching the jet from the rotating magnetic fields threading the disc.

Modeling and optimization of an elastic arthroplastic disc for a degenerated disc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghouchani, Azadeh; Ravari, Mohammad; Mahmoudi, Farid

2011-10-01

A three-dimensional finite element model (FEM) of the L3-L4 motion segment using ABAQUS v 6.9 has been developed. The model took into account the material nonlinearities and is imposed different loading conditions. In this study, we validated the model by comparison of its predictions with several sets of experimental data. Disc deformation under compression and segmental rotational motions under moment loads for the normal disc model agreed well with the corresponding in vivo studies. By linking ABAQUS with MATLAB 2010.a, we determined the optimal Young s modulus as well as the Poisson's ratio for the artificial disc under different physiologic loading conditions. The results of the present study confirmed that a well-designed elastic arthroplastic disc preferably has an annulus modulus of 19.1 MPa and 1.24 MPa for nucleus section and Poisson ratio of 0.41 and 0.47 respectively. Elastic artificial disc with such properties can then achieve the goal of restoring the disc height and mechanical function of intact disc under different loading conditions and so can reduce low back pain which is mostly caused due to disc degeneration.

Jets in Polar Coronal Holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scullion, E.; Popescu, M. D.; Banerjee, D.; Doyle, J. G.; Erdélyi, R.

2009-10-01

Here, we explore the nature of small-scale jet-like structures and their possible relation to explosive events and other known transient features, like spicules and macrospicules, using high-resolution spectroscopy obtained with the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation instrument. We present a highly resolved spectroscopic analysis and line parameter study of time-series data for jets occurring on-disk and off-limb in both a northern and a southern coronal hole. The analysis reveals many small-scale transients which rapidly propagate between the mid-transition region (N IV 765 Å line formation: 140,000 K) and the lower corona (Ne VIII 770 Å line formation: 630,000 K). In one example, a strong jet-like event is associated with a cool feature not present in the Ne VIII 770 Å line radiance or Doppler velocity maps. Another similar event is observed, but with a hot component, which could be perceived as a blinker. Our data reveal fast, repetitive plasma outflows with blueshift velocities of ≈145 km s-1 in the lower solar atmosphere. The data suggest a strong role for smaller jets (spicules), as a precursor to macrospicule formation, which may have a common origin with explosive events.

Development of Jet Noise Power Spectral Laws

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khavaran, Abbas; Bridges, James

2011-01-01

High-quality jet noise spectral data measured at the Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory (AAPL) at NASA Glenn is used to develop jet noise scaling laws. A FORTRAN algorithm was written that provides detailed spectral prediction of component jet noise at user-specified conditions. The model generates quick estimates of the jet mixing noise and the broadband shock-associated noise (BBSN) in single-stream, axis-symmetric jets within a wide range of nozzle operating conditions. Shock noise is emitted when supersonic jets exit a nozzle at imperfectly expanded conditions. A successful scaling of the BBSN allows for this noise component to be predicted in both convergent and convergent-divergent nozzles. Configurations considered in this study consisted of convergent and convergent- divergent nozzles. Velocity exponents for the jet mixing noise were evaluated as a function of observer angle and jet temperature. Similar intensity laws were developed for the broadband shock-associated noise in supersonic jets. A computer program called sJet was developed that provides a quick estimate of component noise in single-stream jets at a wide range of operating conditions. A number of features have been incorporated into the data bank and subsequent scaling in order to improve jet noise predictions. Measurements have been converted to a lossless format. Set points have been carefully selected to minimize the instability-related noise at small aft angles. Regression parameters have been scrutinized for error bounds at each angle. Screech-related amplification noise has been kept to a minimum to ensure that the velocity exponents for the jet mixing noise remain free of amplifications. A shock-noise-intensity scaling has been developed independent of the nozzle design point. The computer program provides detailed narrow-band spectral predictions for component noise (mixing noise and shock associated noise), as well as the total noise. Although the methodology is confined to single

Instability of warped discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doǧan, S.; Nixon, C. J.; King, A. R.; Pringle, J. E.

2018-05-01

Accretion discs are generally warped. If a warp in a disc is too large, the disc can `break' apart into two or more distinct planes, with only tenuous connections between them. Further, if an initially planar disc is subject to a strong differential precession, then it can be torn apart into discrete annuli that precess effectively independently. In previous investigations, torque-balance formulae have been used to predict where and when the disc breaks into distinct parts. In this work, focusing on discs with Keplerian rotation and where the shearing motions driving the radial communication of the warp are damped locally by turbulence (the `diffusive' regime), we investigate the stability of warped discs to determine the precise criterion for an isolated warped disc to break. We find and solve the dispersion relation, which, in general, yields three roots. We provide a comprehensive analysis of this viscous-warp instability and the emergent growth rates and their dependence on disc parameters. The physics of the instability can be understood as a combination of (1) a term that would generally encapsulate the classical Lightman-Eardley instability in planar discs (given by ∂(νΣ)/∂Σ < 0) but is here modified by the warp to include ∂(ν1|ψ|)/∂|ψ| < 0, and (2) a similar condition acting on the diffusion of the warp amplitude given in simplified form by ∂(ν2|ψ|)/∂|ψ| < 0. We discuss our findings in the context of discs with an imposed precession, and comment on the implications for different astrophysical systems.

Patterns of lumbar disc degeneration are different in degenerative disc disease and disc prolapse magnetic resonance imaging analysis of 224 patients.

PubMed

Kanna, Rishi M; Shetty, Ajoy Prasad; Rajasekaran, S

2014-02-01

Existing research on lumbar disc degeneration has remained inconclusive regarding its etiology, pathogenesis, symptomatology, prevention, and management. Degenerative disc disease (DDD) and disc prolapse (DP) are common diseases affecting the lumbar discs. Although they manifest clinically differently, existing studies on disc degeneration have included patients with both these features, leading to wide variations in observations. The possible relationship or disaffect between DDD and DP is not fully evaluated. To analyze the patterns of lumbar disc degeneration in patients with chronic back pain and DDD and those with acute DP. Prospective, magnetic resonance imaging-based radiological study. Two groups of patients (aged 20-50 years) were prospectively studied. Group 1 included patients requiring a single level microdiscectomy for acute DP. Group 2 included patients with chronic low back pain and DDD. Discs were assessed by magnetic resonance imaging through Pfirmann grading, Schmorl nodes, Modic changes, and the total end-plate damage score for all the five lumbar discs. Group 1 (DP) had 91 patients and group 2 (DDD) had 133 patients. DP and DDD patients differed significantly in the number, extent, and severity of degeneration. DDD patients had a significantly higher number of degenerated discs than DP patients (p<.000). The incidence of multilevel and pan-lumbar degeneration was also significantly higher in DDD group. The pattern of degeneration also differed in both the groups. DDD patients had predominant upper lumbar involvement, whereas DP patients had mainly lower lumbar degeneration. Modic changes were more common in DP patients, especially at the prolapsed level. Modic changes were present in 37% of prolapsed levels compared with 9.9% of normal discs (p<.00). The total end-plate damage score had a positive correlation with disc degeneration in both the groups. Further the mean total end-plate damage score at prolapsed level was also significantly higher

Circumplanetary discs around young giant planets: a comparison between core-accretion and disc instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szulágyi, J.; Mayer, L.; Quinn, T.

2017-01-01

Circumplanetary discs can be found around forming giant planets, regardless of whether core accretion or gravitational instability built the planet. We carried out state-of-the-art hydrodynamical simulations of the circumplanetary discs for both formation scenarios, using as similar initial conditions as possible to unveil possible intrinsic differences in the circumplanetary disc mass and temperature between the two formation mechanisms. We found that the circumplanetary discs' mass linearly scales with the circumstellar disc mass. Therefore, in an equally massive protoplanetary disc, the circumplanetary discs formed in the disc instability model can be only a factor of 8 more massive than their core-accretion counterparts. On the other hand, the bulk circumplanetary disc temperature differs by more than an order of magnitude between the two cases. The subdiscs around planets formed by gravitational instability have a characteristic temperature below 100 K, while the core-accretion circumplanetary discs are hot, with temperatures even greater than 1000 K when embedded in massive, optically thick protoplanetary discs. We explain how this difference can be understood as the natural result of the different formation mechanisms. We argue that the different temperatures should persist up to the point when a full-fledged gas giant forms via disc instability; hence, our result provides a convenient criterion for observations to distinguish between the two main formation scenarios by measuring the bulk temperature in the planet vicinity.

Protoplanetary disc `isochrones' and the evolution of discs in the M˙-Md plane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lodato, Giuseppe; Scardoni, Chiara E.; Manara, Carlo F.; Testi, Leonardo

2017-12-01

In this paper, we compare simple viscous diffusion models for the disc evolution with the results of recent surveys of the properties of young protoplanetary discs. We introduce the useful concept of 'disc isochrones' in the accretion rate-disc mass plane and explore a set of Monte Carlo realization of disc initial conditions. We find that such simple viscous models can provide a remarkable agreement with the available data in the Lupus star forming region, with the key requirement that the average viscous evolutionary time-scale of the discs is comparable to the cluster age. Our models produce naturally a correlation between mass accretion rate and disc mass that is shallower than linear, contrary to previous results and in agreement with observations. We also predict that a linear correlation, with a tighter scatter, should be found for more evolved disc populations. Finally, we find that such viscous models can reproduce the observations in the Lupus region only in the assumption that the efficiency of angular momentum transport is a growing function of radius, thus putting interesting constraints on the nature of the microscopic processes that lead to disc accretion.

Counter-rotating accretion discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyda, S.; Lovelace, R. V. E.; Ustyugova, G. V.; Romanova, M. M.; Koldoba, A. V.

2015-01-01

Counter-rotating discs can arise from the accretion of a counter-rotating gas cloud on to the surface of an existing corotating disc or from the counter-rotating gas moving radially inwards to the outer edge of an existing disc. At the interface, the two components mix to produce gas or plasma with zero net angular momentum which tends to free-fall towards the disc centre. We discuss high-resolution axisymmetric hydrodynamic simulations of viscous counter-rotating discs for the cases where the two components are vertically separated and radially separated. The viscosity is described by an isotropic α-viscosity including all terms in the viscous stress tensor. For the vertically separated components, a shear layer forms between them and the middle part of this layer free-falls to the disc centre. The accretion rates are increased by factors of ˜102-104 over that for a conventional disc rotating in one direction with the same viscosity. The vertical width of the shear layer and the accretion rate are strongly dependent on the viscosity and the mass fraction of the counter-rotating gas. In the case of radially separated components where the inner disc corotates and the outer disc rotates in the opposite direction, a gap between the two components opens and closes quasi-periodically. The accretion rates are ≳25 times larger than those for a disc rotating in one direction with the same viscosity.

Observations of warm molecular gas and kinematics in the disc around HD 100546

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panić, O.; van Dishoeck, E. F.; Hogerheijde, M. R.; Belloche, A.; Güsten, R.; Boland, W.; Baryshev, A.

2010-09-01

line emission suggests that one side of the outer disc is colder by 10-20 K than the other. A plausible scenario is a warped geometry in the inner disc casting a partial shaddow on the outer disc. We exclude pointing offsets, foreground cloud absorption, and asymmetry in the disc extent as possible causes of the observed line asymmetry. Conclusions: Efficient heating of the outer disc by the star HD 100546 ensures that low- and high-J 12CO lines are dominated by the outermost disc regions, indicating a 400 AU radius. The 12CO J = 6-5 line arises from a disc layer higher than disc midplane, and warmer by 15-20 K than the layer emitting the J = 3-2 line. The existing models of discs around Herbig Ae stars, asuming a B9.5 type model stellar atmosphere, overproduce the [CI] 3P2-3P1 line intensity from HD 100546 by an order of magnitude.

The influence of jet engine noise on hearing of technical staff.

PubMed

Konopka, Wiesław; Pawlaczyk-Luszczyńska, Małgorzata; Śliwińska-Kowalska, Mariola

2014-01-01

Due to high sound pressure levels (SPLs), noise produced by jet planes may be harmful to hearing of people working in their proximity. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of exposure to jet engine noise on technical staff hearing. The study comprised 60 men, aged 24-50 years, employed in army as technical staff and exposed to jet engine noise for 6-20 years. The control group were 50 non-noise exposed males, aged 25-51 years. Exposure to noise emitted by jet engines was evaluated. Pure-tone audiometry (PTA) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) were recorded in both groups. Jet engines emitted broadband noise with spectrum dominated by components in the frequency range 315-6300 Hz (1/3-octave bands). Maximum A-weighted SPL during tests reached values of approx. 120-130 dB. Consequently, engine-servicing personnel (even in the case of a single engine test) was exposed to noise (at A-weighted daily noise exposure level above 95 dB) exceeding permissible levels. Averaged audiometric hearing threshold levels of technical staff were higher (≤ 17 dB HL, p < 0.001) than in the control group. Similarly, the DPOAE amplitude was lower (≤ 17 dB SPL, p < 0.01) in the noise-exposed subjects compared to the non-exposed ones. Significant reduction of DPOAE levels was mainly noted for high frequencies (3-6 kHz). Despite the usage of hearing protection devices, both PTA and DPOAE consistently showed poorer hearing in engine-servicing personnel vs. control group.

Evolution of protoplanetary discs with magnetically driven disc winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Takeru K.; Ogihara, Masahiro; Morbidelli, Alessandro; Crida, Aurélien; Guillot, Tristan

2016-12-01

Aims: We investigate the evolution of protoplanetary discs (PPDs) with magnetically driven disc winds and viscous heating. Methods: We considered an initially massive disc with 0.1 M⊙ to track the evolution from the early stage of PPDs. We solved the time evolution of surface density and temperature by taking into account viscous heating and the loss of mass and angular momentum by the disc winds within the framework of a standard α model for accretion discs. Our model parameters, turbulent viscosity, disc wind mass-loss, and disc wind torque, which were adopted from local magnetohydrodynamical simulations and constrained by the global energetics of the gravitational accretion, largely depends on the physical condition of PPDs, particularly on the evolution of the vertical magnetic flux in weakly ionized PPDs. Results: Although there are still uncertainties concerning the evolution of the vertical magnetic flux that remains, the surface densities show a large variety, depending on the combination of these three parameters, some of which are very different from the surface density expected from the standard accretion. When a PPD is in a wind-driven accretion state with the preserved vertical magnetic field, the radial dependence of the surface density can be positive in the inner region <1-10 au. The mass accretion rates are consistent with observations, even in the very low level of magnetohydrodynamical turbulence. Such a positive radial slope of the surface density strongly affects planet formation because it inhibits the inward drift or even causes the outward drift of pebble- to boulder-sized solid bodies, and it also slows down or even reversed the inward type-I migration of protoplanets. Conclusions: The variety of our calculated PPDs should yield a wide variety of exoplanet systems.

Jet engine noise and infrared plume correlation field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunio, Phillip M.; Weber, Reed A.; Knobel, Kimberly R.; Smith, Christine; Draudt, Andy

2015-09-01

Jet engine noise can be a health hazard and environmental pollutant, particularly affecting personnel working in close proximity to jet engines, such as airline mechanics. Mitigating noise could reduce the potential for hearing loss in runway workers; however, there exists a very complex relationship between jet engine design parameters, operating conditions, and resultant noise power levels, and understanding and characterizing this relationship is a key step in mitigating jet engine noise effects. We demonstrate initial results highlighting the utility of high-speed imaging (hypertemporal imaging) in correlating the infrared signatures of jet engines with acoustic noise. This paper builds on prior theoretical analysis of jet engine infrared signatures and their potential relationships to jet engine acoustic emissions. This previous work identified the region of the jet plume most likely to emit both in infrared and in acoustic domains, and it prompted the investigation of wave packets as a physical construct tying together acoustic and infrared energy emissions. As a means of verifying these assertions, a field campaign to collect relevant data was proposed, and data collection was carried out with a bank of infrared instruments imaging a T700 turboshaft engine undergoing routine operational testing. The detection of hypertemporal signatures in association with acoustic signatures of jet engines enables the use of a new domain in characterizing jet engine noise. This may in turn enable new methods of predicting or mitigating jet engine noise, which could lead to socioeconomic benefits for airlines and other operators of large numbers of jet engines.

Thermalization of mini-jets in a quark-gluon plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iancu, Edmond; Wu, Bin

2015-10-01

We complete the physical picture for the evolution of a high-energy jet propagating through a weakly-coupled quark-gluon plasma by investigating the thermalization of the soft components of the jet. We argue that the following scenario should hold: the leading particle emits a significant number of mini-jets which promptly evolve via quasi-democratic branchings and thus degrade into a myriad of soft gluons, with energies of the order of the medium temperature T. Via elastic collisions with the medium constituents, these soft gluons relax to local thermal equilibrium with the plasma over a time scale which is considerably shorter than the typical lifetime of the mini-jet. The thermalized gluons form a tail which lags behind the hard components of the jet. We support this scenario, first, via parametric arguments and, next, by studying a simplified kinetic equation, which describes the jet dynamics in longitudinal phase-space. We solve the kinetic equation using both (semi-)analytical and numerical methods. In particular, we obtain the first exact, analytic, solutions to the ultrarelativistic Fokker-Planck equation in one-dimensional phase-space. Our results confirm the physical picture aforementioned and demonstrate the quenching of the jet via multiple branching followed by the thermalization of the soft gluons in the cascades.

Acoustic streaming jets: A scaling and dimensional analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Botton, V., E-mail: valery.botton@insa-lyon.fr; Henry, D.; Millet, S.

2015-10-28

We present our work on acoustic streaming free jets driven by ultrasonic beams in liquids. These jets are steady flows generated far from walls by progressive acoustic waves. As can be seen on figure 1, our set-up, denominated AStrID for Acoustic Streaming Investigation Device, is made of a water tank in which a 29 mm plane source emits continuous ultrasonic waves at typically 2 MHz. Our approach combines an experimental characterization of both the acoustic pressure field (hydrophone) and the obtained acoustic streaming velocity field (PIV visualization) on one hand, with CFD using an incompressible Navier-Stokes solver on the other hand.

Quantitating Human Optic Disc Topography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graebel, William P.; Cohan, Bruce E.; Pearch, Andrew C.

1980-07-01

A method is presented for quantitatively expressing the topography of the human optic disc, applicable in a clinical setting to the diagnosis and management of glaucoma. Pho-tographs of the disc illuminated by a pattern of fine, high contrast parallel lines are digitized. From the measured deviation of the lines as they traverse the disc surface, disc topography is calculated, using the principles of optical sectioning. The quantitators applied to express this topography have the the following advantages : sensitivity to disc shape; objectivity; going beyond the limits of cup-disc ratio estimates and volume calculations; perfect generality in a mathematical sense; an inherent scheme for determining a non-subjective reference frame to compare different discs or the same disc over time.

Hydrodynamical Simulations of the Jet in the Symbiotic Star MWC 560. 3; Application to X-ray Jets in Symbiotic Stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stute, Matthias; Sahai, Raghvendra

2007-01-01

In Papers I and II in this series, we presented hydrodynamical simulations of jet models with parameters representative of the symbiotic system MWC 560. These were simulations of a pulsed, initially underdense jet in a high-density ambient medium. Since the pulsed emission of the jet creates internal shocks and since the jet velocity is very high, the jet bow shock and the internal shocks are heated to high temperatures and should therefore emit X-ray radiation. In this paper, we investigate in detail the X-ray properties of the jets in our models. We have focused our study on the total X-ray luminosity and its temporal variability, the resulting spectra, and the spatial distribution of the emission. Temperature and density maps from our hydrodynamical simulations with radiative cooling presented in the second paper are used, together with emissivities calculated with the atomic database ATOMDB. The jets in our models show extended and variable X-ray emission, which can be characterized as a sum of hot and warm components with temperatures that are consistent with observations of CH Cyg and R Aqr. The X-ray spectra of our model jets show emission-line features that correspond to observed features in the spectra of CH Cyg. The innermost parts of our pulsed jets show iron line emission in the 6.4-6.7 keV range, which may explain such emission from the central source in R Aqr. We conclude that MWC 560 should be detectable with Chandra or XMM-Newton, and such X-ray observations will prove crucial for understanding jets in symbiotic stars.

The asymptotic form of non-global logarithms, black disc saturation, and gluonic deserts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neill, Duff

Here, we develop an asymptotic perturbation theory for the large logarithmic behavior of the non-linear integro-differential equation describing the soft correlations of QCD jet measurements, the Banfi-Marchesini-Smye (BMS) equation. Furthermore, this equation captures the late-time evolution of radiating color dipoles after a hard collision. This allows us to prove that at large values of the control variable (the non-global logarithm, a function of the infra-red energy scales associated with distinct hard jets in an event), the distribution has a gaussian tail. We also compute the decay width analytically, giving a closed form expression, and find it to be jet geometrymore » independent, up to the number of legs of the dipole in the active jet. By enabling the asymptotic expansion we find that the perturbative seed is correct; we perturb around an anzats encoding formally no real emissions, an intuition motivated by the buffer region found in jet dynamics. This must be supplemented with the correct application of the BFKL approximation to the BMS equation in collinear limits. Comparing to the asymptotics of the conformally related evolution equation encountered in small-x physics, the Balitisky-Kovchegov (BK) equation, we find that the asymptotic form of the non-global logarithms directly maps to the black-disc unitarity limit of the BK equation, despite the contrasting physical pictures. Indeed, we recover the equations of saturation physics in the final state dynamics of QCD.« less

The asymptotic form of non-global logarithms, black disc saturation, and gluonic deserts

DOE PAGES

Neill, Duff

2017-01-25

Here, we develop an asymptotic perturbation theory for the large logarithmic behavior of the non-linear integro-differential equation describing the soft correlations of QCD jet measurements, the Banfi-Marchesini-Smye (BMS) equation. Furthermore, this equation captures the late-time evolution of radiating color dipoles after a hard collision. This allows us to prove that at large values of the control variable (the non-global logarithm, a function of the infra-red energy scales associated with distinct hard jets in an event), the distribution has a gaussian tail. We also compute the decay width analytically, giving a closed form expression, and find it to be jet geometrymore » independent, up to the number of legs of the dipole in the active jet. By enabling the asymptotic expansion we find that the perturbative seed is correct; we perturb around an anzats encoding formally no real emissions, an intuition motivated by the buffer region found in jet dynamics. This must be supplemented with the correct application of the BFKL approximation to the BMS equation in collinear limits. Comparing to the asymptotics of the conformally related evolution equation encountered in small-x physics, the Balitisky-Kovchegov (BK) equation, we find that the asymptotic form of the non-global logarithms directly maps to the black-disc unitarity limit of the BK equation, despite the contrasting physical pictures. Indeed, we recover the equations of saturation physics in the final state dynamics of QCD.« less

UNDERCOVER EUV SOLAR JETS OBSERVED BY THE INTERFACE REGION IMAGING SPECTROGRAPH

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, N.-H.; Innes, D. E.

It is well-known that extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emission emitted at the solar surface is absorbed by overlying cool plasma. Especially in active regions, dark lanes in EUV images suggest that much of the surface activity is obscured. Simultaneous observations from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, consisting of UV spectra and slit-jaw images (SJI), give vital information with sub-arcsecond spatial resolution on the dynamics of jets not seen in EUV images. We studied a series of small jets from recently formed bipole pairs beside the trailing spot of active region 11991, which occurred on 2014 March 5 from 15:02:21 UT tomore » 17:04:07 UT. Collimated outflows with bright roots were present in SJI 1400 Å (transition region) and 2796 Å (upper chromosphere) that were mostly not seen in Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) 304 Å (transition region) and AIA 171 Å (lower corona) images. The Si iv spectra show a strong blue wing enhancement, but no red wing, in the line profiles of the ejecta for all recurrent jets, indicating outward flows without twists. We see two types of Mg ii line profiles produced by the jets spires: reversed and non-reversed. Mg ii lines remain optically thick, but turn optically thin in the highly Doppler shifted wings. The energy flux contained in each recurrent jet is estimated using a velocity differential emission measure technique that measures the emitting power of the plasma as a function of the line-of-sight velocity. We found that all the recurrent jets release similar energy (10{sup 8} erg cm{sup −2} s{sup −1}) toward the corona and the downward component is less than 3%.« less

Rethinking Black Hole Accretion Discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvesen, Greg

Accretion discs are staples of astrophysics. Tapping into the gravitational potential energy of the accreting material, these discs are highly efficient machines that produce copious radiation and extreme outflows. While interesting in their own right, accretion discs also act as tools to study black holes and directly influence the properties of the Universe. Black hole X-ray binaries are fantastic natural laboratories for studying accretion disc physics and black hole phenomena. Among many of the curious behaviors exhibited by these systems are black hole state transitions -- complicated cycles of dramatic brightening and dimming. Using X-ray observations with high temporal cadence, we show that the evolution of the accretion disc spectrum during black hole state transitions can be described by a variable disc atmospheric structure without invoking a radially truncated disc geometry. The accretion disc spectrum can be a powerful diagnostic for measuring black hole spin if the effects of the disc atmosphere on the emergent spectrum are well-understood; however, properties of the disc atmosphere are largely unconstrained. Using statistical methods, we decompose this black hole spin measurement technique and show that modest uncertainties regarding the disc atmosphere can lead to erroneous spin measurements. The vertical structure of the disc is difficult to constrain due to our ignorance of the contribution to hydrostatic balance by magnetic fields, which are fundamental to the accretion process. Observations of black hole X-ray binaries and the accretion environments near supermassive black holes provide mounting evidence for strong magnetization. Performing numerical simulations of accretion discs in the shearing box approximation, we impose a net vertical magnetic flux that allows us to effectively control the level of disc magnetization. We study how dynamo activity and the properties of turbulence driven by the magnetorotational instability depend on the

How do accretion discs break?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dogan, Suzan

2016-07-01

Accretion discs are common in binary systems, and they are often found to be misaligned with respect to the binary orbit. The gravitational torque from a companion induces nodal precession in misaligned disc orbits. In this study, we first calculate whether this precession is strong enough to overcome the internal disc torques communicating angular momentum. We compare the disc precession torque with the disc viscous torque to determine whether the disc should warp or break. For typical parameters precession wins: the disc breaks into distinct planes that precess effectively independently. To check our analytical findings, we perform 3D hydrodynamical numerical simulations using the PHANTOM smoothed particle hydrodynamics code, and confirm that disc breaking is widespread and enhances accretion on to the central object. For some inclinations, the disc goes through strong Kozai cycles. Disc breaking promotes markedly enhanced and variable accretion and potentially produces high-energy particles or radiation through shocks. This would have significant implications for all binary systems: e.g. accretion outbursts in X-ray binaries and fuelling supermassive black hole (SMBH) binaries. The behaviour we have discussed in this work is relevant to a variety of astrophysical systems, for example X-ray binaries, where the disc plane may be tilted by radiation warping, SMBH binaries, where accretion of misaligned gas can create effectively random inclinations and protostellar binaries, where a disc may be misaligned by a variety of effects such as binary capture/exchange, accretion after binary formation.

Gravity wave generation from jets and fronts: idealized and real-case simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plougonven, Riwal; Arsac, Antonin; Hertzog, Albert; Guez, Lionel; Vial, François

2010-05-01

The generation of gravity waves from jets and fronts remains an outstanding issue in the dynamics of the atmosphere. It is important to explain and quantify this emission because of the several impacts of these waves, in particular the induced momentum fluxes towards the middle atmosphere, and their contribution to turbulence and mixing, e.g. in the region of the tropopause. Yet, the mechanisms at the origin of these waves have been difficult to identify, the fundamental reason for this being the separation between the time scales of balanced motions and gravity waves. Recent simulations of idealized baroclinic life cycles and of dipoles have provided insights into the mechanisms determining the characteristics and the amplitude of gravity waves emitted by jets. It has been shown in particular that the environmental strain and shear play a crucial role in determining the characteristics and location of the emitted waves, emphasizing jet exit regions for the appearance of coherent low-frequency waves. It has also been shown how advection of relatively small-scales allow to overcome the separation of time scales alluded to above. Recent results, remaining open questions and ongoing work on these idealized simulations will be briefly summarized. Nevertheless, unavoidable shortcomings of such idealized simulations include the sensitivity of the emitted waves to model setup (resolution, diffusion, parameterizations) and uncertainty regarding the realism of this aspect of the simulations. Hence, it is necessary to compare simulations with observations in order to assess their relevance. Such comparison has been undertaken using the dataset from the Vorcore campaign (Sept. 2005 - Feb. 2006, Hertzog, J. Atmos. Ocean. Techno. 2007) during which 27 superpressure balloons drifted as quasi-Lagrangian tracers in the lower stratosphere above Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. High-resolution simulations (dx = 20 km) have been carried out using the Weather Research and Forecast

Preparation of ormetoprim-sulfadimethoxine-medicated discs for disc diffusion assay

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Romet ( a blend of ormetoprim and sulfadimethoxine) is a type A medicated article for the manufacture of medicated feed in the catfish industry. Recently, the commercial manufacture of ormetoprim-sulfadimethoxine susceptibility discs was discontinued. Ormetoprim-sulfadimethoxine discs were prepare...

Preparation of ormetoprim sulfadimethoxine medicated discs for disc diffusion assay

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Romet (a blend of ormetoprim and sulfadimethoxine) is a typeA medicated article for the manufacture of medicated feed in the catfish industry. Recently, the commercial manufacture of ormetoprim–sulfadimethoxine susceptibility discs was discontinued. Ormetoprim–sulfadimethoxine discs were prepared at...

Feasibility of minimally-invasive fiber-based evaluation of chondrodystrophoid canine intervertebral discs by light absorption and scattering spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Yuanyuan; McKeirnan, Kelci; Piao, Daqing; Bartels, Kenneth E.

2011-03-01

Extrusion or protrusion of an intervertebral disc is a common, frequently debilitating, painful, and sometimes fatal neurologic disease in the chondrodystrophic dog (dachshund, Pekingese, etc.). A similar condition of intervertebral disc degeneration with extrusion/protrusion is also a relatively common neurologic condition in human patients. Degeneration of the relatively avascular chondrodystrophoid intervertebral disc is associated with loss of water content, increased collagen, and deposits of calcified mineral in the nucleus pulposus. Current diagnostic methods have many limitations for providing accurate information regarding disc composition in situ prior to surgical intervention. Disc composition (i.e., mineralization), can influence the type of treatment regime and potentially prognosis and recurrence rates. The objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using a fiber-needle spectroscopy sensor to analyze the changes of tissue compositions involved in the chondrodystrophoid condition of the canine intervertebral disc. The nucleous pulposus, in which the metaplastic process / degeneration develops, is approximately 2mm thick and 5mm in diameter in the dachshund-sized dog. It lies in the center of the disc, surrounded by the annulus fibrosis and is enclosed by cartilaginous vertebral endplates cranially and caudally. This "shallow-and-small-slab" geometry limits the configuration of a fiber probe to sense the disc tissue volume without interference from the vertebrae. A single-fiber sensor is inserted into a 20 gauge myelographic spinal needle for insertion into the disc in situ and connected via a bifurcated fiber to the light source and a spectrometer. A tungsten light source and a 940nm light-emitting-diode are combined for spectral illumination covering VIS/NIR with expected improved sensitivity to water. Analysis of the reflectance spectra is expected to provide information of scattering and absorption compositions of tissue in

Measurement of occlusion of the spinal canal and intervertebral foramen by intervertebral disc bulge

PubMed Central

Cuchanski, Mathieu; Cook, Daniel; Whiting, Donald M.; Cheng, Boyle C.

2011-01-01

Background Disc protrusion has been proposed to be a possible cause of both pain and stenosis in the lower spine. No previous study has described the amount of disc occlusion of the spinal canal and intervertebral foramen that occurs under different loading conditions. The objective of this study was to quantitatively assess the percent occlusion of the spinal canal and intervertebral foramen by disc bulge under different loading conditions. Methods Spinal canal depth and foraminal width were measured on computed tomography–scanned images of 7 human lumbar spine specimens. In vitro disc bulge measurements were completed by use of a previously described method in which single functional spinal units were subjected to 3 separate load protocols in a spine test machine and disc bulge was recorded with an optoelectric motion system that tracked active light-emitting diodes placed on the posterior and posterolateral aspects of the intervertebral disc. Occlusion was defined as percentage of encroachment into area of interest by maximum measured disc bulge at corresponding point of interest (the spinal canal is at the posterior point; the intervertebral foramen is at the posterolateral point). Results The mean spinal canal depth and mean foraminal width were 19 4 ± mm and 5 ± 2 mm, respectively. Mean spinal canal occlusion under a 250-N axial load, ± 2.5 Nm of flexion/extension, and ± 2.5 Nm of lateral bend was 2.5% ± 1.9%, 2.5% ± 1.6%, and 1.5% ± 0.8%, respectively. Mean intervertebral foramen occlusion under a 250-N axial load, ± 2.5 Nm of flexion/extension, and ± 2.5 Nm of lateral bend was 7.8% ± 4.7%, 9.5% ± 5.7%, and 11.3% ± 6.2%, respectively. Conclusion Percent occlusion of the spinal canal and intervertebral foramen is dependent on magnitude and direction of load. Exiting neural elements at the location of the intervertebral foramen are the most vulnerable to impingement and generation of pain. PMID:25802663

Radio crickets: chirping jets from black hole binaries entering their gravitational wave inspiral

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulkarni, Girish; Loeb, Abraham

2016-03-01

We study a novel electromagnetic signature of supermassive black hole (BH) binaries whose inspiral starts being dominated by gravitational wave (GW) emission. Recent simulations suggest that the binary's member BHs can continue to accrete gas from the circumbinary accretion disc in this phase of the binary's evolution, all the way until coalescence. If one of the binary members produces a radio jet as a result of accretion, the jet precesses along a biconical surface due to the binary's orbital motion. When the binary enters the GW phase of its evolution, the opening angle widens, the jet exhibits milliarcsecond-scale wiggles, and the conical surface of jet precession is twisted due to apparent superluminal motion. The rapidly increasing orbital velocity of the binary gives the jet an appearance of a `chirp'. This helical chirping morphology of the jet can be used to infer the binary parameters. For binaries with mass 107-1010 M⊙ at redshifts z < 0.5, monitoring these features in current and archival data will place a lower limit on sources that could be detected by Evolved Laser Interferometer Space Antenna and Pulsar Timing Arrays. In the future, microarcsecond interferometry with the Square Kilometre Array will increase the potential usefulness of this technique.

Fabrication of read-only type triple-layered disc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Huei Wen; Jeng, Tzuan Ren; Yen, Wen Hsin; Chan, Rong Po; Shin, Kuo Ding; Huang, Der Ray

2003-06-01

The approach to increase optical recording density has become very popular research subject in these years. One direct and effective method is to increase the recording layer stack number. That is to say, to add one more recording layer can get one more recording capacity. In this paper, we will propose a new method for manufacturing read only type multi-layered disc. The process is described in the following. This first recorded data layer (called L0) still follows the traditional DVD disc manufacturing process. We obtain the polycarbonate substrate by replicating from Ni stamper. Then polycarbonate substrate is sputtered thin silicon film for semi-reflection layer. As for second layer (L1) and even more layer (Ln-1) producing, one special kind of duplication (called SKD) method is proposed. The duplication (or replication) source of second or nth recorded data is not only limited from Ni stamper. Even polycarbonate or PMMA substrate has recording data are also acceptable sources. At next step, the duplication source is deposited by thin gold film. Then we apply spin coating to bond the first layer (L0) substrate and second layer (L1) duplication source by choosing suitable UV curing glue. After being emitted by UV lamp for several seconds, we can easily separate the duplication source of second layer (L1) from (L0) substrate. Then we find the thin second data layer (L1) is replicated and stacks upon the first layer. On the same way, we sputter thin AgTi layer on the thin second data layer for another semi- reflective layer. By following the above manufacture step, we can produce more layers. In our experimental, we prepare triple layered read-only type disc. The total capacity is almost 12GB for one side of disc, and 24GB for two side of disc. The read-out intensity of laser from each data layer is expected to be similar. Thus we have designed particular reflectance and transmittance for each data layer by controlling the thickness of thin silicon film. We can

Investigation of compound jet electrospray: Particle encapsulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mei, Fan; Chen, Da-Ren

2007-10-01

Experiments were performed to investigate the effect of surface tension on the particle encapsulation formation in the compound jet electrospray process. The outer liquid used in this study were olive oil and mineral oil; and inner liquids were ethanol, tri-butyl phosphate, ethylene glycol, and triethylene glycol. It was found that the core-shell structured droplets are formed only when the ratio of charge relaxation lengths of the inner and outer jets [i.e., rO*/rI*, where r *=(Qɛɛ0/K)1/3, in which ɛ is the dielectric constant of liquid] is less than 500, and the ratio of inertial breakup lengths of the inner and outer jets [i.e., RO*/RI*, where R *=(ρQ2/γ)1/3, in which ρ and γ are the density and surface tension of liquid, respectively] is less than 0.015. In this work we further studied the effect of inner and outer liquid flow rates on the size of compound droplets using an Aerosizer (TSI model 3220). The parameters affecting the droplet size distribution were obtained. We also observed that the spray current emitted through the compound jet was merely a linear function of the inner jet flow rate. This observation implies that olive oil and mineral oil, as the outer liquids, serve as an electrically insulated layer during the spray process.

Mach Reflection, Mach Disc, and the Associated Nozzle Free Jet Flows. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, I.

1973-01-01

The numerical method involving both the method of integral relations and the method of characteristics have been applied to investigate the steady flow phenomena associated with the accurrence of Mach reflection and Mach disc from nozzle flows. The solutions of triple-shock intersection are presented. The regime where Mach configuration appears is defines for the inviscid analysis. The method of integral relations developed for the blunt body problem is modified and extended to the attached shock wave and to internal nozzle flow problems.

Beyond the Standard Scheme for Relativistic Spectral Line Profiles from Black Hole Accretion Discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karas, Vladimir; Sochora, V.; Svoboda, J.; Dovciak, M.

2011-09-01

Spectral features can arise by reflection of coronal X-rays on a black hole accretion disc. The resulting profile bears various imprints of strong gravitational field acting on the light emitting gas. We study if the currently discussed instruments on-board X-ray satellites will be able to reveal the departure of the line radial emissivity from a simple smooth power-law function, which is often assumed in data fitting and interpretation. Such a departure can be a result of excess emission occurring at a certain distance. This could be used to study variations with radius of the line production or to constrain the position of the inner edge of the accretion disc. By simulating artificial data from a bright active galactic nucleus we show that the required sensitivity and energy resolution could be reached with Large Area Detector of the proposed LOFT mission.

Laboratory simulations of astrophysical jets: results from experiments at the PF-3, PF-1000U, and KPF-4 facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krauz, V. I.; Myalton, V. V.; Vinogradov, V. P.; Velikhov, E. P.; Ananyev, S. S.; Dan'ko, S. A.; Kalinin, Yu G.; Kharrasov, A. M.; Vinogradova, Yu V.; Mitrofanov, K. N.; Paduch, M.; Miklaszewski, R.; Zielinska, E.; Skladnik-Sadowska, E.; Sadowski, M. J.; Kwiatkowski, R.; Tomaszewski, K.; Vojtenko, D. A.

2017-10-01

Results are presented from laboratory simulations of plasma jets emitted by young stellar objects carried out at the plasma focus facilities. The experiments were performed at three facilities: the PF-3, PF-1000U and KPF-4. The operation modes were realized enabling the formation of narrow plasma jets which can propagate over long distances. The main parameters of plasma jets and background plasma were determined. In order to control the ratio of a jet density to that of background plasma, some special operation modes with pulsed injection of the working gas were used.

The role of disc self-gravity in circumbinary planet systems - I. Disc structure and evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mutter, Matthew M.; Pierens, Arnaud; Nelson, Richard P.

2017-03-01

We present the results of two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of self-gravitating circumbinary discs around binaries whose parameters match those of the circumbinary planet-hosting systems Kepler-16, Kepler-34 and Kepler-35. Previous work has shown that non-self-gravitating discs in these systems form an eccentric precessing inner cavity due to tidal truncation by the binary, and planets which form at large radii migrate until stalling at this cavity. Whilst this scenario appears to provide a natural explanation for the observed orbital locations of the circumbinary planets, previous simulations have failed to match the observed planet orbital parameters. The aim of this work is to examine the role of self-gravity in modifying circumbinary disc structure as a function of disc mass, prior to considering the evolution of embedded circumbinary planets. In agreement with previous work, we find that for disc masses between one and five times the minimum mass solar nebula (MMSN), disc self-gravity affects modest changes in the structure and evolution of circumbinary discs. Increasing the disc mass to 10 or 20 MMSN leads to two dramatic changes in disc structure. First, the scale of the inner cavity shrinks substantially, bringing its outer edge closer to the binary. Secondly, in addition to the eccentric inner cavity, additional precessing eccentric ring-like features develop in the outer regions of the discs. If planet formation starts early in the disc lifetime, these changes will have a significant impact on the formation and evolution of planets and precursor material.

Cervical intradural disc herniation.

PubMed

Iwamura, Y; Onari, K; Kondo, S; Inasaka, R; Horii, H

2001-03-15

A case report of anterior en bloc resected cervical intradural disc herniation and a review of the literature. To discuss the pathogenesis of cervical intradural disc herniation. Including this study case, only 17 cases of cervical intradural disc herniation have been reported. There have been few detailed reports concerning the pathogenesis of cervical intradural disc herniation. A cervical intradural disc herniation at C6-C7, with localized hypertrophy and segmentally ossified posterior longitudinal ligament, is reported in a 45-year-old man who had Brown-Sequard syndrome diagnosed on neurologic examination. Neuroradiologic, operative, and histologic findings, particularly the pathology of the anterior en bloc resected posterior vertebral portion of C6 and C7, were evaluated for discussion of the pathogenesis. Adhesion of dura mater and hypertrophic posterior longitudinal ligament was observed around a perforated portion of the herniated disc, and histologic study showed irregularity in fiber alignment accompanied by scattered inflammatory cell infiltration and hypertrophy in the posterior longitudinal ligament. The cervical intradural disc herniation was removed successfully and followed by C5-Th1 anterior interbody fusion with fibular strut graft. Neurologic recovery was complete except for minor residual sensory disturbance in the leg 7 years after the surgery. Cervical intradural disc herniation is an extremely rare condition. The pathogenesis remains obscure. Only 16 cases have been reported in the literature, and there has been little discussion concerning the local pathology of the herniated portion. The pathogenesis of the disease in the patient reported here was considered to be the adhesion and fragility of dura mater and posterior longitudinal ligament. This was caused by hypertrophy, with chronic inflammation and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament sustaining chronic mechanical irritation to the dura mater, leading to perforation of

Turbine disc sealing assembly

DOEpatents

Diakunchak, Ihor S.

2013-03-05

A disc seal assembly for use in a turbine engine. The disc seal assembly includes a plurality of outwardly extending sealing flange members that define a plurality of fluid pockets. The sealing flange members define a labyrinth flow path therebetween to limit leakage between a hot gas path and a disc cavity in the turbine engine.

A dark jet dominates the power output of the stellar black hole Cygnus X-1.

PubMed

Gallo, Elena; Fender, Rob; Kaiser, Christian; Russell, David; Morganti, Raffaella; Oosterloo, Tom; Heinz, Sebastian

2005-08-11

Black holes undergoing accretion are thought to emit the bulk of their power in the X-ray band by releasing the gravitational potential energy of the infalling matter. At the same time, they are capable of producing highly collimated jets of energy and particles flowing out of the system with relativistic velocities. Here we show that the 10-solar-mass (10M(o)) black hole in the X-ray binary Cygnus X-1 (refs 3-5) is surrounded by a large-scale (approximately 5 pc in diameter) ring-like structure that appears to be inflated by the inner radio jet. We estimate that in order to sustain the observed emission of the ring, the jet of Cygnus X-1 has to carry a kinetic power that can be as high as the bolometric X-ray luminosity of the binary system. This result may imply that low-luminosity stellar-mass black holes as a whole dissipate the bulk of the liberated accretion power in the form of 'dark', radiatively inefficient relativistic outflows, rather than locally in the X-ray-emitting inflow.

Proto-planetary disc evolution and dispersal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosotti, Giovanni Pietro

2015-05-01

Planets form from gas and dust discs in orbit around young stars. The timescale for planet formation is constrained by the lifetime of these discs. The properties of the formed planetary systems depend thus on the evolution and final dispersal of the discs, which is the main topic of this thesis. Observations reveal the existence of a class of discs called "transitional", which lack dust in their inner regions. They are thought to be the last stage before the complete disc dispersal, and hence they may provide the key to understanding the mechanisms behind disc evolution. X-ray photoevaporation and planet formation have been studied as possible physical mechanisms responsible for the final dispersal of discs. However up to now, these two phenomena have been studied separately, neglecting any possible feedback or interaction. In this thesis we have investigated what is the interplay between these two processes. We show that the presence of a giant planet in a photo-evaporating disc can significantly shorten its lifetime, by cutting the inner regions from the mass reservoir in the exterior of the disc. This mechanism produces transition discs that for a given mass accretion rate have larger holes than in models considering only X-ray photo-evaporation, constituting a possible route to the formation of accreting transition discs with large holes. These discs are found in observations and still constitute a puzzle for the theory. Inclusion of the phenomenon called "thermal sweeping", a violent instability that can destroy a whole disc in as little as 10 4 years, shows that the outer disc left can be very short-lived (depending on the X-ray luminosity of the star), possibly explaining why very few non accreting transition discs are observed. However the mechanism does not seem to be efficient enough to reconcile with observations. In this thesis we also show that X-ray photo-evaporation naturally explains the observed correlation between stellar masses and accretion

Dependence of optic disc parameters on disc area according to Heidelberg Retina Tomograph: Part II.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machekhin, V.; Manaenkova, G.; Bondarenko, O.

2007-05-01

With the help of Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT-II) optic disc parameters in 211 eyes of 115 healthy patients with refraction Em +/- 3,0 D and 96 eyes of 72 patients with myopia 3,5-14,0 D without any signs of glaucoma were studied. Analysis of optic disc parameters were carried out in 5 groups of patients according to disc area: less than 1,5 mm2, 1,5- 2,5 mm2, 2,5-3,0 mm2, 3,0-3,5 mm2 and more than 3,5 mm2. An accurate depending on disc area was revealed for all optic disc parameters in all sectors, which was manifested by increasing cup disc and rim disc (area and volume) and other parameters. We consider it is necessary to use the proper tables for right interpretation of received data for early diagnosis of glaucoma.

Optic Disc Drusen in Children

PubMed Central

Chang, Melinda Y.; Pineles, Stacy L.

2016-01-01

Optic disc drusen occur in 0.4% of children and consist of acellular intracellular and extracellular deposits that often become calcified over time. They are typically buried early in life and generally become superficial, and therefore visible, later in childhood, at the average age of 12 years. Their main clinical significance lies in the ability of optic disc drusen, particularly when buried, to simulate true optic disc edema. Misdiagnosing drusen as true disc edema may lead to an invasive and unnecessary workup for elevated intracranial pressure. Ancillary testing, including ultrasonography, fluorescein angiography, fundus autofluorescence, and optical coherence tomography, may aid in the correct diagnosis of optic disc drusen. Complications of optic disc drusen in children include visual field defects, hemorrhages, choroidal neovascular membrane, non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, and retinal vascular occlusions. Treatment options for these complications include ocular hypotensive agents for visual field defects and intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents for choroidal neovascular membranes. In most cases, however, children with optic disc drusen can be managed by observation with serial examinations and visual field testing, once true optic disc edema has been excluded. PMID:27033945

Towards fully spray coated organic light emitting devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilissen, Koen; Stryckers, Jeroen; Manca, Jean; Deferme, Wim

2014-10-01

Pi-conjugated polymer light emitting devices have the potential to be the next generation of solid state lighting. In order to achieve this goal, a low cost, efficient and large area production process is essential. Polymer based light emitting devices are generally deposited using techniques based on solution processing e.g.: spin coating, ink jet printing. These techniques are not well suited for cost-effective, high throughput, large area mass production of these organic devices. Ultrasonic spray deposition however, is a deposition technique that is fast, efficient and roll to roll compatible which can be easily scaled up for the production of large area polymer light emitting devices (PLEDs). This deposition technique has already successfully been employed to produce organic photovoltaic devices (OPV)1. Recently the electron blocking layer PEDOT:PSS2 and metal top contact3 have been successfully spray coated as part of the organic photovoltaic device stack. In this study, the effects of ultrasonic spray deposition of polymer light emitting devices are investigated. For the first time - to our knowledge -, spray coating of the active layer in PLED is demonstrated. Different solvents are tested to achieve the best possible spray-able dispersion. The active layer morphology is characterized and optimized to produce uniform films with optimal thickness. Furthermore these ultrasonic spray coated films are incorporated in the polymer light emitting device stack to investigate the device characteristics and efficiency. Our results show that after careful optimization of the active layer, ultrasonic spray coating is prime candidate as deposition technique for mass production of PLEDs.

Internal gravity waves in the upper atmosphere, generated by tropospheric jet streams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chunchuzov, Y. P.; Torgashin, Y. M.

1979-01-01

A mechanism of internal gravity wave generation by jet streams in the troposphere is considered. Evaluations of the energy and pulse of internal gravity waves emitted into the upper atmosphere are given. The obtained values of flows can influence the thermal and dynamic regime of these layers.

Enclosed rotary disc air pulser

DOEpatents

Olson, A. L.; Batcheller, Tom A.; Rindfleisch, J. A.; Morgan, John M.

1989-01-01

An enclosed rotary disc air pulser for use with a solvent extraction pulse olumn includes a housing having inlet, exhaust and pulse leg ports, a shaft mounted in the housing and adapted for axial rotation therein, first and second disc members secured to the shaft within the housing in spaced relation to each other to define a chamber therebetween, the chamber being in communication with the pulse leg port, the first disc member located adjacent the inlet port, the second disc member being located adjacent the exhaust port, each disc member having a milled out portion, the disc members positioned on the shaft so that as the shaft rotates, the milled out portions permit alternative cyclical communication between the inlet port and the chamber and the exhaust port and the chamber.

A Very Stable High Throughput Taylor Cone-jet in Electrohydrodynamics

PubMed Central

Morad, M. R.; Rajabi, A.; Razavi, M.; Sereshkeh, S. R. Pejman

2016-01-01

A stable capillary liquid jet formed by an electric field is an important physical phenomenon for formation of controllable small droplets, power generation and chemical reactions, printing and patterning, and chemical-biological investigations. In electrohydrodynamics, the well-known Taylor cone-jet has a stability margin within a certain range of the liquid flow rate (Q) and the applied voltage (V). Here, we introduce a simple mechanism to greatly extend the Taylor cone-jet stability margin and produce a very high throughput. For an ethanol cone-jet emitting from a simple nozzle, the stability margin is obtained within 1 kV for low flow rates, decaying with flow rate up to 2 ml/h. By installing a hemispherical cap above the nozzle, we demonstrate that the stability margin could increase to 5 kV for low flow rates, decaying to zero for a maximum flow rate of 65 ml/h. The governing borders of stability margins are discussed and obtained for three other liquids: methanol, 1-propanol and 1-butanol. For a gravity-directed nozzle, the produced cone-jet is more stable against perturbations and the axis of the spray remains in the same direction through the whole stability margin, unlike the cone-jet of conventional simple nozzles. PMID:27917956

Modeling of the Enceladus water vapor jets for interpreting UVIS star and solar occultation observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Portyankina, Ganna; Esposito, Larry W.; Aye, Klaus-Michael; Hansen, Candice J.

2015-11-01

One of the most spectacular discoveries of the Cassini mission is jets emitting from the southern pole of Saturn’s moon Enceladus. The composition of the jets is water vapor and salty ice grains with traces of organic compounds. Jets, merging into a wide plume at a distance, are observed by multiple instruments on Cassini. Recent observations of the visible dust plume by the Cassini Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) identified as many as 98 jet sources located along “tiger stripes” [Porco et al. 2014]. There is a recent controversy on the question if some of these jets are “optical illusion” caused by geometrical overlap of continuous source eruptions along the “tiger stripes” in the field of view of ISS [Spitale et al. 2015]. The Cassini’s Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS) observed occultations of several stars and the Sun by the water vapor plume of Enceladus. During the solar occultation separate collimated gas jets were detected inside the background plume [Hansen et al., 2006 and 2011]. These observations directly provide data about water vapor column densities along the line of sight of the UVIS instrument and could help distinguish between the presence of only localized or also continuous sources. We use Monte Carlo simulations and Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) to model the plume of Enceladus with multiple (or continuous) jet sources. The models account for molecular collisions, gravitational and Coriolis forces. The models result in the 3-D distribution of water vapor density and surface deposition patterns. Comparison between the simulation results and column densities derived from UVIS observations provide constraints on the physical characteristics of the plume and jets. The specific geometry of the UVIS observations helps to estimate the production rates and velocity distribution of the water molecules emitted by the individual jets.Hansen, C. J. et al., Science 311:1422-1425 (2006); Hansen, C. J. et al, GRL 38:L11202 (2011

Holographic optical disc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Gan; An, Xin; Pu, Allen; Psaltis, Demetri; Mok, Fai H.

1999-11-01

The holographic disc is a high capacity, disk-based data storage device that can provide the performance for next generation mass data storage needs. With a projected capacity approaching 1 terabit on a single 12 cm platter, the holographic disc has the potential to become a highly efficient storage hardware for data warehousing applications. The high readout rate of holographic disc makes it especially suitable for generating multiple, high bandwidth data streams such as required for network server computers. Multimedia applications such as interactive video and HDTV can also potentially benefit from the high capacity and fast data access of holographic memory.

Stability of a relativistic rotating electron-positron jet: non-axisymmetric perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Istomin, Ya. N.; Pariev, V. I.

1996-07-01

We investigate the linear stability of a hydrodynamic relativistic flow of magnetized plasma in the simplest case where the energy density of the electromagnetic fields is much greater than the energy density of the matter (including the rest mass energy). This is the force-free approximation. We consider the case of a light cylindrical jet in a cold and dense environment, so that the jet boundary remains at rest. Continuous and discrete spectra of frequencies are investigated analytically. An infinite sequence of eigenfrequencies is found near the edge of the Alfven continuum. Numerical calculations show that modes having reasonable values of azimuthal wavenumber m and radial number n are stable and their attenuation increment gamma is small. The dispersion curves omega=omega(k_----) have a minimum for k_----0~=1/R (R is the jet radius). This results in the accumulation of perturbations inside the jet with wavelengths of the order of the jet radius. The wave crests of the perturbation pattern formed in such a way move along the jet with a velocity exceeding the speed of light. If one has relativistic electrons emitting synchrotron radiation inside the jet, then this pattern will be visible. This provides us with a new type of superluminal source. If the jet is oriented close to the line of sight, then the observer will see knots moving backward to the core.

Polar alignment of a protoplanetary disc around an eccentric binary II: Effect of binary and disc parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Rebecca G.; Lubow, Stephen H.

2018-06-01

In a recent paper Martin & Lubow showed that a circumbinary disc around an eccentric binary can undergo damped nodal oscillations that lead to the polar (perpendicular) alignment of the disc relative to the binary orbit. The disc angular momentum vector aligns to the eccentricity vector of the binary. We explore the robustness of this mechanism for a low mass disc (0.001 of the binary mass) and its dependence on system parameters by means of hydrodynamic disc simulations. We describe how the evolution depends upon the disc viscosity, temperature, size, binary mass ratio, orbital eccentricity and inclination. We compare results with predictions of linear theory. We show that polar alignment of a low mass disc may occur over a wide range of binary-disc parameters. We discuss the application of our results to the formation of planetary systems around eccentric binary stars.

Experimental analysis on the dynamic wake of an actuator disc undergoing transient loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, W.; Hong, V. W.; Ferreira, C.; van Kuik, G. A. M.

2017-10-01

The Blade Element Momentum model, which is based on the actuator disc theory, is still the model most used for the design of open rotors. Although derived from steady cases with a fully developed wake, this approach is also applied to unsteady cases, with additional engineering corrections. This work aims to study the impact of an unsteady loading on the wake of an actuator disc. The load and flow of an actuator disc are measured in the Open Jet Facility wind tunnel of Delft University of Technology, for steady and unsteady cases. The velocity and turbulence profiles are characterized in three regions: the inner wake region, the shear layer region and the region outside the wake. For unsteady load cases, the measured velocity field shows a hysteresis effect in relation to the loading, showing differences between the cases when loading is increased and loading is decreased. The flow field also shows a transient response to the step change in loading, with either an overshoot or undershoot of the velocity in relation to the steady-state velocity. In general, a smaller reduced ramp time results in a faster velocity transient, and in turn a larger amplitude of overshoot or undershoot. Time constants analysis shows that the flow reaches the new steady-state slower for load increase than for load decrease; the time constants outside the wake are generally larger than at other radial locations for a given downstream plane; the time constants of measured velocity in the wake show radial dependence.The data are relevant for the validation of numerical models for unsteady actuator discs and wind turbines, and are made available in an open source database (see Appendix).

Eccentricity evolution during planet-disc interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ragusa, Enrico; Rosotti, Giovanni; Teyssandier, Jean; Booth, Richard; Clarke, Cathie J.; Lodato, Giuseppe

2018-03-01

During the process of planet formation, the planet-disc interactions might excite (or damp) the orbital eccentricity of the planet. In this paper, we present two long (t ˜ 3 × 105 orbits) numerical simulations: (a) one (with a relatively light disc, Md/Mp = 0.2), where the eccentricity initially stalls before growing at later times and (b) one (with a more massive disc, Md/Mp = 0.65) with fast growth and a late decrease of the eccentricity. We recover the well-known result that a more massive disc promotes a faster initial growth of the planet eccentricity. However, at late times the planet eccentricity decreases in the massive disc case, but increases in the light disc case. Both simulations show periodic eccentricity oscillations superimposed on a growing/decreasing trend and a rapid transition between fast and slow pericentre precession. The peculiar and contrasting evolution of the eccentricity of both planet and disc in the two simulations can be understood by invoking a simple toy model where the disc is treated as a second point-like gravitating body, subject to secular planet-planet interaction and eccentricity pumping/damping provided by the disc. We show how the counterintuitive result that the more massive simulation produces a lower planet eccentricity at late times can be understood in terms of the different ratios of the disc-to-planet angular momentum in the two simulations. In our interpretation, at late times the planet eccentricity can increase more in low-mass discs rather than in high-mass discs, contrary to previous claims in the literature.

Direct mapping of the temperature and velocity gradients in discs. Imaging the vertical CO snow line around IM Lupi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinte, C.; Ménard, F.; Duchêne, G.; Hill, T.; Dent, W. R. F.; Woitke, P.; Maret, S.; van der Plas, G.; Hales, A.; Kamp, I.; Thi, W. F.; de Gregorio-Monsalvo, I.; Rab, C.; Quanz, S. P.; Avenhaus, H.; Carmona, A.; Casassus, S.

2018-01-01

Accurate measurements of the physical structure of protoplanetary discs are critical inputs for planet formation models. These constraints are traditionally established via complex modelling of continuum and line observations. Instead, we present an empirical framework to locate the CO isotopologue emitting surfaces from high spectral and spatial resolution ALMA observations. We apply this framework to the disc surrounding IM Lupi, where we report the first direct, i.e. model independent, measurements of the radial and vertical gradients of temperature and velocity in a protoplanetary disc. The measured disc structure is consistent with an irradiated self-similar disc structure, where the temperature increases and the velocity decreases towards the disc surface. We also directly map the vertical CO snow line, which is located at about one gas scale height at radii between 150 and 300 au, with a CO freeze-out temperature of 21 ± 2 K. In the outer disc (>300 au), where the gas surface density transitions from a power law to an exponential taper, the velocity rotation field becomes significantly sub-Keplerian, in agreement with the expected steeper pressure gradient. The sub-Keplerian velocities should result in a very efficient inward migration of large dust grains, explaining the lack of millimetre continuum emission outside of 300 au. The sub-Keplerian motions may also be the signature of the base of an externally irradiated photo-evaporative wind. In the same outer region, the measured CO temperature above the snow line decreases to ≈15 K because of the reduced gas density, which can result in a lower CO freeze-out temperature, photo-desorption, or deviations from local thermodynamic equilibrium.

The Spectacular Radio-Near-IR-X-Ray Jet of 3C 111: the X-Ray Emission Mechanism and Jet Kinematics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clautice, Devon; Perlman, Eric S.; Georganopoulos, Markos; Lister, Matthew L.; Tombesi, Francesco; Cara, Mihai; Marshall, Herman L.; Hogan, Brandon M.; Kazanas, Demos

2016-01-01

Relativistic jets are the most energetic manifestation of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) phenomenon. AGN jets are observed from the radio through gamma-rays and carry copious amounts of matter and energy from the subparsec central regions out to the kiloparsec and often megaparsec scale galaxy and cluster environs. While most spatially resolved jets are seen in the radio, an increasing number have been discovered to emit in the optical/near- IR and/or X-ray bands. Here we discuss a spectacular example of this class, the 3C 111 jet, housed in one of the nearest, double-lobed FR II radio galaxies known. We discuss new, deep Chandra and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations that reveal both near-IR and X-ray emission from several components of the 3C 111 jet, as well as both the northern and southern hotspots. Important differences are seen between the morphologies in the radio, X-ray, and near-IR bands. The long (over 100 kpc on each side), straight nature of this jet makes it an excellent prototype for future, deep observations, as it is one of the longest such features seen in the radio, near-IR/optical, and X-ray bands. Several independent lines of evidence, including the X-ray and broadband spectral shape as well as the implied velocity of the approaching hotspot, lead us to strongly disfavor the EC/CMB model and instead favor a two-component synchrotron model to explain the observed X-ray emission for several jet components. Future observations with NuSTAR, HST, and Chandra will allow us to further constrain the emission mechanisms.

THE SPECTACULAR RADIO-NEAR-IR-X-RAY JET OF 3C 111: THE X-RAY EMISSION MECHANISM AND JET KINEMATICS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clautice, Devon; Perlman, Eric S.; Georganopoulos, Markos

2016-08-01

Relativistic jets are the most energetic manifestation of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) phenomenon. AGN jets are observed from the radio through gamma-rays and carry copious amounts of matter and energy from the sub-parsec central regions out to the kiloparsec and often megaparsec scale galaxy and cluster environs. While most spatially resolved jets are seen in the radio, an increasing number have been discovered to emit in the optical/near-IR and/or X-ray bands. Here we discuss a spectacular example of this class, the 3C 111 jet, housed in one of the nearest, double-lobed FR II radio galaxies known. We discuss new,more » deep Chandra and Hubble Space Telescope ( HST ) observations that reveal both near-IR and X-ray emission from several components of the 3C 111 jet, as well as both the northern and southern hotspots. Important differences are seen between the morphologies in the radio, X-ray, and near-IR bands. The long (over 100 kpc on each side), straight nature of this jet makes it an excellent prototype for future, deep observations, as it is one of the longest such features seen in the radio, near-IR/optical, and X-ray bands. Several independent lines of evidence, including the X-ray and broadband spectral shape as well as the implied velocity of the approaching hotspot, lead us to strongly disfavor the EC/CMB model and instead favor a two-component synchrotron model to explain the observed X-ray emission for several jet components. Future observations with NuSTAR , HST , and Chandra will allow us to further constrain the emission mechanisms.« less

Cometary Jet Collimation Without Physical Confinement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steckloff, J. K.; Melosh, H. J.

2012-12-01

Recent high-resolution images of comet nuclei reveal that gases and dust expelled by the comet are organized into narrow jets. Contemporary models postulate that these jets collimate when the expanding gases and dust pass through a physical aperture or nozzle. However, recent high-resolution spacecraft observations fail to detect such apertures on cometary surfaces. Furthermore, these models do not explain why cometary jets appear to be directed normal to the local gravitational potential, and/or appear to originate on the faces of scarps. Additionally, observations of comet nuclei by visiting spacecraft have observed that jet activity is tied to the diurnal rotation of the comet. This suggests that jet emissions are powered by the sun, and therefore must emanate from close to the surface of the comet due to a thermal skin depth on the order of ~10 cm. Here we describe a simplified computer model of jets emanating from Comet Tempel 1. Our novel mechanism is based on the occurrence of fluidized flows, which have gained observational support from the Deep Impact and Stardust-NExT flyby missions We approximate the vents of the comet as a region of smooth terrain on the order of ~10 m in width. We assume that each element of the active area is emitting gas molecules with the same spatial distribution function, and integrate over the active area in order to calculate the gas drag force due to the vent. We consider two angular emission profiles (isotropic and lambertian), and assume plane-strain geometry. The vent surfaces were modeled at various angles with respect to the gravitational potential. To approximate scarps, we modeled a non-venting region located above the vent and at the same angle as the vent. The size of this non-venting region was allowed to vary. We assumed that the scarp face, which is composed of the vent and non-venting regions, eroded uniformly. Particles of a constant size are placed randomly on the surface of the vent, and their positions in time

Prognosis of intervertebral disc loss from diagnosis of degenerative disc disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, S.; Lin, A.; Tay, K.; Romano, W.; Osman, Said

2015-03-01

Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) is one of the most common causes of low back pain, and is a major factor in limiting the quality of life of an individual usually as they enter older stages of life, the disc degeneration reduces the shock absorption available which in turn causes pain. Disc loss is one of the central processes in the pathogenesis of DDD. In this study, we investigated whether the image texture features quantified from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could be appropriate markers for diagnosis of DDD and prognosis of inter-vertebral disc loss. The main objective is to use simple image based biomarkers to perform prognosis of spinal diseases using non-invasive procedures. Our results from 65 subjects proved the higher success rates of the combination marker compared to the individual markers and in the future, we will extend the study to other spine regions to allow prognosis and diagnosis of DDD for a wider region.

CT morphometry of adult thoracic intervertebral discs.

PubMed

Fletcher, Justin G R; Stringer, Mark D; Briggs, Christopher A; Davies, Tilman M; Woodley, Stephanie J

2015-10-01

Despite being commonly affected by degenerative disorders, there are few data on normal thoracic intervertebral disc dimensions. A morphometric analysis of adult thoracic intervertebral discs was, therefore, undertaken. Archival computed tomography scans of 128 recently deceased individuals (70 males, 58 females, 20-79 years) with no known spinal pathology were analysed to determine thoracic disc morphometry and variations with disc level, sex and age. Reliability was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Anterior and posterior intervertebral disc heights and axial dimensions were significantly greater in men (anterior disc height 4.0±1.4 vs 3.6±1.3 mm; posterior disc height 3.6±0.90 vs 3.4±0.93 mm; p<0.01). Disc heights and axial dimensions at T4-5 were similar or smaller than at T2-3, but thereafter increased caudally (mean anterior disc height T4-5 and T10-11, 2.7±0.7 and 5.4±1.2 mm, respectively, in men; 2.6±0.8 and 5.1±1.3 mm, respectively, in women; p<0.05). Except at T2-3, anterior disc height decreased with advancing age and anteroposterior and transverse disc dimensions increased; posterior and middle disc heights and indices of disc shape showed no consistent statistically significant changes. Most parameters showed substantial to almost perfect agreement for intra- and inter-rater reliability. Thoracic disc morphometry varies significantly and consistently with disc level, sex and age. This study provides unique reference data on adult thoracic intervertebral disc morphometry, which may be useful when interpreting pathological changes and for future biomechanical and functional studies.

Shaping planetary nebulae with jets in inclined triple stellar systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akashi, Muhammad; Soker, Noam

2017-08-01

We conduct three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of two opposite jets launched obliquely to the orbital plane around an asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star and within its dense wind, and demonstrate the formation of a 'messy' planetary nebula (PN), namely a PN lacking any type of symmetry (I.e. highly irregular). In building the initial conditions, we assume that a tight binary system orbits the AGB star and that the orbital plane of the tight binary system is inclined to the orbital plane of the binary system and the AGB star (the triple system plane). We further assume that the accreted mass on to the tight binary system forms an accretion disc around one of the stars and that the plane of the disc is tilted to the orbital plane of the triple system. The highly asymmetrical and filamentary structures that we obtain support the notion that messy PNe might be shaped by triple stellar systems.

Top-emitting organic light-emitting diodes.

PubMed

Hofmann, Simone; Thomschke, Michael; Lüssem, Björn; Leo, Karl

2011-11-07

We review top-emitting organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), which are beneficial for lighting and display applications, where non-transparent substrates are used. The optical effects of the microcavity structure as well as the loss mechanisms are discussed. Outcoupling techniques and the work on white top-emitting OLEDs are summarized. We discuss the power dissipation spectra for a monochrome and a white top-emitting OLED and give quantitative reports on the loss channels. Furthermore, the development of inverted top-emitting OLEDs is described.

Visualization of High Speed Liquid Jet Impaction on a Moving Surface

PubMed Central

Guo, Yuchen; Green, Sheldon

2015-01-01

Two apparatuses for examining liquid jet impingement on a high-speed moving surface are described: an air cannon device (for examining surface speeds between 0 and 25 m/sec) and a spinning disk device (for examining surface speeds between 15 and 100 m/sec). The air cannon linear traverse is a pneumatic energy-powered system that is designed to accelerate a metal rail surface mounted on top of a wooden projectile. A pressurized cylinder fitted with a solenoid valve rapidly releases pressurized air into the barrel, forcing the projectile down the cannon barrel. The projectile travels beneath a spray nozzle, which impinges a liquid jet onto its metal upper surface, and the projectile then hits a stopping mechanism. A camera records the jet impingement, and a pressure transducer records the spray nozzle backpressure. The spinning disk set-up consists of a steel disk that reaches speeds of 500 to 3,000 rpm via a variable frequency drive (VFD) motor. A spray system similar to that of the air cannon generates a liquid jet that impinges onto the spinning disc, and cameras placed at several optical access points record the jet impingement. Video recordings of jet impingement processes are recorded and examined to determine whether the outcome of impingement is splash, splatter, or deposition. The apparatuses are the first that involve the high speed impingement of low-Reynolds-number liquid jets on high speed moving surfaces. In addition to its rail industry applications, the described technique may be used for technical and industrial purposes such as steelmaking and may be relevant to high-speed 3D printing. PMID:25938331

Visualization of high speed liquid jet impaction on a moving surface.

PubMed

Guo, Yuchen; Green, Sheldon

2015-04-17

Two apparatuses for examining liquid jet impingement on a high-speed moving surface are described: an air cannon device (for examining surface speeds between 0 and 25 m/sec) and a spinning disk device (for examining surface speeds between 15 and 100 m/sec). The air cannon linear traverse is a pneumatic energy-powered system that is designed to accelerate a metal rail surface mounted on top of a wooden projectile. A pressurized cylinder fitted with a solenoid valve rapidly releases pressurized air into the barrel, forcing the projectile down the cannon barrel. The projectile travels beneath a spray nozzle, which impinges a liquid jet onto its metal upper surface, and the projectile then hits a stopping mechanism. A camera records the jet impingement, and a pressure transducer records the spray nozzle backpressure. The spinning disk set-up consists of a steel disk that reaches speeds of 500 to 3,000 rpm via a variable frequency drive (VFD) motor. A spray system similar to that of the air cannon generates a liquid jet that impinges onto the spinning disc, and cameras placed at several optical access points record the jet impingement. Video recordings of jet impingement processes are recorded and examined to determine whether the outcome of impingement is splash, splatter, or deposition. The apparatuses are the first that involve the high speed impingement of low-Reynolds-number liquid jets on high speed moving surfaces. In addition to its rail industry applications, the described technique may be used for technical and industrial purposes such as steelmaking and may be relevant to high-speed 3D printing.

Are Collapsed Cervical Discs Amenable to Total Disc Arthroplasty?: Analysis of Prospective Clinical Data With 2-Year Follow Up.

PubMed

Patwardhan, Avinash G; Carandang, Gerard; Voronov, Leonard I; Havey, Robert M; Paul, Gary A; Lauryssen, Carl; Coric, Domagoj; Dimmig, Thomas; Musante, David

2016-12-15

Analysis of prospectively collected radiographic data. To investigate the influence of preoperative index-level range of motion (ROM) and disc height on postoperative ROM after cervical total disc arthroplasty (TDA) using compressible disc prostheses. Clinical studies demonstrate benefits of motion preservation over fusion; however, questions remain unanswered as to which preoperative factors have the ability to identify patients who are most likely to have good postoperative motion, which is the primary rationale for TDA. We analyzed prospectively collected data from a single-arm, multicenter study with 2-year follow up of 30 patients with 48 implanted levels. All received compressible cervical disc prostheses of 6 mm-height (M6C, Spinal Kinetics, Sunnyvale, CA). The influence of index-level preoperative disc height and ROM (each with two levels: below-median and above-median) on postoperative ROM was analyzed using 2 x 2 ANOVA. We further analyzed the radiographic outcomes of a subset of discs with preoperative height less than 3 mm, the so-called "collapsed" discs. Shorter (3.0 ± 0.4 mm) discs were significantly less mobile preoperatively than taller (4.4 ± 0.5 mm) discs (6.7° vs. 10.5°, P = 0.01). The postoperative ROM did not differ between the shorter and taller discs (5.6° vs. 5.0°, P = 0.63). Tall discs that were less mobile preoperatively had significantly smaller postoperative ROM than short discs with above-median preoperative mobility (P < 0.05). The "collapsed discs" (n = 8) were less mobile preoperatively compared with all discs combined (5.1° vs. 8.6°, P < 0.01). These discs were distracted to more than two times the preoperative height, from 2.6 to 5.7 mm, and had significantly greater postoperative ROM than all discs combined (7.6° vs. 5.3°, P < 0.05). We observed a significant interaction between preoperative index-level disc height and ROM in influencing postoperative ROM. Although limited by small sample

Disc-halo interactions in ΛCDM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, Jacob S.; Widrow, Lawrence M.; Erkal, Denis

2018-05-01

We present a new method for embedding a stellar disc in a cosmological dark matter halo and provide a worked example from a Λ cold dark matter zoom-in simulation. The disc is inserted into the halo at a redshift z = 3 as a zero-mass rigid body. Its mass and size are then increased adiabatically while its position, velocity, and orientation are determined from rigid-body dynamics. At z = 1, the rigid disc (RD) is replaced by an N-body disc whose particles sample a three-integral distribution function (DF). The simulation then proceeds to z = 0 with live disc (LD) and halo particles. By comparison, other methods assume one or more of the following: the centre of the RD during the growth phase is pinned to the minimum of the halo potential, the orientation of the RD is fixed, or the live N-body disc is constructed from a two rather than three-integral DF. In general, the presence of a disc makes the halo rounder, more centrally concentrated, and smoother, especially in the innermost regions. We find that methods in which the disc is pinned to the minimum of the halo potential tend to overestimate the amount of adiabatic contraction. Additionally, the effect of the disc on the subhalo distribution appears to be rather insensitive to the disc insertion method. The LD in our simulation develops a bar that is consistent with the bars seen in late-type spiral galaxies. In addition, particles from the disc are launched or `kicked up' to high galactic latitudes.

The comparative analysis of rocks' resistance to forward-slanting disc cutters and traditionally installed disc cutters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhao-Huang; Fei, Sun; Liang, Meng

2016-08-01

At present, disc cutters of a full face rock tunnel boring machine are mostly mounted in the traditional way. Practical use in engineering projects reveals that this installation method not only heavily affects the operation life of disc cutters, but also increases the energy consumption of a full face rock tunnel boring machine. To straighten out this issue, therefore, a rock-breaking model is developed for disc cutters' movement after the research on the rock breaking of forward-slanting disc cutters. Equations of its displacement are established based on the analysis of velocity vector of a disc cutter's rock-breaking point. The functional relations then are brought forward between the displacement parameters of a rock-breaking point and its coordinate through the analysis of micro displacement of a rock-breaking point. Thus, the geometric equations of rock deformation are derived for the forward-slanting installation of disc cutters. With a linear relationship remaining between the acting force and its deformation either before or after the leap breaking, the constitutive relation of rock deformation can be expressed in the form of generalized Hooke law, hence the comparative analysis of the variation in the resistance of rock to the disc cutters mounted in the forward-slanting way with that in the traditional way. It is discovered that with the same penetration, strain of the rock in contact with forward-slanting disc cutters is apparently on the decline, in other words, the resistance of rock to disc cutters is reduced. Thus wear of disc cutters resulted from friction is lowered and energy consumption is correspondingly decreased. It will be useful for the development of installation and design theory of disc cutters, and significant for the breakthrough in the design of full face rock tunnel boring machine.

Printing method for organic light emitting device lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ki, Hyun Chul; Kim, Seon Hoon; Kim, Doo-Gun; Kim, Tae-Un; Kim, Snag-Gi; Hong, Kyung-Jin; So, Soon-Yeol

2013-03-01

Organic Light Emitting Device (OLED) has a characteristic to change the electric energy into the light when the electric field is applied to the organic material. OLED is currently employed as a light source for the lighting tools because research has extensively progressed in the improvement of luminance, efficiency, and life time. OLED is widely used in the plate display device because of a simple manufacture process and high emitting efficiency. But most of OLED lighting projects were used the vacuum evaporator (thermal evaporator) with low molecular. Although printing method has lower efficiency and life time of OLED than vacuum evaporator method, projects of printing OLED actively are progressed because was possible to combine with flexible substrate and printing technology. Printing technology is ink-jet, screen printing and slot coating. This printing method allows for low cost and mass production techniques and large substrates. In this research, we have proposed inkjet printing for organic light-emitting devices has the dominant method of thick film deposition because of its low cost and simple processing. In this research, the fabrication of the passive matrix OLED is achieved by inkjet printing, using a polymer phosphorescent ink. We are measured optical and electrical characteristics of OLED.

Line-driven ablation of circumstellar discs - I. Optically thin decretion discs of classical Oe/Be stars.

PubMed

Kee, Nathaniel Dylan; Owocki, Stanley; Sundqvist, J O

2016-05-21

The extreme luminosities of massive, hot OB stars drive strong stellar winds through line-scattering of the star's UV continuum radiation. For OB stars with an orbiting circumstellar disc, we explore here the effect of such line-scattering in driving an ablation of material from the disc's surface layers, with initial focus on the marginally optically thin decretion discs of classical Oe and Be stars. For this we apply a multidimensional radiation-hydrodynamics code that assumes simple optically thin ray tracing for the stellar continuum, but uses a multiray Sobolev treatment of the line transfer; this fully accounts for the efficient driving by non-radial rays, due to desaturation of line-absorption by velocity gradients associated with the Keplerian shear in the disc. Results show a dense, intermediate-speed surface ablation, consistent with the strong, blueshifted absorption of UV wind lines seen in Be shell stars that are observed from near the disc plane. A key overall result is that, after an initial adjustment to the introduction of the disc, the asymptotic disc destruction rate is typically just an order-unity factor times the stellar wind mass-loss rate. For optically thin Be discs, this leads to a disc destruction time of order months to years, consistent with observationally inferred disc decay times. The much stronger radiative forces of O stars reduce this time to order days, making it more difficult for decretion processes to sustain a disc in earlier spectral types, and so providing a natural explanation for the relative rarity of Oe stars in the Galaxy. Moreover, the decrease in line-driving at lower metallicity implies both a reduction in the winds that help spin-down stars from near-critical rotation, and a reduction in the ablation of any decretion disc; together these provide a natural explanation for the higher fraction of classical Be stars, as well as the presence of Oe stars, in the lower metallicity Magellanic Clouds. We conclude with a

Cometary Jet Collimation Without Physical Confinement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steckloff, Jordan; Melosh, H.

2012-10-01

Recent high-resolution images of comet nuclei reveal that gases and dust expelled by the comet are organized into narrow jets. Contemporary models postulate that these jets collimate when the expanding gases and dust pass through a physical aperture or nozzle [1]. However, recent high-resolution spacecraft observations fail to detect such apertures on cometary surfaces [2]. Additionally, observations of comet nuclei by visiting spacecraft have observed that jet activity is tied to the diurnal rotation of the comet. This suggests that jet emissions are driven by the sun, and therefore must emanate from close to the surface of the comet (order of 10 cm.) Here we describe a simplified computer model of jets emanating from Comet Tempel 1. We approximate the active areas (vents) of the comet as a region of smooth, level terrain on the order of 10 m in width. We assume that each element of the active area is emitting gas molecules with the same spatial distribution, and integrate over the active area in order to calculate the gas drag force. We consider two angular emission profiles (isotropic and lambertian), and assume plane-strain geometry. Uniformly sized particles are placed randomly on the surface of the vent, and their positions in time are tracked. For our simulation, spherical particles with radii of 1 µm to 1 cm were considered. We observe that the overwhelming majority of the particles remain close to the central axis of the active area, forming a well-collimated jet, with particles reaching escape velocity. This mechanism may explain cometary jets, given the physical and observational constraints. References: [1] Yelle R.V. (2004) Icarus 167, 30-36. [2] A’Hearn M.F. et al. (2011) Science 332, 1396-1400. [3] Belton M.J.S. and Melosh H.J. (2009) Icarus 200, 280-291. Acknowledgements: This research is supported by NASA grant PGG NNX10AU88G.

Revival of the Jumping Disc

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ucke, C.; Schlichting, H-J.

2009-01-01

Snap discs made of bimetal have many technical applications as thermostats. Jumping discs are a toy version of such snap discs. Besides giving technical information, we describe physical investigations. We show especially how, through simple measurements and calculations, you can determine the initial speed ([approximately equal to]3.5 m…

Thermal and Non-thermal emission in the Jets and Lobes of Cygnus A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Vries, Martijn; Wise, Michael; Huppenkothen, Daniela; Nulsen, Paul; Snios, Bradford; Hardcastle, Martin

2017-08-01

We present a spatially-resolved, spectral analysis aimed at detecting and characterizing the non-thermal X-ray emission from the jets and lobes in the powerful radio galaxy Cygnus A based on a new, deep 1 Msec Chandra exposure. These jets and lobes are believed to be a primary means by which energy liberated by accretion onto the central supermassive black hole is transported into the outer galaxy and are integral to understanding the mechanisms that drive AGN feedback. Despite being well-studied over the years, we still do not understand how this energy is transported, the connection between the X-ray and radio structures, and the underlying emission mechanisms that produce them. The X-ray jets in Cygnus A show a clear misalignment with the radio and it has been proposed that they are either inverse Compton-emitting relics or a separate electron population emitting X-ray synchrotron emission. Previous X-ray studies of the jets and lobes have been unsuccessful in distinguishing between these possibilities largely due to the difficulty of separating any non-thermal components from thermal emission in the surrounding hot ICM at CCD spectral resolutions.In this presentation, we report on a new statistical analysis using MCMC sampling and Bayesian model selection to characterize the X-ray emission in the jets and lobes of Cygnus A. The model includes a mixture of thermal ICM emission and distinct non-thermal components from both the eastern and western jets and lobes. Our analysis clearly favors the presence of non-thermal emission and we find a distinct asymmetry with the western lobe roughly 20% fainter and with a much steeper photon index. Combining existing radio data with our X-ray fluxes and photon indices, we determine the energy densities and pressures for both synchrotron and inverse Compton (IC) emission models. For the IC model, we derive energy densities in the lobes consistent with the external pressure; however, both the eastern and western jets would be

The collective emission of electromagnetic waves from astrophysical jets - Luminosity gaps, BL Lacertae objects, and efficient energy transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, D. N.; Borovsky, Joseph E.; Benford, Gregory; Eilek, Jean A.

1988-01-01

A model of the inner portions of astrophysical jets is constructed in which a relativistic electron beam is injected from the central engine into the jet plasma. This beam drives electrostatic plasma wave turbulence, which leads to the collective emission of electromagnetic waves. The emitted waves are beamed in the direction of the jet axis, so that end-on viewing of the jet yields an extremely bright source (BL Lacertae object). The relativistic electron beam may also drive long-wavelength electromagnetic plasma instabilities (firehose and Kelvin-Helmholtz) that jumble the jet magnetic field lines. After a sufficient distance from the core source, these instabilities will cause the beamed emission to point in random directions and the jet emission can then be observed from any direction relative to the jet axis. This combination of effects may lead to the gap turn-on of astrophysical jets. The collective emission model leads to different estimates for energy transport and the interpretation of radio spectra than the conventional incoherent synchrotron theory.

Formation and Destruction of Jets in X-ray Binaries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kylafix, N. D.; Contopoulos, I.; Kazanas, D.; Christodoulou, D. M.

2011-01-01

Context. Neutron-star and black-hole X-ray binaries (XRBs) exhibit radio jets, whose properties depend on the X-ray spectral state e.nd history of the source. In particular, black-hole XRBs emit compact, 8teady radio jets when they are in the so-called hard state. These jets become eruptive as the sources move toward the soft state, disappear in the soft state, and then re-appear when the sources return to the hard state. The jets from neutron-star X-ray binaries are typically weaker radio emitters than the black-hole ones at the same X-ray luminosity and in some cases radio emission is detected in the soft state. Aims. Significant phenomenology has been developed to describe the spectral states of neutron-star and black-hole XRBs, and there is general agreement about the type of the accretion disk around the compact object in the various spectral states. We investigate whether the phenomenology describing the X-ray emission on one hand and the jet appearance and disappearance on the other can be put together in a consistent physical picture. Methods. We consider the so-called Poynting-Robertson cosmic battery (PRCB), which has been shown to explain in a natural way the formation of magnetic fields in the disks of AGNs and the ejection of jets. We investigate whether the PRCB can also explain the [ormation, destruction, and variability or jets in XRBs. Results. We find excellent agreement between the conditions under which the PRCB is efficient (i.e., the type of the accretion disk) and the emission or destruction of the r.adio jet. Conclusions. The disk-jet connection in XRBs can be explained in a natural way using the PRCB.

The Chemistry of Optical Discs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birkett, David

2002-01-01

Explains the chemistry used in compact discs (CD), digital versatile discs (DVD), and magneto-optical (MO) discs focusing on the steps of initial creation of the mold, the molding of the polycarbonate, the deposition of the reflective layers, the lacquering of the CDs, and the bonding of DVDs. (Contains 15 references.) (YDS)

Expansion of a multicomponent current-carrying plasma jet into vacuum

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krasov, V. I.; Paperny, V. L., E-mail: paperny@math.isu.runnet.ru

An expression for the ion−ion coupling in a multicomponent plasma jet is derived for an arbitrary ratio between the thermal and relative velocities of the components. The obtained expression is used to solve the problem on the expansion of a current-carrying plasma microjet emitted from the cathode surface into vacuum. Two types of plasmas with two ion components are analyzed: (i) plasma in which the ion components of equal masses are in the charge states Z{sub 1}= +1 and Z{sub 2}= +2 and (ii) plasma with ions in equal charge states but with the mass ratio m{sub 1}/m{sub 2} =more » 2. It is shown that, for such plasmas, the difference between the velocities of the plasma components remains substantial (about 10% of the average jet velocity in case (i) and 15% in case (ii)) at distances of several centimeters from the emission center, where it can be measured experimentally, provided that its initial value at the emitting cathode surface exceeds a certain threshold. This effect is investigated as a function of the mass ratio and charge states of the ion components.« less

Search for X-ray jets from high redshift radio sources.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwartz, Daniel A.; Cheung, Teddy; Gobeille, Doug; Marshall, Herman L.; Migliori, Giulia; Siemiginowska, Aneta; Wardle, John F. C.; Worrall, Diana M.; Birkinshaw, Mark

2018-06-01

We are conducting a Chandra "snapshot" survey of 14 radio quasars at redshifts z>3. These are selected to have one sided, arc-sec scale structure, either a jet or lobe, and come from a complete, objectively-defined sample of sources with radio flux density > 70 mJy, and with a spectroscopic redshift from the SDSS. Our objectives are to find X-ray emitting jets, compare the X-ray and radio morphology, and detect X-ray emission arising from inverse Compton scattering of the cosmic microwave background even for those cases where the radio emission is no longer detectable. For this meeting, we expect 5 of the 14 sources to have been observed.

Rossby wave instability in astrophysical discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovelace, R. V. E.; Romanova, M. M.

2014-08-01

A brief review is given of the Rossby wave instability in astrophysical discs. In non-self-gravitating discs, around for example a newly forming stars, the instability can be triggered by an axisymmetric bump at some radius r0 in the disc surface mass-density. It gives rise to exponentially growing non-axisymmetric perturbation (\\propto \\exp \\,({ { i}}m\\phi ) , m = 1,2,…) in the vicinity of r0 consisting of anticyclonic vortices. These vortices are regions of high pressure and consequently act to trap dust particles which in turn can facilitate planetesimal growth in proto-planetary discs. The Rossby vortices in the discs around stars and black holes may cause the observed quasi-periodic modulations of the disc's thermal emission.

Dichotomy of Solar Coronal Jets: Standard Jets and Blowout Jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, R. L.; Cirtain, J. W.; Sterling, A. C.; Falconer, D. A.

2010-01-01

By examining many X-ray jets in Hinode/XRT coronal X-ray movies of the polar coronal holes, we found that there is a dichotomy of polar X-ray jets. About two thirds fit the standard reconnection picture for coronal jets, and about one third are another type. We present observations indicating that the non-standard jets are counterparts of erupting-loop H alpha macrospicules, jets in which the jet-base magnetic arch undergoes a miniature version of the blowout eruptions that produce major CMEs. From the coronal X-ray movies we present in detail two typical standard X-ray jets and two typical blowout X-ray jets that were also caught in He II 304 Angstrom snapshots from STEREO/EUVI. The distinguishing features of blowout X-ray jets are (1) X-ray brightening inside the base arch in addition to the outside bright point that standard jets have, (2) blowout eruption of the base arch's core field, often carrying a filament of cool (T 10(exp 4) - 10(exp 5) K) plasma, and (3) an extra jet-spire strand rooted close to the bright point. We present cartoons showing how reconnection during blowout eruption of the base arch could produce the observed features of blowout X-ray jets. We infer that (1) the standard-jet/blowout-jet dichotomy of coronal jets results from the dichotomy of base arches that do not have and base arches that do have enough shear and twist to erupt open, and (2) there is a large class of spicules that are standard jets and a comparably large class of spicules that are blowout jets.

Disc cell clusters in pathological human intervertebral discs are associated with increased stress protein immunostaining.

PubMed

Sharp, Christopher A; Roberts, Sally; Evans, Helena; Brown, Sharon J

2009-11-01

Intervertebral disc (IVD) cells within the annulus fibrosus (AF) and nucleus pulposus (NP) maintain distinct functional extracellular matrices and operate within a potentially noxious and stressful environment. How disc cells respond to stress and whether stress is responsible for triggering degeneration is unknown. Disc cell proliferation and cluster formation are most marked in degenerate IVDs, possibly indicating attempts at matrix repair. In other tissues, stress proteins increase rapidly after stress protecting cell function and, although implicated in degeneration of articular cartilage, have received little attention in degenerative IVD pathologies. We have compared the distribution of stress protein immunolocalization in pathological and control IVDs. Disc tissues were obtained at surgery from 43 patients with degenerative disc disease (DDD) and herniation, and 12 controls at postmortem. Tissues were immunostained with a polyclonal antibody for heat shock factor 1 (HSF-1) and monoclonal antibodies for the heat shock proteins, Hsp27 and Hsp72, using an indirect immunoperoxidase method. Positively stained cells were expressed as a percentage of the total. Cell cluster formation was also assessed. The proportion of cells in clusters was similar in the AF (both 2%) and NP (8 and 9%) of control and DDD samples, whereas in herniated tissues this was increased (AF 12%, NP 14%). Stress antigen staining tended to be more frequent in clustered rather than in single/doublet cells, and this was significant (P < 0.005) in both the AF and NP of herniated discs. Clustered cells, which are most common in herniated discs, may be mounting a protective response to abnormal environmental factors associated with disc degeneration. A better understanding of the stress response in IVD cells may allow its utilization in disc cell therapies.

Disc Golf: Teaching a Lifetime Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eastham, Susan L.

2015-01-01

Disc golf is a lifetime activity that can be enjoyed by students of varying skill levels and abilities. Disc golf follows the principles of ball golf but is generally easier for students to play and enjoy success. The object of disc golf is similar to ball golf and involves throwing a disc from the teeing area to the target in as few throws as…

Total disc replacement for chronic back pain in the presence of disc degeneration.

PubMed

Jacobs, Wilco; Van der Gaag, Niels A; Tuschel, Alexander; de Kleuver, Marinus; Peul, Wilco; Verbout, A J; Oner, F Cumhur

2012-09-12

In the search for better surgical treatment of chronic low-back pain (LBP) in the presence of disc degeneration, total disc replacement has received increasing attention in recent years. A possible advantage of total disc replacement compared with fusion is maintained mobility at the operated level, which has been suggested to reduce the chance of adjacent segment degeneration. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the effect of total disc replacement for chronic low-back pain in the presence of lumbar disc degeneration compared with other treatment options in terms of patient-centred improvement, motion preservation and adjacent segment degeneration. A comprehensive search in Cochrane Back Review Group (CBRG) trials register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, BIOSIS, ISI, and the FDA register was conducted. We also checked the reference lists and performed citation tracking of included studies. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing total disc replacement with any other intervention for degenerative disc disease. We assessed risk of bias per study using the criteria of the CBRG. Quality of evidence was graded according to the GRADE approach. Two review authors independently selected studies and assessed risk of bias of the studies. Results and upper bounds of confidence intervals were compared against predefined clinically relevant differences. We included 40 publications, describing seven unique RCT's. The follow-up of the studies was 24 months, with only one extended to five years. Five studies had a low risk of bias, although there is a risk of bias in the included studies due to sponsoring and absence of any kind of blinding. One study compared disc replacement against rehabilitation and found a statistically significant advantage in favour of surgery, which, however, did not reach the predefined threshold for clinical relevance. Six studies compared disc replacement against fusion and found that the mean improvement in VAS back pain was

Gravitational Instabilities in a Protosolar-like Disc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, Mark Graham

2018-02-01

This thesis presents a study of protoplanetary discs around young, low mass protostars. Such discs are believed to be massive enough to develop gravitational instabilities, which subsequently form spiral structures. The dynamical and chemical evolutions of a protosolar-like, gravitationally unstable disc are explored and the spiral structure in the disc is found to shock-heat material. This affects the chemical composition via enhanced desorption rates and endothermic reaction rates and through global mixing of the disc. As a result, the gravitational instability in the model disc leads to transient and permanent changes in the disc chemistry, and also provides a chemically-rich midplane in contrast to simulations of more evolved discs. Secondly, radiative transfer calculations are performed for the dust continuum, and model-tailored grid construction is found to improve the accuracy of the resultant flux images. Continuum observations of the model disc are synthesised and the spiral structure (driven by the gravitational instability) is shown to be readily detectable with ALMA across a range of frequencies, disc inclinations and dust opacities. The derivation of disc mass from the observed flux densities is explored but the method commonly utilised is found to be unreliable and underestimate the disc mass. Therefore, it is concluded that gravitational instabilities could be retrospectively validated in discs previously thought not massive enough to be self-gravitating. Finally, radiative transfer calculations are performed for molecular line transitions. Methods for improving the accuracy of line flux images are explored and the validity of assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium is assessed. Observations of the line fluxes are synthesised without noise and the spiral structure is found to be traced to an extent by all transitions considered, which is not necessarily congruent with the underlying distribution of the molecular species. The disc is seen in

Imaginal Disc Abnormalities in Lethal Mutants of Drosophila

PubMed Central

Shearn, Allen; Rice, Thomas; Garen, Alan; Gehring, Walter

1971-01-01

Late lethal mutants of Drosophila melanogaster, dying after the larval stage of development, were isolated. The homozygous mutant larvae were examined for abnormal imaginal disc morphology, and the discs were injected into normal larval hosts to test their capacities to differentiate into adult structures. In about half of the mutants analyzed, disc abnormalities were found. Included among the abnormalities were missing discs, small discs incapable of differentiating, morphologically normal discs with limited capacities for differentiation, and discs with homeotic transformations. In some mutants all discs were affected, and in others only certain discs. The most extreme abnormal phenotype is a class of “discless” mutants. The viability of these mutant larvae indicates that the discs are essential only for the development of an adult and not of a larva. The late lethals are therefore a major source of mutants for studying the genetic control of disc formation. Images PMID:5002822

[Partial nucleotomy of the ovine disc as an in vivo model for disc degeneration].

PubMed

Guder, E; Hill, S; Kandziora, F; Schnake, K J

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop a suitable animal model for the clinical situation of progressive disc degeneration after microsurgical nucleotomy. Twenty sheep underwent standardised partial anterolateral nucleotomy at lumbar segment 3/4. After randomisation, 10 animals were sacrificed after 12 weeks (group 1). The remainder was sacrificed after 48 weeks (group 2). For radiological examination X-rays, MRI and post-mortem CT scans were performed. Lumbar discs L 3/4 with adjacent subchondral trabecular bone were harvested and analysed macroscopically and histologically. An image-analysing computer program was used to measure histomorphometric indices of bone structure. 17 segments could be evaluated. After 12 weeks (group 1) histological and radiological degenerative disc changes were noted. After 48 weeks (group 2), radiological signs in MRI reached statistical significance. Furthermore, group 2 showed significantly more osteophyte formations in CT scans. Histomorphometric changes of the disc and the adjacent vertebral bone structure suggest a significant progressive degenerative remodelling. The facet joints did not show any osteoarthrosis after 48 weeks. Partial nucleotomy of the ovine lumbar disc leads to radiological and histological signs of disc degeneration similar to those seen in humans after microsurgical nucleotomy. The presented in vivo model may be useful to evaluate new orthopaedic treatment strategies.

Line-driven ablation of circumstellar discs – I. Optically thin decretion discs of classical Oe/Be stars

PubMed Central

Kee, Nathaniel Dylan; Owocki, Stanley; Sundqvist, J. O.

2016-01-01

The extreme luminosities of massive, hot OB stars drive strong stellar winds through line-scattering of the star's UV continuum radiation. For OB stars with an orbiting circumstellar disc, we explore here the effect of such line-scattering in driving an ablation of material from the disc's surface layers, with initial focus on the marginally optically thin decretion discs of classical Oe and Be stars. For this we apply a multidimensional radiation-hydrodynamics code that assumes simple optically thin ray tracing for the stellar continuum, but uses a multiray Sobolev treatment of the line transfer; this fully accounts for the efficient driving by non-radial rays, due to desaturation of line-absorption by velocity gradients associated with the Keplerian shear in the disc. Results show a dense, intermediate-speed surface ablation, consistent with the strong, blueshifted absorption of UV wind lines seen in Be shell stars that are observed from near the disc plane. A key overall result is that, after an initial adjustment to the introduction of the disc, the asymptotic disc destruction rate is typically just an order-unity factor times the stellar wind mass-loss rate. For optically thin Be discs, this leads to a disc destruction time of order months to years, consistent with observationally inferred disc decay times. The much stronger radiative forces of O stars reduce this time to order days, making it more difficult for decretion processes to sustain a disc in earlier spectral types, and so providing a natural explanation for the relative rarity of Oe stars in the Galaxy. Moreover, the decrease in line-driving at lower metallicity implies both a reduction in the winds that help spin-down stars from near-critical rotation, and a reduction in the ablation of any decretion disc; together these provide a natural explanation for the higher fraction of classical Be stars, as well as the presence of Oe stars, in the lower metallicity Magellanic Clouds. We conclude with a

DICHOTOMY OF SOLAR CORONAL JETS: STANDARD JETS AND BLOWOUT JETS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moore, Ronald L.; Cirtain, Jonathan W.; Sterling, Alphonse C.

2010-09-01

By examining many X-ray jets in Hinode/X-Ray Telescope coronal X-ray movies of the polar coronal holes, we found that there is a dichotomy of polar X-ray jets. About two thirds fit the standard reconnection picture for coronal jets, and about one third are another type. We present observations indicating that the non-standard jets are counterparts of erupting-loop H{alpha} macrospicules, jets in which the jet-base magnetic arch undergoes a miniature version of the blowout eruptions that produce major coronal mass ejections. From the coronal X-ray movies we present in detail two typical standard X-ray jets and two typical blowout X-ray jetsmore » that were also caught in He II 304 A snapshots from STEREO/EUVI. The distinguishing features of blowout X-ray jets are (1) X-ray brightening inside the base arch in addition to the outside bright point that standard jets have, (2) blowout eruption of the base arch's core field, often carrying a filament of cool (T {approx} 10{sup 4} - 10{sup 5} K) plasma, and (3) an extra jet-spire strand rooted close to the bright point. We present cartoons showing how reconnection during blowout eruption of the base arch could produce the observed features of blowout X-ray jets. We infer that (1) the standard-jet/blowout-jet dichotomy of coronal jets results from the dichotomy of base arches that do not have and base arches that do have enough shear and twist to erupt open, and (2) there is a large class of spicules that are standard jets and a comparably large class of spicules that are blowout jets.« less

The GALAH survey: properties of the Galactic disc(s) in the solar neighbourhood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duong, L.; Freeman, K. C.; Asplund, M.; Casagrande, L.; Buder, S.; Lind, K.; Ness, M.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; De Silva, G. M.; D'Orazi, V.; Kos, J.; Lewis, G. F.; Lin, J.; Martell, S. L.; Schlesinger, K.; Sharma, S.; Simpson, J. D.; Zucker, D. B.; Zwitter, T.; Anguiano, B.; Da Costa, G. S.; Hyde, E.; Horner, J.; Kafle, P. R.; Nataf, D. M.; Reid, W.; Stello, D.; Ting, Y.-S.; Wyse, R. F. G.

2018-06-01

Using data from the GALAH pilot survey, we determine properties of the Galactic thin and thick discs near the solar neighbourhood. The data cover a small range of Galactocentric radius (7.9 ≲ R_GC ≲ 9.5 kpc), but extend up to 4 kpc in height from the Galactic plane, and several kpc in the direction of Galactic anti-rotation (at longitude 260° ≤ ℓ ≤ 280°). This allows us to reliably measure the vertical density and abundance profiles of the chemically and kinematically defined `thick' and `thin' discs of the Galaxy. The thin disc (low-α population) exhibits a steep negative vertical metallicity gradient, at d[M/H]/dz = -0.18 ± 0.01 dex kpc-1, which is broadly consistent with previous studies. In contrast, its vertical α-abundance profile is almost flat, with a gradient of d[α/M]/dz = 0.008 ± 0.002 dex kpc-1. The steep vertical metallicity gradient of the low-α population is in agreement with models where radial migration has a major role in the evolution of the thin disc. The thick disc (high-α population) has a weaker vertical metallicity gradient d[M/H]/dz = -0.058 ± 0.003 dex kpc-1. The α-abundance of the thick disc is nearly constant with height, d[α/M]/dz = 0.007 ± 0.002 dex kpc-1. The negative gradient in metallicity and the small gradient in [α/M] indicate that the high-α population experienced a settling phase, but also formed prior to the onset of major Type Ia supernova enrichment. We explore the implications of the distinct α-enrichments and narrow [α/M] range of the sub-populations in the context of thick disc formation.

Jet-ISM Interaction in the Radio Galaxy 3C 293: Jet-driven Shocks Heat ISM to Power X-Ray and Molecular H2 Emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanz, L.; Ogle, P. M.; Evans, D.; Appleton, P. N.; Guillard, P.; Emonts, B.

2015-03-01

We present a 70 ks Chandra observation of the radio galaxy 3C 293. This galaxy belongs to the class of molecular hydrogen emission galaxies (MOHEGs) that have very luminous emission from warm molecular hydrogen. In radio galaxies, the molecular gas appears to be heated by jet-driven shocks, but exactly how this mechanism works is still poorly understood. With Chandra, we observe X-ray emission from the jets within the host galaxy and along the 100 kpc radio jets. We model the X-ray spectra of the nucleus, the inner jets, and the X-ray features along the extended radio jets. Both the nucleus and the inner jets show evidence of 107 K shock-heated gas. The kinetic power of the jets is more than sufficient to heat the X-ray emitting gas within the host galaxy. The thermal X-ray and warm H2 luminosities of 3C 293 are similar, indicating similar masses of X-ray hot gas and warm molecular gas. This is consistent with a picture where both derive from a multiphase, shocked interstellar medium (ISM). We find that radio-loud MOHEGs that are not brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs), like 3C 293, typically have LH2/LX˜ 1 and MH2/MX˜ 1, whereas MOHEGs that are BCGs have LH2/LX˜ 0.01 and MH2/MX˜ 0.01. The more massive, virialized, hot atmosphere in BCGs overwhelms any direct X-ray emission from current jet-ISM interaction. On the other hand, LH2/LX˜ 1 in the Spiderweb BCG at z = 2, which resides in an unvirialized protocluster and hosts a powerful radio source. Over time, jet-ISM interaction may contribute to the establishment of a hot atmosphere in BCGs and other massive elliptical galaxies.

Deep-down ionization of protoplanetary discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glassgold, A. E.; Lizano, S.; Galli, D.

2017-12-01

The possible occurrence of dead zones in protoplanetary discs subject to the magneto-rotational instability highlights the importance of disc ionization. We present a closed-form theory for the deep-down ionization by X-rays at depths below the disc surface dominated by far-ultraviolet radiation. Simple analytic solutions are given for the major ion classes, electrons, atomic ions, molecular ions and negatively charged grains. In addition to the formation of molecular ions by X-ray ionization of H2 and their destruction by dissociative recombination, several key processes that operate in this region are included, e.g. charge exchange of molecular ions and neutral atoms and destruction of ions by grains. Over much of the inner disc, the vertical decrease in ionization with depth into the disc is described by simple power laws, which can easily be included in more detailed modelling of magnetized discs. The new ionization theory is used to illustrate the non-ideal magnetohydrodynamic effects of Ohmic, Hall and Ambipolar diffusion for a magnetic model of a T Tauri star disc using the appropriate Elsasser numbers.

An experimental investigation of a cold jet emitting from a body of revolution into a subsonic free stream

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ousterhout, D. S.

1972-01-01

An experimental program was undertaken to determine the pressure distribution induced on aerodynamic bodies by a subsonic cold jet exhausting normal to the body surface and into a subsonic free stream. The investigation was limited to two bodies with single exhaust jets a flat plate at zero angle of attack with respect to the free-stream flow and a cylinder, fitted with a conical nose, with the longitudinal axis alined with the free-stream flow. Experimental data were obtained for free-stream velocity to jet velocity ratios between 0.3 and 0.5. The experimental data are presented in tabular form with appropriate graphs to indicate pressure coefficient contours, pressure coefficient decay, pitching-moment characteristics, and lift characteristics.

Best-Ever Snapshot of a Black Hole's Jets

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-05-20

NASA image release May 20, 2011 To see a really cool video related to this image go here: www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/5740451675/in/photostream This composite of visible, microwave (orange) and X-ray (blue) data reveals the jets and radio-emitting lobes emanating from Centaurus A's central black hole. Credit: ESO/WFI (visible); MPIfR/ESO/APEX/A.Weiss et al. (microwave); NASA/CXC/CfA/R.Kraft et al. (X-ray) To read more go to: www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/radio-particle-jets... NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Join us on Facebook

Shapes of Nonbuoyant Round Luminous Hydrocarbon/Air Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, K.-C.; Faeth, G. M.; Sunderland, P. B.; Urban, D. L.; Yuan, Z.-G.

1999-01-01

The shapes (luminous flame boundaries) of round luminous nonbuoyant soot-containing hydrocarbon/air laminar jet diffusion flames at microgravity were found from color video images obtained on orbit in the Space Shuttle Columbia. Test conditions included ethylene- and propane-fueled flames burning in still air at an ambient temperature of 300 K, ambient pressures of 35-130 kPa, initial jet diameters of 1.6 and 2.7 mm, and jet exit Reynolds numbers of 45-170. Present test times were 100-200 s and yielded steady axisymmetric flames that were close to the laminar smoke point (including flames both emitting and not emitting soot) with luminous flame lengths of 15-63 mm. The present soot-containing flames had larger luminous flame lengths than earlier ground-based observations having similar burner configurations: 40% larger than the luminous flame lengths of soot-containing low gravity flames observed using an aircraft (KC-135) facility due to reduced effects of accelerative disturbances and unsteadiness; roughly twice as large as the luminous flame lengths of soot-containing normal gravity flames due to the absence of effects of buoyant mixing and roughly twice as large as the luminous flame lengths of soot-free low gravity flames observed using drop tower facilities due to the presence of soot luminosity and possible reduced effects of unsteadiness. Simplified expressions to estimate the luminous flame boundaries of round nonbuoyant laminar jet diffusion flames were obtained from the classical analysis of Spalding (1979); this approach provided Successful Correlations of flame shapes for both soot-free and soot-containing flames, except when the soot-containing flames were in the opened-tip configuration that is reached at fuel flow rates near and greater than the laminar smoke point fuel flow rate.

Vortex stretching in self-gravitating protoplanetary discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Regály, Zs.; Vorobyov, E.

2017-10-01

Horseshoe-shaped brightness asymmetries of several transitional discs are thought to be caused by large-scale vortices. Anticyclonic vortices efficiently collect dust particles, therefore they can play a major role in planet formation. Former studies suggest that the disc self-gravity weakens vortices formed at the edge of the gap opened by a massive planet in discs whose masses are in the range of 0.01 ≤ Mdisc/M* ≤ 0.1. Here, we present an investigation on the long-term evolution of the large-scale vortices formed at the viscosity transition of the discs' dead zone outer edge by means of two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations taking disc self-gravity into account. We perform a numerical study of low-mass, 0.001 ≤ Mdisc/M* ≤ 0.01, discs, for which cases disc self-gravity was previously neglected. The large-scale vortices are found to be stretched due to disc self-gravity even for low-mass discs with Mdisc/M* ≳ 0.005, where initially the Toomre Q-parameter was ≲ 50 at the vortex distance. As a result of stretching, the vortex aspect ratio increases and a weaker azimuthal density contrast develops. The strength of the vortex stretching is proportional to the disc mass. The vortex stretching can be explained by a combined action of a non-vanishing gravitational torque caused by the vortex and the Keplerian shear of the disc. Self-gravitating vortices are subject to significantly faster decay than non-self-gravitating ones. We found that vortices developed at sharp viscosity transitions of self-gravitating discs can be described by a Goodman - Narayan - Goldreich (GNG) model as long as the disc viscosity is low, I.e. αdz ≤ 10-5.

Björk-Shiley strut fracture and disc escape: literature review and a method of disc retrieval.

PubMed

Hendel, P N

1989-03-01

Embolization of a prosthetic valve poppet is a rare but life-threatening event. It was reported sporadically before the introduction of the Björk-Shiley 70-degree convexoconcave prosthesis in 1980. Since that time, there have been a large number of reported mechanical failures with disc escape. The rate for the 29-mm to 33-mm mitral valves is estimated as 5.2%. In 29 of 35 patients (including the 2 presented here) in whom the site of disc lodgment could be determined, the disc was in the descending or abdominal aorta. Fifteen of these patients died. Six survivors had the disc removed at the same operation and 6 at a later operation. In 2 patients, the disc was not removed. In 2 patients in whom the disc was not removed initially, it was thought to contribute to postoperative complications. Two more cases of structural failure of the Björk-Shiley convexoconcave prosthesis are presented. A transpericardial approach to the descending aorta on bypass is described. It allows easy removal of the disc and eliminates the need for a second operation.

Automated volumetric evaluation of stereoscopic disc photography

PubMed Central

Xu, Juan; Ishikawa, Hiroshi; Wollstein, Gadi; Bilonick, Richard A; Kagemann, Larry; Craig, Jamie E; Mackey, David A; Hewitt, Alex W; Schuman, Joel S

2010-01-01

PURPOSE: To develop a fully automated algorithm (AP) to perform a volumetric measure of the optic disc using conventional stereoscopic optic nerve head (ONH) photographs, and to compare algorithm-produced parameters with manual photogrammetry (MP), scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements. METHODS: One hundred twenty-two stereoscopic optic disc photographs (61 subjects) were analyzed. Disc area, rim area, cup area, cup/disc area ratio, vertical cup/disc ratio, rim volume and cup volume were automatically computed by the algorithm. Latent variable measurement error models were used to assess measurement reproducibility for the four techniques. RESULTS: AP had better reproducibility for disc area and cup volume and worse reproducibility for cup/disc area ratio and vertical cup/disc ratio, when the measurements were compared to the MP, SLO and OCT methods. CONCLUSION: AP provides a useful technique for an objective quantitative assessment of 3D ONH structures. PMID:20588996

Comparison of Optic Disc Margin Identified by Color Disc Photography and High-Speed Ultrahigh-Resolution Optical Coherence Tomography

PubMed Central

Manassakorn, Anita; Ishikawa, Hiroshi; Kim, Jong S.; Wollstein, Gadi; Bilonick, Richard A.; Kagemann, Larry; Gabriele, Michelle L.; Sung, Kyung Rim; Mumcuoglu, Tarkan; Duker, Jay S.; Fujimoto, James G.; Schuman, Joel S.

2009-01-01

Objective To determine the correspondence between optic disc margins evaluated using disc photography (DP) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods From May 1, 2005, through November 10, 2005, 17 healthy volunteers (17 eyes) had raster scans (180 frames, 501 samplings per frame) centered on the optic disc taken with stereo-optic DP and high-speed ultrahigh-resolution OCT (hsUHR-OCT). Two image outputs were derived from the hsUHR-OCT data set: an en face hsUHR-OCT fundus image and a set of 180 frames of cross-sectional images. Three ophthalmologists independently and in a masked, randomized fashion marked the disc margin on the DP, hsUHR-OCT fundus, and cross-sectional images using custom software. Disc size (area and horizontal and vertical diameters) and location of the geometric disc center were compared among the 3 types of images. Results The hsUHR-OCT fundus image definition showed a significantly smaller disc size than the DP definition (P<.001, mixed-effects analysis). The hsUHR-OCT cross-sectional image definition showed a significantly larger disc size than the DP definition (P<.001). The geometric disc center location was similar among the 3 types of images except for the y-coordinate, which was significantly smaller in the hsUHR-OCT fundus images than in the DP images. Conclusion The optic disc margin as defined by hsUHR-OCT was significantly different than the margin defined by DP. PMID:18195219

Slow deformation of intervertebral discs.

PubMed

Broberg, K B

1993-01-01

Intervertebral discs exhibit pronounced time-dependent deformations when subjected to load variations. These deformations are caused by fluid flow to and from the disc and by viscoelastic deformation of annulus fibres. The fluid flow is caused by differences between mechanical and osmotic pressure. A mechanical model of lumbar disc functions allows one to calculate both the extent of fluid flow and its implications for disc height as well as the role played by viscoelastic deformation of annulus fibres. From such calculations changes in body height are estimated. Experimental results already documented in the literature offer bases for the determination of the parameters involved. Body height variations are studied, both those related to normal diurnal rhythmicity and those related to somewhat exceptional circumstances. The normal diurnal fluid flow is found to be about +/- 40% of the disc fluid content late in the evening. Viscoelastic deformation of annulus fibres contributes approximately one quarter of the height change obtained after several hours normal activity, but dominates during the first hour.

Debris disc constraints on planetesimal formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krivov, Alexander V.; Ide, Aljoscha; Löhne, Torsten; Johansen, Anders; Blum, Jürgen

2018-02-01

Two basic routes for planetesimal formation have been proposed over the last decades. One is a classical `slow-growth' scenario. Another one is particle concentration models, in which small pebbles are concentrated locally and then collapse gravitationally to form planetesimals. Both types of models make certain predictions for the size spectrum and internal structure of newly born planetesimals. We use these predictions as input to simulate collisional evolution of debris discs left after the gas dispersal. The debris disc emission as a function of a system's age computed in these simulations is compared with several Spitzer and Herschel debris disc surveys around A-type stars. We confirm that the observed brightness evolution for the majority of discs can be reproduced by classical models. Further, we find that it is equally consistent with the size distribution of planetesimals predicted by particle concentration models - provided the objects are loosely bound `pebble piles' as these models also predict. Regardless of the assumed planetesimal formation mechanism, explaining the brightest debris discs in the samples uncovers a `disc mass problem'. To reproduce such discs by collisional simulations, a total mass of planetesimals of up to ˜1000 Earth masses is required, which exceeds the total mass of solids available in the protoplanetary progenitors of debris discs. This may indicate that stirring was delayed in some of the bright discs, that giant impacts occurred recently in some of them, that some systems may be younger than previously thought or that non-collisional processes contribute significantly to the dust production.

Bilateral Optic Disc Drusen Mimicking Papilledema

PubMed Central

Cingü, Abdullah Kürşat; Ari, Şeyhmus; Çinar, Yasin; Çaça, İhsan

2012-01-01

Background Optic disc drusen, which are calcified deposits that form anterior to the lamina cribrosa in the optic nerve, may mimic papilledema. Case Report We report herein three cases referred to us with suspicion of disc swelling and papilledema. Following ophthalmologic evaluation with B-scan ultrasound, red-free fundus photography, and computed tomography, the diagnosis of papilledema was excluded in all cases and optic disc drusen was diagnosed. Conclusions Clinical suspicion of optic disc drusen in cases presenting with swelling of the optic nerve head is important in order to avoid unnecessary interventions and anxiety. The reported cases highlight the commonly encountered clinical presentations and the practical aspects of diagnosis and management of optic disc drusen. PMID:22787500

Bilateral optic disc drusen mimicking papilledema.

PubMed

Sahin, Alparslan; Cingü, Abdullah Kürşat; Ari, Seyhmus; Cinar, Yasin; Caça, Ihsan

2012-06-01

Optic disc drusen, which are calcified deposits that form anterior to the lamina cribrosa in the optic nerve, may mimic papilledema. We report herein three cases referred to us with suspicion of disc swelling and papilledema. Following ophthalmologic evaluation with B-scan ultrasound, red-free fundus photography, and computed tomography, the diagnosis of papilledema was excluded in all cases and optic disc drusen was diagnosed. Clinical suspicion of optic disc drusen in cases presenting with swelling of the optic nerve head is important in order to avoid unnecessary interventions and anxiety. The reported cases highlight the commonly encountered clinical presentations and the practical aspects of diagnosis and management of optic disc drusen.

T1 hyperintense disc in alkaptonuria.

PubMed

Sag, Alan A; Silbergleit, Richard; Olson, Rick E; Wilson, Jon; Krishnan, Anant

2012-10-01

Case report. To report a rare case of alkaptonuria presenting as a T1-hyperintense disc herniation. A 46-year-old man without previous diagnosis of alkaptonuria underwent evaluation for progressive back pain revealing a T1-hyperintense disc herniation at the L3-L4 level. Discectomy recovered a blackened disc that was pathologically confirmed to be nucleus pulposus with alkaptonuric involvement. The differential diagnosis of a T1-hyperintense, T2-hypointense disc on magnetic resonance imaging is discussed, with emphasis on the pathophysiology of alkaptonuria. A single patient is reported. Pathologically proven patient presentation with radiological and pathological images. We report a rare case of alkaptonuria presenting as a T1-hyperintense disc herniation.

Total disc replacement using a tissue-engineered intervertebral disc in vivo: new animal model and initial results

PubMed Central

Gebhard, Harry; Bowles, Robby; Dyke, Jonathan; Saleh, Tatianna; Doty, Stephen; Bonassar, Lawrence; Härtl, Roger

2010-01-01

Study type: Basic science Introduction: Chronic back pain due to degenerative disc disease (DDD) is among the most important medical conditions causing morbidity and significant health care costs. Surgical treatment options include disc replacement or fusion surgery, but are associated with significant short- and long-term risks.1 Biological tissue-engineering of human intervertebral discs (IVD) could offer an important alternative.2 Recent in vitro data from our group have shown successful engineering and growth of ovine intervertebral disc composites with circumferentially aligned collagen fibrils in the annulus fibrosus (AF) (Figure 1).3 Figure 1 Tissue-engineered composite disc a Experimental steps to generate composite tissue-engineered IVDs3 b Example of different AF formulations on collagen alignment in the AF. Second harmonic generation and two-photon excited fluorescence images of seeded collagen gels (for AF) of 1 and 2.5 mg/ml over time. At seeding, cells and collagen were homogenously distributed in the gels. Over time, AF cells elongated and collagen aligned parallel to cells. Less contraction and less alignment is noted after 3 days in the 2.5 mg/mL gel. c Imaging-based creation of a virtual disc model that will serve as template for the engineered disc. Total disc dimensions (AF and NP) were retrieved from micro-computer tomography (CT) (left images), and nucleus pulposus (NP) dimensions alone were retrieved from T2-weighted MRI images (right images). Merging of MRI and micro-CT models revealed a composite disc model (middle image)—Software: Microview, GE Healthcare Inc., Princeton, NJ; and slicOmatic v4.3, TomoVision, Montreal, Canada. d Flow chart describing the process for generating multi-lamellar tissue engineered IVDs. IVDs are produced by allowing cell-seeded collagen layers to contract around a cell-seeded alginate core (NP) over time Objective: The next step is to investigate if biological disc implants survive, integrate, and

Total disc replacement using a tissue-engineered intervertebral disc in vivo: new animal model and initial results.

PubMed

Gebhard, Harry; Bowles, Robby; Dyke, Jonathan; Saleh, Tatianna; Doty, Stephen; Bonassar, Lawrence; Härtl, Roger

2010-08-01

 Basic science Introduction:  Chronic back pain due to degenerative disc disease (DDD) is among the most important medical conditions causing morbidity and significant health care costs. Surgical treatment options include disc replacement or fusion surgery, but are associated with significant short- and long-term risks.1 Biological tissue-engineering of human intervertebral discs (IVD) could offer an important alternative.2 Recent in vitro data from our group have shown successful engineering and growth of ovine intervertebral disc composites with circumferentially aligned collagen fibrils in the annulus fibrosus (AF) (Figure 1).3 Figure 1 Tissue-engineered composite disc a Experimental steps to generate composite tissue-engineered IVDs3b Example of different AF formulations on collagen alignment in the AF. Second harmonic generation and two-photon excited fluorescence images of seeded collagen gels (for AF) of 1 and 2.5 mg/ml over time. At seeding, cells and collagen were homogenously distributed in the gels. Over time, AF cells elongated and collagen aligned parallel to cells. Less contraction and less alignment is noted after 3 days in the 2.5 mg/mL gel. c Imaging-based creation of a virtual disc model that will serve as template for the engineered disc. Total disc dimensions (AF and NP) were retrieved from micro-computer tomography (CT) (left images), and nucleus pulposus (NP) dimensions alone were retrieved from T2-weighted MRI images (right images). Merging of MRI and micro-CT models revealed a composite disc model (middle image)-Software: Microview, GE Healthcare Inc., Princeton, NJ; and slicOmatic v4.3, TomoVision, Montreal, Canada. d Flow chart describing the process for generating multi-lamellar tissue engineered IVDs. IVDs are produced by allowing cell-seeded collagen layers to contract around a cell-seeded alginate core (NP) over time Objective:  The next step is to investigate if biological disc implants survive, integrate, and restore function

Enlivening Physics, a Local Video Disc Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McInerney, M.

1989-01-01

Describes how to make and use an inexpensive video disc of physics demonstrations. Discusses the background, production of the disc, subject of the disc including angular momentum, "monkey and the hunter" experiment, Doppler shift, pressure of a constant volume of gas thermometer, and wave effects, and using the disc in classroom. (YP)

Non-axisymmetric line-driven disc winds - I. Disc perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyda, Sergei; Proga, Daniel

2018-04-01

We study mass outflows driven from accretion discs by radiation pressure due to spectral lines. To investigate non-axisymmetric effects, we use the ATHENA++ code and develop a new module to account for radiation pressure driving. In 2D, our new simulations are consistent with previous 2D axisymmetric solutions by Proga et al., who used the ZEUS 2D code. Specifically, we find that the disc winds are time dependent, characterized by a dense stream confined to ˜45° relative to the disc mid-plane and bounded on the polar side by a less dense, fast stream. In 3D, we introduce a vertical, ϕ-dependent, subsonic velocity perturbation in the disc mid-plane. The perturbation does not change the overall character of the solution but global outflow properties such as the mass, momentum, and kinetic energy fluxes are altered by up to 100 per cent. Non-axisymmetric density structures develop and persist mainly at the base of the wind. They are relatively small, and their densities can be a few times higher than the azimuthal average. The structure of the non-axisymmetric and axisymmetric solutions differ also in other ways. Perhaps most importantly from the observational point of view are the differences in the so-called clumping factors, that serve as a proxy for emissivity due to two body processes. In particular, the spatially averaged clumping factor over the entire fast stream, while it is of a comparable value in both solutions, it varies about 10 times faster in the non-axisymmetric case.

Archival-grade optical disc design and international standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujii, Toru; Kojyo, Shinichi; Endo, Akihisa; Kodaira, Takuo; Mori, Fumi; Shimizu, Atsuo

2015-09-01

Optical discs currently on the market exhibit large variations in life span among discs, making them unsuitable for certain business applications. To assess and potentially mitigate this problem, we performed accelerated degradation testing under standard ISO conditions, determined the probable disc failure mechanisms, and identified the essential criteria necessary for a stable disc composition. With these criteria as necessary conditions, we analyzed the physical and chemical changes that occur in the disc components, on the basis of which we determined technological measures to reduce these degradation processes. By applying these measures to disc fabrication, we were able to develop highly stable optical discs.

Fragmentation of protoplanetary discs around M-dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Backus, Isaac; Quinn, Thomas

2016-12-01

We investigate the conditions required for planet formation via gravitational instability (GI) and protoplanetary disc (PPD) fragmentation around M-dwarfs. Using a suite of 64 SPH simulations with 106 particles, the parameter space of disc mass, temperature, and radius is explored, bracketing reasonable values based on theory and observation. Our model consists of an equilibrium, gaseous, and locally isothermal disc orbiting a central star of mass M* = M⊙/3. Discs with a minimum Toomre Q of Qmin ≲ 0.9 will fragment and form gravitationally bound clumps. Some previous literature has found Qmin < 1.3-1.5 to be sufficient for fragmentation. Increasing disc height tends to stabilize discs, and when incorporated into Q as Qeff ∝ Q(H/R)α for α = 0.18 is sufficient to predict fragmentation. Some discrepancies in the literature regarding Qcrit may be due to different methods of generating initial conditions (ICs). A series of 15 simulations demonstrates that perturbing ICs slightly out of equilibrium can cause discs to fragment for higher Q. Our method for generating ICs is presented in detail. We argue that GI likely plays a role in PPDs around M-dwarfs and that disc fragmentation at large radii is a plausible outcome for these discs.

Accretion disk winds as the jet suppression mechanism in the microquasar GRS 1915+105.

PubMed

Neilsen, Joseph; Lee, Julia C

2009-03-26

Stellar-mass black holes with relativistic jets, also known as microquasars, mimic the behaviour of quasars and active galactic nuclei. Because timescales around stellar-mass black holes are orders of magnitude smaller than those around more distant supermassive black holes, microquasars are ideal nearby 'laboratories' for studying the evolution of accretion disks and jet formation in black-hole systems. Whereas studies of black holes have revealed a complex array of accretion activity, the mechanisms that trigger and suppress jet formation remain a mystery. Here we report the presence of a broad emission line in the faint, hard states and narrow absorption lines in the bright, soft states of the microquasar GRS 1915+105. ('Hard' and 'soft' denote the character of the emitted X-rays.) Because the hard states exhibit prominent radio jets, we argue that the broad emission line arises when the jet illuminates the inner accretion disk. The jet is weak or absent during the soft states, and we show that the absorption lines originate when the powerful radiation field around the black hole drives a hot wind off the accretion disk. Our analysis shows that this wind carries enough mass away from the disk to halt the flow of matter into the radio jet.

Lessons from the Auriga discs: the hunt for the Milky Way's ex situ disc is not yet over

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez, Facundo A.; Grand, Robert J. J.; Monachesi, Antonela; White, Simon D. M.; Bustamante, Sebastian; Marinacci, Federico; Pakmor, Rüdiger; Simpson, Christine M.; Springel, Volker; Frenk, Carlos S.

2017-12-01

We characterize the contribution from accreted material to the galactic discs of the Auriga Project, a set of high-resolution magnetohydrodynamic cosmological simulations of late-type galaxies performed with the moving-mesh code AREPO. Our goal is to explore whether a significant accreted (or ex situ) stellar component in the Milky Way disc could be hidden within the near-circular orbit population, which is strongly dominated by stars born in situ. One-third of our models shows a significant ex situ disc but this fraction would be larger if constraints on orbital circularity were relaxed. Most of the ex situ material (≳50 per cent) comes from single massive satellites (>6 × 1010 M⊙). These satellites are accreted with a wide range of infall times and inclination angles (up to 85°). Ex situ discs are thicker, older and more metal poor than their in situ counterparts. They show a flat median age profile, which differs from the negative gradient observed in the in situ component. As a result, the likelihood of identifying an ex situ disc in samples of old stars on near-circular orbits increases towards the outskirts of the disc. We show three examples that, in addition to ex situ discs, have a strongly rotating dark matter component. Interestingly, two of these ex situ stellar discs show an orbital circularity distribution that is consistent with that of the in situ disc. Thus, they would not be detected in typical kinematic studies.

Generation of disc-like plasma from laser-matter interaction in the presence of a strong external magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, V. V.; Maximov, A. V.; Betti, R.; Wiewior, P. P.; Hakel, P.; Sherrill, M. E.

2017-08-01

Dynamics of laser produced plasma in a strong magnetic field was studied using a 1 MA pulsed power generator coupled to an intense, high-energy laser. A 2-2.5 MG magnetic field was generated on the surface of a rod load 0.8-1.2 mm in diameter. A sub-nanosecond laser pulse with intensity of 3 × 1015 W cm-2 was focused on the rod load surface. Side-on laser diagnostics showed the generation of two collimated jets 1-3 mm long on the front and rear sides of the load. End-on laser diagnostics reveal that the laser produced plasma in the MG magnetic field takes the form of a thin disc as the plasma propagates along the magnetic field lines. The disc-like plasma expands radially across the magnetic field with a velocity of 250 km s-1. An electron temperature of 400 eV was measured in the laser-produced plasma on the rod load.

Radio monitoring of protoplanetary discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ubach, C.; Maddison, S. T.; Wright, C. M.; Wilner, D. J.; Lommen, D. J. P.; Koribalski, B.

2017-04-01

Protoplanetary disc systems observed at radio wavelengths often show excess emission above that expected from a simple extrapolation of thermal dust emission observed at short millimetre wavelengths. Monitoring the emission at radio wavelengths can be used to help disentangle the physical mechanisms responsible for this excess, including free-free emission from a wind or jet, and chromospheric emission associated with stellar activity. We present new results from a radio monitoring survey conducted with Australia Telescope Compact Array over the course of several years with observation intervals spanning days, months and years, where the flux variability of 11 T Tauri stars in the Chamaeleon and Lupus star-forming regions was measured at 7 and 15 mm, and 3 and 6 cm. Results show that most sources are variable to some degree at 7 mm, indicating the presence of emission mechanisms other than thermal dust in some sources. Additionally, evidence of grain growth to centimetre-sized pebbles was found for some sources that also have signs of variable flux at 7 mm. We conclude that multiple processes contributing to the emission are common in T Tauri stars at 7 mm and beyond, and that a detection at a single epoch at radio wavelengths should not be used to determine all processes contributing to the emission.

Notochord Cells in Intervertebral Disc Development and Degeneration

PubMed Central

McCann, Matthew R.; Séguin, Cheryle A.

2016-01-01

The intervertebral disc is a complex structure responsible for flexibility, multi-axial motion, and load transmission throughout the spine. Importantly, degeneration of the intervertebral disc is thought to be an initiating factor for back pain. Due to a lack of understanding of the pathways that govern disc degeneration, there are currently no disease-modifying treatments to delay or prevent degenerative disc disease. This review presents an overview of our current understanding of the developmental processes that regulate intervertebral disc formation, with particular emphasis on the role of the notochord and notochord-derived cells in disc homeostasis and how their loss can result in degeneration. We then describe the role of small animal models in understanding the development of the disc and their use to interrogate disc degeneration and associated pathologies. Finally, we highlight essential development pathways that are associated with disc degeneration and/or implicated in the reparative response of the tissue that might serve as targets for future therapeutic approaches. PMID:27252900

The life cycles of Be viscous decretion discs: fundamental disc parameters of 54 SMC Be stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rímulo, L. R.; Carciofi, A. C.; Vieira, R. G.; Rivinius, Th; Faes, D. M.; Figueiredo, A. L.; Bjorkman, J. E.; Georgy, C.; Ghoreyshi, M. R.; Soszyński, I.

2018-05-01

Be stars are main-sequence massive stars with emission features in their spectrum, which originates in circumstellar gaseous discs. Even though the viscous decretion disc model can satisfactorily explain most observations, two important physical ingredients, namely the magnitude of the viscosity (α) and the disc mass injection rate, remain poorly constrained. The light curves of Be stars that undergo events of disc formation and dissipation offer an opportunity to constrain these quantities. A pipeline was developed to model these events that use a grid of synthetic light curves, computed from coupled hydrodynamic and radiative transfer calculations. A sample of 54 Be stars from the OGLE survey of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) was selected for this study. Because of the way our sample was selected (bright stars with clear disc events), it likely represents the densest discs in the SMC. Like their siblings in the Galaxy, the mass of the disc in the SMC increases with the stellar mass. The typical mass and angular momentum loss rates associated with the disc events are of the order of ˜10-10 M⊙ yr-1 and ˜5 × 1036 g cm2 s-2, respectively. The values of α found in this work are typically of a few tenths, consistent with recent results in the literature and with the ones found in dwarf novae, but larger than current theory predicts. Considering the sample as a whole, the viscosity parameter is roughly two times larger at build-up (<αbu> = 0.63) than at dissipation (<αd> = 0.26). Further work is necessary to verify whether this trend is real or a result of some of the model assumptions.

Computational models for the viscous/inviscid analysis of jet aircraft exhaust plumes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dash, S. M.; Pergament, H. S.; Thorpe, R. D.

1980-05-01

Computational models which analyze viscous/inviscid flow processes in jet aircraft exhaust plumes are discussed. These models are component parts of an NASA-LaRC method for the prediction of nozzle afterbody drag. Inviscid/shock processes are analyzed by the SCIPAC code which is a compact version of a generalized shock capturing, inviscid plume code (SCIPPY). The SCIPAC code analyzes underexpanded jet exhaust gas mixtures with a self-contained thermodynamic package for hydrocarbon exhaust products and air. A detailed and automated treatment of the embedded subsonic zones behind Mach discs is provided in this analysis. Mixing processes along the plume interface are analyzed by two upgraded versions of an overlaid, turbulent mixing code (BOAT) developed previously for calculating nearfield jet entrainment. The BOATAC program is a frozen chemistry version of BOAT containing the aircraft thermodynamic package as SCIPAC; BOATAB is an afterburning version with a self-contained aircraft (hydrocarbon/air) finite-rate chemistry package. The coupling of viscous and inviscid flow processes is achieved by an overlaid procedure with interactive effects accounted for by a displacement thickness type correction to the inviscid plume interface.

Kinematic Evaluation of Association between Disc Bulge Migration, Lumbar Segmental Mobility, and Disc Degeneration in the Lumbar Spine Using Positional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

PubMed Central

Hu, Jonathan K.; Morishita, Yuichiro; Montgomery, Scott R.; Hymanson, Henry; Taghavi, Cyrus E.; Do, Duc; Wang, Jeff C.

2011-01-01

Degenerative disc disease and disc bulge in the lumbar spine are common sources of lower back pain. Little is known regarding disc bulge migration and lumbar segmental mobility as the lumbar spine moves from flexion to extension. In this study, 329 symptomatic (low back pain with or without neurological symptoms) patients with an average age of 43.5 years with varying degrees of disc degeneration were examined to characterize the kinematics of the lumbar intervertebral discs through flexion, neutral, and extension weight-bearing positions. In this population, disc bulge migration associated with dynamic motion of the lumbar spine significantly increased with increased grade of disk degeneration. Although no obvious trends relating the migration of disc bulge and angular segmental mobility were seen, translational segmental mobility tended to increase with disc bulge migration in all of the degenerative disc states. It appears that many factors, both static (intervertebral disc degeneration or disc height) and dynamic (lumbar segmental mobility), affect the mechanisms of lumbar disc bulge migration. PMID:24353937

Magnetic Fields Sculpt Narrow Jets From Dying Star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2006-03-01

Molecules spewed outward from a dying star are confined into narrow jets by a tightly-wound magnetic field, according to astronomers who used the National Science Foundation's Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) radio telescope to study an old star about 8,500 light-years from Earth. Magnetic Field Around Jet Artist's Conception Shows Tightly-Wound Magnetic Field Confining Jet CREDIT: NRAO/AUI/NSF (Click on image for larger version) The star, called W43A, in the constellation Aquila, is in the process of forming a planetary nebula, a shell of brightly-glowing gas lit by the hot ember into which the star will collapse. In 2002, astronomers discovered that the aging star was ejecting twin jets of water molecules. That discovery was a breakthrough in understanding how many planetary nebulae are formed into elongated shapes. "The next question was, what is keeping this outpouring of material confined into narrow jets? Theoreticians suspected magnetic fields, and we now have found the first direct evidence that a magnetic field is confining such a jet," said Wouter Vlemmings, a Marie Curie Fellow working at the Jodrell Bank Observatory of the University of Manchester in England. "Magnetic fields previously have been detected in jets emitted by quasars and protostars, but the evidence was not conclusive that the magnetic fields were actually confining the jets. These new VLBA observations now make that direct connection for the very first time," Vlemmings added. By using the VLBA to study the alignment, or polarization, of radio waves emitted by water molecules in the jets, the scientists were able to determine the strength and orientation of the magnetic field surrounding the jets. "Our observations support recent theoretical models in which magnetically-confined jets produce the sometimes-complex shapes we see in planetary nebulae," said Philip Diamond, also of Jodrell Bank Observatory. During their "normal" lives, stars similar to our Sun are powered by the nuclear fusion

High resolution simulations of a variable HH jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raga, A. C.; de Colle, F.; Kajdič, P.; Esquivel, A.; Cantó, J.

2007-04-01

Context: In many papers, the flows in Herbig-Haro (HH) jets have been modeled as collimated outflows with a time-dependent ejection. In particular, a supersonic variability of the ejection velocity leads to the production of "internal working surfaces" which (for appropriate forms of the time-variability) can produce emitting knots that resemble the chains of knots observed along HH jets. Aims: In this paper, we present axisymmetric simulations of an "internal working surface" in a radiative jet (produced by an ejection velocity variability). We concentrate on a given parameter set (i.e., on a jet with a constante ejection density, and a sinusoidal velocity variability with a 20 yr period and a 40 km s-1 half-amplitude), and carry out a study of the behaviour of the solution for increasing numerical resolutions. Methods: In our simulations, we solve the gasdynamic equations together with a 17-species atomic/ionic network, and we are therefore able to compute emission coefficients for different emission lines. Results: We compute 3 adaptive grid simulations, with 20, 163 and 1310 grid points (at the highest grid resolution) across the initial jet radius. From these simulations we see that successively more complex structures are obtained for increasing numerical resolutions. Such an effect is seen in the stratifications of the flow variables as well as in the predicted emission line intensity maps. Conclusions: .We find that while the detailed structure of an internal working surface depends on resolution, the predicted emission line luminosities (integrated over the volume of the working surface) are surprisingly stable. This is definitely good news for the future computation of predictions from radiative jet models for carrying out comparisons with observations of HH objects.

Biomaterials for intervertebral disc regeneration and repair.

PubMed

Bowles, Robert D; Setton, Lori A

2017-06-01

The intervertebral disc contributes to motion, weight bearing, and flexibility of the spine, but is susceptible to damage and morphological changes that contribute to pathology with age and injury. Engineering strategies that rely upon synthetic materials or composite implants that do not interface with the biological components of the disc have not met with widespread use or desirable outcomes in the treatment of intervertebral disc pathology. Here we review bioengineering advances to treat disc disorders, using cell-supplemented materials, or acellular, biologically based materials, that provide opportunity for cell-material interactions and remodeling in the treatment of intervertebral disc disorders. While a field still in early development, bioengineering-based strategies employing novel biomaterials are emerging as promising alternatives for clinical treatment of intervertebral disc disorders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A solenoid failure detection system for cold gas attitude control jet valves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, P. A.

1970-01-01

The development of a solenoid valve failure detection system is described. The technique requires the addition of a radioactive gas to the propellant of a cold gas jet attitude control system. Solenoid failure is detected with an avalanche radiation detector located in the jet nozzle which senses the radiation emitted by the leaking radioactive gas. Measurements of carbon monoxide leakage rates through a Mariner type solenoid valve are presented as a function of gas activity and detector configuration. A cylindrical avalanche detector with a factor of 40 improvement in leak sensitivity is proposed for flight systems because it allows the quantity of radioactive gas that must be added to the propellant to be reduced to a practical level.

Shaken and stirred: the effects of turbulence and rotation on disc and outflow formation during the collapse of magnetized molecular cloud cores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Benjamin T.; Bate, Matthew R.

2018-07-01

We present the results of 18 magnetohydrodynamical calculations of the collapse of a molecular cloud core to form a protostar. Some calculations include radiative transfer in the flux-limited diffusion approximation, while others employ a barotropic equation of state. We cover a wide parameter space, with mass-to-flux ratios ranging from μ = 5 to 20; initial turbulent amplitudes ranging from a laminar calculation (i.e. where the Mach number, M = 0) to transonic M = 1; and initial rotation rates from βrot = 0.005 to 0.02. We first show that using a radiative transfer scheme produces warmer pseudo-discs than the barotropic equation of state, making them more stable. We then `shake' the core by increasing the initial turbulent velocity field, and find that at all three mass-to-flux ratios transonic cores are weakly bound and do not produce pseudo-discs; M = 0.3 cores produce very disrupted discs; and M = 0.1 cores produce discs broadly comparable to a laminar core. In our previous paper, we showed that a pseudo-disc coupled with sufficient magnetic field is necessary to form a bipolar outflow. Here, we show that only weakly turbulent cores exhibit collimated jets. We finally take the M = 1.0, μ = 5 core and `stir' it by increasing the initial angular momentum, finding that once the degree of rotational energy exceeds the turbulent energy in the core the disc returns, with a corresponding (though slower), outflow. These conclusions place constraints on the initial mixtures of rotation and turbulence in molecular cloud cores which are conducive to the formation of bipolar outflows early in the star formation process.

On the diversity and statistical properties of protostellar discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bate, Matthew R.

2018-04-01

We present results from the first population synthesis study of protostellar discs. We analyse the evolution and properties of a large sample of protostellar discs formed in a radiation hydrodynamical simulation of star cluster formation. Due to the chaotic nature of the star formation process, we find an enormous diversity of young protostellar discs, including misaligned discs, and discs whose orientations vary with time. Star-disc interactions truncate discs and produce multiple systems. Discs may be destroyed in dynamical encounters and/or through ram-pressure stripping, but reform by later gas accretion. We quantify the distributions of disc mass and radii for protostellar ages up to ≈105 yr. For low-mass protostars, disc masses tend to increase with both age and protostellar mass. Disc radii range from of order 10 to a few hundred au, grow in size on time-scales ≲ 104 yr, and are smaller around lower mass protostars. The radial surface density profiles of isolated protostellar discs are flatter than the minimum mass solar nebula model, typically scaling as Σ ∝ r-1. Disc to protostar mass ratios rarely exceed two, with a typical range of Md/M* = 0.1-1 to ages ≲ 104 yr and decreasing thereafter. We quantify the relative orientation angles of circumstellar discs and the orbit of bound pairs of protostars, finding a preference for alignment that strengths with decreasing separation. We also investigate how the orientations of the outer parts of discs differ from the protostellar and inner disc spins for isolated protostars and pairs.

The jet-disk symbiosis without maximal jets: 1D hydrodynamical jets revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crumley, Patrick; Ceccobello, Chiara; Connors, Riley M. T.; Cavecchi, Yuri

2017-05-01

In this work we discuss the recent criticism by Zdziarski (2016, A&A, 586, A18) of the maximal jet model derived in Falcke & Biermann (1995, A&A, 293, 665). We agree with Zdziarski that in general a jet's internal energy is not bounded by its rest-mass energy density. We describe the effects of the mistake on conclusions that have been made using the maximal jet model and show when a maximal jet is an appropriate assumption. The maximal jet model was used to derive a 1D hydrodynamical model of jets in agnjet, a model that does multiwavelength fitting of quiescent/hard state X-ray binaries and low-luminosity active galactic nuclei. We correct algebraic mistakes made in the derivation of the 1D Euler equation and relax the maximal jet assumption. We show that the corrections cause minor differences as long as the jet has a small opening angle and a small terminal Lorentz factor. We find that the major conclusion from the maximal jet model, the jet-disk symbiosis, can be generally applied to astrophysical jets. We also show that isothermal jets are required to match the flat radio spectra seen in low-luminosity X-ray binaries and active galactic nuclei, in agreement with other works.

The reports of thick discs' deaths are greatly exaggerated. Thick discs are NOT artefacts caused by diffuse scattered light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Comerón, S.; Salo, H.; Knapen, J. H.

2018-02-01

Recent studies have made the community aware of the importance of accounting for scattered light when examining low-surface-brightness galaxy features such as thick discs. In our past studies of the thick discs of edge-on galaxies in the Spitzer Survey of Stellar Structure in Galaxies - the S4G - we modelled the point spread function as a Gaussian. In this paper we re-examine our results using a revised point spread function model that accounts for extended wings out to more than 2\\farcm5. We study the 3.6 μm images of 141 edge-on galaxies from the S4G and its early-type galaxy extension. Thus, we more than double the samples examined in our past studies. We decompose the surface-brightness profiles of the galaxies perpendicular to their mid-planes assuming that discs are made of two stellar discs in hydrostatic equilibrium. We decompose the axial surface-brightness profiles of galaxies to model the central mass concentration - described by a Sérsic function - and the disc - described by a broken exponential disc seen edge-on. Our improved treatment fully confirms the ubiquitous occurrence of thick discs. The main difference between our current fits and those presented in our previous papers is that now the scattered light from the thin disc dominates the surface brightness at levels below μ 26 mag arcsec-2. We stress that those extended thin disc tails are not physical, but pure scattered light. This change, however, does not drastically affect any of our previously presented results: 1) Thick discs are nearly ubiquitous. They are not an artefact caused by scattered light as has been suggested elsewhere. 2) Thick discs have masses comparable to those of thin discs in low-mass galaxies - with circular velocities vc< 120 km s-1 - whereas they are typically less massive than the thin discs in high-mass galaxies. 3) Thick discs and central mass concentrations seem to have formed at the same epoch from a common material reservoir. 4) Approximately 50% of the up

Forming disc galaxies in major mergers - III. The effect of angular momentum on the radial density profiles of disc galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peschken, N.; Athanassoula, E.; Rodionov, S. A.

2017-06-01

We study the effect of angular momentum on the surface density profiles of disc galaxies, using high-resolution simulations of major mergers whose remnants have downbending radial density profiles (type II). As described in the previous papers of this series, in this scenario, most of the disc mass is acquired after the collision via accretion from a hot gaseous halo. We find that the inner and outer disc scalelengths, as well as the break radius, correlate with the total angular momentum of the initial merging system, and are larger for high-angular momentum systems. We follow the angular momentum redistribution in our simulated galaxies, and find that like the mass, the disc angular momentum is acquired via accretion, I.e. to the detriment of the gaseous halo. Furthermore, high-angular momentum systems give more angular momentum to their discs, which directly affects their radial density profile. Adding simulations of isolated galaxies to our sample, we find that the correlations are valid also for disc galaxies evolved in isolation. We show that the outer part of the disc at the end of the simulation is populated mainly by inside-out stellar migration, and that in galaxies with higher angular momentum, stars travel radially further out. This, however, does not mean that outer disc stars (in type II discs) were mostly born in the inner disc. Indeed, generally the break radius increases over time, and not taking this into account leads to overestimating the number of stars born in the inner disc.

The Correlation between Insertion Depth of Prodisc-C Artificial Disc and Postoperative Kyphotic Deformity: Clinical Importance of Insertion Depth of Artificial Disc.

PubMed

Lee, Do-Youl; Kim, Se-Hoon; Suh, Jung-Keun; Cho, Tai-Hyoung; Chung, Yong-Gu

2012-09-01

This study was designed to investigate the correlation between insertion depth of artificial disc and postoperative kyphotic deformity after Prodisc-C total disc replacement surgery, and the range of artificial disc insertion depth which is effective in preventing postoperative whole cervical or segmental kyphotic deformity. A retrospective radiological analysis was performed in 50 patients who had undergone single level total disc replacement surgery. Records were reviewed to obtain demographic data. Preoperative and postoperative radiographs were assessed to determine C2-7 Cobb's angle and segmental angle and to investigate postoperative kyphotic deformity. A formula was introduced to calculate insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc. Statistical analysis was performed to search the correlation between insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc and postoperative kyphotic deformity, and to estimate insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc to prevent postoperative kyphotic deformity. In this study no significant statistical correlation was observed between insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc and postoperative kyphotic deformity regarding C2-7 Cobb's angle. Statistical correlation between insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc and postoperative kyphotic deformity was observed regarding segmental angle (p<0.05). It failed to estimate proper insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc effective in preventing postoperative kyphotic deformity. Postoperative segmental kyphotic deformity is associated with insertion depth of Prodisc-C artificial disc. Anterior located artificial disc leads to lordotic segmental angle and posterior located artificial disc leads to kyphotic segmental angle postoperatively. But C2-7 Cobb's angle is not affected by artificial disc location after the surgery.

Mechanoreceptors in Diseased Cervical Intervertebral Disc and Vertigo.

PubMed

Yang, Liang; Yang, Cheng; Pang, Xiaodong; Li, Duanming; Yang, Hong; Zhang, Xinwu; Yang, Yi; Peng, Baogan

2017-04-15

We collected the samples of cervical intervertebral discs from patients with vertigo to examine the distribution and types of mechanoreceptors in diseased cervical disc. The aim of this study was to determine whether mechanoreceptors are distributed more abundantly in cervical discs from patients with cervical spondylosis, and whether they are related to vertigo. Previous limited studies have found that normal cervical intervertebral discs are supplied with mechanoreceptors that have been considered responsible for proprioceptive functions. Several clinical studies have indicated that the patients with cervical spondylosis manifested significantly impaired postural control and subjective balance disturbance. We collected 77 samples of cervical discs from 62 cervical spondylosis patients without vertigo, 61 samples from 54 patients with vertigo, and 40 control samples from 8 cadaveric donors to investigate distribution of mechanoreceptors containing neurofilament (NF200) and S-100 protein immunoreactive nerve endings. The immunohistochemical investigation revealed that the most frequently encountered mechanoreceptors were the Ruffini corpuscles in all groups of cervical disc samples. They were obviously increased in the number and deeply ingrown into inner annulus fibrosus and even into nucleus pulposus in the diseased cervical discs from patients with vertigo in comparison with the discs from patients without vertigo and control discs. Only three Golgi endings were seen in the three samples from patients with vertigo. No Pacinian corpuscles were found in any samples of cervical discs. The diseased cervical discs from patients with vertigo had more abundant distribution of Ruffini corpuscles than other discs. A positive association between the increased number and ingrowth of Ruffini corpuscles in the diseased cervical disc and the incidence of vertigo in the patients with cervical spondylosis was found, which may indicate a key role of Ruffini corpuscles in the

Gamma rays from clumpy wind-jet interactions in high-mass microquasars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de la Cita, V. M.; del Palacio, S.; Bosch-Ramon, V.; Paredes-Fortuny, X.; Romero, G. E.; Khangulyan, D.

2017-07-01

Context. The stellar winds of the massive stars in high-mass microquasars are thought to be inhomogeneous. The interaction of these inhomogeneities, or clumps, with the jets of these objects may be a major factor in gamma-ray production. Aims: Our goal is to characterize a typical scenario of clump-jet interaction, and calculate the contribution of these interactions to the gamma-ray emission from these systems. Methods: We use axisymmetric, relativistic hydrodynamical simulations to model the emitting flow in a typical clump-jet interaction. Using the simulation results we perform a numerical calculation of the high-energy emission from one of these interactions. The radiative calculations are performed for relativistic electrons locally accelerated at the jet shock, and the synchrotron and inverse Compton radiation spectra are computed for different stages of the shocked clump evolution. We also explore different parameter values, such as viewing angle and magnetic field strength. The results derived from one clump-jet interaction are generalized phenomenologically to multiple interactions under different wind models, estimating the clump-jet interaction rates, and the resulting luminosities in the GeV range. Results: If particles are efficiently accelerated in clump-jet interactions, the apparent gamma-ray luminosity through inverse Compton scattering with the stellar photons can be significant even for rather strong magnetic fields and thus efficient synchrotron cooling. Moreover, despite the standing nature or slow motion of the jet shocks for most of the interaction stage, Doppler boosting in the postshock flow is relevant even for mildly relativistic jets. Conclusions: For clump-to-average wind density contrasts greater than or equal to ten, clump-jet interactions could be bright enough to match the observed GeV luminosity in Cyg X-1 and Cyg X-3 when a jet is present in these sources, with required non-thermal-to-total available power fractions greater than

Stellar wind erosion of protoplanetary discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schnepf, N. R.; Lovelace, R. V. E.; Romanova, M. M.; Airapetian, V. S.

2015-04-01

An analytic model is developed for the erosion of protoplanetary gas discs by high-velocity magnetized stellar winds. The winds are centrifugally driven from the surface of rapidly rotating, strongly magnetized young stars. The presence of the magnetic field in the wind leads to Reynolds numbers sufficiently large to cause a strongly turbulent wind/disc boundary layer which entrains and carries away the disc gas. The model uses the conservation of mass and momentum in the turbulent boundary layer. The time-scale for significant erosion depends on the disc accretion speed, disc accretion rate, the wind mass-loss rate, and the wind velocity. The time-scale is estimated to be ˜2 × 106 yr. The analytic model assumes a steady stellar wind with mass- loss rate dot {M}}_w ˜ 10^{-10} M_{⊙} yr-1 and velocity vw ˜ 103 km s-1. A significant contribution to the disc erosion can come from frequent powerful coronal mass ejections (CMEs) where the average mass-loss rate in CMEs, dot{M}_CME, and velocities, vCME, have values comparable to those for the steady wind.

Optic disc dysplasia in poland syndrome.

PubMed

Maxfield, Steven D; Strominger, Mitchell B

2014-06-01

To report optic disc dysplasia in a case of Poland syndrome. Non-interventional case report. A 2-year-old boy with Poland syndrome was referred for ophthalmic evaluation after abnormal optic discs were found on exam. Physical exam at birth revealed right-sided aplasia of the pectoralis major muscle, symbrachydactyly, hypoplastic scapula, and an abnormal third rib. On dilated examination the optic nerve heads were dysplastic. The findings included multiple cilioretinal vessels, situs inversus, inferotemporal excavation, and surrounding pigmentary disturbances. Only one case of optic disc anomaly has been reported in Poland syndrome and was described as morning glory syndrome. The optic discs in our patient do not fit well with other optic disc excavation syndromes but are most reminiscent of those in papillorenal syndrome. As both Poland syndrome and papillorenal syndrome share vascular dysfunction as a possible etiology, this case adds to the literature of vascular dysgenesis in Poland syndrome.

Circumbinary discs: Numerical and physical behaviour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thun, Daniel; Kley, Wilhelm; Picogna, Giovanni

2017-08-01

Aims: Discs around a central binary system play an important role in star and planet formation and in the evolution of galactic discs. These circumbinary discs are strongly disturbed by the time varying potential of the binary system and display a complex dynamical evolution that is not well understood. Our goal is to investigate the impact of disc and binary parameters on the dynamical aspects of the disc. Methods: We study the evolution of circumbinary discs under the gravitational influence of the binary using two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations. To distinguish between physical and numerical effects we apply three hydrodynamical codes. First we analyse in detail numerical issues concerning the conditions at the boundaries and grid resolution. We then perform a series of simulations with different binary parameters (eccentricity, mass ratio) and disc parameters (viscosity, aspect ratio) starting from a reference model with Kepler-16 parameters. Results: Concerning the numerical aspects we find that the length of the inner grid radius and the binary semi-major axis must be comparable, with free outflow conditions applied such that mass can flow onto the central binary. A closed inner boundary leads to unstable evolutions. We find that the inner disc turns eccentric and precesses for all investigated physical parameters. The precession rate is slow with periods (Tprec) starting at around 500 binary orbits (Tbin) for high viscosity and a high aspect ratio H/R where the inner hole is smaller and more circular. Reducing α and H/R increases the gap size and Tprec reaches 2500 Tbin. For varying binary mass ratios qbin the gap size remains constant, whereas Tprec decreases with increasing qbin. For varying binary eccentricities ebin we find two separate branches in the gap size and eccentricity diagram. The bifurcation occurs at around ecrit ≈ 0.18 where the gap is smallest with the shortest Tprec. For ebin lower and higher than ecrit, the gap size and Tprec

Genetic and functional studies of the intervertebral disc: a novel murine intervertebral disc model.

PubMed

Pelle, Dominic W; Peacock, Jacqueline D; Schmidt, Courtney L; Kampfschulte, Kevin; Scholten, Donald J; Russo, Scott S; Easton, Kenneth J; Steensma, Matthew R

2014-01-01

Intervertebral disc (IVD) homeostasis is mediated through a combination of micro-environmental and biomechanical factors, all of which are subject to genetic influences. The aim of this study is to develop and characterize a genetically tractable, ex vivo organ culture model that can be used to further elucidate mechanisms of intervertebral disc disease. Specifically, we demonstrate that IVD disc explants (1) maintain their native phenotype in prolonged culture, (2) are responsive to exogenous stimuli, and (3) that relevant homeostatic regulatory mechanisms can be modulated through ex-vivo genetic recombination. We present a novel technique for isolation of murine IVD explants with demonstration of explant viability (CMFDA/propidium iodide staining), disc anatomy (H&E), maintenance of extracellular matrix (ECM) (Alcian Blue staining), and native expression profile (qRT-PCR) as well as ex vivo genetic recombination (mT/mG reporter mice; AdCre) following 14 days of culture in DMEM media containing 10% fetal bovine serum, 1% L-glutamine, and 1% penicillin/streptomycin. IVD explants maintained their micro-anatomic integrity, ECM proteoglycan content, viability, and gene expression profile consistent with a homeostatic drive in culture. Treatment of genetically engineered explants with cre-expressing adenovirus efficaciously induced ex vivo genetic recombination in a variety of genetically engineered mouse models. Exogenous administration of IL-1ß and TGF-ß3 resulted in predicted catabolic and anabolic responses, respectively. Genetic recombination of TGFBR1fl/fl explants resulted in constitutively active TGF-ß signaling that matched that of exogenously administered TGF-ß3. Our results illustrate the utility of the murine intervertebral disc explant to investigate mechanisms of intervertebral disc degeneration.

Genetic and Functional Studies of the Intervertebral Disc: A Novel Murine Intervertebral Disc Model

PubMed Central

Pelle, Dominic W.; Peacock, Jacqueline D.; Schmidt, Courtney L.; Kampfschulte, Kevin; Scholten, Donald J.; Russo, Scott S.; Easton, Kenneth J.; Steensma, Matthew R.

2014-01-01

Intervertebral disc (IVD) homeostasis is mediated through a combination of micro-environmental and biomechanical factors, all of which are subject to genetic influences. The aim of this study is to develop and characterize a genetically tractable, ex vivo organ culture model that can be used to further elucidate mechanisms of intervertebral disc disease. Specifically, we demonstrate that IVD disc explants (1) maintain their native phenotype in prolonged culture, (2) are responsive to exogenous stimuli, and (3) that relevant homeostatic regulatory mechanisms can be modulated through ex-vivo genetic recombination. We present a novel technique for isolation of murine IVD explants with demonstration of explant viability (CMFDA/propidium iodide staining), disc anatomy (H&E), maintenance of extracellular matrix (ECM) (Alcian Blue staining), and native expression profile (qRT-PCR) as well as ex vivo genetic recombination (mT/mG reporter mice; AdCre) following 14 days of culture in DMEM media containing 10% fetal bovine serum, 1% L-glutamine, and 1% penicillin/streptomycin. IVD explants maintained their micro-anatomic integrity, ECM proteoglycan content, viability, and gene expression profile consistent with a homeostatic drive in culture. Treatment of genetically engineered explants with cre-expressing adenovirus efficaciously induced ex vivo genetic recombination in a variety of genetically engineered mouse models. Exogenous administration of IL-1ß and TGF-ß3 resulted in predicted catabolic and anabolic responses, respectively. Genetic recombination of TGFBR1fl/fl explants resulted in constitutively active TGF-ß signaling that matched that of exogenously administered TGF-ß3. Our results illustrate the utility of the murine intervertebral disc explant to investigate mechanisms of intervertebral disc degeneration. PMID:25474689

Lumbar disc herniation in young children.

PubMed

Haidar, R; Ghanem, I; Saad, S; Uthman, I

2010-01-01

This article explores lumbar disc herniation in young children through focusing on matters relevant to patient presentation, physical examination, differential diagnosis, imaging and treatment. Major databases were searched for studies that addressed lumbar disc herniation in young children. Diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation in young children is usually delayed because of the rarity and lack of experience with this entity and the difficulty in extracting a reliable medical history. Nevertheless, lumbar disc herniation should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any young child presenting with a chief complaint of back pain and/or radiculopathy, especially in the setting of recent trauma. This should be coupled with a directed physical examination to elicit signs and narrow the differential diagnosis. Imaging studies, mainly magnetic resonance imaging, will help establish a diagnosis; yet radiographs are still required to exclude other spinal lesions. The initial management of lumbar disc herniation in children is the same as that in adults and consists of conservative treatment unless lumbar disc herniation affects the patient's motor and neurological functions in which case, early surgical treatment must be undertaken. Although the latter remains more difficult, current experience suggests a favourable outcome. Awareness of lumbar disc herniation will help the paediatrician extract a relevant medical history, perform a directed physical examination, and order appropriate imaging studies. This will aid in initiating early intervention, be it conservative or operative, and achieving a favourable outcome.

Disc herniations in the national football league.

PubMed

Gray, Benjamin L; Buchowski, Jacob M; Bumpass, David B; Lehman, Ronald A; Mall, Nathan A; Matava, Matthew J

2013-10-15

Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database. To determine the overall incidence, location, and type of disc herniations in professional football players to target treatment issues and prevention. Disc herniations represent a common and debilitating injury to the professional athlete. The NFL's (National Football League's) Sports Injury Monitoring System is a surveillance database created to monitor the league for all injuries, including injuries to the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. A retrospective analysis was performed on all disc herniations to the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine during a 12-season period (2000-2012) using the NFL's surveillance database. The primary data points included the location of the injury, player position, activity at time of injury, and playing time lost due to injury. During the 12 seasons, 275 disc herniations occurred in the spine. In regard to location, 76% occurred in the lumbar spine and most frequently affected the L5-S1 disc. The offensive linemen were most frequently injured. As expected, blocking was the activity that caused most injuries. Lumbar disc herniations rose in prevalence and had a mean loss of playing time of more than half the season (11 games). Thoracic disc herniations led to the largest mean number of days lost overall, whereas players with cervical disc herniations missed the most practices. Disc herniations represent a significant cause of morbidity in the NFL. Although much attention is placed on spinal cord injuries, preventive measures targeting the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine may help to reduce the overall incidence of these debilitating injuries.Level of Evidence: N/A.

Disc herniations in the National Football League.

PubMed

Gray, Benjamin L; Buchowski, Jacob M; Bumpass, David B; Lehman, Ronald A; Mall, Nathan A; Matava, Matthew J

2013-10-15

Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database. To determine the overall incidence, location, and type of disc herniations in professional football players to target treatment issues and prevention. Disc herniations represent a common and debilitating injury to the professional athlete. The NFL's (National Football League's) Sports Injury Monitoring System is a surveillance database created to monitor the league for all injuries, including injuries to the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. A retrospective analysis was performed on all disc herniations to the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine during a 12-season period (2000–2012) using the NFL's surveillance database. The primary data points included the location of the injury, player position, activity at time of injury, and playing time lost due to injury. During the 12 seasons, 275 disc herniations occurred in the spine. In regard to location, 76% occurred in the lumbar spine and most frequently affected the L5–S1 disc. The offensive linemen were most frequently injured. As expected, blocking was the activity that caused most injuries. Lumbar disc herniations rose in prevalence and had a mean loss of playing time of more than half the season (11 games). Thoracic disc herniations led to the largest mean number of days lost overall, whereas players with cervical disc herniations missed the most practices. Disc herniations represent a significant cause of morbidity in the NFL. Although much attention is placed on spinal cord injuries, preventive measures targeting the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine may help to reduce the overall incidence of these debilitating injuries. N/A

Shapes of Nonbuoyant Round Luminous Hydrocarbon/Air Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames. Appendix H

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, K.-C.; Faeth, G. M.; Sunderland, P. B.; Urban, D. L.; Yuan, Z.-G.; Ross, Howard B. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The shapes (luminous flame boundaries) of round luminous nonbuoyant soot-containing hydrocarbon/air laminar jet diffusion flames at microgravity were found from color video images obtained on orbit in the Space Shuttle Columbia. Test conditions included ethylene- and propane-fueled flames burning in still air at an ambient temperature of 300 K ambient pressures of 35-130 kPa, initial jet diameters of 1.6 and 2.7 mm, and jet exit Reynolds numbers of 45-170. Present test times were 100-200 s and yielded steady axisymmetric flames that were close to the laminar smoke point (including flames both emitting and not emitting soot) with luminous flame lengths of 15-63 mm. The present soot-containing flames had larger luminous flame lengths than earlier ground-based observations having similar burner configurations: 40% larger than the luminous flame lengths of soot-containing low gravity flames observed using an aircraft (KC-135) facility due to reduced effects of accelerative disturbances and unsteadiness; roughly twice as large as the luminous flame lengths of soot-containing normal gravity flames due to the absence of effects of buoyant mixing and roughly twice as large as the luminous flame lengths of soot-free low gravity flames observed using drop tower facilities due to the presence of soot luminosity and possible reduced effects of unsteadiness, Simplified expressions to estimate the luminous flame boundaries of round nonbuoyant laminar jet diffusion flames were obtained from the classical analysis of Spalding; this approach provided successful correlations of flame shapes for both soot-free and soot-containing flames, except when the soot-containing flames were in the opened-tip configuration that is reached at fuel flow rates near and greater than the laminar smoke point fuel flow rate.

A RCT comparing 7-year clinical outcomes of one level symptomatic cervical disc disease (SCDD) following ProDisc-C total disc arthroplasty (TDA) versus anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).

PubMed

Loumeau, Thomas P; Darden, Bruce V; Kesman, Thomas J; Odum, Susan M; Van Doren, Bryce A; Laxer, Eric B; Murrey, Daniel B

2016-07-01

The objective of this trial was to compare the safety and efficacy of TDA using the ProDisc-C implant to ACDF in patients with single-level SCDD between C3 and C7. We report on the single-site results from a larger multicenter trial of 13 sites using an approved US Food and Drug Administration protocol (prospective, randomized controlled non-inferiority design). Patients were randomized one-to-one to either the ProDisc-C device or ACDF. All enrollees were evaluated pre- and post-operatively at regular intervals through month 84. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for neck and arm pain/intensity, Neck Disability Index (NDI), Short-Form 36 (SF-36), and satisfaction were assessed. Twenty-two patients were randomized to each arm of the study. Nineteen additional patients received the ProDisc-C via continued access. NDI improved with the ProDisc-C more than with ACDF. Total range of motion was maintained with the ProDisc-C, but diminished with ACDF. Neck and arm pain improved more in the ProDisc-C than ACDF group. Patient satisfaction remained higher in the ProDisc-C group at 7 years. SF-36 scores were higher in the TDA group than ACDF group at 7 years; the difference was not clinically significant. Six additional operations (two at the same level; four at an adjacent level) were performed in the ACDF, but none in the ProDisc-C group. The ProDisc-C implant appears to be safe and effective for the treatment of SCDD. Patients with the implant retained motion at the involved segment and had a lower reoperation rate than those with an ACDF.

Reduction of turbulent skin-friction drag by oscillating discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wise, Daniel; Ricco, Pierre

2013-11-01

A new drag-reduction method, based on the active technique proposed by Ricco & Hahn (2013), i.e. steadily rotating flush-mounted discs, is studied by DNS. The effect of sinusoidally oscillating discs on the turbulent channel-flow drag is investigated at Reτ = 180 , based on the friction velocity of the stationary-wall case and the half channel height. A parametric investigation on the disc diameter, tip velocity and oscillation period yielded a maximum drag reduction of 18.5%. Regions of net power saved, calculated by considering the power spent to enforce the disc motion against the viscous resistance of the fluid, are found to reach up to 6.5% for low disc tip velocities. Significantly, the characteristic time-scale for the oscillating disc forcing is double that for the steadily rotating discs, representing a further step towards industrial implementation. The oscillating disc forcing, similar to the steadily rotating disc forcing, creates streamwise-elongated structures between the discs. These structures - largely unaffected by the periodic wall forcing and persisting throughout the entire period of the oscillation - are the main contributor to the additional Reynolds stresses term created by the disc forcing, and are important for the drag reduction mechanism.

Design Issues in Video Disc Map Display.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-10-01

such items as the equipment used by ETL in its work with discs and selected images from a disc. % %. I 4 11. VIDEO DISC TECHNOLOGY AND VOCABULARY 0...The term video refers to a television image. The standard home television set is equipped with a receiver, which is capable of picking up a signal...plays for one hour per side and is played at a constant linear velocity. The industria )y-formatted disc has 54,000 frames per side in concentric tracks

Debris Discs: Modeling/theory review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thébault, P.

2012-03-01

An impressive amount of photometric, spectroscopic and imaging observations of circumstellar debris discs has been accumulated over the past 3 decades, revealing that they come in all shapes and flavours, from young post-planet-formation systems like Beta-Pic to much older ones like Vega. What we see in these systems are small grains, which are probably only the tip of the iceberg of a vast population of larger (undetectable) collisionally-eroding bodies, leftover from the planet-formation process. Understanding the spatial structure, physical properties, origin and evolution of this dust is of crucial importance, as it is our only window into what is going on in these systems. Dust can be used as a tracer of the distribution of their collisional progenitors and of possible hidden massive pertubers, but can also allow to derive valuable information about the disc's total mass, size distribution or chemical composition. I will review the state of the art in numerical models of debris disc, and present some important issues that are explored by current modelling efforts: planet-disc interactions, link between cold (i.e. Herschel-observed) and hot discs, effect of binarity, transient versus continuous processes, etc. I will finally present some possible perspectives for the development of future models.

Clues from Bent Jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

2018-04-01

Powerful jets emitted from the centers of distant galaxies make for spectacular signposts in the radio sky. Can observations of these jets reveal information about the environments that surround them?Signposts in the SkyVLA FIRST images of seven bent double-lobed radio galaxies from the authors sample. [Adapted from Silverstein et al. 2018]An active supermassive black hole lurking in a galactic center can put on quite a show! These beasts fling out accreting material, often forming intense jets that punch their way out of their host galaxies. As the jets propagate, they expand into large lobes of radio emission that we can spot from Earth observable signs of the connection between distant supermassive black holes and the galaxies in which they live.These distinctive double-lobed radio galaxies (DLRGs) dont all look the same. In particular, though the jets are emitted from the black holes two poles, the lobes of DLRGs dont always extend perfectly in opposite directions; often, the jets become bent on larger scales, appearing to us to subtend angles of less than 180 degrees.Can we use our observations of DLRG shapes and distributions to learn about their surroundings? A new study led by Ezekiel Silverstein (University of Michigan) has addressed this question by exploring DLRGs living in dense galaxy-cluster environments.Projected density of DLRGcentral galaxy matches (black) compared to a control sample of random positionscentral galaxy matches (red) for different distances from acluster center. DLRGs have a higher likelihood of being located close to a cluster center. [Silverstein et al. 2018]Living Near the HubTo build a sample of DLRGs in dense environments, Silverstein and collaborators started from a large catalog of DLRGs in Sloan Digital Sky Survey quasars with radio lobes visible in Very Large Array data. They then cross-matched these against three galaxy catalogs to produce a sample of 44 DLRGs that are each paired to a nearby massive galaxy, galaxy group

Thermal analysis of disc brakes using finite element method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaenudin, Jamari, J.; Tauviqirrahman, M.

2017-01-01

Disc brakes are components of a vehicle that serve to slow or stop the rotation of the wheel. This paper discusses the phenomenon of heat distribution on the brake disc during braking. Heat distribution on the brake disc is caused by kinetic energy changing into mechanical energy. Energy changes occur during the braking process due to friction between the surface of the disc and a disc pad. The temperature resulting from this friction rises high. This thermal analysis on brake discs is aimed to evaluate the performance of an electric car in the braking process. The aim of this study is to analyze the thermal behavior of the brake discs using the Finite Element Method (FEM) through examining the heat distribution on the brake disc using 3-D modeling. Results obtained from the FEM reflect the effects of high heat due to the friction between the disc pad with the disc rotor. Results of the simulation study are used to identify the effect of the heat distribution that occurred during the braking process.

Flash x-ray radiography of argon jets in ambient air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geiswiller, J.; Robert, E.; Huré, L.; Cachoncinlle, C.; Viladrosa, R.; Pouvesle, J. M.

1998-09-01

This paper describes the development and application of a soft x-ray flash radiography technique. A very compact soft x-ray flash source has been specially designed for these studies. The table-top x-ray source developed in this work emits strong doses, up to one roentgen at the output window, of x-ray photons, with most of them in the characteristic lines of the anode material (photon energy in the energy range 5-10 keV), in pulse of 20 ns FWHM with an x-ray emission zone smaller than 0957-0233/9/9/024/img1. All these characteristics make this source attractive for the x-ray radiography of high-speed phenomena, down to ten nanoseconds duration and/or for the media presenting weak absorption for the harder x-ray photons emitted by more conventional flash x-ray systems. Argon streams in ambient air were chosen as a typical case to enlighten the potentialities of this method. Single-shot radiographs of such an argon jet through rectangular nozzles were obtained. No attempt of quantitative measurement of local density in the argon stream has yet been performed, only the qualitative structure of the jet has been investigated. Nevertheless, these preliminary results enable us to state that the diagnostics of gaseous or plasma media, even at rather low pressures, can proceed using soft x-ray flash radiography.

Glucosamine Supplementation Demonstrates a Negative Effect On Intervertebral Disc Matrix in an Animal Model of Disc Degeneration

PubMed Central

Jacobs, Lloydine; Vo, Nam; Coehlo, J. Paulo; Dong, Qing; Bechara, Bernard; Woods, Barrett; Hempen, Eric; Hartman, Robert; Preuss, Harry; Balk, Judith; Kang, James; Sowa, Gwendolyn

2013-01-01

Study Design Laboratory based controlled in vivo study Objective To determine the in vivo effects of oral glucosamine sulfate on intervertebral disc degeneration Summary of Background Data Although glucosamine has demonstrated beneficial effect in articular cartilage, clinical benefit is uncertain. A CDC report from 2009 reported that many patients are using glucosamine supplementation for low back pain (LBP), without significant evidence to support its use. Because disc degeneration is a major contributor of LBP, we explored the effects of glucosamine on disc matrix homeostasis in an animal model of disc degeneration. Methods Eighteen skeletally mature New Zealand White rabbits were divided into four groups: control, annular puncture, glucosamine, and annular puncture+glucosamine. Glucosamine treated rabbits received daily oral supplementation with 107mg/day (weight based equivalent to human 1500mg/day). Annular puncture surgery involved puncturing the annulus fibrosus (AF) of 3 lumbar discs with a 16G needle to induce degeneration. Serial MRIs were obtained at 0, 4, 8, 12, and 20 weeks. Discs were harvested at 20 weeks for determination of glycosaminoglycan(GAG) content, relative gene expression measured by RT-PCR, and histological analyses. Results The MRI index and NP area of injured discs of glucosamine treated animals with annular puncture was found to be lower than that of degenerated discs from rabbits not supplemented with glucosamine. Consistent with this, decreased glycosaminoglycan was demonstrated in glucosamine fed animals, as determined by both histological and GAG content. Gene expression was consistent with a detrimental effect on matrix. Conclusions These data demonstrate that the net effect on matrix in an animal model in vivo, as measured by gene expression, MRI, histology, and total proteoglycan is anti-anabolic. This raises concern over this commonly used supplement, and future research is needed to establish the clinical relevance of these

Flow-structure interaction effects on a jet emanating from a flexible nozzle

PubMed Central

Murugappan, S.; Gutmark, E. J.; Lakhamraju, R. R.; Khosla, S.

2008-01-01

In recent years, a wide variety of applications have been found for the use of pulsed jets in the area of flow control. The goal of the current study was to identify the flow field and mixing characteristics associated with an incompressible elongated jet emitted from a flexible nozzle. The shape of the nozzle was that of a high aspect ratio jet deforming from a fully opened to a completely closed configuration. The jet was characterized by a pulsatile flow that was self-excited by the motion of the flexible tube. The frequency of excitation was found to be between 150 and 175 Hz and the Strouhal number (nondimensional frequency) varied from 0.17 to 0.45. The jet flow was dominated by vortices that were shed from the nozzle with an axis parallel to the major axis. The vortices in the near field were quasi-two-dimensional so that measurements performed at the center plane represented the dynamics of the entire vortex. The nozzle excited two different modes depending on the tension applied to the flexible nozzle and the volumetric flow through it. The first was a flapping mode, which was associated with alternate shedding of vortices. This caused strong steering of the jet to one side or the other. The second mode was a symmetric mode that was associated with the formation of counter-rotating vortex pairs. Turbulence and jet spread in the measured planes were much larger in the first mode than the second one. PMID:19547723

Effect of Interbody Fusion on the Remaining Discs of the Lumbar Spine in Subjects with Disc Degeneration.

PubMed

Ryu, Robert; Techy, Fernando; Varadarajan, Ravikumar; Amirouche, Farid

2016-02-01

To study effects (stress loads) of lumbar fusion on the remaining segments (adjacent or not) of the lumbar spine in the setting of degenerated adjacent discs. A lumbar spine finite element model was built and validated. The full model of the lumbar spine was a parametric finite element model of segments L 1-5 . Numerous hypothetical combinations of one-level lumbar spine fusion and one-level disc degeneration were created. These models were subjected to 10 Nm flexion and extension moments and the stresses on the endplates and consequently on the intervertebral lumbar discs measured. These values were compared to the stresses on healthy lumbar spine discs under the same load and fusion scenarios. Increased stress at endplates was observed only in the settings of L4-5 fusion and L3-4 disc degeneration (8% stress elevation at L2,3 in flexion or extension, and 25% elevation at L3,4 in flexion only). All other combinations showed less endplate stress than did the control model. For fusion at L3-4 and degeneration at L4-5 , the stresses in the endplates at the adjacent level inferior to the fused disc decreased for both loading disc height reductions. Stresses in flexion decreased after fusion by 29.5% and 25.8% for degeneration I and II, respectively. Results for extension were similar. For fusion at L2-3 and degeneration at L4-5 , stresses in the endplates decreased more markedly at the degenerated (30%), than at the fused level (14%) in the presence of 25% disc height reduction and 10 Nm flexion, whereas in extension stresses decreased more at the fused (24.3%) than the degenerated level (5.86%). For fusion at L3-4 and degeneration at L2-3 , there were no increases in endplate stress in any scenario. For fusion at L4-5 and degeneration at L3-4 , progression of degeneration from I to II had a significant effect only in flexion. A dramatic increase in stress was noted in the endplates of the degenerated disc (L3-4 ) in flexion for degeneration II. Stresses are greater

The evolution of photoevaporating viscous discs in binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosotti, Giovanni P.; Clarke, Cathie J.

2018-02-01

A large fraction of stars are in binary systems, yet the evolution of protoplanetary discs in binaries has been little explored from the theoretical side. In this paper, we investigate the evolution of the discs surrounding the primary and secondary components of binary systems on the assumption that this is driven by photoevaporation induced by X-rays from the respective star. We show how for close enough separations (20-30 au for average X-ray luminosities) the tidal torque of the companion changes the qualitative behaviour of disc dispersal from inside out to outside in. Fewer transition discs created by photoevaporation are thus expected in binaries. We also demonstrate that in close binaries the reduction in viscous time leads to accelerated disc clearing around both components, consistent with unresolved observations. When looking at the differential disc evolution around the two components, in close binaries discs around the secondary clear first due to the shorter viscous time-scale associated with the smaller outer radius. In wide binaries instead the difference in photoevaporation rate makes the secondaries longer lived, though this is somewhat dependent on the assumed scaling of viscosity with stellar mass. We find that our models are broadly compatible with the growing sample of resolved observations of discs in binaries. We also predict that binaries have higher accretion rates than single stars for the same disc mass. Thus, binaries probably contribute to the observed scatter in the relationship between disc mass and accretion rate in young stars.

Accreting transition discs with large cavities created by X-ray photoevaporation in C and O depleted discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ercolano, Barbara; Weber, Michael L.; Owen, James E.

2018-01-01

Circumstellar discs with large dust depleted cavities and vigorous accretion on to the central star are often considered signposts for (multiple) giant planet formation. In this Letter, we show that X-ray photoevaporation operating in discs with modest (factors 3-10) gas-phase depletion of carbon and oxygen at large radii ( > 15 au) yields the inner radius and accretion rates for most of the observed discs, without the need to invoke giant planet formation. We present one-dimensional viscous evolution models of discs affected by X-ray photoevaporation assuming moderate gas-phase depletion of carbon and oxygen, well within the range reported by recent observations. Our models use a simplified prescription for scaling the X-ray photoevaporation rates and profiles at different metallicity, and our quantitative result depends on this scaling. While more rigorous hydrodynamical modelling of mass-loss profiles at low metallicities is required to constrain the observational parameter space that can be explained by our models, the general conclusion that metal sequestering at large radii may be responsible for the observed diversity of transition discs is shown to be robust. Gap opening by giant planet formation may still be responsible for a number of observed transition discs with large cavities and very high accretion rate.

The DISC Quotient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elliott, John R.; Baxter, Stephen

2012-09-01

D.I.S.C: Decipherment Impact of a Signal's Content. The authors present a numerical method to characterise the significance of the receipt of a complex and potentially decipherable signal from extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI). The purpose of the scale is to facilitate the public communication of work on any such claimed signal, as such work proceeds, and to assist in its discussion and interpretation. Building on a "position" paper rationale, this paper looks at the DISC quotient proposed and develops the algorithmic steps and comprising measures that form this post detection strategy for information dissemination, based on prior work on message detection, decipherment. As argued, we require a robust and incremental strategy, to disseminate timely, accurate and meaningful information, to the scientific community and the general public, in the event we receive an "alien" signal that displays decipherable information. This post-detection strategy is to serve as a stepwise algorithm for a logical approach to information extraction and a vehicle for sequential information dissemination, to manage societal impact. The "DISC Quotient", which is based on signal analysis processing stages, includes factors based on the signal's data quantity, structure, affinity to known human languages, and likely decipherment times. Comparisons with human and other phenomena are included as a guide to assessing likely societal impact. It is submitted that the development, refinement and implementation of DISC as an integral strategy, during the complex processes involved in post detection and decipherment, is essential if we wish to minimize disruption and optimize dissemination.

Multiwavelength and parsec-scale properties of extragalactic jets. Doctoral Thesis Award Lecture 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, C.

2016-07-01

Extragalactic jets originating from the central supermassive black holes of active galaxies are powerful, highly relativistic plasma outflows, emitting light from the radio up to the γ-ray regime. The details of their formation, composition and emission mechanisms are still not completely clear. The combination of high-resolution observations using very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) and multiwavelength monitoring provides the best insight into these objects. Here, such a combined study of sources of the TANAMI sample is presented, investigating the parsec-scale and high-energy properties. The TANAMI program is a multiwavelength monitoring program of a sample of the radio and γ-ray brightest extragalactic jets in the southern sky, below -30o declination. We obtain the first-ever VLBI images for most of the sources, providing crucial information on the jet kinematics and brightness distribution at milliarcsecond resolution. Two particular sources are discussed in detail: PMN J1603-4904 , which can be classified either as an atypical blazar or a γ-ray loud (young) radio galaxy, and Centaurus A, the nearest radio-loud active galaxy. The VLBI kinematics of the innermost parsec of Centaurus A's jet result in a consistent picture of an accelerated jet flow with a spine-sheath like structure.

Coupling hydrodynamics and radiation calculations for star-jet interactions in active galactic nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de la Cita, V. M.; Bosch-Ramon, V.; Paredes-Fortuny, X.; Khangulyan, D.; Perucho, M.

2016-06-01

Context. Stars and their winds can contribute to the non-thermal emission in extragalactic jets. Because of the complexity of jet-star interactions, the properties of the resulting emission are closely linked to those of the emitting flows. Aims: We simulate the interaction between a stellar wind and a relativistic extragalactic jet and use the hydrodynamic results to compute the non-thermal emission under different conditions. Methods: We performed relativistic axisymmetric hydrodynamical simulations of a relativistic jet interacting with a supersonic, non-relativistic stellar wind. We computed the corresponding streamlines out of the simulation results and calculated the injection, evolution, and emission of non-thermal particles accelerated in the jet shock, focusing on electrons or e±-pairs. Several cases were explored, considering different jet-star interaction locations, magnetic fields, and observer lines of sight. The jet luminosity and star properties were fixed, but the results are easily scalable when these parameters are changed. Results: Individual jet-star interactions produce synchrotron and inverse Compton emission that peaks from X-rays to MeV energies (depending on the magnetic field), and at ~100-1000 GeV (depending on the stellar type), respectively. The radiation spectrum is hard in the scenarios explored here as a result of non-radiative cooling dominance, as low-energy electrons are efficiently advected even under relatively high magnetic fields. Interactions of jets with cold stars lead to an even harder inverse Compton spectrum because of the Klein-Nishina effect in the cross section. Doppler boosting has a strong effect on the observer luminosity. Conclusions: The emission levels for individual interactions found here are in the line of previous, more approximate, estimates, strengthening the hypothesis that collective jet-star interactions could significantly contribute at high energies under efficient particle acceleration.

Medical Information on Optical Disc*

PubMed Central

Schipma, Peter B.; Cichocki, Edward M.; Ziemer, Susan M.

1987-01-01

Optical discs may permit a revolutionary change in the distribution and use of medical information. A single compact disc, similar in size to that used for digital audio recording, can contain over 500 million characters of information that is accessible by a Personal Computer. These discs can be manufactured at a cost lower than that of print on paper, at reasonable volumes. Software can provide the health care professional with nearly instantaneous access to the information. Thus, for the first time, the opportunity exists to have large local medical information collections. This paper describes an application of this technology in the field of Oncology.

Radio emission from the X-ray pulsar Her X-1: a jet launched by a strong magnetic field neutron star?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Eijnden, J.; Degenaar, N.; Russell, T. D.; Miller-Jones, J. C. A.; Wijnands, R.; Miller, J. M.; King, A. L.; Rupen, M. P.

2018-01-01

Her X-1 is an accreting neutron star (NS) in an intermediate-mass X-ray binary. Like low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs), it accretes via Roche lobe overflow, but similar to many high-mass X-ray binaries containing a NS; Her X-1 has a strong magnetic field and slow spin. Here, we present the discovery of radio emission from Her X-1 with the Very Large Array. During the radio observation, the central X-ray source was partially obscured by a warped disc. We measure a radio flux density of 38.7 ± 4.8 μJy at 9 GHz but cannot constrain the spectral shape. We discuss possible origins of the radio emission, and conclude that coherent emission, a stellar wind, shocks and a propeller outflow are all unlikely explanations. A jet, as seen in LMXBs, is consistent with the observed radio properties. We consider the implications of the presence of a jet in Her X-1 on jet formation mechanisms and on the launching of jets by NSs with strong magnetic fields.

MECHANICAL DESIGN CRITERIA FOR INTERVERTEBRAL DISC TISSUE ENGINEERING

PubMed Central

Nerurkar, Nandan L.; Elliott, Dawn M.; Mauck, Robert L.

2009-01-01

Due to the inability of current clinical practices to restore function to degenerated intervertebral discs, the arena of disc tissue engineering has received substantial attention in recent years. Despite tremendous growth and progress in this field, translation to clinical implementation has been hindered by a lack of well-defined functional benchmarks. Because successful replacement of the disc is contingent upon replication of some or all of its complex mechanical behaviour, it is critically important that disc mechanics be well characterized in order to establish discrete functional goals for tissue engineering. In this review, the key functional signatures of the intervertebral disc are discussed and used to propose a series of native tissue benchmarks to guide the development of engineered replacement tissues. These benchmarks include measures of mechanical function under tensile, compressive and shear deformations for the disc and its substructures. In some cases, important functional measures are identified that have yet to be measured in the native tissue. Ultimately, native tissue benchmark values are compared to measurements that have been made on engineered disc tissues, identifying measures where functional equivalence was achieved, and others where there remain opportunities for advancement. Several excellent reviews exist regarding disc composition and structure, as well as recent tissue engineering strategies; therefore this review will remain focused on the functional aspects of disc tissue engineering. PMID:20080239

Mechanical design criteria for intervertebral disc tissue engineering.

PubMed

Nerurkar, Nandan L; Elliott, Dawn M; Mauck, Robert L

2010-04-19

Due to the inability of current clinical practices to restore function to degenerated intervertebral discs, the arena of disc tissue engineering has received substantial attention in recent years. Despite tremendous growth and progress in this field, translation to clinical implementation has been hindered by a lack of well-defined functional benchmarks. Because successful replacement of the disc is contingent upon replication of some or all of its complex mechanical behaviors, it is critically important that disc mechanics be well characterized in order to establish discrete functional goals for tissue engineering. In this review, the key functional signatures of the intervertebral disc are discussed and used to propose a series of native tissue benchmarks to guide the development of engineered replacement tissues. These benchmarks include measures of mechanical function under tensile, compressive, and shear deformations for the disc and its substructures. In some cases, important functional measures are identified that have yet to be measured in the native tissue. Ultimately, native tissue benchmark values are compared to measurements that have been made on engineered disc tissues, identifying where functional equivalence was achieved, and where there remain opportunities for advancement. Several excellent reviews exist regarding disc composition and structure, as well as recent tissue engineering strategies; therefore this review will remain focused on the functional aspects of disc tissue engineering. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Jet angularity measurements for single inclusive jet production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Zhong-Bo; Lee, Kyle; Ringer, Felix

2018-04-01

We study jet angularity measurements for single-inclusive jet production at the LHC. Jet angularities depend on a continuous parameter a allowing for a smooth interpolation between different traditional jet shape observables. We establish a factorization theorem within Soft Collinear Effective Theory (SCET) where we consistently take into account in- and out-of-jet radiation by making use of semi-inclusive jet functions. For comparison, we elaborate on the differences to jet angularities measured on an exclusive jet sample. All the necessary ingredients for the resummation at next-to-leading logarithmic (NLL) accuracy are presented within the effective field theory framework. We expect semiinclusive jet angularity measurements to be feasible at the LHC and we present theoretical predictions for the relevant kinematic range. In addition, we investigate the potential impact of jet angularities for quark-gluon discrimination.

X-ray Variability In Extragalactic Jets as Seen by Chandra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trevor, Max; Meyer, Eileen; Georganopoulos, Markos; Aubin, Sam; Hewitt, Jennifer; DeNigris, Natalie; Whitley, Kevin

2018-01-01

The unrivaled spatial resolution of Chandra has lead to the detection of over 100 extragalactic jetsemitting X-rays on kiloparsec scales, far from the central AGN. These jets are understood to be powerful redistributors of energy on galactic and extragalactic scales, with important effects on galaxy evolution and cluster heating. However, we lack an understanding of many important jet properties, including the particle makeup, particle acceleration characteristics, and total energy content, and even how fast the jet is at kpc scales. In the most powerful jets, a persistently open question is the nature of the emission mechanism for the Chandra-observed X-rays. While inverse Compton upscattering of CMB photons (IC/CMB) by a still-relativistic jet is widely adopted, our group has very recently ruled it out in several cases, suggesting that the X-rays from powerful sources, like the low-power jets, have a synchrotron origin, albeit one with unknown origins, requiring in-situ lepton acceleration at least up to 100 TeV. A very efficient way to extend this result to many more sources is to check for variability of the large scale jet X-ray emission, something that is definitively not expected in the case of IC/CMB due to the extremely long cooling times of the electrons responsible for the emission, but it is plausible if the X-rays are of synchrotron nature. Based on previously published observations of X-ray variability in the jets of M87 and Pictor A, as well as preliminary results suggesting variability in two more powerful jets, we have examined archival observations of over 40 jets which have been imaged twice or more with Chandra for variability, with timescales of a few to nearly 14 years. This analysis has two main goals, namely (i) to confirm a synchrotron origin for the X-rays in powerful sources, as variability is inconsistent with the competing IC/CMB model and (ii) to use the timescales and characteristics (e.g., spectral changes) of any detected X

Sparse aperture masking interferometry survey of transitional discs. Search for substellar-mass companions and asymmetries in their parent discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willson, M.; Kraus, S.; Kluska, J.; Monnier, J. D.; Ireland, M.; Aarnio, A.; Sitko, M. L.; Calvet, N.; Espaillat, C.; Wilner, D. J.

2016-10-01

Context. Transitional discs are a class of circumstellar discs around young stars with extensive clearing of dusty material within their inner regions on 10s of au scales. One of the primary candidates for this kind of clearing is the formation of planet(s) within the disc that then accrete or clear their immediate area as they migrate through the disc. Aims: The goal of this survey was to search for asymmetries in the brightness distribution around a selection of transitional disc targets. We then aimed to determine whether these asymmetries trace dynamically-induced structures in the disc or the gap-opening planets themselves. Methods: Our sample included eight transitional discs. Using the Keck/NIRC2 instrument we utilised the Sparse Aperture Masking (SAM) interferometry technique to search for asymmetries indicative of ongoing planet formation. We searched for close-in companions using both model fitting and interferometric image reconstruction techniques. Using simulated data, we derived diagnostics that helped us to distinguish between point sources and extended asymmetric disc emission. In addition, we investigated the degeneracy between the contrast and separation that appear for marginally resolved companions. Results: We found FP Tau to contain a previously unseen disc wall, and DM Tau, LkHα330, and TW Hya to contain an asymmetric signal indicative of point source-like emission. We placed upper limits on the contrast of a companion in RXJ 1842.9-3532 and V2246 Oph. We ruled the asymmetry signal in RXJ 1615.3-3255 and V2062 Oph to be false positives. In the cases where our data indicated a potential companion we computed estimates for the value of McṀc and found values in the range of . Conclusions: We found significant asymmetries in four targets. Of these, three were consistent with companions. We resolved a previously unseen gap in the disc of FP Tau extending inwards from approximately 10 au. Based on observations made with the Keck observatory

Driving extreme variability: Measuring the evolving coronæ and evidence for jet launching in AGN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkins, D. R.

2016-05-01

Relativistically blurred reflection from the accretion disc provides a powerful probe of the extreme environments close to supermassive black holes; the inner regions of the accretion flow and the corona that produces the intense X-ray continuum. Techniques by which the geometry and extent of the corona can be measured through the observed X-ray spectrum are reviewed along with the evolution in the structure of the corona that is seen to accompany variations in the X-ray luminosity both on long and short timescales. Detailed analyses of the narrow line Seyfert 1 galaxies Mrk 335 and 1H 0707-495, over observations with XMM-Newton as well as Suzaku and NuSTAR spanning nearly a decade reveal that increases in the X-ray luminosity coincide with an expansion of the corona to cover a larger area of the inner accretion disc. Underlying this long timescale variability lie more complex patterns of behaviour on short timescales. Flares in the X-ray emission during a low flux state of Mrk 335 observed in 2013 and 2014 are found to mark a reconfiguration of the corona while there is evidence that the flares were caused by a vertical collimation and ejection of coronal material, reminiscent of an aborted jet-launching event. Measurements of the corona and reflecting accretion disc are combined to infer the conditions on the inner disc that lead to the flaring event.

Intervertebral disc adaptation to wedging deformation.

PubMed

Stokes, Ian A F; Aronsson, David D; Clark, Katherine C; Roemhildt, Maria L

2006-01-01

Although scoliosis includes wedge deformities of both vertebrae and discs, little is known about the causes of the discal changes, and whether they result from mechanical influences on growth and/or remodelling. An external apparatus attached to transvertebral pins applied compression and 15 degrees of angulation to each of two adjacent young rat caudal intervertebral discs for 5 weeks (four animals), or for 10 weeks (four animals). Each week, micro-CT scanning documented the in vivo discal wedging. After euthanasia, tail segments (three vertebrae and the 2 angulated discs) were excised and their flexibility was measured over a range of lateral bending. The angle of maximum flexibility was recorded. Then discs were fixed in situ (with the external apparatus in place) and sectioned for polarized light microscopy. The disc-wedging deformity averaged 15 degrees initially, it averaged 20 degrees after 5 weeks, and then reduced to 10 degrees (in 10 week animals). The lateral bending flexibility showed a distinct maximum at an average of 1.1 degrees from the in vivo position in the 5-week animals, indicating structural remodeling of the discs almost to the deformed geometry. The 10-week animals had maximum flexibility at 1.4 degrees from the in vivo position (no significant difference between 5 and 10-week animals.) Collagen crimp angles [Cassidy et al., Conn Tiss Res 1989, 23:75-88] were not significantly different between convex and concave sides, again suggesting that remodeling had occurred. In a mechanically induced scoliosis deformity in skeletally immature rats, the intervertebral discs underwent remodeling within 5 weeks. This indicates that this animal model is suitable for studying adaptive wedging changes in human scoliosis.

In vivo biofunctional evaluation of hydrogels for disc regeneration.

PubMed

Reitmaier, Sandra; Kreja, Ludwika; Gruchenberg, Katharina; Kanter, Britta; Silva-Correia, Joana; Oliveira, Joaquim Miguel; Reis, Rui Luís; Perugini, Valeria; Santin, Matteo; Ignatius, Anita; Wilke, Hans-Joachim

2014-01-01

Regenerative strategies aim to restore the original biofunctionality of the intervertebral disc. Different biomaterials are available, which might support disc regeneration. In the present study, the prospects of success of two hydrogels functionalized with anti-angiogenic peptides and seeded with bone marrow derived mononuclear cells (BMC), respectively, were investigated in an ovine nucleotomy model. In a one-step procedure iliac crest aspirates were harvested and, subsequently, separated BMC were seeded on hydrogels and implanted into the ovine disc. For the cell-seeded approach a hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel was used. The anti-angiogenic potential of newly developed VEGF-blockers was investigated on ionically crosslinked metacrylated gellan gum hydrogels. Untreated discs served as nucleotomy controls. 24 adult merino sheep were used. After 6 weeks histological, after 12 weeks histological and biomechanical analyses were conducted. Biomechanical tests revealed no differences between any of the implanted and nucleotomized discs. All implanted discs significantly degenerated compared to intact discs. In contrast, there was no marked difference between implanted and nucleotomized discs. In tendency, albeit not significant, degeneration score and disc height index deteriorated for all but not for the cell-seeded hydrogels from 6 to 12 weeks. Cell-seeded hydrogels slightly decelerated degeneration. None of the hydrogel configurations was able to regenerate biofunctionality of the intervertebral disc. This might presumably be caused by hydrogel extrusion. Great importance should be given to the development of annulus sealants, which effectively exploit the potential of (cell-seeded) hydrogels for biological disc regeneration and restoration of intervertebral disc functioning.

Use NASA GES DISC Data in ArcGIS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Wenli; Pham, Long B.; Kempler, Steve

2015-01-01

This presentation describes GIS relevant data at NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), GES DISC Services and Support for GIS Users, and use cases of GES DISC data in ArcGIS.

Generation of disc-like plasma from laser-matter interaction in the presence of a strong external magnetic field

DOE PAGES

Ivanov, V. V.; Maximov, A. V.; Betti, R.; ...

2017-05-16

Dynamics of laser produced plasma in a strong magnetic field was studied here using a 1 MA pulsed power generator coupled to an intense, high-energy laser. A 2–2.5 MG magnetic field was generated on the surface of a rod load 0.8–1.2 mm in diameter. A sub-nanosecond laser pulse with intensity of 3 × 10 15 W cm -2 was focused on the rod load surface. Side-on laser diagnostics showed the generation of two collimated jets 1–3 mm long on the front and rear sides of the load. End-on laser diagnostics reveal that the laser produced plasma in the MG magneticmore » field takes the form of a thin disc as the plasma propagates along the magnetic field lines. The disc-like plasma expands radially across the magnetic field with a velocity of 250 km s -1. An electron temperature of 400 eV was measured in the laser-produced plasma on the rod load.« less

Generation of disc-like plasma from laser-matter interaction in the presence of a strong external magnetic field

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ivanov, V. V.; Maximov, A. V.; Betti, R.

Dynamics of laser produced plasma in a strong magnetic field was studied here using a 1 MA pulsed power generator coupled to an intense, high-energy laser. A 2–2.5 MG magnetic field was generated on the surface of a rod load 0.8–1.2 mm in diameter. A sub-nanosecond laser pulse with intensity of 3 × 10 15 W cm -2 was focused on the rod load surface. Side-on laser diagnostics showed the generation of two collimated jets 1–3 mm long on the front and rear sides of the load. End-on laser diagnostics reveal that the laser produced plasma in the MG magneticmore » field takes the form of a thin disc as the plasma propagates along the magnetic field lines. The disc-like plasma expands radially across the magnetic field with a velocity of 250 km s -1. An electron temperature of 400 eV was measured in the laser-produced plasma on the rod load.« less

The JET neutron time-of-flight spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elevant, T.; Aronsson, D.; van Belle, P.; Grosshoeg, G.; Hoek, M.; Olsson, M.; Sadler, G.

1991-08-01

An instrument for measuring neutron energy spectra over the interval 1 to 20 MeV has been developed and tested. It is based on time-of-flight measurements in between correlated events in two spatially separated sets of plastic scintillators. This instrument has been installed at the Joint European Tours (JET). We describe here the required operating conditions, performance tests and results of three years of operation during which neutron energy spectra in the 2-3 MeV range from D(d, n) 3He reactions in JET were studied. Some technical details are given and the results from Monte Carlo and analytical model calculations of the spectrometer energy resolution and response function are presented. The efficiency of the system is ≈ 1 × 10 -2 cm 2 counted at the position of the first detector. Together with the geometry conditions at JET this yields 6 × 10 2 counts per 10 15 neutrons emitted. The energy resolution is in the interval from 125 to 133 keV (FWHM) depending on conditions and is known to an accuracy of ±5 keV. Correction for the inevitable random background is dealt with in detail and a reduction procedure valid for fast variations in neutron count-rates is provided. Plasma ion temperatures deduced from the neutron spectra agree within statistical limits with the results from other diagnostic techniques in use at JET. Stable behaviour up to useful count-rates of 3 × 10 3 counts/s have been obtained, making possible the study of neutron spectra on the short time-scales typical of fusion plasmas.

Particle rings and astrophysical accretion discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovelace, R. V. E.; Romanova, M. M.

2016-03-01

Norman Rostoker had a wide range of interests and significant impact on the plasma physics research at Cornell during the time he was a Cornell professor. His interests ranged from the theory of energetic electron and ion beams and strong particle rings to the related topics of astrophysical accretion discs. We outline some of the topics related to rings and discs including the Rossby wave instability which leads to formation of anticyclonic vortices in astrophysical discs. These vorticies are regions of high pressure and act to trap dust particles which in turn may facilitate planetesimals growth in proto-planetary disks and could be important for planet formation. Analytical methods and global 3D magneto-hydrodynamic simulations have led to rapid advances in our understanding of discs in recent years.

Particle rings and astrophysical accretion discs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lovelace, R. V. E., E-mail: RVL1@cornell.edu; Romanova, M. M., E-mail: romanova@astro.cornell.edu

Norman Rostoker had a wide range of interests and significant impact on the plasma physics research at Cornell during the time he was a Cornell professor. His interests ranged from the theory of energetic electron and ion beams and strong particle rings to the related topics of astrophysical accretion discs. We outline some of the topics related to rings and discs including the Rossby wave instability which leads to formation of anticyclonic vortices in astrophysical discs. These vorticies are regions of high pressure and act to trap dust particles which in turn may facilitate planetesimals growth in proto-planetary disks andmore » could be important for planet formation. Analytical methods and global 3D magneto-hydrodynamic simulations have led to rapid advances in our understanding of discs in recent years.« less

BP Piscium: its flaring disc imaged with SPHERE/ZIMPOL★

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Boer, J.; Girard, J. H.; Canovas, H.; Min, M.; Sitko, M.; Ginski, C.; Jeffers, S. V.; Mawet, D.; Milli, J.; Rodenhuis, M.; Snik, F.; Keller, C. U.

2017-03-01

Whether BP Piscium (BP Psc) is either a pre-main sequence T Tauri star at d ≈ 80 pc, or a post-main sequence G giant at d ≈ 300 pc is still not clear. As a first-ascent giant, it is the first to be observed with a molecular and dust disc. Alternatively, BP Psc would be among the nearest T Tauri stars with a protoplanetary disc (PPD). We investigate whether the disc geometry resembles typical PPDs, by comparing polarimetric images with radiative transfer models. Our Very Large Telescope/Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch (SPHERE)/Zurich IMaging Polarimeter (ZIMPOL) observations allow us to perform polarimetric differential imaging, reference star differential imaging, and Richardson-Lucy deconvolution. We present the first visible light polarization and intensity images of the disc of BP Psc. Our deconvolution confirms the disc shape as detected before, mainly showing the southern side of the disc. In polarized intensity the disc is imaged at larger detail and also shows the northern side, giving it the typical shape of high-inclination flared discs. We explain the observed disc features by retrieving the large-scale geometry with MCMAX radiative transfer modelling, which yields a strongly flared model, atypical for discs of T Tauri stars.

Senescent intervertebral disc cells exhibit perturbed matrix homeostasis phenotype.

PubMed

Ngo, Kevin; Patil, Prashanti; McGowan, Sara J; Niedernhofer, Laura J; Robbins, Paul D; Kang, James; Sowa, Gwendolyn; Vo, Nam

2017-09-01

Aging greatly increases the risk for intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) as a result of proteoglycan loss due to reduced synthesis and enhanced degradation of the disc matrix proteoglycan (PG). How disc matrix PG homeostasis becomes perturbed with age is not known. The goal of this study is to determine whether cellular senescence is a source of this perturbation. We demonstrated that disc cellular senescence is dramatically increased in the DNA repair-deficient Ercc1 -/Δ mouse model of human progeria. In these accelerated aging mice, increased disc cellular senescence is closely associated with the rapid loss of disc PG. We also directly examine PG homeostasis in oxidative damage-induced senescent human cells using an in vitro cell culture model system. Senescence of human disc cells treated with hydrogen peroxide was confirmed by growth arrest, senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, γH2AX foci, and acquisition of senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Senescent human disc cells also exhibited perturbed matrix PG homeostasis as evidenced by their decreased capacity to synthesize new matrix PG and enhanced degradation of aggrecan, a major matrix PG. of the disc. Our in vivo and in vitro findings altogether suggest that disc cellular senescence is an important driver of PG matrix homeostatic perturbation and PG loss. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Accelerated cellular senescence in degenerate intervertebral discs: a possible role in the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration

PubMed Central

Le Maitre, Christine Lyn; Freemont, Anthony John; Hoyland, Judith Alison

2007-01-01

Current evidence implicates intervertebral disc degeneration as a major cause of low back pain, although its pathogenesis is poorly understood. Numerous characteristic features of disc degeneration mimic those seen during ageing but appear to occur at an accelerated rate. We hypothesised that this is due to accelerated cellular senescence, which causes fundamental changes in the ability of disc cells to maintain the intervertebral disc (IVD) matrix, thus leading to IVD degeneration. Cells isolated from non-degenerate and degenerate human tissue were assessed for mean telomere length, senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal), and replicative potential. Expression of P16INK4A (increased in cellular senescence) was also investigated in IVD tissue by means of immunohistochemistry. RNA from tissue and cultured cells was used for real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis for matrix metalloproteinase-13, ADAMTS 5 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin motifs 5), and P16INK4A. Mean telomere length decreased with age in cells from non-degenerate tissue and also decreased with progressive stages of degeneration. In non-degenerate discs, there was an age-related increase in cellular expression of P16INK4A. Cells from degenerate discs (even from young patients) exhibited increased expression of P16INK4A, increased SA-β-gal staining, and a decrease in replicative potential. Importantly, there was a positive correlation between P16INK4A and matrix-degrading enzyme gene expression. Our findings indicate that disc cell senescence occurs in vivo and is accelerated in IVD degeneration. Furthermore, the senescent phenotype is associated with increased catabolism, implicating cellular senescence in the pathogenesis of IVD degeneration. PMID:17498290

The Study on the Physical Properties of Blazar Jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, S. J.

2017-09-01

Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) belong to a special class of active galaxies, and have violent active phenomena and intense physical processes in the nuclei. Blazar is a subclass of AGNs, and has a relativistic jet with a small jet viewing angle. Therefore, the boosting effect is very important, and almost all the observed radiation is dominated by the jet. The relativistic jet physics is not very clear yet, such as the jet formation, collimation, and matter content etc. The multi-waveband radiation of blazar is dominated by jet, which provides an ideal laboratory for studying the jet physics. The first chapter of this thesis introduces the recent progress of AGNs and blazars. We further introduce the jet model that commonly used in blazars in the second chapter. In the third chapter, we fit simultaneously (or quasi-simultaneously) the multi-waveband spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for a sample of low-synchrotron-peaked (LSP) blazars with the jet model and χ2 procedure, which takes into account different soft photon fields (broad line region or a molecular torus). We find that the SED fitting with an external soft photon from IR torus is systematically better than that from the broad line region (BLR) based on a χ2 test, which suggests that the γ-ray emitting region most possibly stays outside the BLR. The minimum electron Lorentz factor, γmin, is constrained from the modeling of these LSP blazars with good soft X-ray data, and in a range from 5 to 160 (with a median value of 55), which plays a key role in jet power estimation. Assuming one-to-one ratio of proton and electron, we find that the jet power for LSP blazars is systematically higher than that of Fanaroff-Riley type II (FR II) radio galaxies. A possible reason for this is that there are some positrons in the jets of these blazars. If this is the case, the jet power will be reduced. Therefore, we propose a mixed composition of e±-p in the jets of these LSP blazars. If we assume that the jet power

Generating large misalignments in gapped and binary discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owen, James E.; Lai, Dong

2017-08-01

Many protostellar gapped and binary discs show misalignments between their inner and outer discs; in some cases, ˜70° misalignments have been observed. Here, we show that these misalignments can be generated through a secular resonance between the nodal precession of the inner disc and the precession of the gap-opening (stellar or massive planetary) companion. An evolving protostellar system may naturally cross this resonance during its lifetime due to disc dissipation and/or companion migration. If resonance crossing occurs on the right time-scale, of the order of a few million years, characteristic for young protostellar systems, the inner and outer discs can become highly misaligned, with misalignments ≳ 60° typical. When the primary star has a mass of order a solar mass, generating a significant misalignment typically requires the companion to have a mass of ˜0.01-0.1 M⊙ and an orbital separation of tens of astronomical units. The recently observed companion in the cavity of the gapped, highly misaligned system HD 142527 satisfies these requirements, indicating that a previous resonance crossing event misaligned the inner and outer discs. Our scenario for HD 142527's misaligned discs predicts that the companion's orbital plane is aligned with the outer disc's; this prediction should be testable with future observations as the companion's orbit is mapped out. Misalignments observed in several other gapped disc systems could be generated by the same secular resonance mechanism.

Dust generation at interaction of plasma jet with surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ticos, Catalin; Toader, Dorina; Banu, Nicoleta; Scurtu, Adrian; Oane, Mihai

2013-10-01

Coatings of W and C with widths of a few microns will be exposed to plasma jet for studying the erosion of the surface and detachment of micron size dust particles. A coaxial plasma gun has been built inside a vacuum chamber for producing supersonic plasma jets. Its design is based on a 50 kJ coaxial plasma gun which has been successfully used for accelerating hypervelocity dust. Initial shots were carried out for a capacitor bank with C = 12 μF and charged up to 2 kV. Currents of tens of amps were measured with a Rogowsky coil and plasma flow speeds of 4 km/s were inferred from high-speed images of jet propagation. An upgrade consisting in adding capacitors in parallel will be performed in order to increase the energy up to 2 kJ. A coil will be installed at the gun muzzle to compress the plasma flow and increase the energy density of the jet on the sample surface. A CCD camera with a maximum recording speed of 100 k fps and a maximum resolution of 1024 × 1024 pixels was set for image acquisition of the plasma and dust. A laser system used to illuminate the ejected dust from the surface includes a laser diode emitting at 650 nm with a beam power of 25 mW. The authors acknowledge support from EURATOM WP13-IPH-A03-P2-02-BS22.

Synthetic NPA diagnostic for energetic particles in JET plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varje, J.; Sirén, P.; Weisen, H.; Kurki-Suonio, T.; Äkäslompolo, S.; contributors, JET

2017-11-01

Neutral particle analysis (NPA) is one of the few methods for diagnosing fast ions inside a plasma by measuring neutral atom fluxes emitted due to charge exchange reactions. The JET tokamak features an NPA diagnostic which measures neutral atom fluxes and energy spectra simultaneously for hydrogen, deuterium and tritium species. A synthetic NPA diagnostic has been developed and used to interpret these measurements to diagnose energetic particles in JET plasmas with neutral beam injection (NBI) heating. The synthetic NPA diagnostic performs a Monte Carlo calculation of the neutral atom fluxes in a realistic geometry. The 4D fast ion distributions, representing NBI ions, were simulated using the Monte Carlo orbit-following code ASCOT. Neutral atom density profiles were calculated using the FRANTIC neutral code in the JINTRAC modelling suite. Additionally, for rapid analysis, a scan of neutral profiles was precalculated with FRANTIC for a range of typical plasma parameters. These were taken from the JETPEAK database, which includes a comprehensive set of data from the flat-top phases of nearly all discharges in recent JET campaigns. The synthetic diagnostic was applied to various JET plasmas in the recent hydrogen campaign where different hydrogen/deuterium mixtures and NBI configurations were used. The simulated neutral fluxes from the fast ion distributions were found to agree with the measured fluxes, reproducing the slowing-down profiles for different beam isotopes and energies and quantitatively estimating the fraction of hydrogen and deuterium fast ions.

In Vitro Maturation and In Vivo Integration and Function of an Engineered Cell-Seeded Disc-like Angle Ply Structure (DAPS) for Total Disc Arthroplasty.

PubMed

Martin, J T; Gullbrand, S E; Kim, D H; Ikuta, K; Pfeifer, C G; Ashinsky, B G; Smith, L J; Elliott, D M; Smith, H E; Mauck, R L

2017-11-17

Total disc replacement with an engineered substitute is a promising avenue for treating advanced intervertebral disc disease. Toward this goal, we developed cell-seeded disc-like angle ply structures (DAPS) and showed through in vitro studies that these constructs mature to match native disc composition, structure, and function with long-term culture. We then evaluated DAPS performance in an in vivo rat model of total disc replacement; over 5 weeks in vivo, DAPS maintained their structure, prevented intervertebral bony fusion, and matched native disc mechanical function at physiologic loads in situ. However, DAPS rapidly lost proteoglycan post-implantation and did not integrate into adjacent vertebrae. To address this, we modified the design to include polymer endplates to interface the DAPS with adjacent vertebrae, and showed that this modification mitigated in vivo proteoglycan loss while maintaining mechanical function and promoting integration. Together, these data demonstrate that cell-seeded engineered discs can replicate many characteristics of the native disc and are a viable option for total disc arthroplasty.

Translation of an Engineered Nanofibrous Disc-like Angle Ply Structure for Intervertebral Disc Replacement in a Small Animal Model

PubMed Central

Martin, John T.; Milby, Andrew H.; Chiaro, Joseph A.; Kim, Dong Hwa; Hebela, Nader M.; Smith, Lachlan J.; Elliott, Dawn M.; Mauck, Robert L.

2015-01-01

Intervertebral disc degeneration has been implicated in the etiology of low back pain; however the current surgical strategies for treating symptomatic disc disease are limited. A variety of materials have been developed to replace disc components, including the nucleus pulposus (NP), the annulus fibrosus (AF), and their combination into disc-like engineered constructs. We have previously shown that layers of electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) scaffold, mimicking the hierarchical organization of the native AF, have functional parity with native tissue. Likewise, we have combined these structures with cell-seeded hydrogels (as an NP replacement) to form disc-like angle ply structures (DAPS). The objective of this study was to develop a model for the evaluation of DAPS in vivo. Through a series of studies, we developed a surgical approach to replace the rat caudal disc with an acellular DAPS and then stabilize the motion segment by external fixation. We then optimized cell infiltration into DAPS by including sacrificial poly(ethylene oxide) layers interspersed throughout the angle-ply structure. Our findings illustrate that DAPS are stable in the caudal spine, are infiltrated by cells from the peri-implant space, and that infiltration is expedited by providing additional routes for cell migration. These findings establish a new in vivo platform in which to evaluate and optimize the design of functional disc replacements. PMID:24560621

Only marginal alignment of disc galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrae, René; Jahnke, Knud

2011-12-01

Testing theories of angular-momentum acquisition of rotationally supported disc galaxies is the key to understanding the formation of this type of galaxies. The tidal-torque theory aims to explain this acquisition process in a cosmological framework and predicts positive autocorrelations of angular-momentum orientation and spiral-arm handedness, i.e. alignment of disc galaxies, on short distance scales of 1 Mpc h-1. This disc alignment can also cause systematic effects in weak-lensing measurements. Previous observations claimed discovering these correlations but are overly optimistic in the reported level of statistical significance of the detections. Errors in redshift, ellipticity and morphological classifications were not taken into account, although they have a significant impact. We explain how to rigorously propagate all the important errors through the estimation process. Analysing disc galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data base, we find that positive autocorrelations of spiral-arm handedness and angular-momentum orientations on distance scales of 1 Mpc h-1 are plausible but not statistically significant. Current data appear not good enough to constrain parameters of theory. This result agrees with a simple hypothesis test in the Local Group, where we also find no evidence for disc alignment. Moreover, we demonstrate that ellipticity estimates based on second moments are strongly biased by galactic bulges even for Scd galaxies, thereby corrupting correlation estimates and overestimating the impact of disc alignment on weak-lensing studies. Finally, we discuss the potential of future sky surveys. We argue that photometric redshifts have too large errors, i.e. PanSTARRS and LSST cannot be used. Conversely, the EUCLID project will not cover the relevant redshift regime. We also discuss the potentials and problems of front-edge classifications of galaxy discs in order to improve the autocorrelation estimates of angular-momentum orientation.

Design limitations of Bryan disc arthroplasty.

PubMed

Fong, Shee Yan; DuPlessis, Stephan J; Casha, Steven; Hurlbert, R John

2006-01-01

Disc arthroplasty is gaining momentum as a surgical procedure in the treatment of spinal degenerative disease. Results must be carefully scrutinized to recognize benefits as well as limitations. The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with segmental kyphosis after Bryan disc replacement. Prospective study of a consecutively enrolled cohort of 10 patients treated in a single center using the Bryan cervical disc prosthesis for single-level segmental reconstruction in the surgical treatment of cervical radiculopathy and/or myelopathy. Radiographic and quality of life outcome measures. Static and dynamic lateral radiographs were digitally analyzed in patients undergoing Bryan disc arthroplasty throughout a minimum 3-month follow-up period. Observations were compared with preoperative studies looking for predictive factors of postoperative spinal alignment. Postoperative end plate angles through the Bryan disc in the neutral position were kyphotic in 9 of 10 patients. Compared with preoperative end plate angulation there was a mean change of -7 degrees (towards kyphosis) in postoperative end plate alignment (p=.007, 95% confidence interval [CI] -6 degrees to -13 degrees). This correlated significantly with postoperative reduction in posterior vertebral body height of the caudal segment (p=.011, r2=.575) and postoperative functional spine unit (FSU) kyphosis (p=.032, r2=.46). Despite intraoperative distraction, postoperative FSU height was significantly reduced, on average by 1.7 mm (p=.040, 95% CI 0.5-2.8 mm). Asymmetrical end plate preparation occurs because of suboptimal coordinates to which the milling jig is referenced. Although segmental motion is preserved, Bryan disc arthroplasty demonstrates a propensity towards kyphotic orientation through the prosthesis likely as a result of intraoperative lordotic distraction. FSU angulation tends towards kyphosis and FSU height is decreased in the postoperative state from lack of anterior column support

Deflection of jets induced by jet-cloud and jet-galaxy interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza, S.; Longair, M. S.

2001-06-01

The model first introduced by Raga & Cantó in which astrophysical jets are deflected on passing through an isothermal high-density region is generalized by taking into account gravitational effects on the motion of the jet as it crosses the high-density cloud. The problem is also generalized for relativistic jets in which gravitational effects induced by the cloud are neglected. Two further cases, classical and relativistic, are discussed for the cases in which the jet is deflected on passing through the interstellar gas of a galaxy in which a dark matter halo dominates the gravitational potential. The criteria for the stability of jets due to the formation of internal shocks are also discussed.

An X-Ray Imaging Survey of Quasar Jets: The Complete Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, H. L.; Gelbord, J. M.; Worrall, D. M.; Birkinshaw, M.; Schwartz, D. A.; Jauncey, D. L.; Griffiths, G.; Murphy, D. W.; Lovell, J. E. J.; Perlman, E. S.; Godfrey, L.

2018-03-01

We present Chandra X-ray imaging of a flux-limited sample of flat spectrum radio-emitting quasars with jet-like structure. X-rays are detected from 59% of 56 jets. No counter-jets were detected. The core spectra are fitted by power-law spectra with a photon index Γ x , whose distribution is consistent with a normal distribution, with a mean of 1.61+0.04 ‑0.05 and dispersion of 0.15+0.04 ‑0.03. We show that the distribution of α rx , the spectral index between the X-ray and radio band jet fluxes, fits a Gaussian with a mean of 0.974 ± 0.012 and dispersion of 0.077 ± 0.008. We test the model in which kiloparsec-scale X-rays result from inverse Compton scattering of cosmic microwave background photons off the jet’s relativistic electrons (the IC-CMB model). In the IC-CMB model, a quantity Q computed from observed fluxes and the apparent size of the emission region depends on redshift as (1 + z)3+α . We fit Q ∝ (1 + z) a , finding a = 0.88 ± 0.90, and reject at 99.5% confidence the hypothesis that the average α rx depends on redshift in the manner expected in the IC-CMB model. This conclusion is mitigated by a lack of detailed knowledge of the emission region geometry, which requires deeper or higher resolution X-ray observations. Furthermore, if the IC-CMB model is valid for X-ray emission from kiloparsec-scale jets, then the jets must decelerate on average: bulk Lorentz factors should drop from about 15 to 2–3 between parsec and kiloparsec scales. Our results compound the problems that the IC-CMB model has in explaining the X-ray emission of kiloparsec-scale jets.

Parsec-Scale Kinematic and Polarization Properties of MOJAVE AGN Jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lister, Matthew L.

2013-12-01

only 4% of the sample, and are more prevalent in radio galaxy and BL Lac jets. We confirm a previously reported upper envelope to the distribution of speed versus beamed luminosity for moving jet features. Below 1026 W Hz-1 there is a fall-off in maximum speed with decreasing 15 GHz radio luminosity. A preliminary analysis of the multi-epoch jet polarization properties indicates a wide range of behavior in the core electric vector position angles over time, with the latter remaining relatively stable in some jets, and varying rapidly in others. The fractional polarization level generally increases down the jet, and high-synchrotron peaked (HSP) blazars tend to have lower core fractional polarization levels. A general trend of decreasing maximum jet speed for higher synchrotron peaked blazars further suggests lower Doppler factors in the radio-emitting jets of HSP BL Lac objects.

Chemistry in a gravitationally unstable protoplanetary disc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilee, J. D.; Boley, A. C.; Caselli, P.; Durisen, R. H.; Hartquist, T. W.; Rawlings, J. M. C.

2011-11-01

Until now, axisymmetric, α-disc models have been adopted for calculations of the chemical composition of protoplanetary discs. While this approach is reasonable for many discs, it is not appropriate when self-gravity is important. In this case, spiral waves and shocks cause temperature and density variations that affect the chemistry. We have adopted a dynamical model of a solar-mass star surrounded by a massive (0.39 M⊙), self-gravitating disc, similar to those that may be found around Class 0 and early Class I protostars, in a study of disc chemistry. We find that for each of a number of species, e.g. H2O, adsorption and desorption dominate the changes in the gas-phase fractional abundance; because the desorption rates are very sensitive to temperature, maps of the emissions from such species should reveal the locations of shocks of varying strengths. The gas-phase fractional abundances of some other species, e.g. CS, are also affected by gas-phase reactions, particularly in warm shocked regions. We conclude that the dynamics of massive discs have a strong impact on how they appear when imaged in the emission lines of various molecular species.

Truncated disc surface brightness profiles produced by flares

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borlaff, Alejandro; Eliche-Moral, M. Carmen; Beckman, John; Font, Joan

2017-03-01

Previous studies have discarded that flares in galactic discs may explain the truncation that are frequently observed in highly-inclined galaxies (Kregel et al. 2002). However, no study has systematically analysed this hypothesis using realistic models for the disc, the flare and the bulge. We derive edge-on and face-on surface brightness profiles for a series of realistic galaxy models with flared discs that sample a wide range of structural and photometric parameters across the Hubble Sequence, accordingly to observations. The surface brightness profile for each galaxy model has been simulated for edge-on and face-on views to find out whether the flared disc produces a significant truncation in the disc in the edge-on view compared to the face-on view or not. In order to simulate realistic images of disc galaxies, we have considered the observational distribution of the photometric parameters as a function of the morphological type for three mass bins (10 < log10(M/M ⊙) < 10.7, 10.7 < log10(M/M ⊙) < 11 and log10(M/M ⊙) > 11), and four morphological type bins (S0-Sa, Sb-Sbc, Sc-Scd and Sd-Sdm). For each mass bin, we have restricted the photometric and structural parameters of each modelled galaxy to their characteristic observational ranges (μ0, disc, μeff, bulge, B/T, M abs, r eff, n bulge, h R, disc) and the flare in the disc (h z, disc/h R, disc, ∂h z, disc/∂R, see de Grijs & Peletier 1997, Graham 2001, López-Corredoira et al. 2002, Yoachim & Dalcanton 2006, Bizyaev et al. 2014, Mosenkov et al. 2015). Contrary to previous claims, the simulations show that realistic flared disks can be responsible for the truncations observed in many edge-on systems, preserving the profile of the non-flared analogous model in face-on view. These breaks reproduce the properties of the weak-to-intermediate breaks observed in many real Type-II galaxies in the diagram relating the radial location of the break (R brkII) in units of the inner disk scale-length with the

Evidence for accreted component in the Galactic discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Q. F.; Zhao, G.

2018-06-01

We analyse the distribution of [Mg/Fe] abundance in the Galactic discs with F- and G-type dwarf stars selected from the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fibre Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) archive. The sample stars are assigned into different stellar populations by using kinematic criteria. Our analysis reveals the chemical inhomogeneities in the Galactic thick disc. A few of metal-poor stars in the thick disc exhibit relatively low [Mg/Fe] abundance in respect to the standard thick-disc sample. The orbital eccentricities and maximum Galactocentric radii of low-α metal-poor stars are apparently greater than that of high-α thick-disc stars. The orbital parameters and chemical components of low-α stars in the thick disc suggest that they may have been formed in regions with low star formation rate that were located at large distances from the Galactic centre, such as infalling dwarf spheroidal galaxies.

Schrödinger evolution of self-gravitating discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batygin, Konstantin

2018-04-01

An understanding of the long-term evolution of self-gravitating discs ranks among the classic outstanding problems of astrophysics. In this work, we show that the secular inclination dynamics of a geometrically thin quasi-Keplerian disc, with a surface density profile that scales as the inverse square-root of the orbital radius, are described by the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. Within the context of this formalism, nodal bending waves correspond to the eigenmodes of a quasi-particle's wavefunction, confined in an infinite square well with boundaries given by the radial extent of the disc. We further show that external secular perturbations upon self-gravitating discs exhibit a mathematical similarity to quantum scattering theory. Employing this framework, we derive an analytic criterion for the gravitational rigidity of a nearly-Keplerian disc under external perturbations. Applications of the theory to circumstellar discs and Galactic nuclei are discussed.

Gas Modelling in the Disc of HD 163296

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tilling, I.; Woitke, P.; Meeus, G.; Mora, A.; Montesinos, B.; Riviere-Marichalar, P.; Eiroa, C.; Thi, W. -F.; Isella, A.; Roberge, A.;

DZ Chamaeleontis: a bona fide photoevaporating disc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canovas, H.; Montesinos, B.; Schreiber, M. R.; Cieza, L. A.; Eiroa, C.; Meeus, G.; de Boer, J.; Ménard, F.; Wahhaj, Z.; Riviere-Marichalar, P.; Olofsson, J.; Garufi, A.; Rebollido, I.; van Holstein, R. G.; Caceres, C.; Hardy, A.; Villaver, E.

2018-02-01

Context. DZ Cha is a weak-lined T Tauri star (WTTS) surrounded by a bright protoplanetary disc with evidence of inner disc clearing. Its narrow Hα line and infrared spectral energy distribution suggest that DZ Cha may be a photoevaporating disc. Aims: We aim to analyse the DZ Cha star + disc system to identify the mechanism driving the evolution of this object. Methods: We have analysed three epochs of high resolution optical spectroscopy, photometry from the UV up to the sub-mm regime, infrared spectroscopy, and J-band imaging polarimetry observations of DZ Cha. Results: Combining our analysis with previous studies we find no signatures of accretion in the Hα line profile in nine epochs covering a time baseline of 20 yr. The optical spectra are dominated by chromospheric emission lines, but they also show emission from the forbidden lines [SII] 4068 and [OI] 6300Å that indicate a disc outflow. The polarized images reveal a dust depleted cavity of 7 au in radius and two spiral-like features, and we derive a disc dust mass limit of Mdust< 3 MEarth from the sub-mm photometry. No stellar (M⋆> 80 MJup) companions are detected down to 0.̋07 ( 8 au, projected). Conclusions: The negligible accretion rate, small cavity, and forbidden line emission strongly suggests that DZ Cha is currently at the initial stages of disc clearing by photoevaporation. At this point the inner disc has drained and the inner wall of the truncated outer disc is directly exposed to the stellar radiation. We argue that other mechanisms like planet formation or binarity cannot explain the observed properties of DZ Cha. The scarcity of objects like this one is in line with the dispersal timescale (≲105 yr) predicted by this theory. DZ Cha is therefore an ideal target to study the initial stages of photoevaporation. Based on observations collected at the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere under ESO programme 097.C-0536. Based on data obtained from the

[Displacement and tissue remodeling of temporomandibular joint disc].

PubMed

Wang, M Q

2017-03-09

Sounding takes the highest prevalence of the signs of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The well accepted theory of the mechanism for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) sounding is the internal derangement typically characterized by disc displacement. However, according to literature, there are approximately one third of asymptomatic joints in population had disc displacement, and, on the other hand, there are one fourth of TMJ sounding patients had not signs or very limited signs of disc displacement. Replacing the displaced disc to the normal position via methods like surgical operation did not achieve satisfactory long-term outcomes. In this review, we discuss and analyze the possible remodeling of the joint disc displacement diagnosed with imaging based on the anatomy and pathophysiology.

Dusty disc-planet interaction with dust-free simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jhih-Wei; Lin, Min-Kai

2018-05-01

Protoplanets may be born into dust-rich environments if planetesimals formed through streaming or gravitational instabilities, or if the protoplanetary disc is undergoing mass loss due to disc winds or photoevaporation. Motivated by this possibility, we explore the interaction between low mass planets and dusty protoplanetary discs with focus on disc-planet torques. We implement Lin & Youdin's newly developed, purely hydrodynamic model of dusty gas into the PLUTO code to simulate dusty protoplanetary discs with an embedded planet. We find that for imperfectly coupled dust and high metallicity, e.g. Stokes number 10-3 and dust-to-gas ratio Σd/Σg = 0.5, a `bubble' develops inside the planet's co-orbital region, which introduces unsteadiness in the flow. The resulting disc-planet torques sustain large amplitude oscillations that persists well beyond that in simulations with perfectly coupled dust or low dust-loading, where co-rotation torques are always damped. We show that the desaturation of the co-rotation torques by finite-sized particles is related to potential vorticity generation from the misalignment of dust and gas densities. We briefly discuss possible implications for the orbital evolution of protoplanets in dust-rich discs. We also demonstrate Lin & Youdin's dust-free framework reproduces previous results pertaining to dusty protoplanetary discs, including dust-trapping by pressure bumps, dust settling, and the streaming instability.

Experimental investigation of supersonic low pressure air plasma flows obtained with different arc-jet operating conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lago, Viviana; Ndiaye, Abdoul-Aziz

2012-11-01

A stationary arc-jet plasma flow at low pressure is used to simulate some properties of the gas flow surrounding a vehicle during its entry into celestial body's atmospheres. This paper presents an experimental study concerning plasmas simulating a re-entry into our planet. Optical measurements have been carried out for several operating plasma conditions in the free stream, and in the shock layer formed in front of a flat cylindrical plate, placed in the plasma jet. The analysis of the spectral radiation enabled the identification of the emitting species, the determination of the rotational and vibrational temperatures in the free-stream and in the shock layer and the determination of the distance of the shock to the flat plate face. Some plasma fluid parameters like, stagnation pressure, specific enthalpy and heat flux have been determined experimentally along the plasma-jet axis.

Stress in Lumbar Intervertebral Discs during Distraction

PubMed Central

Gay, Ralph E.; Ilharreborde, Brice; Zhao, Kristin D.; Berglund, Lawrence J.; Bronfort, Gert; An, Kai-Nan

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND CONTEXT The intervertebral disc is a common source of low back pain. Prospective studies suggest that treatments that intermittently distract the disc might be beneficial for chronic low back pain. Although the potential exists for distraction therapies to affect the disc biomechanically their effect on intradiscal stress is debated. PURPOSE To determine if distraction alone, distraction combined with flexion or distraction combined with extension can reduce nucleus pulposus pressure and posterior anulus compressive stress in cadaveric lumbar discs compared to simulated standing or lying. STUDY DESIGN Laboratory study using single cadaveric motion segments. OUTCOME MEASURES Strain gauge measures of nucleus pulposus pressure and compressive stress in the anterior and posterior annulus fibrosus METHODS Intradiscal stress profilometry was performed on 15 motion segments during 5 simulated conditions: standing, lying, and 3 distracted conditions. Disc degeneration was graded by inspection from 1 (normal) to 4 (severe degeneration). RESULTS All distraction conditions markedly reduced nucleus pressure compared to either simulated standing or lying. There was no difference between distraction with flexion and distraction with extension in regard to posterior annulus compressive stress. Discs with little or no degeneration appeared to distributed compressive stress differently than those with moderate or severe degeneration. CONCLUSIONS Distraction appears to predictably reduce nucleus pulposus pressure. The effect of distraction therapy on the distribution of compressive stress may be dependent in part on the health of the disc. PMID:17981092

Sound Sources Identified in High-Speed Jets by Correlating Flow Density Fluctuations With Far-Field Noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Panda, Jayanta; Seasholtz, Richard G.

2003-01-01

Noise sources in high-speed jets were identified by directly correlating flow density fluctuation (cause) to far-field sound pressure fluctuation (effect). The experimental study was performed in a nozzle facility at the NASA Glenn Research Center in support of NASA s initiative to reduce the noise emitted by commercial airplanes. Previous efforts to use this correlation method have failed because the tools for measuring jet turbulence were intrusive. In the present experiment, a molecular Rayleigh-scattering technique was used that depended on laser light scattering by gas molecules in air. The technique allowed accurate measurement of air density fluctuations from different points in the plume. The study was conducted in shock-free, unheated jets of Mach numbers 0.95, 1.4, and 1.8. The turbulent motion, as evident from density fluctuation spectra was remarkably similar in all three jets, whereas the noise sources were significantly different. The correlation study was conducted by keeping a microphone at a fixed location (at the peak noise emission angle of 30 to the jet axis and 50 nozzle diameters away) while moving the laser probe volume from point to point in the flow. The following figure shows maps of the nondimensional coherence value measured at different Strouhal frequencies ([frequency diameter]/jet speed) in the supersonic Mach 1.8 and subsonic Mach 0.95 jets. The higher the coherence, the stronger the source was.

Substructures In Protostellar Discs: Spirals, Gaps (And Warps)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lodato, Giuseppe

2016-07-01

The advent of high resolution imaging of protostellar discs, both in the sub-mm (thanks to ALMA) and in the near infrared, has radically changed our understanding of the evolution of such discs and of the planet formation process occuring within them. While in the past disc were modeled as simplified, axi-symmetric structures, often characterized by simple radial power-law for density and temperature, we now need more advanced modeling, able to describe the substructures observed. Such modeling needs to take into account both the gas component, that dominates the dynamics and the line emission, and the dust, which is responsible for the continuum mm band emission. Here, I review several aspects of such modeling. I will discuss the theory and some hydrodynamical simulations describing: (a) spiral density waves, for example induced by gravitational instabilities in young and massive discs; (b) gaps induced by the presence of a forming planet in the disc, with particular emphasis on the spectacular case of HL Tau, that we have recently successfully modeled; (c) warps, which are expected to develop in circumbinary discs, or in discs where a planet has been put on a very inclined orbit.

Structure of protoplanetary discs with magnetically driven winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khajenabi, Fazeleh; Shadmehri, Mohsen; Pessah, Martin E.; Martin, Rebecca G.

2018-04-01

We present a new set of analytical solutions to model the steady-state structure of a protoplanetary disc with a magnetically driven wind. Our model implements a parametrization of the stresses involved and the wind launching mechanism in terms of the plasma parameter at the disc midplane, as suggested by the results of recent, local magnetohydrodynamical simulations. When wind mass-loss is accounted for, we find that its rate significantly reduces the disc surface density, particularly in the inner disc region. We also find that models that include wind mass-loss lead to thinner dust layers. As an astrophysical application of our models, we address the case of HL Tau, whose disc exhibits a high accretion rate and efficient dust settling at its midplane. These two observational features are not easy to reconcile with conventional accretion disc theory, where the level of turbulence needed to explain the high accretion rate would prevent a thin dust layer. Our disc model that incorporates both mass-loss and angular momentum removal by a wind is able to account for HL Tau observational constraints concerning its high accretion rate and dust layer thinness.

NIHAO VI. The hidden discs of simulated galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obreja, Aura; Stinson, Gregory S.; Dutton, Aaron A.; Macciò, Andrea V.; Wang, Liang; Kang, Xi

2016-06-01

Detailed studies of galaxy formation require clear definitions of the structural components of galaxies. Precisely defined components also enable better comparisons between observations and simulations. We use a subsample of 18 cosmological zoom-in simulations from the Numerical Investigation of a Hundred Astrophysical Objects (NIHAO) project to derive a robust method for defining stellar kinematic discs in galaxies. Our method uses Gaussian Mixture Models in a 3D space of dynamical variables. The NIHAO galaxies have the right stellar mass for their halo mass, and their angular momenta and Sérsic indices match observations. While the photometric disc-to-total ratios are close to 1 for all the simulated galaxies, the kinematic ratios are around ˜0.5. Thus, exponential structure does not imply a cold kinematic disc. Above M* ˜ 109.5 M⊙, the decomposition leads to thin discs and spheroids that have clearly different properties, in terms of angular momentum, rotational support, ellipticity, [Fe/H] and [O/Fe]. At M* ≲ 109.5 M⊙, the decomposition selects discs and spheroids with less distinct properties. At these low masses, both the discs and spheroids have exponential profiles with high minor-to-major axes ratios, I.e. thickened discs.

Effects of the shear layer growth rate on the supersonic jet noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozawa, Yuta; Nonomura, Taku; Oyama, Akira; Mamori, Hiroya; Fukushima, Naoya; Yamamoto, Makoto

2017-11-01

Strong acoustic waves emitted from rocket plume might damage to rocket payloads because their payloads consist of fragile structure. Therefore, understanding and prediction of acoustic wave generation are of importance not only in science, but also in engineering. The present study makes experiments of a supersonic jet flow at the Mach number of 2.0 and investigates a relationship between growth rate of a shear layer and noise generation of the supersonic jet. We conducted particle image velocimetry (PIV) and acoustic measurements for three different shaped nozzles. These nozzles were employed to control the condition of a shear layer of the supersonic jet flow. We applied single-pixel ensemble correlation method (Westerweel et al., 2004) for the PIV images to obtain high-resolution averaged velocity profiles. This correlation method enabled us to obtain detailed data of the shear layer. For all cases, acoustic measurements clearly shows the noise source position at the end of a potential core of the jet. In the case where laminar to turbulent transition occurred in the shear layer, the sound pressure level increased by 4 dB at the maximum. This research is partially supported by Presto, JST (JPMJPR1678) and KAKENHI (25709009 and 17H03473).

Prompt photon-jet angular correlations at central rapidities in p +A collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benić, Sanjin; Dumitru, Adrian

2018-01-01

Photon-jet azimuthal correlations in proton-nucleus collisions are a promising tool for gaining information on the gluon distribution of the nucleus in the regime of nonlinear color fields. We compute such correlations from the process g →q q ¯ γ in the rapidity regime where both the projectile and target light-cone momentum fractions are small. By integrating over the phase space of the quark which emits the photon, subject to the restriction that the photon picks up most of the transverse momentum (to pass an isolation cut), we effectively obtain a g +A →q γ process. For nearly back-to-back photon-jet configurations we find that it dominates over the leading-order process q +A →q γ by two less powers of Q⊥/QS, where Q⊥ and QS denote the net photon-jet pair momentum and the saturation scale of the nucleus, respectively. We determine the transverse-momentum-dependent gluon distributions involved in g +A →q γ and the scale where they are evaluated. Finally, we provide analytic expressions for ⟨cos n ϕ ⟩ moments, where ϕ is the angle between Q⊥ and the average photon-jet transverse momentum P˜ ⊥ , and first qualitative estimates of their transverse momentum dependence.

Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of counter-rotating discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quach, Dan; Dyda, Sergei; Lovelace, Richard V. E.

2015-01-01

Observations of galaxies and models of accreting systems point to the occurrence of counter-rotating discs where the inner part of the disc (r < r0) is corotating and the outer part is counter-rotating. This work analyses the linear stability of radially separated co- and counter-rotating thin discs. The strong instability found is the supersonic Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. The growth rates are of the order of or larger than the angular rotation rate at the interface. The instability is absent if there is no vertical dependence of the perturbation. That is, the instability is essentially three dimensional. The non-linear evolution of the instability is predicted to lead to a mixing of the two components, strong heating of the mixed gas, and vertical expansion of the gas, and annihilation of the angular momenta of the two components. As a result, the heated gas will free-fall towards the disc's centre over the surface of the inner disc.

Computational models for the viscous/inviscid analysis of jet aircraft exhaust plumes. [predicting afterbody drag

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dash, S. M.; Pergament, H. S.; Thorpe, R. D.

1980-01-01

Computational models which analyze viscous/inviscid flow processes in jet aircraft exhaust plumes are discussed. These models are component parts of an NASA-LaRC method for the prediction of nozzle afterbody drag. Inviscid/shock processes are analyzed by the SCIPAC code which is a compact version of a generalized shock capturing, inviscid plume code (SCIPPY). The SCIPAC code analyzes underexpanded jet exhaust gas mixtures with a self-contained thermodynamic package for hydrocarbon exhaust products and air. A detailed and automated treatment of the embedded subsonic zones behind Mach discs is provided in this analysis. Mixing processes along the plume interface are analyzed by two upgraded versions of an overlaid, turbulent mixing code (BOAT) developed previously for calculating nearfield jet entrainment. The BOATAC program is a frozen chemistry version of BOAT containing the aircraft thermodynamic package as SCIPAC; BOATAB is an afterburning version with a self-contained aircraft (hydrocarbon/air) finite-rate chemistry package. The coupling of viscous and inviscid flow processes is achieved by an overlaid procedure with interactive effects accounted for by a displacement thickness type correction to the inviscid plume interface.

Shapes of Nonbuoyant Round Luminous Laminar-Jet Diffusion Flames in Coflowing Air. Appendix F

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, K.-C.; Faeth, G. M.; Urban, David L. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The shapes (luminous flame boundaries) of steady nonbuoyant round luminous hydrocarbon-fueled laminar-jet diffusion flames in coflowing air were studied both experimentally and theoretically. Flame shapes were measured from photographs of flames burning at low pressures in order to minimize the effects of buoyancy. Test conditions involved acetylene-, propylene. and 1,3-butadiene-fueled flames having initial reactant temperatures of 300 K, ambient pressures of 19-50 kPa, jet-exit Reynolds numbers of 18-121, and initial air/fuel velocity ratios of 0.22-32.45 to yield luminous flame lengths of 21-198 mm. The present flames were close to the laminar smoke point but were not soot emitting. Simple expressions to estimate the shapes of nonbuoyant laminar-jet diffusion flames in coflow were found by extending an earlier analysis of Mahalingam et al. These formulas provided a good correlation of present measurements except near the burner exit where self-similar approximations used in the simplified analysis are no longer appropriate.

Translation of an engineered nanofibrous disc-like angle-ply structure for intervertebral disc replacement in a small animal model.

PubMed

Martin, John T; Milby, Andrew H; Chiaro, Joseph A; Kim, Dong Hwa; Hebela, Nader M; Smith, Lachlan J; Elliott, Dawn M; Mauck, Robert L

2014-06-01

Intervertebral disc degeneration has been implicated in the etiology of low back pain; however, the current surgical strategies for treating symptomatic disc disease are limited. A variety of materials have been developed to replace disc components, including the nucleus pulposus (NP), the annulus fibrosus (AF) and their combination into disc-like engineered constructs. We have previously shown that layers of electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) scaffold, mimicking the hierarchical organization of the native AF, can achieve functional parity with native tissue. Likewise, we have combined these structures with cell-seeded hydrogels (as an NP replacement) to form disc-like angle-ply structures (DAPS). The objective of this study was to develop a model for the evaluation of DAPS in vivo. Through a series of studies, we developed a surgical approach to replace the rat caudal disc with an acellular DAPS and then stabilized the motion segment via external fixation. We then optimized cell infiltration into DAPS by including sacrificial poly(ethylene oxide) layers interspersed throughout the angle-ply structure. Our findings illustrate that DAPS are stable in the caudal spine, are infiltrated by cells from the peri-implant space and that infiltration is expedited by providing additional routes for cell migration. These findings establish a new in vivo platform in which to evaluate and optimize the design of functional disc replacements. Copyright © 2014 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of collagen fibre orientation on intervertebral disc torsion mechanics.

PubMed

Yang, Bo; O'Connell, Grace D

2017-12-01

The intervertebral disc is a complex fibro-cartilaginous material, consisting of a pressurized nucleus pulposus surrounded by the annulus fibrosus, which has an angle-ply structure. Disc injury and degeneration are noted by significant changes in tissue structure and function, which significantly alters stress distribution and disc joint stiffness. Differences in fibre orientation are thought to contribute to changes in disc torsion mechanics. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of collagen fibre orientation on internal disc mechanics under compression combined with axial rotation. We developed and validated a finite element model (FEM) to delineate changes in disc mechanics due to fibre orientation from differences in material properties. FEM simulations were performed with fibres oriented at [Formula: see text] throughout the disc (uniform by region and fibre layer). The initial model was validated by published experimental results for two load conditions, including [Formula: see text] axial compression and [Formula: see text] axial rotation. Once validated, fibre orientation was rotated by [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text] towards the horizontal plane, resulting in a decrease in disc joint torsional stiffness. Furthermore, we observed that axial rotation caused a sinusoidal change in disc height and radial bulge, which may be beneficial for nutrient transport. In conclusion, including anatomically relevant fibre angles in disc joint FEMs is important for understanding stress distribution throughout the disc and will be important for understanding potential causes for disc injury. Future models will include regional differences in fibre orientation to better represent the fibre architecture of the native disc.

Effects of disc mid-plane evolution on CO snowline location

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panić, O.; Min, M.

2017-05-01

Temperature changes in the planet forming disc mid-planes carry important physico-chemical consequences, such as the effect on the locations of the condensation fronts of molecules - the snowlines. Snowlines impose major chemical gradients and possibly foster grain growth. The aim of this paper is to understand how disc mid-plane temperature changes with gas and dust evolution, and identify trends that may influence planet formation or allow to constrain disc evolution observationally. We calculate disc temperature, hydrostatic equilibrium and dust settling in a mutually consistent way from a grid of disc models at different stages of gas loss, grain growth and hole opening. We find that the CO snowline location depends very strongly on disc properties. The CO snowline location migrates closer to the star for increasing degrees of gas dispersal and dust growth. Around a typical A-type star, the snowline can be anywhere between several tens and a few hundred au, depending on the disc properties such as gas mass and grain size. In fact, gas loss is as efficient as dust evolution in settling discs, and flat discs may be gas-poor counterparts of flared discs. Our results, in the context of different pre-main-sequence evolution of the luminosity in low- and intermediate-mass stars suggest very different thermal (and hence chemical) histories in these two types of discs. Discs of T Tauri stars settle and cool down, while discs of Herbig Ae stars may remain rather warm throughout the pre-main sequence.

Modelling the chemistry of a gravitationally unstable protoplanetary disc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilee, J. D.; Boley, A. C.; Caselli, P.; Durisen, R. H.; Hartquist, T. W.; Rawlings, J. M. C.

2011-05-01

Until now, axisymmetric, α-disc simulations have been adopted to describe the dynamics used in the construction of chemical models of protoplanetary discs. While this approach is reasonable for many discs, it is not appropriate for young, massive discs in which self-gravity is important. Spiral waves and shocks cause significant temperature and density variations which affect the chemistry. We have used a dynamical model of solar mass star surrounded by a massive (0.39 M⊙), self-gravitating disc to model the chemistry of one of these objects.

Confirming chemical clocks: asteroseismic age dissection of the Milky Way disc(s)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva Aguirre, V.; Bojsen-Hansen, M.; Slumstrup, D.; Casagrande, L.; Kawata, D.; Ciucǎ, I.; Handberg, R.; Lund, M. N.; Mosumgaard, J. R.; Huber, D.; Johnson, J. A.; Pinsonneault, M. H.; Serenelli, A. M.; Stello, D.; Tayar, J.; Bird, J. C.; Cassisi, S.; Hon, M.; Martig, M.; Nissen, P. E.; Rix, H. W.; Schönrich, R.; Sahlholdt, C.; Trick, W. H.; Yu, J.

2018-04-01

Investigations of the origin and evolution of the Milky Way disc have long relied on chemical and kinematic identifications of its components to reconstruct our Galactic past. Difficulties in determining precise stellar ages have restricted most studies to small samples, normally confined to the solar neighbourhood. Here, we break this impasse with the help of asteroseismic inference and perform a chronology of the evolution of the disc throughout the age of the Galaxy. We chemically dissect the Milky Way disc population using a sample of red giant stars spanning out to 2 kpc in the solar annulus observed by the Kepler satellite, with the added dimension of asteroseismic ages. Our results reveal a clear difference in age between the low- and high-α populations, which also show distinct velocity dispersions in the V and W components. We find no tight correlation between age and metallicity nor [α/Fe] for the high-α disc stars. Our results indicate that this component formed over a period of more than 2 Gyr with a wide range of [M/H] and [α/Fe] independent of time. Our findings show that the kinematic properties of young α-rich stars are consistent with the rest of the high-α population and different from the low-α stars of similar age, rendering support to their origin being old stars that went through a mass transfer or stellar merger event, making them appear younger, instead of migration of truly young stars formed close to the Galactic bar.

Intermediate mass black holes in AGN discs - I. Production and growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKernan, B.; Ford, K. E. S.; Lyra, W.; Perets, H. B.

2012-09-01

Here we propose a mechanism for efficiently growing intermediate mass black holes (IMBH) in discs around supermassive black holes. Stellar mass objects can efficiently agglomerate when facilitated by the gas disc. Stars, compact objects and binaries can migrate, accrete and merge within discs around supermassive black holes. While dynamical heating by cusp stars excites the velocity dispersion of nuclear cluster objects (NCOs) in the disc, gas in the disc damps NCO orbits. If gas damping dominates, NCOs remain in the disc with circularized orbits and large collision cross-sections. IMBH seeds can grow extremely rapidly by collisions with disc NCOs at low relative velocities, allowing for super-Eddington growth rates. Once an IMBH seed has cleared out its feeding zone of disc NCOs, growth of IMBH seeds can become dominated by gas accretion from the active galactic nucleus (AGN) disc. However, the IMBH can migrate in the disc and expand its feeding zone, permitting a super-Eddington accretion rate to continue. Growth of IMBH seeds via NCO collisions is enhanced by a pile-up of migrators. We highlight the remarkable parallel between the growth of IMBH in AGN discs with models of giant planet growth in protoplanetary discs. If an IMBH becomes massive enough it can open a gap in the AGN disc. IMBH migration in AGN discs may stall, allowing them to survive the end of the AGN phase and remain in galactic nuclei. Our proposed mechanisms should be more efficient at growing IMBH in AGN discs than the standard model of IMBH growth in stellar clusters. Dynamical heating of disc NCOs by cusp stars is transferred to the gas in an AGN disc helping to maintain the outer disc against gravitational instability. Model predictions, observational constraints and implications are discussed in a companion paper (Paper II).

Exoplanet recycling in massive white-dwarf debris discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Lieshout, R.; Kral, Q.; Charnoz, S.; Wyatt, M. C.; Shannon, A.

2018-05-01

Several tens of white dwarfs are known to host circumstellar discs of dusty debris, thought to arise from the tidal disruption of rocky bodies originating in the star's remnant planetary system. This paper investigates the evolution of such discs if they are very massive, as may be the case if their progenitor was a terrestrial planet, moon, or dwarf planet. Assuming the discs are physically thin and flat, like Saturn's rings, their evolution is governed by Poynting-Robertson drag or viscous spreading, where the disc's effective viscosity is due to self-gravity wakes. For discs with masses ≳ 1026 g, located in the outer parts of the tidal disruption zone, viscous spreading dominates the evolution, and mass is transported both in- and outwards. When outwards-spreading material flows beyond the Roche limit, it coagulates into new (minor) planets in a process analogous to the ongoing formation of moonlets at the outer edge of Saturn's rings. The newly formed bodies migrate outwards by exchanging angular momentum with the disc and coalesce into larger objects through mutual collisions. Eventually, the disc's Roche-limit overflow recycles tens of percent of the original disc mass; most ends up in a single large body near 2:1 mean-motion resonance with the disc's outer edge. Hence, the recycling of a tidally disrupted super-Earth, for example, could yield an Earth-mass planet on a ˜10-h orbit, located in the habitable zone for 2-to-10-Gyr-old white dwarfs. The recycling process also creates a population of smaller bodies just outside the Roche limit, which may explain the minor planets recently postulated to orbit WD 1145+017.

[Diagnostic imaging of changes of the canine intervertebral disc].

PubMed

Harder, Lisa K

2016-10-12

Intervertebral disc degeneration can cause intervertebral disc herniation. Diagnostic imaging, including radiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, is the most important tool in diagnosis. Firstly, an overview of macroscopic and biochemical physiology and pathology of the intervertebral disc will be given. Subsequently, the physics of diagnostic imaging and the appearance of intervertebral disc degeneration and displacement in several imaging methods are described.

Hydrodynamic Stability Analysis of Multi-jet Effects in Swirling Jet Combustors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emerson, Benjamin; Lieuwen, Tim

2016-11-01

Many practical combustion devices use multiple swirling jets to stabilize flames. However, much of the understanding of swirling jet dynamics has been generated from experimental and computational studies of single reacting, swirling jets. A smaller body of literature has begun to explore the effects of multi-jet systems and the role of jet-jet interactions on the macro-system dynamics. This work uses local temporal and spatio-temporal stability analyses to isolate the hydrodynamic interactions of multiple reacting, swirling jets, characterized by jet diameter, D, and spacing, L. The results first identify the familiar helical modes in the single jet. Comparison to the multi-jet configuration reveals these same familiar modes simultaneously oscillating in each of the jets. Jet-jet interaction is mostly limited to a spatial synchronization of each jet's oscillations at the jet spacing values analyzed here (L/D =3.5). The presence of multiple jets vs a single jet has little influence on the temporal and absolute growth rates. The biggest difference between the single and multi-jet configurations is the presence of nearly degenerate pairs of hydrodynamic modes in the multi-jet case, with one mode dominated by oscillations in the inner jet, and the other in the outer jets. The close similarity between the single and multi-jet hydrodynamics lends insight into experiments from our group.

Observing the On-going Formation of Planets and its Effects on Their Parent Discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willson, Matthew Alexander

2017-06-01

population of MIR emitting dust grains previously inferred to reside within the gap. Through the combination of SAM and SMA data we constrain the 3-D orientation of the disc, and through multi-wavelength SAM observation identify a close-in companion potentially responsible for the gap clearing and asymmetric arm structures seen in previous observations of this target. During my PhD I have contributed to the field of planet formation through the identification of four new candidate protoplanets observed in the discs of pre-main sequence stars. To do so I have quantified the confidence levels of companion fits to SAM data sets and formed synthetic data from models of asymmetric structures seen in these discs. I have described for the first time the effects of extended sources of emission on the fitted results of companion searches within interferometric data sets. I have combined SAM data sets from two separate telescopes with different apertures and masks to produce reconstructed image of an illuminated disc rim with superior uv-cover! age. I have used the expertise I have developed in this field to contribute to a number of other studies, including the study of the young star TYC 8241 2652 1, resulting in the rejection of a sub-stellar companion as the cause of the rapid dispersal of the star`s disc. The companion candidates I have identified here should be followed up to confirm their presence and nature as accreting protoplanets. Objects such as these will provide the opportunity for more detailed study of the process of planet formation in the near future with the next generation of instruments in the JWST and E-ELT.

Angiogenesis in the degeneration of the lumbar intervertebral disc

PubMed Central

David, Gh; Iencean, SM; Mohan, A

2010-01-01

The goal of the study is to show the histological and biochemical changes that indicate the angiogenesis of the intervertebral disc in lumbar intervertebral disc hernia and the existence of epidemiological correlations between these changes and the risk factors of lumbar intervertebral disc hernia, as well as the patient's quality of life (QOL). We have studied 50 patients aged between 18 and 73 years old, who have undergone lumbar intervertebral disc hernia surgery, making fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor level measurements, as elements in the process of appreciating the disc angiogenesis. Also, pre–surgery and post–surgery QOL has been measured, as well as the intensity of the pain syndrome. We have identified factors capable of stimulating vascular endothelial growth (VEGF, FGF–2) for the examined disc material, but histological examination did not show angiogenesis. The process of angiogenesis at the degenerated intervertebral disc level affects the patient's quality of life both pre and postoperatively, and may be a predictive factor for the post–operative results. Patients can prevent the appearance of angiogenesis type degenerative processes of the intervertebral disc by avoiding angiogenesis correlated factors (weight control, physical effort, and smoking). PMID:20968201

Is there any relationship between proinflammatory mediator levels in disc material and myelopathy with cervical disc herniation and spondylosis? A non-randomized, prospective clinical study

PubMed Central

Asir, Alparslan; Cetinkal, Ahmet; Gedik, Nursal; Kutlay, Ahmet Murat; Çolak, Ahmet; Kurtar, Sedat; Simsek, Hakan

2007-01-01

The proinflammatory mediator (PIM) levels were assessed in surgically removed samples of herniated cervical intervertebral discs. The objective of this study was to investigate if there is a correlation between the levels of PIMs in disc material and myelopathy associated with cervical intervertebral disc herniation and spondylosis. The role of proinflammatory mediators in the degeneration of intervertebral disc and the inflammatory effects of disc herniations on radicular pain has been previously published. However, the possible relationship between PIMs and myelopathy related to cervical disc herniation and spondylosis has not been investigated before. Thirty-two patients undergoing surgery for cervical disc herniation and spondylosis were investigated. Surgically obtained disc materials, stored at 70°C, were classified into two groups: cervical disc herniation alone or with myelopathy. Biochemical preparation and solid phase enzyme amplified sensitivity immunoassay (ELISIA) analysis of the samples were performed to assess the concentration of mediators in the samples. Very similar values of interleukin-6 were found in both groups whereas the concentrations of mediators were significantly higher in myelopathy group. This study has demonstrated that PIMs are involved in cervical intervertebral disc degeneration with higher concentrations in the samples associated with myelopathy. PMID:17476536

Circumstellar disc lifetimes in numerous galactic young stellar clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richert, A. J. W.; Getman, K. V.; Feigelson, E. D.; Kuhn, M. A.; Broos, P. S.; Povich, M. S.; Bate, M. R.; Garmire, G. P.

2018-07-01

Photometric detections of dust circumstellar discs around pre-main sequence (PMS) stars, coupled with estimates of stellar ages, provide constraints on the time available for planet formation. Most previous studies on disc longevity, starting with Haisch, Lada & Lada, use star samples from PMS clusters but do not consider data sets with homogeneous photometric sensitivities and/or ages placed on a uniform time-scale. Here we conduct the largest study to date of the longevity of inner dust discs using X-ray and 1-8 µm infrared photometry from the MYStIX and SFiNCs projects for 69 young clusters in 32 nearby star-forming regions with ages t ≤ 5 Myr. Cluster ages are derived by combining the empirical AgeJX method with PMS evolutionary models, which treat dynamo-generated magnetic fields in different ways. Leveraging X-ray data to identify disc-free objects, we impose similar stellar mass sensitivity limits for disc-bearing and disc-free young stellar objects while extending the analysis to stellar masses as low as M ˜ 0.1 M⊙. We find that the disc longevity estimates are strongly affected by the choice of PMS evolutionary model. Assuming a disc fraction of 100 per cent at zero age, the inferred disc half-life changes significantly, from t1/2 ˜ 1.3-2 Myr to t1/2 ˜ 3.5 Myr when switching from non-magnetic to magnetic PMS models. In addition, we find no statistically significant evidence that disc fraction varies with stellar mass within the first few Myr of life for stars with masses <2 M⊙, but our samples may not be complete for more massive stars. The effects of initial disc fraction and star-forming environment are also explored.

Grain size segregation in debris discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thebault, P.; Kral, Q.; Augereau, J.-C.

2014-01-01

Context. In most debris discs, dust grain dynamics is strongly affected by stellar radiation pressure. Because this mechanism is size-dependent, we expect dust grains to be spatially segregated according to their sizes. However, because of the complex interplay between radiation pressure, grain processing by collisions, and dynamical perturbations, this spatial segregation of the particle size distribution (PSD) has proven difficult to investigate and quantify with numerical models. Aims: We propose to thoroughly investigate this problem by using a new-generation code that can handle some of the complex coupling between dynamical and collisional effects. We intend to explore how PSDs behave in both unperturbed discs at rest and in discs pertubed by planetary objects. Methods: We used the DyCoSS code to investigate the coupled effect of collisions, radiation pressure, and dynamical perturbations in systems that have reached a steady-state. We considered two setups: a narrow ring perturbed by an exterior planet, and an extended disc into which a planet is embedded. For both setups we considered an additional unperturbed case without a planet. We also investigated the effect of possible spatial size segregation on disc images at different wavelengths. Results: We find that PSDs are always spatially segregated. The only case for which the PSD follows a standard dn ∝ s-3.5ds law is for an unperturbed narrow ring, but only within the parent-body ring itself. For all other configurations, the size distributions can strongly depart from such power laws and have steep spatial gradients. As an example, the geometrical cross-section of the disc is very rarely dominated by the smallest grains on bound orbits, as it is expected to be in standard PSDs in sq with q ≤ -3. Although the exact profiles and spatial variations of PSDs are a complex function of the set-up that is considered, we are still able to derive some reliable results that will be useful for image or SED

Molecules in Protoplanetary HAEBE discs as seen with Herschel.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meeus, G.

2011-05-01

The discovery of planets around other stars has revealed that planet formation is ubiquitous. However, the mechanisms determining planet formation are not (yet) well-understood. Primordial protoplanetary discs consist 99% out of gas, and only 1% out of dust. With time, those discs are believed to evolve from a flaring geometry into a flat geometry, as the initially small dust grains grow to larger sizes and settle towards the mid-plane. In the mean time, the gas will disperse, until so little is left that giant planets no longer can form. It is thus important to understand the chemical composition of the disc and the influence of the gas heating/cooling processes on the disc structure, and finally how gas gets dispersed as a pieces of the puzzle of planet formation. In this contribution, we study the protoplanetary discs around Herbig Ae/Be stars, young objects of intermediate mass, in the context of gas chemistry. We present Herschel PACS spectroscopic observations for a sample that was obtained within the GASPS (Gas in Protoplanetary Systems) Open Time Key Project, concentrating on the detection and characterisation of emission lines of the molecules H20, CO and CH+ (besides [OI] and [CII]), tracing the disc between 5 and 500 AU. We look for correlations between the observed line fluxes and stellar properties such as effective temperature, Halpha emission, accretion rates and UV flux, as well as the disc properties: degree of flaring, presence and strength of PAH emission and disc mass. We will present a few cases to show how simultaneous modeling (using the thermo-chemical disc code ProDiMo) of the atomic fine structure lines and both Space Telescope and ground-based molecular lines can constrain the disc gas mass, once the disc structure is derived (here with the radiative transfer code MCFost). Finally, we compare our gas line observations with those of young debris disc stars, for which the HAEBE stars are thought to be progenitors.

General relativistic magnetohydrodynamical κ-jet models for Sagittarius A*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davelaar, J.; Mościbrodzka, M.; Bronzwaer, T.; Falcke, H.

2018-04-01

Context. The observed spectral energy distribution of an accreting supermassive black hole typically forms a power-law spectrum in the near infrared (NIR) and optical wavelengths, that may be interpreted as a signature of accelerated electrons along the jet. However, the details of acceleration remain uncertain. Aim. In this paper, we study the radiative properties of jets produced in axisymmetric general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (GRMHD) simulations of hot accretion flows onto underluminous supermassive black holes both numerically and semi-analytically, with the aim of investigating the differences between models with and without accelerated electrons inside the jet. Methods: We assume that electrons are accelerated in the jet regions of our GRMHD simulation. To model them, we modify the electrons' distribution function in the jet regions from a purely relativistic thermal distribution to a combination of a relativistic thermal distribution and the κ-distribution function (the κ-distribution function is itself a combination of a relativistic thermal and a non-thermal power-law distribution, and thus it describes accelerated electrons). Inside the disk, we assume a thermal distribution for the electrons. In order to resolve the particle acceleration regions in the GRMHD simulations, we use a coordinate grid that is optimized for modeling jets. We calculate jet spectra and synchrotron maps by using the ray tracing code RAPTOR, and compare the synthetic observations to observations of Sgr A*. Finally, we compare numerical models of jets to semi-analytical ones. Results: We find that in the κ-jet models, the radio-emitting region size, radio flux, and spectral index in NIR/optical bands increase for decreasing values of the κ parameter, which corresponds to a larger amount of accelerated electrons. This is in agreement with analytical predictions. In our models, the size of the emission region depends roughly linearly on the observed wavelength �

A compact disc under skimming light rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Luca, R.; Di Mauro, M.; Fiore, O.; Naddeo, A.

2018-03-01

The optical properties of a compact disc (CD) under "skimming" light rays have been analyzed. We have noticed that a clear green line can be detected when the disc is irradiated with light rays coming from a lamp in such a way that only those skimming the CD, held horizontally, are selected. We provide a physical interpretation of this phenomenon on the basis of elementary optics concepts. Extension of these concepts to digital versatile discs (DVDs) is given.

Intradiscal injection of simvastatin results in radiologic, histologic, and genetic evidence of disc regeneration in a rat model of degenerative disc disease

PubMed Central

Than, Khoi D.; Rahman, Shayan U.; Wang, Lin; Khan, Adam; Kyere, Kwaku A.; Than, Tracey T.; Miyata, Yoshinari; Park, Yoon-Shin; La Marca, Frank; Kim, Hyungjin M.; Zhang, Huina; Park, Paul; Lin, Chia-Ying

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND CONTEXT A large percentage of back pain can be attributed to degeneration of the intervertebral disc (IVD). Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) is known to play an important role in chondrogenesis of the IVD. Simvastatin is known to up-regulate expression of BMP-2. Thus, we hypothesized that intradiscal injection of simvastatin in a rat model of degenerative disc disease (DDD) would result in retardation of DDD. PURPOSE To develop a novel conservative treatment for DDD and related discogenic back pain. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING Laboratory investigation. METHODS Disc injury was induced in 272 rats via 21-gauge needle puncture. After 6 weeks, injured discs were treated with simvastatin in a saline or hydrogel carrier. Rats were sacrificed at predetermined time points. Outcome measures assessed were radiologic, histologic, and genetic. Radiologically, the MRI index (number of pixels multiplied by corresponding image densities) was determined. Histologically, disc spaces were read by 3 blinded scorers employing a previously described histological grading scale. Genetically, nuclei pulposi were harvested and polymerase chain reaction was run to determine relative levels of aggrecan, collagen type II, and BMP-2 gene expression. This project was supported by Grant No. R01 AR056649 from NIAMS/NIH. There are no other financial conflicts of interest to report. RESULTS Radiologically, discs treated with 5 mg/mL simvastatin in hydrogel or saline demonstrated MRI indices that were normal through 8 weeks post-treatment, although this was more sustained when delivered in hydrogel. Histologically, discs treated with 5 mg/mL simvastatin in hydrogel demonstrated improved grades in comparison to discs treated at higher doses. Genetically, discs treated with 5 mg/mL of simvastatin in hydrogel demonstrated higher gene expression of aggrecan and collagen type II than control. CONCLUSIONS Degenerate discs treated with 5 mg/mL simvastatin in a hydrogel carrier demonstrated

New Brown Dwarf Discs in Upper Scorpius Observed with WISE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dawson, P.; Scholz, A.; Ray, T. P.; Natta, A.; Marsh, K. A.; Padgett, D.; Ressler, M. E.

2013-01-01

We present a census of the disc population for UKIDSS selected brown dwarfs in the 5-10 Myr old Upper Scorpius OB association. For 116 objects originally identified in UKIDSS, the majority of them not studied in previous publications, we obtain photometry from the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer data base. The resulting colour magnitude and colour colour plots clearly show two separate populations of objects, interpreted as brown dwarfs with discs (class II) and without discs (class III). We identify 27 class II brown dwarfs, 14 of them not previously known. This disc fraction (27 out of 116, or 23%) among brown dwarfs was found to be similar to results for K/M stars in Upper Scorpius, suggesting that the lifetimes of discs are independent of the mass of the central object for low-mass stars and brown dwarfs. 5 out of 27 discs (19 per cent) lack excess at 3.4 and 4.6 microns and are potential transition discs (i.e. are in transition from class II to class III). The transition disc fraction is comparable to low-mass stars.We estimate that the time-scale for a typical transition from class II to class III is less than 0.4 Myr for brown dwarfs. These results suggest that the evolution of brown dwarf discs mirrors the behaviour of discs around low-mass stars, with disc lifetimes of the order of 5 10 Myr and a disc clearing time-scale significantly shorter than 1 Myr.

Fuzzy jets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mackey, Lester; Nachman, Benjamin; Schwartzman, Ariel

Collimated streams of particles produced in high energy physics experiments are organized using clustering algorithms to form jets . To construct jets, the experimental collaborations based at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) primarily use agglomerative hierarchical clustering schemes known as sequential recombination. We propose a new class of algorithms for clustering jets that use infrared and collinear safe mixture models. These new algorithms, known as fuzzy jets , are clustered using maximum likelihood techniques and can dynamically determine various properties of jets like their size. We show that the fuzzy jet size adds additional information to conventional jet tagging variablesmore » in boosted topologies. Furthermore, we study the impact of pileup and show that with some slight modifications to the algorithm, fuzzy jets can be stable up to high pileup interaction multiplicities.« less

Fuzzy jets

DOE PAGES

Mackey, Lester; Nachman, Benjamin; Schwartzman, Ariel; ...

2016-06-01

Collimated streams of particles produced in high energy physics experiments are organized using clustering algorithms to form jets . To construct jets, the experimental collaborations based at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) primarily use agglomerative hierarchical clustering schemes known as sequential recombination. We propose a new class of algorithms for clustering jets that use infrared and collinear safe mixture models. These new algorithms, known as fuzzy jets , are clustered using maximum likelihood techniques and can dynamically determine various properties of jets like their size. We show that the fuzzy jet size adds additional information to conventional jet tagging variablesmore » in boosted topologies. Furthermore, we study the impact of pileup and show that with some slight modifications to the algorithm, fuzzy jets can be stable up to high pileup interaction multiplicities.« less

Design of T-GEM detectors for X-ray diagnostics on JET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rzadkiewicz, J.; Dominik, W.; Scholz, M.; Chernyshova, M.; Czarski, T.; Czyrkowski, H.; Dabrowski, R.; Jakubowska, K.; Karpinski, L.; Kasprowicz, G.; Kierzkowski, K.; Pozniak, K.; Salapa, Z.; Zabolotny, W.; Blanchard, P.; Tyrrell, S.; Zastrow, K.-D.; JET EFDA Contributors

2013-08-01

Upgraded high-resolution X-ray diagnostics on JET is expected to monitor the plasma radiation emitted by W46+ and Ni26+ ions at 2.4 keV and 7.8 keV photon energies, respectively. Both X-ray lines will be monitored by new generation energy-resolved micropattern gas detectors with 1-D position reconstruction capability. The detection structure is based on triple GEM (T-GEM) amplification structure followed by the strip readout electrode. This article presents a design of new detectors and prototype detector tests.

Construction Strategy and Progress of Whole Intervertebral Disc Tissue Engineering.

PubMed

Yang, Qiang; Xu, Hai-wei; Hurday, Sookesh; Xu, Bao-shan

2016-02-01

Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is the major cause of low back pain, which usually leads to work absenteeism, medical visits and hospitalization. Because the current conservative procedures and surgical approaches to treatment of DDD only aim to relieve the symptoms of disease but not to regenerate the diseased disc, their long-term efficiency is limited. With the rapid developments in medical science, tissue engineering techniques have progressed markedly in recent years, providing a novel regenerative strategy for managing intervertebral disc disease. However, there are as yet no ideal methods for constructing tissue-engineered intervertebral discs. This paper reviews published reports pertaining to intervertebral disc tissue engineering and summarizes data concerning the seed cells and scaffold materials for tissue-engineered intervertebral discs, construction of tissue-engineered whole intervertebral discs, relevant animal experiments and effects of mechanics on the construction of tissue-engineered intervertebral disc and outlines the existing problems and future directions. Although the perfect regenerative strategy for treating DDD has not yet been developed, great progress has been achieved in the construction of tissue-engineered intervertebral discs. It is believed that ongoing research on intervertebral disc tissue engineering will result in revolutionary progress in the treatment of DDD. © 2016 Chinese Orthopaedic Association and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

[In situ analysis of pathomechanisms of human intervertebral disc degeneration].

PubMed

Weiler, C

2013-11-01

Low back pain is one of the major causes of pain and disability in the western world, with a constantly rising life-time prevalence of approximately 60-85 %. Degeneration of the intervertebral disc is believed to be a major cause of low back pain. Semiquantitative macroscopic and microscopic changes of the intervertebral disc were assessed and classified. Furthermore additional methods, such as immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization and in situ zymography were used to analyze phenotypic cellular and matrix changes. We have developed and tested a practicable, valid and reliable histological classification system for lumbar discs which can serve as a morphological reference framework to allow more sophisticated molecular biological studies on the pathogenesis of ageing and degeneration of discs. Secondly, we were able to demonstrate that intrinsic (genetic) and extrinsic (e.g. overweight) factors have a profound effect on the process of disc degeneration. Cells with a notochord-like phenotype are present in a considerable fraction of adult lumbar intervertebral discs. The presence of these cells is associated with distinct features of (early) age-related disc degeneration. During the process of disc degeneration, the intervertebral disc shows a progressive and significant reduction in height due to tissue resorption. This matrix loss is related to an imbalance between matrix synthesis and degradation. During this process an inflammatory reaction takes place and resident disc cells are causatively involved. In summary, disc degeneration is a multifactorial disease with a strong intrinsic (hereditary) and extrinsic (e.g. mechanical factors) background. The process starts as early as in the second decade of life and shows high interindividual differences. The loss of regenerative capacity in the intervertebral disc is probably related to the loss of stem cells, e.g. notochord-like cells. Resident disc cells are involved in the inflammatory reaction with increased

Nonlinear dynamics of the human lumbar intervertebral disc.

PubMed

Marini, Giacomo; Huber, Gerd; Püschel, Klaus; Ferguson, Stephen J

2015-02-05

Systems with a quasi-static response similar to the axial response of the intervertebral disc (i.e. progressive stiffening) often present complex dynamics, characterized by peculiar nonlinearities in the frequency response. However, such characteristics have not been reported for the dynamic response of the disc. The accurate understanding of disc dynamics is essential to investigate the unclear correlation between whole body vibration and low back pain. The present study investigated the dynamic response of the disc, including its potential nonlinear response, over a range of loading conditions. Human lumbar discs were tested by applying a static preload to the top and a sinusoidal displacement at the bottom of the disc. The frequency of the stimuli was set to increase linearly from a low frequency to a high frequency limit and back down. In general, the response showed nonlinear and asymmetric characteristics. For each test, the disc had different response in the frequency-increasing compared to the frequency-decreasing sweep. In particular, the system presented abrupt changes of the oscillation amplitude at specific frequencies, which differed between the two sweeps. This behaviour indicates that the system oscillation has a different equilibrium condition depending on the path followed by the stimuli. Preload and amplitude of the oscillation directly influenced the disc response by changing the nonlinear dynamics and frequency of the jump-phenomenon. These results show that the characterization of the dynamic response of physiological systems should be readdressed to determine potential nonlinearities. Their direct effect on the system function should be further investigated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Generation of ultra-fast cumulative water jets by sub-microsecond underwater electrical explosion of conical wire arrays

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shafer, D.; Gurovich, V. Tz.; Gleizer, S.

The results of experiments with underwater electrical explosion of modified conical arrays of copper and aluminum wires are presented. A pulsed generator producing a 550 kA-amplitude current with a 400 ns rise time was used in the explosion of the arrays. The array explosion generates water flows converging at the axis of the cone. This flow generates a fast-moving water jet with a velocity exceeding 1.8 × 10{sup 5 }cm/s, which was observed being ejected from the surface of the water covering the array. The positions of the water jet were measured by multiple-exposure fast framing imaging. In experiments, the apex angle of the array,more » the thickness of the water layer above the arrays, or the material of the wires was altered, which changed the resulting velocities and shapes of the emitted jets. A model that considers the converging stationary flow of a slightly compressible fluid is suggested. The velocities and shapes of the jets obtained by this model agree well with the experimentally measured jet velocities.« less

Two-level total lumbar disc replacement.

PubMed

Di Silvestre, Mario; Bakaloudis, Georgios; Lolli, Francesco; Vommaro, Francesco; Parisini, Patrizio

2009-06-01

Total lumbar disc replacement (TDR) has been widely used as a treatment option for 2-level symptomatic degenerative disc disease. However, recent studies have presented conflicting results and some authors concluded that outcome deteriorated when disc replacement was performed bisegmentally, with an increase of complications for bisegmental replacements in comparison with monosegmental disc arthroplasty. The goal of the present retrospective study is to investigate results in a group of patients who have received bisegmental TDR with SB Charitè III artificial disc for degenerative disc disease with a minimum follow-up of 3 years, and to compare the results of 2-level disc replacement versus 1-level patients treated with the same prosthesis. A total of 32 patients had at least 3-years follow-up and were reviewed. The average age of the patients was 38.5 years. There were 11 males and 21 females. About 16 patients received 2-level TDR (SB Charitè III) and 16 received 1-level TDR (SB Charitè III). Both radiographic and functional outcome analysis, including patient's satisfaction, was performed. There were no signs of degenerative changes of the adjacent segments in any case of the 2- or 1-level TDR. There was no statistically significant difference between 2- and 1-level TDR both at 12 months and at 3-years follow-up on functional outcome scores. There was a statistically insignificant difference concerning the patients satisfaction between 1- and 2-level surgeries at the last follow-up (P = 0.46). In the 2-level TDR patients, there were 5 minor complications (31.25%), whereas major complications occurred in 4 more patients (25%) and required a new surgery in 2 cases (12.5%). In the 1-level cases there were 2 minor complications (12.5%) and 2 major complications (12.5%) and a new revision surgery was required in 1 patient (6.25%). In conclusion, the use of 2-level disc replacement at last follow-up presented a higher incidence of complications than in cases with 1

A Connection Between Corona and Jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

2017-03-01

The structure immediately around a supermassive black hole at the heart of an active galaxy can tell us about how material flows in and out of these monsters but this region is hard to observe! A new study provides us with clues of what might be going on in these active and energetic cores of galaxies.In- and OutflowsIn active galactic nuclei (AGN), matter flows both in and out. As material flows toward the black hole via its surrounding accretion disk, much of this gas and dust can then be expelled from the vicinity via highly collimated jets.Top: The fraction of X-rays that is reflected decreases as jet power increases. Bottom: the distance between the corona and the reflecting part of the disk increases as jet power increases. [Adapted from King et al. 2017]To better understand this symbiosis between accretion and outflows, we examine whats known as the corona the hot, X-ray-emitting gas thats located in the closest regions around the black hole. But because the active centers of galaxies are generally obscured by surrounding gas and dust, its difficult for us to learn about the structure of these inner regions near the black hole.Where are the X-rays of the corona produced: in the inner accretion flow, or at the base of the jet? How far away is this corona from the disk? And how does the coronas behavior relate to that of the jet?Reflected ObservationsTo address some of these questions, a group of scientists led by Ashley King (Einstein Fellow at Stanford University) has analyzed X-ray observations from NuSTAR and XMM-Newton of over 40 AGN. The team examined the reflections of the X-rays off of the accretion disk and used two measurements to learn about the structure around the black hole:the fraction of the coronas X-rays that are reflected by the disk, andthe time lag between the original and reflected X-rays, which reveals the distance from the corona to the reflecting part of the disk.A visualization of the authors model for an AGN. The accretion disk is

The structure of protoplanetary discs around evolving young stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bitsch, Bertram; Johansen, Anders; Lambrechts, Michiel; Morbidelli, Alessandro

2015-03-01

The formation of planets with gaseous envelopes takes place in protoplanetary accretion discs on time scales of several million years. Small dust particles stick to each other to form pebbles, pebbles concentrate in the turbulent flow to form planetesimals and planetary embryos and grow to planets, which undergo substantial radial migration. All these processes are influenced by the underlying structure of the protoplanetary disc, specifically the profiles of temperature, gas scale height, and density. The commonly used disc structure of the minimum mass solar nebula (MMSN) is a simple power law in all these quantities. However, protoplanetary disc models with both viscous and stellar heating show several bumps and dips in temperature, scale height, and density caused by transitions in opacity, which are missing in the MMSN model. These play an important role in the formation of planets, since they can act as sweet spots for forming planetesimals via the streaming instability and affect the direction and magnitude of type-I migration. We present 2D simulations of accretion discs that feature radiative cooling and viscous and stellar heating, and they are linked to the observed evolutionary stages of protoplanetary discs and their host stars. These models allow us to identify preferred planetesimal and planet formation regions in the protoplanetary disc as a function of the disc's metallicity, accretion rate, and lifetime. We derive simple fitting formulae that feature all structural characteristics of protoplanetary discs during the evolution of several Myr. These fits are straightforward for applying to modelling any growth stage of planets where detailed knowledge of the underlying disc structure is required. Appendix A is available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Apparent quasar disc sizes in the "bird's nest" paradigm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abolmasov, P.

2017-04-01

Context. Quasar microlensing effects make it possible to measure the accretion disc sizes around distant supermassive black holes that are still well beyond the spatial resolution of contemporary instrumentation. The sizes measured with this technique appear inconsistent with the standard accretion disc model. Not only are the measured accretion disc sizes larger, but their dependence on wavelength is in most cases completely different from the predictions of the standard model. Aims: We suggest that these discrepancies may arise not from non-standard accretion disc structure or systematic errors, as it was proposed before, but rather from scattering and reprocession of the radiation of the disc. In particular, the matter falling from the gaseous torus and presumably feeding the accretion disc may at certain distances become ionized and produce an extended halo that is free from colour gradients. Methods: A simple analytical model is proposed assuming that a geometrically thick translucent inflow acts as a scattering mirror changing the apparent spatial properties of the disc. This inflow may be also identified with the broad line region or its inner parts. Results: Such a model is able to explain the basic properties of the apparent disc sizes, primarily their large values and their shallow dependence on wavelength. The only condition required is to scatter a significant portion of the luminosity of the disc. This can easily be fulfilled if the scattering inflow has a large geometrical thickness and clumpy structure.

Investigating the emission mechanisms of the jet in the quasar PKS 1127-145

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duffy, Ryan T.; Siemiginowska, A.; Kashyap, V.; Stein, N.; Migliori, G.

2014-01-01

There is currently uncertainty surrounding the emission mechanism for X-ray photons in quasar jets, with both Inverse Compton Scattering from the Cosmic Microwave Background (IC/CMB) and synchrotron models considered possibilities. We use a 100 ks observation (Siemiginowska et al 2007) of the redshift z=1.18, radio-loud quasar PKS 1127-145 taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, with the hope of accurately measuring the offsets between radio and X-ray radiation peaks in order to establish the emission process for this jet. PKS 1127-145 is a bright quasar with a long jet which has several bright knots and complex morphology, making it a perfect source for this investigation. We use a Bayesian statistical method called Low-Count Image Restoration and Analysis (LIRA, Connors & van Dyk 2007, Esch et al 2004) to investigate the quasar jet. This fits the parameters of a multiscale model to the data by employing a Markov Chain Monte Carlo process. LIRA has shown the location of some jet X-ray components, although further simulations must be undertaken to determine whether these are statistically significant. We also study these jet X-ray components in both hard and soft X-ray bands in order to gain more information on the energy of the emitted photons. References: Connors, A., & van Dyk, D. A. 2007, Statistical Challenges in Modern Astronomy IV, 371, 101 Esch, D.N., Connors, A., Karovska, M., & van Dyk, D.A. 2004, ApJ, 610, 1213 Siemiginowska, A., Stawarz, L., Cheung, C.C., et al. 2007, ApJ, 657, 145

The Application of Fiber-Reinforced Materials in Disc Repair

PubMed Central

Pei, Bao-Qing; Li, Hui; Zhu, Gang; Li, De-Yu; Fan, Yu-Bo; Wu, Shu-Qin

2013-01-01

The intervertebral disc degeneration and injury are the most common spinal diseases with tremendous financial and social implications. Regenerative therapies for disc repair are promising treatments. Fiber-reinforced materials (FRMs) are a kind of composites by embedding the fibers into the matrix materials. FRMs can maintain the original properties of the matrix and enhance the mechanical properties. By now, there are still some problems for disc repair such as the unsatisfied static strength and dynamic properties for disc implants. The application of FRMs may resolve these problems to some extent. In this review, six parts such as background of FRMs in tissue repair, the comparison of mechanical properties between natural disc and some typical FRMs, the repair standard and FRMs applications in disc repair, and the possible research directions for FRMs' in the future are stated. PMID:24383057

Atomic gas in debris discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hales, Antonio S.; Barlow, M. J.; Crawford, I. A.; Casassus, S.

2017-04-01

We have conducted a search for optical circumstellar absorption lines in the spectra of 16 debris disc host stars. None of the stars in our sample showed signs of emission line activity in either Hα, Ca II or Na I, confirming their more evolved nature. Four stars were found to exhibit narrow absorption features near the cores of the photospheric Ca II and Na I D lines (when Na I D data were available). We analyse the characteristics of these spectral features to determine whether they are of circumstellar or interstellar origins. The strongest evidence for circumstellar gas is seen in the spectrum of HD 110058, which is known to host a debris disc observed close to edge-on. This is consistent with a recent ALMA detection of molecular gas in this debris disc, which shows many similarities to the β Pictoris system.

Performance Evaluation of Particle Sampling Probes for Emission Measurements of Aircraft Jet Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Poshin; Chen, Da-Ren; Sanders, Terry (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Considerable attention has been recently received on the impact of aircraft-produced aerosols upon the global climate. Sampling particles directly from jet engines has been performed by different research groups in the U.S. and Europe. However, a large variation has been observed among published data on the conversion efficiency and emission indexes of jet engines. The variation results surely from the differences in test engine types, engine operation conditions, and environmental conditions. The other factor that could result in the observed variation is the performance of sampling probes used. Unfortunately, it is often neglected in the jet engine community. Particle losses during the sampling, transport, and dilution processes are often not discussed/considered in literatures. To address this issue, we evaluated the performance of one sampling probe by challenging it with monodisperse particles. A significant performance difference was observed on the sampling probe evaluated under different temperature conditions. Thermophoretic effect, nonisokinetic sampling and turbulence loss contribute to the loss of particles in sampling probes. The results of this study show that particle loss can be dramatic if the sampling probe is not well designed. Further, the result allows ones to recover the actual size distributions emitted from jet engines.

Adjacent level effects of bi level disc replacement, bi level fusion and disc replacement plus fusion in cervical spine--a finite element based study.

PubMed

Faizan, Ahmad; Goel, Vijay K; Biyani, Ashok; Garfin, Steven R; Bono, Christopher M

2012-03-01

Studies delineating the adjacent level effect of single level disc replacement systems have been reported in literature. The aim of this study was to compare the adjacent level biomechanics of bi-level disc replacement, bi-level fusion and a construct having adjoining level disc replacement and fusion system. In total, biomechanics of four models- intact, bi level disc replacement, bi level fusion and fusion plus disc replacement at adjoining levels- was studied to gain insight into the effects of various instrumentation systems on cranial and caudal adjacent levels using finite element analysis (73.6N+varying moment). The bi-level fusion models are more than twice as stiff as compared to the intact model during flexion-extension, lateral bending and axial rotation. Bi-level disc replacement model required moments lower than intact model (1.5Nm). Fusion plus disc replacement model required moment 10-25% more than intact model, except in extension. Adjacent level motions, facet loads and endplate stresses increased substantially in the bi-level fusion model. On the other hand, adjacent level motions, facet loads and endplate stresses were similar to intact for the bi-level disc replacement model. For the fusion plus disc replacement model, adjacent level motions, facet loads and endplate stresses were closer to intact model rather than the bi-level fusion model, except in extension. Based on our finite element analysis, fusion plus disc replacement procedure has less severe biomechanical effects on adjacent levels when compared to bi-level fusion procedure. Bi-level disc replacement procedure did not have any adverse mechanical effects on adjacent levels. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monitoring of Northern dwarf novae for radio jets campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waagen, Elizabeth O.

2014-10-01

Ms. Deanne Coppejans (PhD candidate, Radboud University Nijmegen (Netherlands) and University of Cape Town) and colleagues have requested AAVSO observer assistance in monitoring nine Northern dwarf novae in support of their campaign to observe them in outburst with the Very Large Array (VLA) to search for radio jets. They will observe 5 targets from the following list: U Gem*, EX Dra, Z Cam*, RX And*, EM Cyg, AB Dra, SY Cnc, SU UMa*, and YZ Cnc*. Stars with an asterisk (*) will be given higher priority. The campaign will begin now, starting with monitoring of RX And and EM Cyg, and run through September 2015, or until all five VLA triggers have been used. This campaign is similar to previous AAVSO campaigns, namely the 2007 campaign to monitor a sample of 10 dwarf novae (AAVSO Alert Notice 345), which resulted in the first detection of a radio jet in a dwarf nova system (Koerding et al. 2008, Science, 320, 1318), and the ones carried out at the request of Dr. James Miller-Jones and colleagues on SS Cyg in 2010-2011 (AAVSO Special Notices #204, #206, Alert Notice 445). The latter resulted in an accurate distance determination to SS Cyg, thereby reconciling its behavior with our understanding of accretion disc theory in accreting compact objects (Miller-Jones et al. 2013, Science, 340, 950). Ms. Coppejans writes: "The relation between accretion and outflow is one of the basic problems in modern astrophysics. It has long been thought that CVs are the only accreting systems that do not produce jets, and this notion has even been used to constrain jet models. However, there are now some indications that CVs do show jets, possibly allowing a universal link between accretion and ejection. Radio observations provide the best unambiguous tracer of the corresponding jet or directed outflow, but there are only two clear detections. By observing a more extensive sample of cataclysmic variables in outburst we will determine the existence of jets or other outflows in these

A swirling jet in the quasar 1308+326

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Britzen, S.; Qian, S.-J.; Steffen, W.; Kun, E.; Karouzos, M.; Gergely, L.; Schmidt, J.; Aller, M.; Aller, H.; Krause, M.; Fendt, C.; Böttcher, M.; Witzel, A.; Eckart, A.; Moser, L.

2017-06-01

Context. Despite numerous and detailed studies of the jets of active galactic nuclei (AGN) on pc-scales, many questions are still debated. The physical nature of the jet components is one of the most prominent unsolved problems, as is the launching mechanism of jets in AGN. The quasar 1308+326 (z = 0.997) allows us to study the overall properties of its jet in detail and to derive a more physical understanding of the nature and origin of jets in general. The long-term data provided by the Monitoring Of Jets in Active galactic nuclei with Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) experiments (MOJAVE) survey permit us to trace out the structural changes in 1308+326 that we present here. The long-lived jet features in this source can be followed for about two decades. Aims: We investigate the very long baseline interferomety (VLBI) morphology and kinematics of the jet of 1308+326 to understand the physical nature of this jet and jets in general, the role of magnetic fields, and the causal connection between jet features and the launching process. Methods: Fifty VLBA observations performed at 15 GHz from the MOJAVE survey were re-modeled with Gaussian components and re-analyzed (the time covered: 20 Jan. 1995-25 Jan. 2014). The analysis was supplemented by multi-wavelength radio-data (UMRAO, at 4.8, 8.0, and 14.5 GHz) in polarization and total intensity. We fit the apparent motion of the jet features with the help of a model of a precessing nozzle. Results: The jet features seem to be emitted with varying viewing angles and launched into an ejection cone. Tracing the component paths yields evidence for rotational motion. Radio flux-density variability can be explained as a consequence of enhanced Doppler boosting corresponding to the motion of the jet relative to the line of sight. Based on the presented kinematics and other indicators, such as electric-vector polarization position-angle (EVPA) rotation, we conclude that the jet of 1308+326 has a helical structure, meaning that

Regression Analysis of Optical Coherence Tomography Disc Variables for Glaucoma Diagnosis.

PubMed

Richter, Grace M; Zhang, Xinbo; Tan, Ou; Francis, Brian A; Chopra, Vikas; Greenfield, David S; Varma, Rohit; Schuman, Joel S; Huang, David

2016-08-01

To report diagnostic accuracy of optical coherence tomography (OCT) disc variables using both time-domain (TD) and Fourier-domain (FD) OCT, and to improve the use of OCT disc variable measurements for glaucoma diagnosis through regression analyses that adjust for optic disc size and axial length-based magnification error. Observational, cross-sectional. In total, 180 normal eyes of 112 participants and 180 eyes of 138 participants with perimetric glaucoma from the Advanced Imaging for Glaucoma Study. Diagnostic variables evaluated from TD-OCT and FD-OCT were: disc area, rim area, rim volume, optic nerve head volume, vertical cup-to-disc ratio (CDR), and horizontal CDR. These were compared with overall retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and ganglion cell complex. Regression analyses were performed that corrected for optic disc size and axial length. Area-under-receiver-operating curves (AUROC) were used to assess diagnostic accuracy before and after the adjustments. An index based on multiple logistic regression that combined optic disc variables with axial length was also explored with the aim of improving diagnostic accuracy of disc variables. Comparison of diagnostic accuracy of disc variables, as measured by AUROC. The unadjusted disc variables with the highest diagnostic accuracies were: rim volume for TD-OCT (AUROC=0.864) and vertical CDR (AUROC=0.874) for FD-OCT. Magnification correction significantly worsened diagnostic accuracy for rim variables, and while optic disc size adjustments partially restored diagnostic accuracy, the adjusted AUROCs were still lower. Axial length adjustments to disc variables in the form of multiple logistic regression indices led to a slight but insignificant improvement in diagnostic accuracy. Our various regression approaches were not able to significantly improve disc-based OCT glaucoma diagnosis. However, disc rim area and vertical CDR had very high diagnostic accuracy, and these disc variables can serve to complement

Ensuring long-term reliability of the data storage on optical disc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ken; Pan, Longfa; Xu, Bin; Liu, Wei

2008-12-01

"Quality requirements and handling regulation of archival optical disc for electronic records filing" is released by The State Archives Administration of the People's Republic of China (SAAC) on its network in March 2007. This document established a complete operative managing process for optical disc data storage in archives departments. The quality requirements of the optical disc used in archives departments are stipulated. Quality check of the recorded disc before filing is considered to be necessary and the threshold of the parameter of the qualified filing disc is set down. The handling regulations for the staffs in the archives departments are described. Recommended environment conditions of the disc preservation, recording, accessing and testing are presented. The block error rate of the disc is selected as main monitoring parameter of the lifetime of the filing disc and three classes pre-alarm lines are created for marking of different quality check intervals. The strategy of monitoring the variation of the error rate curve of the filing discs and moving the data to a new disc or a new media when the error rate of the disc reaches the third class pre-alarm line will effectively guarantee the data migration before permanent loss. Only when every step of the procedure is strictly implemented, it is believed that long-term reliability of the data storage on optical disc for archives departments can be effectively ensured.

[Clinical evaluation of the optic disc in glaucoma].

PubMed

Greslechner, R; Spiegel, D

2016-10-01

Glaucoma is defined as a progressive neuropathy of the optic nerve, characterized by specific changes of the optic disc, parapapillary region, and retinal nerve fiber layer. Characteristic glaucomatous changes of the optic disc, parapapillary region, and retinal nerve fiber layer are discussed and their ophthalmoscopic examination is described. A literature search in the PubMed database was conducted. A systematic step-by-step approach to a qualitative and quantitative ophthalmoscopic evaluation of the optic disc regarding glaucomatous damage is presented. A systematic, clinical, qualitative, and quantitative assessment of the optic disc can be performed with little effort and forms the basis for diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Cervical disc hernia operations through posterior laminoforaminotomy.

PubMed

Yolas, Coskun; Ozdemir, Nuriye Guzin; Okay, Hilmi Onder; Kanat, Ayhan; Senol, Mehmet; Atci, Ibrahim Burak; Yilmaz, Hakan; Coban, Mustafa Kemal; Yuksel, Mehmet Onur; Kahraman, Umit

2016-01-01

The most common used technique for posterolateral cervical disc herniations is anterior approach. However, posterior cervical laminotoforaminomy can provide excellent results in appropriately selected patients with foraminal stenosis in either soft disc prolapse or cervical spondylosis. The purpose of this study was to present the clinical outcomes following posterior laminoforaminotomy in patients with radiculopathy. We retrospectively evaluated 35 patients diagnosed with posterolateral cervical disc herniation and cervical spondylosis with foraminal stenosis causing radiculopathy operated by the posterior cervical keyhole laminoforaminotomy between the years 2010 and 2015. The file records and the radiographic images of the 35 patients were assessed retrospectively. The mean age was 46.4 years (range: 34-66 years). Of the patients, 19 were males and 16 were females. In all of the patients, the neurologic deficit observed was radiculopathy. The posterolaterally localized disc herniations and the osteophytic structures were on the left side in 18 cases and on the right in 17 cases. In 10 of the patients, the disc level was at C5-6, in 18 at C6-7, in 2 at C3-4, in 2 at C4-5, in 1 at C7-T1, in 1 patient at both C5-6 and C6-7, and in 1 at both C4-5 and C5-6. In 14 of these 35 patients, both osteophytic structures and protruded disc herniation were present. Intervertebral foramen stenosis was present in all of the patients with osteophytes. Postoperatively, in 31 patients the complaints were relieved completely and four patients had complaints of neck pain and paresthesia radiating to the arm (the success of operation was 88.5%). On control examinations, there was no finding of instability or cervical kyphosis. Posterior cervical laminoforaminotomy is an alternative appropriate choice in both cervical soft disc herniations and cervical stenosis.

Spiral density waves and vertical circulation in protoplanetary discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riols, A.; Latter, H.

2018-06-01

Spiral density waves dominate several facets of accretion disc dynamics - planet-disc interactions and gravitational instability (GI) most prominently. Though they have been examined thoroughly in two-dimensional simulations, their vertical structures in the non-linear regime are somewhat unexplored. This neglect is unwarranted given that any strong vertical motions associated with these waves could profoundly impact dust dynamics, dust sedimentation, planet formation, and the emissivity of the disc surface. In this paper, we combine linear calculations and shearing box simulations in order to investigate the vertical structure of spiral waves for various polytropic stratifications and wave amplitudes. For sub-adiabatic profiles, we find that spiral waves develop a pair of counter-rotating poloidal rolls. Particularly strong in the non-linear regime, these vortical structures issue from the baroclinicity supported by the background vertical entropy gradient. They are also intimately connected to the disc's g modes which appear to interact non-linearly with the density waves. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the poloidal rolls are ubiquitous in gravitoturbulence, emerging in the vicinity of GI spiral wakes, and potentially transporting grains off the disc mid-plane. Other than hindering sedimentation and planet formation, this phenomena may bear on observations of the disc's scattered infrared luminosity. The vortical features could also impact on the turbulent dynamo operating in young protoplanetary discs subject to GI, or possibly even galactic discs.

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography of Optic Disc Perfusion in Glaucoma

PubMed Central

Jia, Yali; Wei, Eric; Wang, Xiaogang; Zhang, Xinbo; Morrison, John C.; Parikh, Mansi; Lombardi, Lori H.; Gattey, Devin M.; Armour, Rebecca L.; Edmunds, Beth; Kraus, Martin F.; Fujimoto, James G.; Huang, David

2014-01-01

Purpose To compare optic disc perfusion between normal and glaucoma subjects using optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography and detect optic disc perfusion changes in glaucoma. Design Observational, cross-sectional study. Participants Twenty-four normal subjects and 11 glaucoma patients were included. Methods One eye of each subject was scanned by a high-speed 1050 nm wavelength swept-source OCT instrument. The split-spectrum amplitude-decorrelation angiography algorithm (SSADA) was used to compute three-dimensional optic disc angiography. A disc flow index was computed from four registered scans. Confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (cSLO) was used to measure disc rim area, and stereo photography was used to evaluate cup/disc ratios. Wide field OCT scans over the discs were used to measure retinal nerve fiber layer (NFL) thickness. Main Outcome Measurements Variability was assessed by coefficient of variation (CV). Diagnostic accuracy was assessed by sensitivity and specificity. Comparisons between glaucoma and normal groups were analyzed by Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Correlations between disc flow index, structural assessments, and visual field (VF) parameters were assessed by linear regression. Results In normal discs, a dense microvascular network was visible on OCT angiography. This network was visibly attenuated in glaucoma subjects. The intra-visit repeatability, inter-visit reproducibility, and normal population variability of the optic disc flow index were 1.2%, 4.2%, and 5.0% CV respectively. The disc flow index was reduced by 25% in the glaucoma group (p = 0.003). Sensitivity and specificity were both 100% using an optimized cutoff. The flow index was highly correlated with VF pattern standard deviation (R2 = 0.752, p = 0.001). These correlations were significant even after accounting for age, cup/disc area ratio, NFL, and rim area. Conclusions OCT angiography, generated by the new SSADA algorithm, repeatably measures optic disc perfusion. OCT

Formation of neuronal pathways in the imaginal discs of Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Jan, Y N; Ghysen, A; Christoph, I; Barbel, S; Jan, L Y

1985-09-01

We have followed the formation of neuronal pathways in different imaginal discs of Drosophila. The pattern is highly reproducible for a given disc type but distinct for each type of discs: in leg discs, several neurons are present before metamorphosis and provide two major pathways that are joined by later neurons; in the wing and haltere discs, a few pairs of neurons appear after the onset of metamorphosis and pioneer the major pathways; in antenna discs, no pioneers are detected before massive neuronal differentiation begins. The mechanisms used for axonal guidance seem common to all discs, and the differences between discs can be accounted for simply by differences in the arrangement and birth time of pioneer neurons. Different subsets of pioneer neurons are deleted by mutations such as scute and engrailed.

ProDisc-L total disc replacement: a comparison of 1-level versus 2-level arthroplasty patients with a minimum 2-year follow-up.

PubMed

Hannibal, Matthew; Thomas, Derek J; Low, Jeffrey; Hsu, Ken Y; Zucherman, James

2007-10-01

This is a retrospective analysis of data that was collected prospectively from 2 concurrent FDA IDE lumbar arthroplasty clinical trials performed at a single center. To determine if there is a clinical difference between the 1-level ProDisc patients versus the 2-level ProDisc patients at a minimum of 2 years of follow-up. Marnay's work with ProDisc I prompted the U.S. Clinical Trials of the ProDisc II under the direction of the FDA. Disc replacement surgery in the United States has shown promising results for all types of prostheses up to 6 months. Marnay and colleagues showed that their results at 10 years were still promising, and they saw no significant difference between 1-level and multilevel disc replacements. The findings of Ipsen and colleagues suggest that multilevel arthroplasty cases may be less successful than disc replacement at a single level. Patients were part of the FDA clinical trial for the Prodisc II versus circumferential fusion study at a single institution. We identified 27 patients who received ProDisc at 1 level and 32 who received it at 2 levels with at least a 2-year follow-up, for a total of 59 patients. Unpaired t tests were performed on the mean results of Visual Analog Scale, Oswestry Disability Index, SF-36 Healthy Survey Physical Component Summary, and satisfaction using 10-cm line visual scale scores to determine a clinical difference if any between the 2 populations. While patients receiving ProDisc at 2 levels scored marginally lower in all evaluation indexes, score differences in each category were also found to hold no statistical significance. This study was unable to identify a statistically significant difference in outcome between 1- and 2-level ProDisc arthroplasty patients in a cohort from a single center. The equality of clinical effectiveness between 1- and 2-level ProDisc has yet to be determined.

A new visible spectroscopy diagnostic for the JET ITER-like wall main chamber.

PubMed

Maggi, C F; Brezinsek, S; Stamp, M F; Griph, S; Heesterman, P; Hogben, C; Horton, A; Meigs, A; Morlock, C; Studholme, W; Zastrow, K-D

2012-10-01

In preparation for ITER, JET has been upgraded with a new ITER-like wall (ILW), whereby the main plasma facing components, previously of carbon, have been replaced by mainly Be in the main chamber and W in the divertor. As part of the many diagnostic enhancements, a new, survey, visible spectroscopy diagnostic has been installed for the characterization of the ILW. An array of eight lines-of-sight (LOS) view radially one of the two JET neutral beam shine through areas (W coated carbon fibre composite tiles) at the inner wall. In addition, one vertical LOS views the solid W tile at the outer divertor. The light emitted from the plasma is coupled to a series of compact overview spectrometers, with overall wavelength range of 380-960 nm and to one high resolution Echelle overview spectrometer covering the wavelength range 365-720 nm. The new survey diagnostic has been absolutely calibrated in situ by means of a radiometric light source placed inside the JET vessel in front of the whole optical path and operated by remote handling. The diagnostic is operated in every JET discharge, routinely monitoring photon fluxes from intrinsic and extrinsic impurities (e.g., Be, C, W, N, and Ne), molecules (e.g., BeD, D(2), ND) and main chamber and divertor recycling (typically Dα, Dβ, and Dγ). The paper presents a technical description of the diagnostic and first measurements during JET discharges.

Metallicity gradient of the thick disc progenitor at high redshift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawata, Daisuke; Allende Prieto, Carlos; Brook, Chris B.; Casagrande, Luca; Ciucă, Ioana; Gibson, Brad K.; Grand, Robert J. J.; Hayden, Michael R.; Hunt, Jason A. S.

2018-01-01

We have developed a novel Markov Chain Monte Carlo chemical 'painting' technique to explore possible radial and vertical metallicity gradients for the thick disc progenitor. In our analysis, we match an N-body simulation to the data from the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment survey. We assume that the thick disc has a constant scaleheight and has completed its formation at an early epoch, after which time radial mixing of its stars has taken place. Under these assumptions, we find that the initial radial metallicity gradient of the thick disc progenitor should not be negative, but either flat or even positive, to explain the current negative vertical metallicity gradient of the thick disc. Our study suggests that the thick disc was built-up in an inside-out and upside-down fashion, and older, smaller and thicker populations are more metal poor. In this case, star-forming discs at different epochs of the thick disc formation are allowed to have different radial metallicity gradients, including a negative one, which helps to explain a variety of slopes observed in high-redshift disc galaxies. This scenario helps to explain the positive slope of the metallicity-rotation velocity relation observed for the Galactic thick disc. On the other hand, radial mixing flattens the slope of an existing gradient.

Wnt signaling activates Shh signaling in early postnatal intervertebral discs, and re-activates Shh signaling in old discs in the mouse.

PubMed

Winkler, Tamara; Mahoney, Eric J; Sinner, Debora; Wylie, Christopher C; Dahia, Chitra Lekha

2014-01-01

Intervertebral discs (IVDs) are strong fibrocartilaginous joints that connect adjacent vertebrae of the spine. As discs age they become prone to failure, with neurological consequences that are often severe. Surgical repair of discs treats the result of the disease, which affects as many as one in seven people, rather than its cause. An ideal solution would be to repair degenerating discs using the mechanisms of their normal differentiation. However, these mechanisms are poorly understood. Using the mouse as a model, we previously showed that Shh signaling produced by nucleus pulposus cells activates the expression of differentiation markers, and cell proliferation, in the postnatal IVD. In the present study, we show that canonical Wnt signaling is required for the expression of Shh signaling targets in the IVD. We also show that Shh and canonical Wnt signaling pathways are down-regulated in adult IVDs. Furthermore, this down-regulation is reversible, since re-activation of the Wnt or Shh pathways in older discs can re-activate molecular markers of the IVD that are lost with age. These data suggest that biological treatments targeting Wnt and Shh signaling pathways may be feasible as a therapeutic for degenerative disc disease.

DISC1 genetics, biology and psychiatric illness

PubMed Central

THOMSON, Pippa A.; MALAVASI, Elise L.V.; GRÜNEWALD, Ellen; SOARES, Dinesh C.; BORKOWSKA, Malgorzata; MILLAR, J. Kirsty

2012-01-01

Psychiatric disorders are highly heritable, and in many individuals likely arise from the combined effects of genes and the environment. A substantial body of evidence points towards DISC1 being one of the genes that influence risk of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression, and functional studies of DISC1 consequently have the potential to reveal much about the pathways that lead to major mental illness. Here, we review the evidence that DISC1 influences disease risk through effects upon multiple critical pathways in the developing and adult brain. PMID:23550053

Causality and Communication: Relativistic astrophysical jets and the implementation of science communication training in astronomy classes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

Part I: Relativistic jets emitted from the centers of some galaxies (called active galaxies) exhibit many interesting behaviors that are not yet fully understood: acceleration and collimation over vast distances, for instance, and occasional flaring activity. In the first part of my thesis, I examine the possibility of collimation and acceleration of relativistic jets by the pressure of the ambient medium surrounding the jet base. I discuss the differences in predicted jet behavior due to including the effects of a magnetic field threading the jet interior, and I describe the conditions that create some observed jet shapes, such as the "hollow cone" structure seen in M87 and similar jets. I also discuss what happens when the pressure outside of the jet drops so slowly that the jet shocks repeatedly, generating entropy at its boundary. Finally, I examine the spectra of the 40 brightest gamma-ray flares from blazars (active galaxies with jets pointed toward us) recorded by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in its first four years of operation. I develop models to describe the observed behavior of these flares and discuss the physical implications of these models. Part II: The ability to clearly communicate scientific concepts to both peers and the lay public is an important component of being a scientist. Few training programs exist, however, for scientists to obtain these skills. In the second part of my thesis, I examine the impact of two different training efforts for very early-career scientists: first, a short science communication workshop for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) graduate students, and second, science communication training integrated into existing astronomy classes for undergraduate STEM majors and early STEM graduate students. I evaluate whether the students' written communication skills demonstrate measurable improvement after training, and track students' attitudes toward science communication.

Tracing Fast Electron Beams Emanating from the Magnetic Reconnection Site in a Solar Jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, B.; Yu, S.; Battaglia, M.; Krucker, S.

2017-12-01

Fast electron beams propagating in the solar corona can emit radio waves commonly known as type III radio bursts. At decimetric wavelengths, these bursts are emitted from the low corona where flare energy release is thought to take place. As such, decimetric type III radio bursts can serve as an excellent tool to directly trace fast electron beams in the vicinity of the flare energy release site. Here we report observations of decimetric type III bursts during a jet event using the Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) in 1-2 GHz. Taking advantage of VLA's highly sensitive spectral imaging capability with an ultra-high cadence of 50 ms, we derive detailed trajectories of fast electron beams (with a bulk speed of at least 0.3-0.5c, or several tens of keV) and place them in the context of extreme ultraviolet and X-ray images obtained by SDO/AIA and RHESSI. Our results show that the electron beams originated in a region just below the jet and above the lower-lying small-scale flare loops, presumably where the magnetic energy release took place. We show that the electron beams appear in groups, each with a duration of only a few seconds. Each group, consisting of beams propagating along magnetic field lines at different angles, is seen to emanate from a single site trailing the jet, interpreted as the magnetic reconnection null point. Our results suggest, at least for the present case, that the fast electron beams were energized directly at the magnetic reconnection site which was highly inhomogeneous and fragmentary possibly down to kilometer scales.

A Herschel resolved debris disc around HD 105211

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hengst, S.; Marshall, J. P.; Horner, J.; Marsden, S. C.

2017-07-01

Debris discs are the dusty aftermath of planet formation processes around main-sequence stars. Analysis of these discs is often hampered by the absence of any meaningful constraint on the location and spatial extent of the disc around its host star. Multi-wavelength, resolved imaging ameliorates the degeneracies inherent in the modelling process, making such data indispensable in the interpretation of these systems. The Herschel Space Observatory observed HD 105211 (η Cru, HIP 59072) with its Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) instrument in three far-infrared wavebands (70, 100 and 160 μm). Here we combine these data with ancillary photometry spanning optical to far-infrared wavelengths in order to determine the extent of the circumstellar disc. The spectral energy distribution and multi-wavelength resolved emission of the disc are simultaneously modelled using a radiative transfer and imaging codes. Analysis of the Herschel/PACS images reveals the presence of extended structure in all three PACS images. From a radiative transfer model we derive a disc extent of 87.0 ± 2.5 au, with an inclination of 70.7 ± 2.2° to the line of sight and a position angle of 30.1 ± 0.5°. Deconvolution of the Herschel images reveals a potential asymmetry but this remains uncertain as a combined radiative transfer and image analysis replicates both the structure and the emission of the disc using a single axisymmetric annulus.

Human Disc Nucleus Properties and Vertebral Endplate Permeability

PubMed Central

Rodriguez, Azucena G.; Slichter, Chloe K.; Acosta, Frank L.; Rodriguez-Soto, Ana E.; Burghardt, Andrew J.; Majumdar, Sharmila; Lotz, Jeffrey C.

2010-01-01

Study of human cadaveric discs quantifying endplate permeability and porosity and correlating these with measures of disc quality: cell density, proteoglycan content, and overall degeneration. Permeability and porosity increased with age and were not correlated with cell density or overall degeneration, suggesting that endplate calcification may not accelerate disc degeneration. Study Design Experimental quantification of relationships between vertebral endplate morphology, permeability, disc cell density, glycosaminoglycan content and degeneration in samples harvested from human cadaveric spines. Objective To test the hypothesis that variation in endplate permeability and porosity contribute to changes in intervertebral disc cell density and overall degeneration. Summary of Background Data Cells within the intervertebral disc are dependent on diffusive exchange with capillaries in the adjacent vertebral bone. Previous findings suggest that blocked routes of transport negatively affect disc quality, yet there are no quantitative relationships between human vertebral endplate permeability, porosity, cell density and disc degeneration. Such relationships would be valuable for clarifying degeneration risk factors, and patient features that may impede efforts at disc tissue engineering. Methods Fifty-one motion segments were harvested from 13 frozen cadaveric human lumbar spines (32 to 85 years) and classified for degeneration using the MRI-based Pfirrmann scale. A cylindrical core was harvested from the center of each motion segment that included vertebral bony and cartilage endplates along with adjacent nucleus tissue. The endplate mobility, a type of permeability, was measured directly using a custom-made permeameter before and after the cartilage endplate was removed. Cell density within the nucleus tissue was estimated using the picogreen method while the nuclear GAG content was quantified using the DMMB technique. Specimens were imaged at 8 μm resolution using

Human disc degeneration is associated with increased MMP 7 expression.

PubMed

Le Maitre, C L; Freemont, A J; Hoyland, J A

2006-01-01

During intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration, normal matrix synthesis decreases and degradation of disc matrix increases. A number of proteases that are increased during disc degeneration are thought to be involved in its pathogenesis. Matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP 7) (Matrilysin, PUMP-1) is known to cleave the major matrix molecules found within the IVD, i.e., the proteoglycan aggrecan and collagen type II. To date, however, it is not known how its expression changes with degeneration or its exact location. We investigated the localization of MMP 7 in human, histologically graded, nondegenerate, degenerated and prolapsed discs to ascertain whether MMP 7 is up-regulated during disc degeneration. Samples of human IVD tissue were fixed in neutral buffered formalin, embedded in paraffin, and sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin to score the degree of morphological degeneration. Immunohistochemistry was performed to localize MMP 7 in 41 human IVDs with varying degrees of degeneration. We found that the chondrocyte-like cells of the nucleus pulposus and inner annulus fibrosus were MMP 7 immunopositive; little immunopositivity was observed in the outer annulus. Nondegenerate discs showed few immunopositive cells. A significant increase in the proportion of MMP 7 immunopositive cells was seen in the nucleus pulposus of discs classified as showing intermediate levels of degeneration and a further increase was seen in discs with severe degeneration. Prolapsed discs showed more MMP 7 immunopositive cells compared to nondegenerated discs, but fewer than those seen in cases of severe degeneration.

A 1q42 Deletion Involving DISC1, DISC2, and TSNAX in an Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Williams, Jaime M.; Beck, Tyler F.; Pearson, David M.; Proud, Monica B.; Cheung, Sau Wai; Scott, Daryl A.

2010-01-01

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders have impairments in social, communicative, and behavior development that are often accompanied by abnormalities in cognitive functioning, learning, attention, and sensory processing. In this report, we describe a 3-year-old male child with an autism spectrum disorder who carries a 2Mb deletion of chromosome 1q42. Array comparative genome hybridization revealed that this deletion involves at least three genes—DISC1, DISC2, and TSNAX—which have been found to be associated with neuropsychiatric disorders and are likely to play key roles in normal CNS development. Further studies revealed that the deletion was inherited from his unaffected mother. This suggests that other genetic and/or environmental factors, some of which may be sex specific, may modify the phenotypic effects of this deletion. While this case provides evidence for the potential role of DISC1, DISC2, and TSNAX in the development of autism spectrum disorders, it is equally clear that caution must be taken when providing families with prognostic information and genetic counseling regarding such deletions. PMID:19606485

Linear analysis of the evolution of nearly polar low-mass circumbinary discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubow, Stephen H.; Martin, Rebecca G.

2018-01-01

In a recent paper Martin & Lubow showed through simulations that an initially tilted disc around an eccentric binary can evolve to polar alignment in which the disc lies perpendicular to the binary orbital plane. We apply linear theory to show both analytically and numerically that a nearly polar aligned low-mass circumbinary disc evolves to polar alignment and determine the alignment time-scale. Significant disc evolution towards the polar state around moderately eccentric binaries can occur for typical protostellar disc parameters in less than a typical disc lifetime for binaries with orbital periods of order 100 yr or less. Resonant torques are much less effective at truncating the inner parts of circumbinary polar discs than the inner parts of coplanar discs. For polar discs, they vanish for a binary eccentricity of unity. The results agree with the simulations in showing that discs can evolve to a polar state. Circumbinary planets may then form in such discs and reside on polar orbits.

Differences in the intensity of light-induced fluorescence emitted by resin composites.

PubMed

Kim, Bo-Ra; Kang, Si-Mook; Kim, Gyung-Min; Kim, Baek-Il

2016-03-01

The aims of this study were to compare the intensities of fluorescence emitted by different resin composites as detected using quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) technology, and to compare the fluorescence intensity contrast with the color contrast between a restored composite and the adjacent region of the tooth. Six brands of light-cured resin composites (shade A2) were investigated. The composites were used to prepare composite discs, and fill holes that had been prepared in extracted human teeth. White-light and fluorescence images of all specimens were obtained using a fluorescence camera based on QLF technology (QLF-D) and converted into 8-bit grayscale images. The fluorescence intensity of the discs as well as the fluorescence intensity contrast and the color contrast between the composite restoration and adjacent tooth region were calculated as grayscale levels. The grayscale levels for the composite discs differed significantly with the brand (p<0.001): DenFil (10.84±0.35, mean±SD), Filtek Z350 (58.28±1.37), Premisa (156.94±1.58), Grandio (177.20±0.81), Charisma (207.05±0.77), and Gradia direct posterior (211.52±1.66). The difference in grayscale levels between a resin restoration and the adjacent tooth was significantly greater in fluorescence images for each brand than in white-light images, except for the Filtek Z350 (p<0.05). However, the Filtek Z350 restoration was distinguishable from the adjacent tooth in a fluorescence image. The intensities of fluorescence detected from the resin composites varied. The differences between the composite and adjacent tooth were greater for the fluorescence intensity contrast than for the colors observed in the white-light images. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An opening criterion for dust gaps in protoplanetary discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dipierro, Giovanni; Laibe, Guillaume

2017-08-01

We aim to understand under which conditions a low-mass planet can open a gap in viscous dusty protoplanetary discs. For this purpose, we extend the theory of dust radial drift to include the contribution from the tides of an embedded planet and from the gas viscous forces. From this formalism, we derive (I) a grain-size-dependent criterion for dust gap opening in discs, (II) an estimate of the location of the outer edge of the dust gap and (III) an estimate of the minimum Stokes number above which low-mass planets are able to carve gaps that appear only in the dust disc. These analytical estimates are particularly helpful to appraise the minimum mass of a hypothetical planet carving gaps in discs observed at long wavelengths and high resolution. We validate the theory against 3D smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations of planet-disc interaction in a broad range of dusty protoplanetary discs. We find a remarkable agreement between the theoretical model and the numerical experiments.

PATHOGENESIS OF OPTIC DISC EDEMA IN RAISED INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE

PubMed Central

Hayreh, Sohan Singh

2015-01-01

Optic disc edema in raised intracranial pressure was first described in 1853. Ever since, there has been a plethora of controversial hypotheses to explain its pathogenesis. I have explored the subject comprehensively by doing basic, experimental and clinical studies. My objective was to investigate the fundamentals of the subject, to test the validity of the previous theories, and finally, based on all these studies, to find a logical explanation for the pathogenesis. My studies included the following issues pertinent to the pathogenesis of optic disc edema in raised intracranial pressure: the anatomy and blood supply of the optic nerve, the roles of the sheath of the optic nerve, of the centripetal flow of fluids along the optic nerve, of compression of the central retinal vein, and of acute intracranial hypertension and its associated effects. I found that, contrary to some previous claims, an acute rise of intracranial pressure was not quickly followed by production of optic disc edema. Then, in rhesus monkeys, I produced experimentally chronic intracranial hypertension by slowly increasing in size space-occupying lesions, in different parts of the brain. Those produced raised cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP) and optic disc edema, identical to those seen in patients with elevated CSFP. Having achieved that, I investigated various aspects of optic disc edema by ophthalmoscopy, stereoscopic color fundus photography and fluorescein fundus angiography, and light microscopic, electron microscopic, horseradish peroxidase and axoplasmic transport studies, and evaluated the effect of opening the sheath of the optic nerve on the optic disc edema. This latter study showed that opening the sheath resulted in resolution of optic disc edema on the side of the sheath fenestration, in spite of high intracranial CSFP, proving that a rise of CSFP in the sheath was the essential pre-requisite for the development of optic disc edema. I also investigated optic disc edema with

Hybrid testing of lumbar CHARITE discs versus fusions.

PubMed

Panjabi, Manohar; Malcolmson, George; Teng, Edward; Tominaga, Yasuhiro; Henderson, Gweneth; Serhan, Hassan

2007-04-20

An in vitro human cadaveric biomechanical study. To quantify effects on operated and other levels, including adjacent levels, due to CHARITE disc implantations versus simulated fusions, using follower load and the new hybrid test method in flexion-extension and bilateral torsion. Spinal fusion has been associated with long-term accelerated degeneration at adjacent levels. As opposed to the fusion, artificial discs are designed to preserve motion and diminish the adjacent-level effects. Five fresh human cadaveric lumbar specimens (T12-S1) underwent multidirectional testing in flexion-extension and bilateral torsion with 400 N follower load. Intact specimen total ranges of motion were determined with +/-10 Nm unconstrained pure moments. The intact range of motion was used as input for the hybrid tests of 5 constructs: 1) CHARITE disc at L5-S1; 2) fusion at L5-S1; 3) CHARITE discs at L4-L5 and L5-S1; 4) CHARITE disc at L4-L5 and fusion at L5-S1; and 5) 2-level fusion at L4-L5-S1. Using repeated-measures single factor analysis of variance and Bonferroni statistical tests (P < 0.05), intervertebral motion redistribution of each construct was compared with the intact. In flexion-extension, 1-level CHARITE disc preserved motion at the operated and other levels, while 2-level CHARITE showed some amount of other-level effects. In contrast, 1- and 2-level fusions increased other-level motions (average, 21.0% and 61.9%, respectively). In torsion, both 1- and 2-level discs preserved motions at all levels. The 2-level simulated fusion increased motions at proximal levels (22.9%), while the 1-level fusion produced no significant changes. In general, CHARITE discs preserved operated- and other-level motions. Fusion simulations affected motion redistribution at other levels, including adjacent levels.

Utility of Digital Stereo Images for Optic Disc Evaluation

PubMed Central

Ying, Gui-shuang; Pearson, Denise J.; Bansal, Mayank; Puri, Manika; Miller, Eydie; Alexander, Judith; Piltz-Seymour, Jody; Nyberg, William; Maguire, Maureen G.; Eledath, Jayan; Sawhney, Harpreet

2010-01-01

Purpose. To assess the suitability of digital stereo images for optic disc evaluations in glaucoma. Methods. Stereo color optic disc images in both digital and 35-mm slide film formats were acquired contemporaneously from 29 subjects with various cup-to-disc ratios (range, 0.26–0.76; median, 0.475). Using a grading scale designed to assess image quality, the ease of visualizing optic disc features important for glaucoma diagnosis, and the comparative diameters of the optic disc cup, experienced observers separately compared the primary digital stereo images to each subject's 35-mm slides, to scanned images of the same 35-mm slides, and to grayscale conversions of the digital images. Statistical analysis accounted for multiple gradings and comparisons and also assessed image formats under monoscopic viewing. Results. Overall, the quality of primary digital color images was judged superior to that of 35-mm slides (P < 0.001), including improved stereo (P < 0.001), but the primary digital color images were mostly equivalent to the scanned digitized images of the same slides. Color seemingly added little to grayscale optic disc images, except that peripapillary atrophy was best seen in color (P < 0.0001); both the nerve fiber layer (P < 0.0001) and the paths of blood vessels on the optic disc (P < 0.0001) were best seen in grayscale. The preference for digital over film images was maintained under monoscopic viewing conditions. Conclusions. Digital stereo optic disc images are useful for evaluating the optic disc in glaucoma and allow the application of advanced image processing applications. Grayscale images, by providing luminance distinct from color, may be informative for assessing certain features. PMID:20505199

Magnetic fields in giant planet formation and protoplanetary discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keith, Sarah Louise

2015-12-01

Protoplanetary discs channel accretion onto their host star. How this is achieved is critical to the growth of giant planets which capture their massive gaseous atmosphere from the surrounding flow. Theoretical studies find that an embedded magnetic field could power accretion by hydromagnetic turbulence or torques from a large-scale field. This thesis presents a study of the inuence of magnetic fields in three key aspects of this process: circumplanetary disc accretion, gas flow across gaps in protoplanetary discs, and magnetic-braking in accretion discs. The first study examines the conditions needed for self-consistent accretion driven by magnetic fields or gravitational instability. Models of these discs typically rely on hydromagnetic turbulence as the source of effective viscosity. However, magnetically coupled,accreting regions may be so limited that the disc may not support sufficient inflow. An improved Shakura-Sunyaev ? disc is used to calculate the ionisation fraction and strength of non-ideal effects. Steady magnetically-driven accretion is limited to the thermally ionised, inner disc so that accretion in the remainder of the disc is time-dependent. The second study addresses magnetic flux transport in an accretion gap evacuated by a giant planet. Assuming the field is passively drawn along with the gas, the hydrodynamical simulation of Tanigawa, Ohtsuki & Machida (2012) is used for an a posteriori analysis of the gap field structure. This is used to post-calculate magnetohydrodynamical quantities. This assumption is self-consistent as magnetic forces are found to be weak, and good magnetic coupling ensures the field is frozen into the gas. Hall drift dominates across much of the gap, with the potential to facilitate turbulence and modify the toroidal field according to the global field orientation. The third study considers the structure and stability of magnetically-braked accretion discs. Strong evidence for MRI dead-zones has renewed interest in

Biological intervertebral disc replacement: an in vivo model and comparison of two surgical techniques to approach the rat caudal disc

PubMed Central

Gebhard, Harry; James, Andrew R.; Bowles, Robby D.; Dyke, Jonathan P.; Saleh, Tatianna; Doty, Stephen P.; Bonassar, Lawrence J.; Härtl, Roger