• Volume 37, Issue 3

September 2016

• Photometric Analysis and Period Investigation of the EW Type Eclipsing Binary V441 Lac

Four color light curves of the EW type eclipsing binary V441Lac were presented and analyzed by the W--D code. It is found that V441Lac is an extremely low mass ratio $(q = 0.093 \pm 0.001)$ semi-detached binary with the less massive secondary component filling the inner Roche lobe. Two dark spots on the primary component were introduced to explain the asymmetric light curves. By analyzing all times of light minimum, we determined that the orbital period of V441 Lac is continuously increasing at a rate of ${\rm d}P/{\rm d}t = 5.874(\pm 0.007)\times 10^{--7} {\rm d yr}^{--1}$. The semidetached Algol type configuration of V441 Lac is possibly formed by a contact configuration destroyed shallow contact binary due to mass transfer from the less massive component to the more massive one predicted by the thermal relaxation oscillation theory.

• Possible Effect of the Earth’s Inertial Induction on the Orbital Decay of LAGEOS

The theory of velocity dependent inertial induction, based upon extended Mach's principle, has been able to generate many interesting results related to celestial mechanics and cosmological problems. Because of the extremely minute magnitude of the effect its presence can be detected through the motion of accurately observed bodies like Earth satellites. LAGEOS I and II are medium altitude satellites with nearly circular orbits. The motions of these satellites are accurately recorded and the past data of a few decades help to test many theories including the general theory of relativity. Therefore, it is hoped that the effect of the Earth's inertial induction can have any detectable effect on the motion of these satellites. It is established that the semi-major axis of LAGEOS I is decreasing at the rate of 1.3 mm/d. As the atmospheric drag is negligible at that altitude, a proper explanation of the secular change has been wanting, and, therefore, this paper examines the effect of the Earth's inertial induction effect on LAGEOS I. Past researches have established that Yarkovsky thermal drag, charged and neutral particle drag might be the possible mechanisms for this orbital decay. Inertial induction is found to generate a perturbing force that results in 0.33 mm/d decay of the semi-major axis. Some other changes are also predicted and the phenomenon also helps to explain the observed changes in the orbits of a few other satellites. The results indicate the feasibility of the theory of inertial induction i.e. the dynamic gravitation phenomenon of the Earth on its satellites as a possible partial cause for orbital decay.

• First Hα and Revised Photometric Studies of Contact Binary KP101231

This paper reports the first spectroscopic observations in the $\rm{H}\alpha$ region at different orbital phases and the revised photometric solutions, for the contact binary KP101231 (V1) in the direction of the open cluster Praesepe. The photometric solutions obtained for the data in V and R passbands using the Wilson--Devinney (WD) method suggest that both components were in good thermal contact. The equivalent widths (EW) of ${\rm H}\alpha$ and Na lines were studied at various phases and a filled-in absorption profile around phase 0.58--0.68 was observed and compared with other phases. A correlation was observed between the profiles of ${\rm H}\alpha$ and Na lines at various phases.

• Non-uniform Solar Temperature Field on Large Aperture, Fully-Steerable Telescope Structure

In this study, a 110-m fully steerable radio telescope was used as an analysis platform and the integral parametric finite element model of the antenna structure was built in the ANSYS thermal analysis module. The boundary conditions of periodic air temperature, solar radiation, long-wave radiation shadows of the surrounding environment, etc. were computed at 30 min intervals under a cloudless sky on a summer day, i.e., worst case climate conditions. The transient structural temperatures were then analyzed under a period of several days of sunshine with a rational initial structural temperature distribution until the whole set of structural temperatures converged to the results obtained the day before. The nonuniform temperature field distribution of the entire structure and the main reflector surface RMS were acquired according to changes in pitch and azimuth angle over the observation period. Variations in the solar cooker effect over time and spatial distributions in the secondary reflector were observed to elucidate the mechanism of the effect. The results presented here not only provide valuable real time data for the design, construction, sensor arrangement and thermal deformation control of actuators but also provide a troubleshooting reference for existing actuators.

• Inverse Compton Gamma Rays from Dark Matter Annihilation in the Dwarf Galaxies

Dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxies are thought to be good candidates for dark matter search due to their high mass-to-light (M/L) ratio. One of the most favored dark matter candidates is the lightest neutralino(neutral $\chi$ particle) as predicted in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). In this study, we model the gamma ray emission from dark matter annihilation coming from the nearby dSph galaxies Draco, Segue 1, Ursa Minor and Willman 1, taking into account the contribution from prompt photons and photons produced from inverse Compton scattering off starlight and Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) photons by the energetic electrons and positrons from dark matter annihilation. We also compute the energy spectra of electrons and positrons from the decay of dark matter annihilation products. Gamma ray spectra and fluxes for both prompt and inverse Compton emission have been calculated for neutralino annihilation over a range of masses and found to be in agreement with the observed data. It has been found that the ultra faint dSph galaxy Segue 1 gives the largest gamma ray flux limits while the lowest gamma ray flux limits has been obtained from Ursa Minor. It is seen that for larger M/L ratio of dwarf galaxies the intensity pattern originating from $e^+e^−-$ pairs scattering off CMB photons is separated by larger amount from that off the starlight photons for the same neutralino mass. As the $e^+e^−-$ energy spectra have an exponential cut off at high energies, this may allow to discriminate some dark matter scenarios from other astrophysical sources. Finally, some more detailed study about the effect of inverse Compton scattering may help constrain the dark matter signature in the dSph galaxies.

• Hawking Radiation of Mass Generating Particles from Dyonic Reissner–Nordström Black Hole

The Hawking radiation is considered as a quantum tunneling process, which can be studied in the framework of the Hamilton--Jacobi method. In this study, we present the wave equation for a mass generating massive and charged scalar particle (boson). In sequel, we analyse the quantum tunneling of these bosons from a generic 4-dimensional spherically symmetric black hole. We apply the Hamilton--Jacobi formalism to derive the radial integral solution for the classically forbidden action which leads to the tunneling probability. To support our arguments, we take the dyonic Reissner--Nordström black hole as a test background. Comparing the tunneling probability obtained with the Boltzmann formula, we succeed in reading the standard Hawking temperature of the dyonic Reissner–Nordström black hole.

• Velocity Distributions of Runaway Stars Produced by Supernovae in the Galaxy

Using a method of population synthesis, we investigate the runaway stars produced by disrupted binaries via asymmetric core collapse supernova explosions (CC-RASs) and thermonuclear supernova explosions (TN-RASs). We find the velocities of CC-RASs in the range of about 30--100 km s$^{−1}$. The runaway stars observed in the galaxy are possibly CC-RASs. Due to differences in stellar chemical components and structures, TN-RASs are divided into hydrogen-rich TN-RASs and helium-rich TN-RASs. The velocities of the former are about 100–500 km s$^{−1}$, while the velocities of the latter are mainly between 600 and 1100 km s$^{−1}$. The hypervelocity stars observed in the galaxy may originate from thermonuclear supernova explosions. Our results possibly cover the US 708 which is a compact helium star and travels with a velocity of 1157$\pm$53 km s$^{−1}$ in our galaxy.

• Effect of Hall Current and Finite Larmor Radius Corrections on Thermal Instability of Radiative Plasma for Star Formation in Interstellar Medium (ISM)

The effects of finite ion Larmor radius (FLR) corrections, Hall current and radiative heat--loss function on the thermal instability of an infinite homogeneous, viscous plasma incorporating the effects of finite electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity and permeability for star formation in interstellar medium have been investigated. A general dispersion relation is derived using the normal mode analysis method with the help of relevant linearized perturbation equations of the problem. The wave propagation is discussed for longitudinal and transverse directions to the external magnetic field and the conditions of modified thermal instabilities and stabilities are discussed in different cases. We find that the thermal instability criterion gets modified into radiative instability criterion. The finite electrical resistivity removes the effect of magnetic field and the viscosity of the medium removes the effect of FLR from the condition of radiative instability. The Hall parameter affects only the longitudinal mode of propagation and it has no effect on the transverse mode of propagation. Numerical calculation shows stabilizing effect of viscosity, heat--loss function and FLR corrections, and destabilizing effect of finite resistivity and permeability on the thermal instability. The outcome of the problem discussed the formation of star in the interstellar medium.

• A Road Map for the Generation of a Near-Infrared Guide Star Catalog for Thirty Meter Telescope Observations

The near-infrared instruments in the upcoming Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) will be assisted by a multi conjugate Adaptive Optics (AO) system. For the efficient operation of the AO system, during observations, a near-infrared guide star catalog which goes as faint as 22 mag in ${\rm J}_{{\rm Vega}}$ band is essential and such a catalog does not exist. A methodology, based on stellar atmospheric models, to compute the expected near-infrared magnitudes of stellar sources from their optical magnitudes is developed. The method is applied and validated in JHKs bands for a magnitude range of ${\rm J}_{\rm{Vega}}$ 16--22 mag. The methodology is also applied and validated using the reference catalog of PAN STARRS. We verified that the properties of the final PAN STARRS optical catalog will satisfy the requirements of TMT IRGSC and will be one of the potential sources for the generation of the final catalog. In a broader context, this methodology is applicable for the generation of a guide star catalog for any existing/upcoming near-infrared telescopes.

• # Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy

Volume 41, 2020
All articles
Continuous Article Publishing mode

• # Continuous Article Publication

Posted on January 27, 2016

Since January 2016, the Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy has moved to Continuous Article Publishing (CAP) mode. This means that each accepted article is being published immediately online with DOI and article citation ID with starting page number 1. Articles are also visible in Web of Science immediately. All these have helped shorten the publication time and have improved the visibility of the articles.

• # Editorial Note on Continuous Article Publication

Posted on July 25, 2019