118732268
DIRECTLY IMAGING TIDALLY POWERED MIGRATING JUPITERS
Upcoming direct-imaging experiments may detect a new class of long-period, highly luminous, tidally powered extrasolar gas giants. Even though they are hosted by {approx} Gyr-'old' main-sequence stars, they can be as 'hot' as young Jupiters at {approx}100 Myr, the prime targets of direct-imaging surveys. They are on years-long orbits and presently migrating to 'feed' the 'hot Jupiters'. They are expected from 'high-e' migration mechanisms, in which Jupiters are excited to highly eccentric orbits and then shrink semimajor axis by a factor of {approx}10-100 due to tidal dissipation at close periastron passages. The dissipated orbital energy is converted to heat, and if it is deposited deep enough into the atmosphere, the planet likely radiates steadily at luminosity L {approx} 100-1000 L{sub Jup}(2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -7}-2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -6} L{sub Sun }) during a typical {approx} Gyr migration timescale. Their large orbital separations and expected high planet-to-star flux ratios in IR make them potentially accessible to high-contrast imaging instruments on 10 m class telescopes. {approx}10 such planets are expected to exist around FGK dwarfs within {approx}50 pc. Long-period radial velocity planets are viable candidates, and the highly eccentric planet HD 20782b at maximum angular separation {approx}0.''08 is a promising candidate. Directly imagingmore » these tidally powered Jupiters would enable a direct test of high-e migration mechanisms. Once detected, the luminosity would provide a direct measurement of the migration rate, and together with mass (and possibly radius) estimate, they would serve as a laboratory to study planetary spectral formation and tidal physics.« less
20954769
MOA-2009-BLG-387Lb: A massive planet orbiting an M dwarf
Aims. We report the discovery of a planet with a high planet-to-star mass ratio in the microlensing event MOA-2009-BLG-387, which exhibited pronounced deviations over a 12-day interval, one of the longest for any planetary event. The host is an M dwarf, with a mass in the range 0.07 M_⊙ < M_(host) < 0.49 M_⊙ at 90% confidence. The planet-star mass ratio q = 0.0132 ± 0.003 has been measured extremely well, so at the best-estimated host mass, the planet mass is m_p = 2.6 Jupiter masses for the median host mass, M = 0.19 M_⊙. Methods. The host mass is determined from two “higher order” microlensing parameters. One of these, the angular Einstein radius θ_E = 0.31 ± 0.03 mas has been accurately measured, but the other (the microlens parallax πE, which is due to the Earth’s orbital motion) is highly degenerate with the orbital motion of the planet. We statistically resolve the degeneracy between Earth and planet orbital effects by imposing priors from a Galactic model that specifies the positions and velocities of lenses and sources and a Kepler model of orbits. Results. The 90% confidence intervals for the distance, semi-major axis, and period of the planet are 3.5 kpc < D_L < 7.9 kpc, 1.1 AU < a < 2.7 AU, and 3.8 yr < P < 7.6 yr, respectively.
119233296
THE STATISTICS OF MULTI-PLANET SYSTEMS
We describe statistical methods for measuring the exoplanet multiplicity function (the fraction of host stars containing a given number of planets) and inclination distribution from transit and radial-velocity (RV) surveys. The analysis is based on the approximation of separability-that the distribution of planetary parameters in an n-planet system is the product of identical 1-planet distributions. We review the evidence that separability is a valid approximation for exoplanets and conclude that it captures many, but not all, of the known characteristics of multi-planet systems. We show how to relate the observable multiplicity function in surveys with similar host-star populations but different sensitivities. We also show how to correct for geometrical selection effects to derive the multiplicity function from transit surveys if the distribution of relative inclinations is known. Applying these tools to the Kepler transit survey and to RV surveys, we find that (1) the Kepler data alone do not constrain the mean inclination of multi-planet systems; even spherical distributions are allowed by the data but only if a small fraction of host stars contain large planet populations ({approx}> 30); (2) comparing the Kepler and RV surveys shows that the mean inclination of multi-planet systems is less than 5 Degree-Sign ;more » and (3) the multiplicity function of the Kepler planets is not well determined by the present data.« less
119257545
Head-on Collisions of White Dwarfs in Triple Systems Could Explain Type Ia Supernovae
Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), thermonuclear explosions of carbon-oxygen white dwarfs (CO-WDs), are currently the best cosmological "standard candles," but the triggering mechanism of the explosion is unknown. It was recently shown that the rate of head-on collisions of typical field CO-WDs in triple systems may be comparable to the SNe Ia rate. Here we provide evidence supporting a scenario in which the majority of SNe Ia are the result of such head-on collisions of CO-WDs. In this case, the nuclear detonation is due to a well understood shock ignition, devoid of commonly introduced free parameters such as the deflagration velocity or transition to detonation criteria. By using two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations with a fully resolved ignition process, we show that zero-impact-parameter collisions of typical CO-WDs with masses 0.5-1 M ☉ result in explosions that synthesize 56Ni masses in the range of ~0.1-1 M ☉, spanning the wide distribution of yields observed for the majority of SNe Ia. All collision models yield the same late-time ( 60 days since explosion) bolometric light curve when normalized by 56Ni masses (to better than 30%), in agreement with observations. The calculated widths of the 56Ni-mass-weighted line-of-sight velocity distributions are correlated with the calculated 56Ni yield, agreeing with the observed correlation. The strong correlation, shown here for the first time, between 56Ni yield and total mass of the colliding CO-WDs (insensitive to their mass ratio), is suggestive as the source for the continuous distribution of observed SN Ia features, possibly including the Philips relation.
118316787
An exact integral relation between the Ni56 mass and the bolometric light curve of a type Ia supernova
An exact relation between the Ni56 mass and the bolometric light curve of a type Ia supernova can be derived as follows, using the following excellent approximations: 1. the emission is powered solely by Ni56-> Co56 ->Fe56; 2. each mass element propagates at a non-relativistic velocity which is constant in time (free coasting); and 3. the internal energy is dominated by radiation. Under these approximations, the energy E(t) carried by radiation in the ejecta satisfies: dE/dt=-E(t)/t-L(t)+Q(t), where Q(t) is the deposition of energy by the decay which is precisely known and L(t) is the bolometric luminosity. By multiplying this equation by time and integrating over time we find: E(t)*t=\int_0^t Q(t')t'dt' -\int_0^t L(t')t'dt'. At late time, t>> t_peak, the energy inside the ejecta decreases rapidly due to its escape, and thus we have \int_0^t Q(t')t'dt'=\int_0^t L(t')t'dt'. This relation is correct regardless of the opacities, density distribution or Ni56 deposition distribution in the ejecta and is very different from "Arnett's rule", L_peak ~ Q(t_peak). By comparing \int_0^t Q(t')t'dt' with \int_0^t L(t')t'dt' at t~40 day after the explosion, the mass of Ni56 can be found directly from UV, optical and infrared observations with modest corrections due to the unobserved gamma-rays and due to the small residual energy in the ejecta, E(t)*t>0.
119112522
Type Ia supernovae with bimodal explosions are common – possible smoking gun for direct collisions of white dwarfs
We discover clear doubly-peaked line profiles in 3 out of ~20 type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) with high-quality nebular-phase spectra. The profiles are consistently present in three well-separated Co/Fe emission features. The two peaks are respectively blue-shifted and red-shifted relative to the host galaxies and are separated by ~5000 km/s. The doubly-peaked profiles directly reflect a bi-modal velocity distribution of the radioactive Ni56 in the ejecta that powers the emission of these SNe. Due to their random orientations, only a fraction of SNe with intrinsically bi-modal velocity distributions will appear as doubly-peaked spectra. Therefore SNe with intrinsic bi-modality are likely common, especially among the SNe in the low-luminosity part on the Philips relation (\Delta m15(B) >~ 1.3; ~40% of all SNe Ia). Such bi-modality is naturally expected from direct collisions of white dwarfs (WDs) due to the detonation of both WDs and is demonstrated in a 3D 0.64 M_Sun-0.64 M_Sun WD collision simulation. In the future, with a large sample of nebular spectra and a comprehensive set of numerical simulations, the collision model can be unambiguously tested as the primary channel for type Ia SNe, and the distribution of nebular line profiles will either be a smoking gun or rule it out.
118042719
Levinson's Theorem for the Schrödinger Equation in One Dimension
Levinson's theorem for the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation with asymmetric potential which decays at infinity faster thanx−2 is established by theSturm-Liouville theorem. The critical case where the Schrödinger equation hasa finite zero-energy solution is also analyzed. It is demonstrated that the numberof bound states with even (odd) parityn+(n−) is related to the phase shift η+ (0)[η− (0)] of the scattering states with the same parity at zero momentum as η+ (0)+ π/2 =n+ π and η− (0) =n− πfor the noncritical case, and η+ (0) =n+ π andη− (0) − π/2 =n− π for the critical case.
116297185
Quantum Monodromy in the Spectrum of Schrödinger Equation with a Decatic Potential
In this study the spectral problem of the two-dimensional Schrödinger equation with the cylindrically symmetrical decatic potential is carried out. The concept of quantum monodromy is introduced to give insight into the energy levels of system with this potential. It is shown that quantum monodromy occurs at ρ = 0 in the distribution of eigenstates around a critical point on the spectrum at E = 0 with zero angular momentum, such that there can be no smoothly valid assignment of quantum number. Cases with the three-well and four-well potentials are presented to give rise to the double degeneracies with respect to energy except for the angular momentum m = 0.
117217126
Quantum Spectrum of Some Anharmonic Central Potentials: Wave Functions Ansatz
Based on the ansatz to the wave functions, the quasi-exact solutions of the 2D Schrödinger equation with some anharmonic potentials are reviewed and analyzed if admitting restrictions on the parameters of the potential and the angular momentum m. These potentials are taken as the screened Coulomb potential V(r)=a/r+b/(r+λ), the singular one-fraction power one V(r)=ar−1/2+br−3/2 and the singular two-fraction one V(r)=ar2/3+br−2/3+cr−4/3. The latter one is found that the hidden symmetry exists if substituting r→−ir. It will reverse the signs of E and c of quantum system, leaving the remaining parameters invariant.
120386072
AN ALGEBRAIC APPROACH TO A HARMONIC OSCILLATOR PLUS AN INVERSE SQUARE POTENTIAL IN TWO DIMENSIONS
The exact solutions of the Schrodinger equation with a harmonic oscillator plus an inverse square potential are obtained in two dimensions. We construct the ladder operators directly from the radial wave functions and find that these operators satisfy the commutation relations of an SU(1, 1) group. We obtain the explicit expressions of the matrix elements for some related functions ρ and with ρ = r2. We also explore another symmetry between the eigenvalues E(r) and E(ir) by substituting r→ir.
119387624
The Dirac equation with a Coulomb potential in D dimensions
The Dirac equation is generalized to D + 1 spacetime case. The radial equations of this quantum system are obtained and solved exactly by the Tricomi equation approach. The energy levels E(n, l, D) are analytically presented. The dependences of the energy E(n, l, D) on the dimension D are also analysed. It is shown that the energy E(n, l, D)(l ? 0) is almost independent of the quantum number l, while E(n, 0, D) first decreases and then increases as the dimension D increases. Unexpectedly, there is an absence of bound states for this quantum system with the special case D = 1, which is explained in some detail from the fact that the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions do not exist for D = 1.