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At least 361 records · Page 20

PLANET FORMATION IN STELLAR BINARIES. II. OVERCOMING THE FRAGMENTATION BARRIER IN α CENTAURI AND γ CEPHEI-LIKE SYSTEMS

Planet formation in small-separation (∼20 AU) eccentric binaries such as γ Cephei or α Centauri is believed to be adversely affected by the presence of the stellar companion. Strong dynamical excitation of planetesimals by the eccentric companion can result in collisional destruction (rather than growth) of 1-100 km objects, giving rise to the ''fragmentation barrier'' for planet formation. We revise this issue using a novel description of secular dynamics of planetesimals in binaries, which accounts for the gravity of the eccentric, coplanar protoplanetary disk, as well as gas drag. By studying planetesimal collision outcomes, we show, in contrast to many previous studies, that planetesimal growth and subsequent formation of planets (including gas giants) in AU-scale orbits within ∼20 AU separation binaries may be possible, provided that the protoplanetary disks are massive (≳ 10{sup –2} M {sub ☉}) and only weakly eccentric (disk eccentricity ≲ 0.01). These requirements are compatible with both the existence of massive (several M{sub J} ) planets in γ Cep-like systems and the results of recent simulations of gaseous disks in eccentric binaries. Terrestrial and Neptune-like planets can also form in lower-mass disks at small (sub-AU) radii. We find that the fragmentation barrier is less of a problem in eccentric disks that are apsidally aligned with the binary orbit. Alignment gives rise to special locations, where (1) relative planetesimal velocities are low and (2) the timescale of their drag-induced radial drift is long. This causes planetesimal pileup at such locations in the disk and promotes their growth locally, helping to alleviate the timescale problem for core formation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

On the gravitational wave background from black hole binaries after the first LIGO detections

The detection of gravitational waves from the merger of binary black holes by the LIGO Collaboration has opened a new window to astrophysics. With the sensitivities of ground based detectors in the coming years, we will principally detect local binary black hole mergers. The integrated merger rate can instead be probed by the gravitational-wave background, the incoherent superposition of the released energy in gravitational waves during binary-black-hole coalescence. Through that, the properties of the binary black holes can be studied. In this work we show that by measuring the energy density Ω{sub GW} (in units of the cosmic critical density) of the gravitational-wave background, we can search for the rare ∼ 100 M {sub ⊙} massive black holes formed in the Universe. In addition, we can answer how often the least massive BHs of mass ≳ 3 M {sub ⊙} form. Finally, if there are multiple channels for the formation of binary black holes and if any of them predicts a narrow mass range for the black holes, then the total Ω{sub GW} spectrum may have features that with the future Einstein Telescope can be detected.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

LISA Galactic binaries in the Roman Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey

ABSTRACT Short-period Galactic white dwarf binaries detectable by Laser Interferometer Space Antenna are the only guaranteed persistent sources for multimessenger gravitational-wave astronomy. Large-scale surveys in the 2020s present an opportunity to conduct preparatory science campaigns to maximize the science yield from future multimessenger targets. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey will (in its Reference Survey design) image seven fields in the Galactic Bulge approximately 40 000 times each. Although the Reference Survey cadence is optimized for detecting exoplanets via microlensing, it is also capable of detecting short-period white dwarf binaries. In this paper, we present forecasts for the number of detached short-period binaries the Roman Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey will discover and the implications for the design of electromagnetic surveys. Although population models are highly uncertain, we find a high probability that the baseline survey will detect of the order of ∼5 detached white dwarf binaries. The Reference Survey would also have a ${\gtrsim} 20\,{\rm per\,cent}$ chance of detecting several known benchmark white dwarf binaries at the distance of the Galactic Bulge.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

Quantum-accurate spectral neighbor analysis potential models for Ni-Mo binary alloys and fcc metals

In recent years, efficient interatomic potentials approaching the accuracy of density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been developed using rigorous atomic descriptors satisfying strict invariances, for example, for translation, rotation, permutation of homonuclear atoms, among others. In this work, we generalize the spectral neighbor analysis potential (SNAP) model to bcc-fcc binary alloy systems. We demonstrate that machine-learned SNAP models can yield significant improvements even over the well-established high-performing embedded atom method (EAM) and modified EAM potentials for fcc Cu and Ni. We also report on the development of a SNAP model for the fcc Ni-bcc Mo binary system by machine learning a carefully constructed large computed data set of elemental and intermetallic compounds. We demonstrate that this binary Ni-Mo SNAP model can achieve excellent agreement with experiments in the prediction of a Ni-Mo phase diagram as well as near-DFT accuracy in the prediction of many key properties, such as elastic constants, formation energies, melting points, etc., across the entire binary composition range. In contrast, the existing Ni-Mo EAM has significant errors in the prediction of the phase diagram and completely fails in binary compounds. Lastly, this paper provides a systematic model development process for multicomponent alloy systems, including an efficient procedure to optimize the hyperparameters in the model fitting, and paves the way for long-time large-scale simulations of such systems.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Impact of binary interactions on the diffuse supernova neutrino background

Binary interactions, especially mass transfer and mergers, can strongly influence the evolution of massive stars and change their final properties and the occurrence of supernovae. Here, we investigate how binary interactions affect predictions of the diffuse flux of neutrinos. By performing stellar population syntheses including prescriptions for binary interactions, we show that the resulting detection rates of the diffuse supernova neutrino background is enhanced by 15%–20% compared to estimates without binary considerations. A source of significant uncertainty arises due to the presently sparse knowledge of the evolution of rapidly rotating carbon-oxygen cores, especially those created as a result of mergers near the white dwarf to core collapse boundary. As a result, the enhancement effect may be as small as a few percent if the effects of rotation in postmerger systems are neglected, or as large as 75% if trends are extrapolated. Our estimates serve to highlight that binary effects can be important.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Tuning Stoichiometry to Promote Formation of Binary Colloidal Superlattices

The self-assembly of binary nanoparticle superlattices from colloidal mixtures is a promising method for the fabrication of complex colloidal cocrystal structures. However, binary mixtures often form amorphous or metastable phases instead of the thermodynamically stable phase. Here we show that in binary mixtures of differently sized spherical particles, an excess of the smaller component can promote—and, in some cases, may be necessary for—the self-assembly of a binary cocrystal. Using computer simulations, we identify two mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon. First, excess small particles act like plasticizers and enable systems to reach a greater supersaturation before kinetic arrest occurs. Second, they can disfavor competing structures that may interfere with the growth of the target structure. We find the phase behavior of simulated mixtures of nearly hard spheres closely matches published experimental results. We demonstrate the generality of our findings for mixtures of particles of arbitrary shape by presenting a binary mixture of hard shapes that only self-assembles with an excess of the smaller component.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Characterization of Grain‐Size Distribution, Thermal Conductivity, and Gas Diffusivity in Variably Saturated Binary Sand Mixtures

Core Ideas Parameterized models are relevant to applications where different porous media mixtures are used. Models include a grain‐size distribution function to describe bimodal behavior for binary mixtures. Improved model describes observed thermal conductivity–saturation relations for binary mixtures. Combined Buckingham–Penman model used to describe observed gas diffusivity–air content relations. This work is relevant for proper simulation of mixed porous media. Characterization of differently textured porous materials, as well as different volumetric porous media mixtures, in relation to mass and heat transport is vital for many engineering and research applications. Functional relations describing physical (e.g., grain‐size distribution, total porosity), thermal, and gas diffusion properties of porous media and mixtures are necessary to optimize the design of porous systems that involve heat and gas transport processes. However, only a limited number of studies provide characterization of soil physical, thermal, and gas diffusion properties and the functional relationships of these properties under varying soil water contents, especially for soil mixtures, complicating optimization efforts. To better understand how mixing controls the physical, thermal, and gas diffusion properties of porous media, a set of laboratory experiments was performed using five volumetric mixtures of coarse‐ and fine‐grained sand particles. For each mixture, the grain‐size distribution (GSD), thermal conductivity, and gas diffusivity were obtained and parameterized using existing and suggested parametric models. Results show that the extended, two‐region Rosin–Rammler particle‐size distribution model proposed in this study could successfully describe the bimodal behavior of the GSD of binary mixtures. Further, the modified Côté and Konrad thermal conductivity model adequately described the thermal conductivity–water saturation relations observed in different mixtures. The proposed simple soil‐gas diffusivity descriptive model parameterized the upper limit, average, and lower limit behavior in gas diffusivity–air content relations in apparently texture‐invariant gas diffusivity data. Results further show a close analogy between gas diffusivity and thermal conductivity and their variation with saturation across different binary mixtures. Overall, the results of the study provide useful numerical insight into the physical, thermal, and gas transport characteristics of binary mixtures, with wide implications for future engineering and research applications that involve multicomponent porous systems.

Deepagoda, T. K. K. Chamindu↗

Efficient Binary Static Code Data Flow Analysis Using Unsupervised Learning

The ever increasing need to ensure that code is reliably, efficiently and safely constructed has fueled the evolution of popular static binary code analysis tools. In identifying potential coding flaws in binaries, tools such as IDA Pro are used to disassemble the binaries into an opcode/assembly language format in support of manual static code analysis. Because of the highly manual and resource intensive nature involved with analyzing large binaries, the probability of overlooking potential coding irregularities and inefficiencies is quite high. In this paper, a light-weight data, unsupervised data flow methodology is described which uses highly-correlated data flow graph (CDFGs) to identify coding irregularities such that analysis time and required computing resources are minimized. Such analysis accuracy and efficiency gains are achieved by using a combination of graph analysis and unsupervised machine learning techniques which allows an analyst to focus on the most statistically significant flow patterns while performing binary static code analysis.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Exploring Explicit Uncertainty for Binary Analysis (EUBA)

Reverse engineering (RE) analysts struggle to address critical questions about the safety of binary code accurately and promptly, and their supporting program analysis tools are simply wrong sometimes. The analysis tools have to approximate in order to provide any information at all, but this means that they introduce uncertainty into their results. And those uncertainties chain from analysis to analysis. We hypothesize that exposing sources, impacts, and control of uncertainty to human binary analysts will allow the analysts to approach their hardest problems with high-powered analytic techniques that they know when to trust. Combining expertise in binary analysis algorithms, human cognition, uncertainty quantification, verification and validation, and visualization, we pursue research that should benefit binary software analysis efforts across the board. We find a strong analogy between RE and exploratory data analysis (EDA); we begin to characterize sources and types of uncertainty found in practice in RE (both in the process and in supporting analyses); we explore a domain-specific focus on uncertainty in pointer analysis, showing that more precise models do help analysts answer small information flow questions faster and more accurately; and we test a general population with domain-general sudoku problems, showing that adding "knobs" to an analysis does not significantly slow down performance. This document describes our explorations in uncertainty in binary analysis.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

The Evolution of Accreting Binaries: From Brown Dwarfs to Supermassive Black Holes

Circumbinary accretion occurs throughout the universe, from the formation of stars and planets to the aftermath of major galactic mergers. We present an extensive investigation of circumbinary accretion disks, studying circular binaries with mass ratios (q ≡ M 2 /M 1 ) from 0.01 to 1 and at each mass ratio probing the effects of disk thickness and viscosity. We study disks with aspect ratios H/r $\in$ {0.1, 0.05, 0.03} and vary both the magnitude and spatial dependence of viscosity. Although thin accretion disks have previously been found to promote rapid inspirals of equal-mass binaries, we find that gravitational torques become weaker at lower mass ratios and most binaries with 0.01 ≤ q ≤ 0.04 outspiral, which may delay the coalescence of black hole binaries formed from minor mergers and cause high-mass exoplanets to migrate outward. However, in a number of cases, the disks accreting onto binaries with mass ratios ~0.07 fail to develop eccentric modes, leading to extremely rapid inspirals. Variability in black hole accretion correlates with disk eccentricity, and we observe variability above the ~10% level even for mass ratios of 0.01. We demonstrate that the spatial dependence of the viscosity (e.g., α vs. constant ν) significantly affects the degree of preferential accretion onto the secondary, resolving discrepancies between previous studies. Colder circumbinary disks remain eccentric even at q ~ 0.01 and sustain deep, asymmetric cavities.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Direct numerical simulation of single-species and binary-species boundary layers at high pressure

Direct numerical simulations of single-species and binary-species temporal boundary layers at high pressure are performed. The main objective is to investigate flow physics in a binary-species boundary layer at high pressure, with special attention to mass diffusion. The working fluids are nitrogen in the single-species cases, and a mixture of nitrogen and methane in the binary-species cases. An investigation of mean profiles shows that velocity and temperature profiles have steep gradients near the wall, whereas the mass fraction profiles do not have a steep gradient. This result indicates that the similarity law between velocity, temperature and mass fraction does not hold true in the binary-species boundary layer. The comparison of turbulent fluctuations shows that the qualitative characteristics of velocity and temperature are similar to each other. In contrast, profiles of mass fraction fluctuations are largely different from those of velocity and temperature. This result indicates that mass diffusion is not similar to momentum and thermal diffusions in binary-species boundary layers.

Toki, Takahiko↗

A solar-type stellar companion to a deep contact binary in a quadruple system

The four-color (B, V, R{sub c}, I{sub c}) light curves of V776 Cas are presented and analyzed using the Wilson–Devinney method. It is discovered that V776 Cas is an early F-type (F2V) overcontact binary with a very high contact degree (f = 64.6%) and an extremely low-mass ratio (q = 0.130), which indicate that it is at the final evolutionary stage of cool short-period binaries. The mass of the primary and secondary stars are calculated to be M{sub 1} = 1.55(±0.04) M{sub ⊙}, M{sub 2} = 0.20(±0.01) M{sub ⊙}. V776 Cas is supposed to be formed from an initially detached binary system via the loss of angular momentum due to the magnetic wind. The initial masses of the present primary and secondary components are calculated to be M{sub 1i} = 0.86(±0.10) M{sub ⊙} and M{sub 2i} = 2.13(±0.04) M{sub ⊙}. The observed–calculated curve exhibits a cyclic period variation, which is due to the light-travel time effect caused by the presence of a third component with a period of 23.7 years. The mass of the third component is estimated to be M{sub 3} = 1.04(±0.03) M{sub ⊙} and the orbital inclination of the third component is calculated to be i′ = 33.°1. The distance of the binary system to the mass center of the triple system is calculated to be a{sub 12}{sup ′} = 3.45 AU. The presence of the close-in tertiary component may play an important role in the formation and evolution of this binary system by drawing angular momentum from the central system.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

FERMI STUDY OF 5–300 GeV EMISSION FROM THE HIGH-MASS PULSAR BINARY PSR B1259-63/LS 2883

We report the results from our detailed analysis of the Fermi Large Area Telescope data for the pulsar binary PSR B1259−63/LS 2883. During the GeV flares that occurred when the pulsar was in the periastron passages, we have detected a 5–300 GeV component at ≃5 σ in emission from the binary. The detection verifies the presence of the component that has been marginally found in previous studies of the binary. Furthermore, we have discovered that this component was marginally present even in the quiescent state of the binary, specifically the mean anomaly phase 0.7–0.9. The component can be described by a power law with a photon index Γ ∼ 1.4, and the flux in the flares is approximately one order of magnitude higher than that in quiescence. We discuss the origin of this component. It likely arises from the inverse-Compton process: due to the interaction between the winds from the pulsar and its massive companion, high-energy particles from the shock scatter the seed photons from the companion to GeV/TeV energies. Based on this scenario, model fits to the broad-band X-ray to TeV spectra of the binary in the flaring and quiescent states are provided.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The role of the Kozai-Lidov mechanism in black hole binary mergers in galactic centers

In order to understand the rate of merger of stellar mass black hole binaries (BHBs) by gravitational wave (GW) emission it is important to determine the major pathways to merger. We use numerical simulations to explore the evolution of BHBs inside the radius of influence of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in galactic centers. In this region, the evolution of binaries is dominated by perturbations from the central SMBH. In particular, as first pointed out by Antonini and Perets, the Kozai–Lidov mechanism trades relative inclination of the BHB to the SMBH for eccentricity of the BHB, and for some orientations can bring the BHB to an eccentricity near unity. At very high eccentricities, GW emission from the BHB can become efficient, causing the members of the BHB to coalesce. We use a novel combination of two N-body codes to follow this evolution. We are required to simulate small systems to follow the behavior accurately. We have completed 400 simulations that range from ∼300 stars around a 10{sup 3} M{sub ⊙} black hole to ∼4500 stars around a 10{sup 4} M{sub ⊙} black hole. These simulations are the first to follow the internal orbit of a binary near an SMBH while also following the changes to its external orbit self-consistently. We find that this mechanism could produce mergers at a maximum rate per volume of ∼100 Gpc{sup −3} yr{sup −1} or considerably less if the inclination oscillations of the binary remain constant as the BHB inclination to the SMBH changes, or if the binary black hole fraction is small.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The NANOGrav nine-year data set: mass and geometric measurements of binary millisecond pulsars

We analyze 24 binary radio pulsars in the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) nine-year data set. We make 14 significant measurements of the Shapiro delay, including new detections in four pulsar-binary systems (PSRs J0613−0200, J2017+0603, J2302+4442, and J2317+1439), and derive estimates of the binary-component masses and orbital inclination for these MSP-binary systems. We find a wide range of binary pulsar masses, with values as low as m{sub p}=1.18{sub −0.09}{sup +0.10} M{sub ⊙} for PSR J1918−0642 and as high as m{sub p}=1.928{sub −0.017}{sup +0.017} M{sub ⊙} for PSR J1614−2230 (both 68.3% credibility). We make an improved measurement of the Shapiro timing delay in the PSR J1918−0642 and J2043+1711 systems, measuring the pulsar mass in the latter system to be m{sub p}=1.41{sub −0.18}{sup +0.21} M{sub ⊙} (68.3% credibility) for the first time. We measure secular variations of one or more orbital elements in many systems, and use these measurements to further constrain our estimates of the pulsar and companion masses whenever possible. In particular, we used the observed Shapiro delay and periastron advance due to relativistic gravity in the PSR J1903+0327 system to derive a pulsar mass of m{sub p}=1.65{sub −0.02}{sup +0.02} M{sub ⊙} (68.3% credibility). We discuss the implications that our mass measurements have on the overall neutron-star mass distribution, and on the “mass/orbital-period” correlation due to extended mass transfer.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A Comprehensive Study of Three Early-type Contact Twin Binaries: CT Tau, GU Mon, and V701 Sco

Three eclipsing binaries, CT Tau, GU Mon, and V701 Sco, are early-type contact binaries with infrared excess from circumbinary matter. We present the multi-color photometry for CT Tau and GU Mon, whose spectral types of B1V are identified by the low-precision spectra. Combining these new light curves (LCs) with previously reported LCs and radial velocity curves, we perform a synthesized analysis to estimate/update the stellar absolute parameters of the three systems. Their mass ratios are close to unity (i.e., q ≃ 1), which indicates that the binary system comprising of twin components may be undergoing a slow Case A mass transfer. From the period analysis, the light–time orbit in the (O - C) curve may result from the third condense companion around the binary system although no evidence could be provided by the third light ℓ {sub 3}. From the spectral energy distribution for three binaries, the excess infrared (IR) emissions are above the photospheric emissions, which can be seen at the 22.1 μm for CT Tau and GU Mon, and 11.6 μm, 14.5 μm, and 22.1 μm for V701 Sco, respectively. This kind of infrared excess for the early-type star may be attributed to the circumbinary matter by stellar wind.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Orbits and Masses of Binaries from Speckle Interferometry at SOAR

We present results from Speckle inteferometric observations of 15 visual binaries and one double-line spectroscopic binary, carried out with the HRCam Speckle camera of the SOAR 4.1 m telescope. These systems were observed as a part of an on-going survey to characterize the binary population in the solar vicinity, out to a distance of 250 pc. We obtained orbital elements and mass sums for our sample of visual binaries. The orbits were computed using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm that delivers maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters, as well as posterior probability density functions that allow us to evaluate their uncertainty. Their periods cover a range from 5 yr to more than 500 yr; and their spectral types go from early A to mid M, implying total system masses from slightly more than 4M{sub ⊙} down to 0.2M {sub ⊙}. They are located at distances between approximately 12 and 200 pc, mostly at low Galactic latitude. For the double-line spectroscopic binary YSC8, we present the first combined astrometric/radial-velocity orbit resulting from a self-consistent fit, leading to individual component masses of 0.897 ± 0.027 M {sub ⊙} and 0.857 ± 0.026 M {sub ⊙}; and an orbital parallax of 26.61 ± 0.29 mas, which compares very well with the Gaia DR2 trigonometric parallax (26.55 ± 0.27 mas). In combination with published photometry and trigonometric parallaxes, we place our objects on an H-R diagram and discuss their evolutionary status. We also present a thorough analysis of the precision and consistency of the photometry available for them.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Comparative Study of TESS Photometry and Radial Velocities on Six Early K-type Contact Binaries with Similar Periods around 0.268 Day

High-precision light curves were extracted from TESScut images. Together with APOGEE and LAMOST medium-resolution spectra, a joint study was made for six early K-type contact binary candidates selected unbiasedly with orbital periods around 0.268 day. It is found that all of them (RV CVn, EK Com, V384 Ser, V1038 Her, EH CVn, and CSS_J125403.7+503945) are W-subtype shallow contact systems, though with different mass ratios (1/q = 0.27–0.62). The effective temperature differences between the binary components are around a few hundred kelvins. The original definitions of the A and W subtypes were compared with the customarily used methods, which rely on the shape or photometric solutions of the light curves. The latter two methods are not always reliable; therefore, the radial velocity analysis is strongly recommended. Through a collection of all available K-type contact binaries with both photometric and spectroscopic measurements, it is found that almost all of them are W-subtype systems, except for a few objects that have nearly identical temperatures for binary components. This W-subtype phenomenon for K-type contact binaries should be further checked with more samples in the future. Finally, the physical parameters of the targets were determined with joint data analysis, and the multiplicity is discussed for these targets. Objects V384 Ser and RV CVn are confirmed to very likely be triple systems from comprehensive analysis, while V1038 Her is a candidate of a triple system based on photometric and spectroscopic solutions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗