Sky localization of complete inspiral-merger-ringdown signals for nonspinning massive black hole binaries

We investigate the capability of LISA to measure the sky position of equal-mass, nonspinning black hole binaries, combining for the first time the entire inspiral-merger-ringdown signal, the effect of the LISA orbits, and the complete three-channel LISA response. We consider an ensemble of systems near the peak of LISA's sensitivity band, with total rest mass of 2\times10^6 M\odot, a redshift of z = 1, and randomly chosen orientations and sky positions. We find median sky localization errors of approximately \sim3 arcminutes. This is comparable to the field of view of powerful electromagnetic telescopes, such as the James Webb Space Telescope, that could be used to search for electromagnetic signals associated with merging massive black holes. We investigate the way in which parameter errors decrease with measurement time, focusing specifically on the additional information provided during the merger-ringdown segment of the signal. We find that this information improves all parameter estimates directly, rather than through diminishing correlations with any subset of well- determined parameters. Although we have employed the baseline LISA design for this study, many of our conclusions regarding the information provided by mergers will be applicable to alternative mission designs as well.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Troubled savings and loan institutions: voluntary restructuring under insolvency

Regulatory agencies are unwilling or unable to close thrift institutions immediately upon insolvency. Instead, they have progressively reduced the thrift capital requirement, refrained from enforcing that requirement, and allowed thrifts to hold more nonmortgage loans in the hope that the industry would recover. According to this study, only 13 percent of the largest 300 firms eventually recovered between the end of 1979 and the end of 1989. When the thrift crisis surfaced in the early 1980s, the firms that ultimately recovered operated in a fashion similar to those that eventually failed. But in the mid-1980s, recovered thrifts pursued a risk-minimizing strategy, while nonrecovered thrifts pursued a risky, high-growth strategy. We find no evidence that managers of unsuccessful firms consumed more perquisites than their successful counterparts.Savings and loan associations

X-ray fluoresced high-Z (up to Z = 82) K-x-rays produced by LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 pyroelectric crystal electron accelerators

High-energy bremsstrahlung and K X-rays were used to produce nearly background-free K X-ray spectra of up to 87 keV (Pb) via X-ray fluorescence. The fluorescing radiation was produced by electron accelerators, consisting of heated and cooled cylindrical LiTaO3 and LiNbO3 crystals at mTorr pressures. The newly discovered process of gas amplification whereby the ambient gas pressure is optimized to maximize the electron energy was used to produce energetic electrons which when incident on a W/Bi target gave rise to a radiation field consisting of high-energy bremsstrahlung as well as W and Bi K X-rays. These photons were used to fluoresce Ta and Pb K X-rays.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, PD

Modeling Creep-Induced Stress Relaxation at the Leading Edge of SiC/SiC Airfoils

Anticipating the implementation of advanced SiC/SiC composites into internally cooled airfoil components within the turbine section of future aero-propulsion engines, the primary objective of this study was to develop physics-based analytical and finite-element modeling tools to predict the effects of composite creep and stress relaxation at the airfoil leading edges, which will generally experience large thermal gradients at high temperatures. A second objective was to examine how some advanced NASA-developed SiC/SiC systems coated with typical EBC materials would behave as leading edge materials in terms of long-term steady-state operating temperatures. Because of the complexities introduced by mechanical stresses inherent in internally cooled airfoils, a simple cylindrical thin-walled tube model subjected to thermal stresses only is employed for the leading edge, thereby obtaining a best-case scenario for the material behavior. In addition, the SiC/SiC composite materials are assumed to behave as isotropic materials with temperature-dependent viscoelastic creep behavior as measured in-plane on thin-walled panels. Key findings include: (1) without mechanical stresses and for typical airfoil geometries, as heat flux is increased through the leading edge, life-limiting tensile crack formation will occur first in the hoop direction on the inside wall of the leading edge; (2) thermal gradients through all current SiC/SiC systems should be kept below approx.300 F at high temperatures to avoid this cracking; (3) at temperatures near the maximum operating temperatures of advanced SiC/SiC systems, thermal stresses induced by the thermal gradients will beneficially relax with time due to creep; (4) although stress relaxation occurs, the maximum gradient should still not exceed 300oF because of residual tensile stress buildup on the airfoil outer wall during cool-down; and (5) without film cooling and mechanical stresses, the NASA-developed N26 SiC/SiC system with thru-thickness Sylramic-iBN fiber reinforcement and a typical EBC coating has the potential of offering a maximum long-term steady-state operating temperature of approx.3100 F at the surface of the EBC

Comparative Statics in Dynamic Programming Models with an Application to Job Search

This paper presents a technique for qualitative comparative statics analysis in dynamic programming models. Let the value function v be the fixed point of a contraction mapping which depends differentially on some exogenous parameter theta. Then the derivative of v with respect to theta exists and is also the fixed point of a contraction mapping. Since this derivative is the fixed point of a contraction mapping its qualitative properties can be investigated using mathematical induction. This comparative statics methodology is illustrated with an application to a model of job search

The Unusual Galactic Center Radio Source N3

Here we report on new, multi-wavelength radio observations of the unusual point source "N3" that appears to be located in the vicinity of the Galactic Center. VLA observations between 2 and 50 GHz reveal that N3 is a compact and bright source (56 mJy at 10 GHz) with a non-thermal spectrum superimposed upon the non-thermal radio filaments (NTFs) of the Radio Arc. Our highest frequency observations place a strict upper limit of 65 x 28 mas on the size of N3. We compare our observations to those of Yusef-Zadeh & Morris (1987) and Lang et al. (1997) and conclude that N3 is variable over long time scales. Additionally, we present the detection of a compact molecular cloud located adjacent to N3 in projection. CH3CN, CH3OH, CS, HC3N, HNCO, SiO, SO, and NH3 are detected in the cloud and most transitions have FWHM line widths of ~20 km/s. The rotational temperature determined from the metastable NH3 transitions ranges from 79 K to 183 K depending on the transitions used. We present evidence that this molecular cloud is interacting with N3. After exploring the relationship between the NTFs, molecular cloud, and N3, we conclude that N3 likely lies within the Galactic Center. We are able to rule out the HII region, young supernova, active star, AGN, and micro-quasar hypotheses for N3. While a micro-blazar may provide a viable explanation for N3, additional observations are needed to determine the physical counterpart of this mysterious source.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal. 19 pages, 11 figure

Twists of Shimura Curves

Consider a Shimura curve $X^D_0(N)$ over the rational numbers. We determine criteria for the twist by an Atkin-Lehner involution to have points over a local field. As a corollary we give a new proof of the theorem of Jordan-Livn\'e on $\mathbf{Q}_p$ points when $p\mid D$ and for the first time give criteria for $\mathbf{Q}_p$ points when $p\mid N$. We also give congruence conditions for roots modulo $p$ of Hilbert class polynomials.Comment: Slight updat