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J. E. Horvath

Publications and source records attributed to J. E. Horvath.

119 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
arXiv1997

Glitches, torque evolution and the dynamics of young pulsars

The Crab pulsar has suffered in 1975 and 1989 two glitches in which the frequency did not relaxed to the extrapolated pre-glitch value but rather spun up showing long-term changes in the frequency derivative dot Omega. This particular behaviour has been interpreted as evidence for an evolution of the torque acting upon the star. A variable torque may be related to non-canonical braking indexes, for which some determinations have been possible. We briefly analyse in this work the consistency of postulating a growth in the angle between the magnetic moment and the rotation axis as the cause of such events. We show that this hypothesis leads to the determination of the initial period, initial and present angles, according to the assumed angle growth, for young pulsars whose respective braking indices n_{obs} and jerk parameters m_{obs} are known, and some insights on the equation of state.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1996

Equilibrium configurations for quark-diquark stars and the problem of Her X-1 mass

We report new calculations of the physical properties of a quark-diquark plasma. A vacuum contribution is taken into account and is responsible for the appearance of a stable state at zero pressure and at a baryon density of about 2.2 times the nuclear matter density in this model. The resulting equation of state was used to integrate numerically the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations. The mass-radius relationship has been derived from a series of equilibrium configurations constituted by a mixture of quarks and diquarks. These stellar models, which are representative of a whole class, may be helpful to understand the possible compactness of the X-ray source Her X-1 and related objects.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1995

The role of thermal instabilities on the theoretical mass function of MACHOs

We analyze the primordial protogalactic gas to investigate the role of thermal instabilities in the formation of condensations that could contribute to the MACHO mass function. We find that the previrialized protogalaxy could have undergone a thermally unstable regime which defines a peak in mass condensations starting around $0.1 \, M_{\odot}$ after being reprocessed by the environment which may be identified as giving origin to the MACHOs. Effects of magnetic fields on this instability-driven MACHOs scenario are also addressed.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1995

The Helium-Core Mass at the Helium Flash in Low-Mass Red Giant Stars: Observations and Theory

The method developed by Raffelt (1990a,b,c) to estimate a possible increase in the standard values of the helium-core mass at the tip of the red giant branch, $\Mc$, from properties of the color-magnitude diagrams of Galactic globular clusters is employed. In the present study, we revise and update Raffelt's database, including also constraints from RR Lyrae pulsation, and find that a small increase, by $Δ\Mc \approx 0.01\pm 0.015 \Msun$, cannot be ruled out with the present data and evolutionary models. Our new upper limits on $Δ\Mc$ are less restrictive than those previously obtained by Raffelt, as are the corresponding constraints on novel astroparticle phenomena which may affect the evolution of low-mass red giants. Within the estimated uncertainties, however, the standard values of $\Mc$ may also be acceptable. Raffelt's method does not rule out a low envelope helium abundance in globular cluster giants, though again the standard values are compatible with the available constraints. The influence of a non-solar ratio for the $α$-capture elements upon these results is also investigated. In addition, we review several aspects of the input physics employed in red giant stellar evolutionary calculations, with the purpose of evaluating possible sources of uncertainty in the value of the helium-core mass at the helium flash that is obtained from evolutionary computations, such as: heat conduction by electrons in the degenerate core; Coulomb effects upon the Equation of State; triple-$α$ reaction rates and screening factors; neutrino emission rates, both standard and enhanced by a possible non-zero magnetic moment; stellar rotation; microscopic element diffusion; and energy losses by axions and Weakly Interacting Massive Particles.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1995

Detectability of gravitational wave bursts from a class of neutron star starquake GRB models

A large class of gamma-ray burst (GRB) models (overwhelming until recently) involve the release of energy in a neutron star quake. Even though the extreme isotropy of the GRB sky established by the BATSE experiment has now shifted the interest to cosmological models, the former starquake scenarios are still attractive and may naturally produce a gravitational wave burst that carries most of the released energy. We discuss the prospects for detection of these high-frequency bursts by the forthcoming interferometers and spheroidal antennas, emphasizing the most recent results on the distribution and nature of GRB sources. We find that, even if the overall picture is correct, the positive detection of GRB-associated gravitational wave bursts is unlikely and therefore these events will not be a prime target for the detectors.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1995

Deformation of Rapidly Rotating Compact Stars

We have developed a numerical code to study the deformation ($\varepsilon = (I_{zz}-I_{xx})/I_{zz}$, where $I_{ii}$ are the moments of inertia) of neutron stars in rapidly rotation in a fully general relativistic calculation. We have found that the deformation is larger, depending on the angular velocity, than is generally assumed for gravitational wave estimations. Calculations were performed by employing the Bethe-Johnson I EOS (equation of state) and a new set of models by the Frankfurt group including $Λ$ hyperons for several choices of their coupling constants to ordinary nucleons. Possible implications for gravitational wave searches are briefly discussed.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1995

Evidence for a Very Large-Scale Fractal Structure in the Universe from Cobe Measurements

In this work, we analyse the temperature fluctuations of the cosmic microwave background radiation observed by COBE and show that the distribution can be fitted by a fractal distribution with a fractal dimension $ D= 1.43 \pm 0.07 $. This value is in close agreement with the fractal dimension obtained by Coleman and Pietronero (1992) and Luo and Schramm (1992) from galaxy-galaxy and cluster-cluster correlations up to $ \sim 100 h^{-1} Mpc$. The fact that the observed temperature fluctuations correspond to scales much larger than $ 100 h^{-1} Mpc$ and are signatures of the primordial density fluctuations at the recombination layer suggests that the structure of the matter at the early universe was already fractal and thus non-homogeneous on those scales. This result may have important consequences for the theoretical framework that describes the universe.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1994

Gravitational Waves from Wobbling Pulsars

The prospects for detection of gravitational waves from precessing pulsars have been considered by constructing fully relativistic rotating neutron star models and evaluating the expected wave amplitude $h$ from a galactic source. For a "typical" neutron matter equation of state and observed rotation rates, it is shown that moderate wobble angles may render an observable signal from a nearby source once the present generation of interferometric antennas becomes operative.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1993

\bf Combustion Gasdynamics in Proto-Neutron Stars

The possible conversion of neutron matter to strange matter and its relevance to astrophysical problems are discussed. Particular attention is paid to the {\it form} in which this hypothetical burning process should be propagated in dense matter and to the {\it moment} when it should start.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1992

Stable diquark matter ?

Two-quark correlations ({\it diquarks}) may play an important role in hadronic physics, particularly near the deconfinement point. This opens the possibility of a net energy gain by means of a (non-perturbative) quark pairing effect, perheps up to stabilize diquark droplets. We address in this work the possibility of a self-bound, stable state of bulk diquark matter.

hep-ph↗