arXiv subjects

Victor Liu

Publications and source records attributed to Victor Liu.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Gravitational Wave Modeling of White-Dwarf--Compact-Object Binaries and Observational Outlook

We investigate the end stages of circular white-dwarf--compact-object binaries by developing a novel integrator implementing mass transfer and 2.5-order Post-Newtonian kinematics. White-dwarf--compact-object binaries are subject to two phases: a slow inspiral during which binary evolution is dominated by weak-gravity radiation reaction and a quicker ``outspiral" dominated by mass transfer. These systems have unique gravitational waveforms with several characteristic features including an accumulation of signal near the maximum cutoff frequency set by the transition between in- and outspiral. We investigate trends in gravitational wave parameters based on component masses. In particular, maximum cutoff frequency depends strongly on white dwarf mass and compactness. It is unlikely that extragalactic binaries will be measured by LISA or current or future terrestrial detectors. However, white-dwarf--compact-object binary end stages will be an important source for future decihertz detectors such as DECIGO and LGWA: The final inspiral of tens of white-dwarf--neutron-star binaries will be detected annually by LGWA, and millions of inspirals along with thousands of outspirals will be detected by DECIGO. The ultimate fates of these binaries are diverse and dependent upon the intricacies of angular momentum loss. In particular, we show that white dwarfs with partners of sufficiently low/high mass can end their lives in common envelopes/mergers, while white dwarfs do not enter contact with partners of intermediate mass. The highest frequencies produced by white-dwarf--compact-object binaries in our tests are 10--20 Hz---incapable of mimicking sub-solar-mass compact object signals in terrestrial detectors or explaining S251112cm-like signals.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Metallicity Structure in Galactic Longitude-Velocity Diagrams of the Milky Way Disk and FIRE-2 Simulations

We investigate longitude-velocity ($\ell$-$v$) diagrams as a diagnostic tool to study the metallicity structure of the Milky Way (MW) disk. The present-day metallicity structure encodes the imprint of the Galaxy's formation, assembly, and secular evolution. Using oxygen abundances from HII regions across the MW disk, together with MW-mass galaxies from the Feedback in Realistic Environments (FIRE-2) cosmological simulations, we show that $\ell$-$v$ diagrams trace radial metallicity gradients and non-axisymmetric azimuthal metallicity variations. Because they do not rely on distance measurements, $\ell$-$v$ diagrams complement face-on maps for studying metallicity structure. In the MW, we detect the radial metallicity gradient in $\ell$-$v$ space, but current HII region oxygen abundance errors are too high to reveal azimuthal variations. In the FIRE-2 MW-mass galaxies, the radial gradient is evident in $\ell$-$v$ diagrams regardless of observer location, but anomalous gas kinematics can mimic azimuthal metallicity variations. We term these "anomalous motions", which have an excess local standard of rest (LSR) velocity tail 3 times larger in the FIRE-2 simulations compared to the MW. Our results highlight $\ell$-$v$ diagrams as a largely unexplored tool for probing metallicity structure without requiring distances, and underscore discrepancies between the gas kinematics in the FIRE-2 simulations and those in the MW.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Sound Source Localization for Human-Robot Interaction in Outdoor Environments

This paper presents a sound source localization strategy that relies on a microphone array embedded in an unmanned ground vehicle and an asynchronous close-talking microphone near the operator. A signal coarse alignment strategy is combined with a time-domain acoustic echo cancellation algorithm to estimate a time-frequency ideal ratio mask to isolate the target speech from interferences and environmental noise. This allows selective sound source localization, and provides the robot with the direction of arrival of sound from the active operator, which enables rich interaction in noisy scenarios. Results demonstrate an average angle error of 4 degrees and an accuracy within 5 degrees of 95\% at a signal-to-noise ratio of 1dB, which is significantly superior to the state-of-the-art localization methods.

cs.RO↗

arXiv2023

Detection of Asymmetry in the Narrow Fe K$\alpha$ Emission Line in MCG-5-23-16 with Chandra

Iron K$\alpha$ (Fe K$\alpha$) emission is observed ubiquitously in AGN, and it is a powerful probe of their circumnuclear environment. Examinations of the emission line play a pivotal role in understanding the disk geometry surrounding the black hole. It has been suggested that the torus and the broad line region (BLR) are the origins of emission. However, there is no universal location for the emitting region relative to the BLR. Here, we present an analysis of the narrow component of the Fe K$\alpha$ line in the Seyfert AGN MCG-5-23-16, one of the brightest AGN in X-rays and in Fe K$\alpha$ emission, to localize the emitting region. Spectra derived from Chandra/HETGS observations show asymmetry in the narrow Fe K$\alpha$ line, which has only been confirmed before in the AGN NGC 4151. Models including relativistic Doppler broadening and gravitational redshifts are preferred over simple Gaussians and measure radii consistent with $R \simeq$ 200-650 r$_g$. These results are consistent with those of NGC 4151 and indicate that the narrow Fe K$\alpha$ line in MCG-5-23-16 is primarily excited in the innermost part of the optical broad line region (BLR), or X-ray BLR. Characterizing the properties of the narrow Fe K$\alpha$ line is essential for studying the disk geometries of the AGN population and mapping their innermost regions.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

Topology optimization of freeform large-area metasurfaces

We demonstrate optimization of optical metasurfaces over $10^5$--$10^6$ degrees of freedom in two and three dimensions, 100--1000+ wavelengths ($λ$) in diameter, with 100+ parameters per $λ^2$. In particular, we show how topology optimization, with one degree of freedom per high-resolution "pixel," can be extended to large areas with the help of a locally periodic approximation that was previously only used for a few parameters per $λ^2$. In this way, we can computationally discover completely unexpected metasurface designs for challenging multi-frequency, multi-angle problems, including designs for fully coupled multi-layer structures with arbitrary per-layer patterns. Unlike typical metasurface designs based on subwavelength unit cells, our approach can discover both sub- and supra-wavelength patterns and can obtain both the near and far fields.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2018

Optimizing Floating Locations in Hard Disk Drive by Solving Max-min Optimization

Floating operation is very critical in power management in hard disk drive (HDD), during which no control command is applied to the read/write head but a fixed current to counteract actuator flex bias. External disturbance induced drift of head may result in interference of head and bump on the disk during drifting, leading to consequent scratches and head degradation, which is a severe reliability concern in HDD. This paper proposes a unique systematic methodology to minimize the chances of hitting bump on the disk during drive floating. Essentially, it provides a heuristic solution to a class of max-min optimization problem which achieves desirable trade-off between optimality and computation complexity. Multivariable nonlinear optimization problem of this sort is reduced from NP-hard to an arithmetic problem. Also, worst-case is derived for arbitrary bump locations.

eess.SY↗