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Gravitational potential

About: Gravitational potential is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 3589 publications have been published within this topic receiving 91059 citations.


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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present new weak lensing observations of 1E0657-558 (z = 0.296), a unique cluster merger, that enable a direct detection of dark matter, independent of assumptions regarding the nature of the gravitational force law.
Abstract: We present new weak lensing observations of 1E0657-558 (z = 0.296), a unique cluster merger, that enable a direct detection of dark matter, independent of assumptions regarding the nature of the gravitational force law. Due to the collision of two clusters, the dissipationless stellar component and the fluid-like X-ray emitting plasma are spatially segregated. By using both wide-field ground based images and HST/ACS images of the cluster cores, we create gravitational lensing maps which show that the gravitational potential does not trace the plasma distribution, the dominant baryonic mass component, but rather approximately traces the distribution of galaxies. An 8{sigma} significance spatial offset of the center of the total mass from the center of the baryonic mass peaks cannot be explained with an alteration of the gravitational force law, and thus proves that the majority of the matter in the system is unseen.

2,332 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: EGM2008 as mentioned in this paper is a spherical harmonic model of the Earth's gravitational potential, developed by a least squares combination of the ITG-GRACE03S gravitational model and its associated error covariance matrix, with the gravitational information obtained from a global set of area-mean free-air gravity anomalies defined on a 5 arc-minute equiangular grid.
Abstract: [1] EGM2008 is a spherical harmonic model of the Earth's gravitational potential, developed by a least squares combination of the ITG-GRACE03S gravitational model and its associated error covariance matrix, with the gravitational information obtained from a global set of area-mean free-air gravity anomalies defined on a 5 arc-minute equiangular grid This grid was formed by merging terrestrial, altimetry-derived, and airborne gravity data Over areas where only lower resolution gravity data were available, their spectral content was supplemented with gravitational information implied by the topography EGM2008 is complete to degree and order 2159, and contains additional coefficients up to degree 2190 and order 2159 Over areas covered with high quality gravity data, the discrepancies between EGM2008 geoid undulations and independent GPS/Leveling values are on the order of ±5 to ±10 cm EGM2008 vertical deflections over USA and Australia are within ±11 to ±13 arc-seconds of independent astrogeodetic values These results indicate that EGM2008 performs comparably with contemporary detailed regional geoid models EGM2008 performs equally well with other GRACE-based gravitational models in orbit computations Over EGM96, EGM2008 represents improvement by a factor of six in resolution, and by factors of three to six in accuracy, depending on gravitational quantity and geographic area EGM2008 represents a milestone and a new paradigm in global gravity field modeling, by demonstrating for the first time ever, that given accurate and detailed gravimetric data, asingle global model may satisfy the requirements of a very wide range of applications

1,755 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Paul J. McMillan1
TL;DR: In this article, a mass model of the Milky Way is presented to fit observational constraints and to be consistent with expectations from theoretical modelling, and a best-fitting model, as well as estimates of the properties of the galaxy are provided.
Abstract: We present mass models of the Milky Way created to fit observational constraints and to be consistent with expectations from theoretical modelling. The method used to create these models is that demonstrated in our previous study, and we improve on those models by adding gas discs to the potential, considering the effects of allowing the inner slope of the halo density profile to vary, and including new observations of maser sources in the Milky Way amongst the new constraints. We provide a best-fitting model, as well as estimates of the properties of the Milky Way. Under the assumptions in our main model, we find that the Sun is R0 = 8.20 ± 0.09 kpc from the Galactic Centre, with the circular speed at the Sun being v0 = 232.8 ± 3.0 kms-1; and that the Galaxy has a total stellar mass of (54.3 ± 5.7) × 109 M⊙, a total virial mass of (1.30 ± 0.30) × 1012M⊙ and a local dark-matter density of 0.40 ± 0.04 GeV cm-3, where the quoted uncertainties are statistical. These values are sensitive to our choice of priors and constraints. We investigate systematic uncertainties, which in some cases may be larger. For example, if we weaken our prior on R0, we find it to be 7.97 ± 0.15 kpc and that v0 = 226.8 ± 4.2 kms-1.We find that most of these properties, including the local dark-matter density, are remarkably insensitive to the assumed power-law density slope at the centre of the dark-matter halo. We find that it is unlikely that the local standard of rest differs significantly from that found under assumptions of axisymmetry. We have made code to compute the force from our potential, and to integrate orbits within it, publicly available. (Less)

712 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a family of spherical potential density pairs is presented, where the densities are proportional to r − 4 at large radii and diverge in the center as r −γ with 0≤γ < 3.
Abstract: A family of spherical potential-density pairs is presented. The densities are proportional to r −4 at large radii and diverge in the centre as r −γ with 0≤γ<3. The models of Jaffe and Hernquist are included as special cases. The gravitational potential is analytical for all γ. For specific values of γ, most of the intrinsic and projected properties, such as distribution function, surface density and projected velocity dispersion, can be expressed in terms of elementary functions. A comparison to the de Vaucouleurs R 1/4 -profile shows that the model with γ=3/2 most closely resembles it in both surface density and distribution function. This particular model is completely analytical, and thus it is the best analytical approximation of the R 1/4 -model known so far

650 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the internal state of the clouds and their size distribution function are examined, and it is shown that the Jeans mass scale results in clouds which are individually sufficiently opaque to block out the nucleus.
Abstract: The principal properties of the tori of gas which surround Seyfert nuclei are discussed. The internal state of the clouds and their size distribution function are examined, and it is shown that the Jeans mass scale results in clouds which are individually sufficiently opaque to block out the nucleus, and that the balance of processes which controls their size distribution function also forces the covering factor to be of the order of or greater than unity. Where the gravitational potential is dominated by stars, cloud-cloud collisions keep the molecular clouds close to the equatorial plane. Stirring by stellar processes is never strong enough to compete with collisional losses. The position of the inner edge of the torus is determined by a balance between the inward flow of clouds and the rate at which the nuclear continuum can evaporate them.

623 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
202355
202288
2021160
2020178
2019141
2018169