1,515 research outputs found
Theta Hya: Spectroscopic identification of a second B star + white dwarf binary
We report the identification, in an Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE)
spectrum, of a hot white dwarf companion to the 3rd magnitude late-B star Theta
Hya (HR3665, HD79469). This is the second B star + white dwarf binary to be
conclusively identified; Vennes, Berghofer and Christian (1997), and Burleigh
and Barstow (1998) had previously reported the spectroscopic discovery of a hot
white dwarf companion to the B5V star y Pup (HR2875). Since these two
degenerate stars must have evolved from main sequence progenitors more massive
than their B star companions, they can be used to place observational lower
limits on the maximum mass for white dwarf progenitors, and to investigate the
upper end of the initial-final mass relation. Assuming a pure hydrogen
composition, we constrain the temperature of the white dwarf companion to Theta
Hya to lie between 25,000K and 31,000K. We also predict that a third bright B
star, 16 Dra (B9.5V), might also be hiding an unresolved hot white dwarf
companion.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
A search for hidden white dwarfs in the ROSAT EUV survey II: Discovery of a distant DA+F6/7V binary system in a direction of low density neutral hydrogen
We report the results of our final search for hot white dwarfs in unresolved,
Sirius-type, binary systems with IUE. One new system, RE J0500-364 (DA+F6/7V),
has been identified. This star appears to lie at a distance of between
500-1000pc, making it one of the most distant white dwarfs, if not the most
distant, to be detected in the EUV surveys. The very low line-of-sight neutral
hydrogen volume density to this object could place a lower limit on the length
of the Beta CMa interstellar tunnel of diffuse gas, which stretches away from
the Local Bubble in a similar direction to RE J0500-364.Comment: 1 LaTex file plus 15 figures; accepted for publication in Monthly
Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ
Near-infrared spectroscopy of the very low mass companion to the hot DA white dwarf PG1234+482
We present a near-infrared spectrum of the hot (
55,000 K) DA white dwarf PG 1234+482. We confirm that a very low mass companion
is responsible for the previously recognised infrared photometric excess. We
compare spectra of M and L dwarfs, combined with an appropriate white dwarf
model, to the data to constrain the spectral type of the secondary. We find
that uncertainties in the 2MASS photometry of the white dwarf prevent us
from distinguishing whether the secondary is stellar or substellar, and assign
a spectral type of L01 (M9-L1).Therefore, this is the hottest and youngest
( yr) DA white dwarf with a possible brown dwarf companion.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, accepted by MNRA
The Arizona Radio Observatory CO Mapping Survey of Galactic Molecular Clouds: III. The Serpens Cloud in CO J=2-1 and 13CO J=2-1 Emission
We mapped 12CO and 13CO J = 2-1 emission over 1.04 square deg of the Serpens
molecular cloud with 38 arcsec spatial and 0.3 km/s spectral resolution using
the Arizona Radio Observatory Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter telescope. Our maps
resolve kinematic properties for the entire Serpens cloud. We also compare our
velocity moment maps with known positions of Young Stellar Objects (YSOs) and
1.1 mm continuum emission. We find that 12CO is self-absorbed and 13CO is
optically thick in the Serpens core. Outside of the Serpens core, gas appears
in filamentary structures having LSR velocities which are blue-shifted by up to
2 km/s relative to the 8 km/s systemic velocity of the Serpens cloud. We show
that the known Class I, Flat, and Class II YSOs in the Serpens core most likely
formed at the same spatial location and have since drifted apart. The spatial
and velocity structure of the 12CO line ratios implies that a detailed
3-dimensional radiative transfer model of the cloud will be necessary for full
interpretation of our spectral data. The starless cores region of the cloud is
likely to be the next site of star formation in Serpens.Comment: 41 pages, 15 figure
Hubble Space Telescope Imaging and Spectroscopy of the Sirius-Like Triple Star System HD 217411
We present Hubble Space Telescope imaging and spectroscopy of HD 217411, a G3
V star associated with the extreme ultraviolet excess source (EUV 2RE
J2300-07.0). This star is revealed to be a triple system with a G 3V primary
(HD 217411 A) separated by ~1.1" from a secondary that is in turn composed of
an unresolved K0 V star (HD 217411 Ba) and a hot DA white dwarf (HD 217411 Bb).
The hot white dwarf dominates the UV flux of the system. However; it is in turn
dominated by the K0 V component beyond 3000 {\AA}. A revised distance of 143 pc
is estimated for the system. A low level photometric modulation having a period
of 0.61 days has also been observed in this system along with a rotational
velocity on the order of 60 km s-1 in the K0 V star. Together both observations
point to a possible wind induced spin up of the K0 V star during the AGB phase
of the white dwarf. The nature of all three components is discussed as are
constraints on the orbits, system age and evolution.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figure
Predictable Disruption Tolerant Networks and Delivery Guarantees
This article studies disruption tolerant networks (DTNs) where each node
knows the probabilistic distribution of contacts with other nodes. It proposes
a framework that allows one to formalize the behaviour of such a network. It
generalizes extreme cases that have been studied before where (a) either nodes
only know their contact frequency with each other or (b) they have a perfect
knowledge of who meets who and when. This paper then gives an example of how
this framework can be used; it shows how one can find a packet forwarding
algorithm optimized to meet the 'delay/bandwidth consumption' trade-off:
packets are duplicated so as to (statistically) guarantee a given delay or
delivery probability, but not too much so as to reduce the bandwidth, energy,
and memory consumption.Comment: 9 page
Origin of electron cyclotron maser-induced radio emissions at ultra-cool dwarfs: magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling currents
A number of ultra-cool dwarfs emit circularly polarised radio waves generated
by the electron cyclotron maser instability. In the solar system such radio is
emitted from regions of strong auroral magnetic field-aligned currents. We thus
apply ideas developed for Jupiter's magnetosphere, being a well-studied
rotationally-dominated analogue in our solar system, to the case of
fast-rotating UCDs. We explain the properties of the radio emission from UCDs
by showing that it would arise from the electric currents resulting from an
angular velocity shear in the fast-rotating magnetic field and plasma, i.e. by
an extremely powerful analogue of the process which causes Jupiter's auroras.
Such a velocity gradient indicates that these bodies interact significantly
with their space environment, resulting in intense auroral emissions. These
results strongly suggest that auroras occur on bodies outside our solar system.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa
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