21 research outputs found
Graphene catalyzes the reversible formation of a CâC bond between two molecules
Carbon deposits are well-known inhibitors of transition metal catalysts. In contrast to this undesirable behavior, here we show that epitaxial graphene grown on Ru(0001) promotes the reversible formation of a CâC bond between âCH2CN and 7,7,8,8-tetracyano-p-quinodimethane (TCNQ). The catalytic role of graphene is multifaceted: First, it allows for an efficient charge transfer between the surface and the reactants, thus favoring changes in carbon hybridization; second, it holds the reactants in place and makes them reactive. The reaction is fully reversible by injecting electrons with an STM tip on the empty molecular orbitals of the product. The making and breaking of the CâC bond is accompanied by the switching off and on of a Kondo resonance, so that the system can be viewed as a reversible magnetic switch controlled by a chemical reactionJ.J.N., F.C., R.M., and A.L.V.d.P. acknowledge the Ministerio de EconomĂa y Competitividad (MINECO) project FIS2015-67367-C2-1-P and Comunidad de Madrid projects MAD2D P2013/MIT-3007 and Nanofrontmag S2013/MIT-2850. M.P., C.D., and F.M. acknowledge the MINECO project FIS2016-77889-R and computer time from the CCC-UAM and the Red Española de SupercomputaciĂłn. C.D. acknowledges a RamĂłn y Cajal contract from MINECO (Spain). E.M.P., J.V., and B.N.-O. acknowledge the European Research Council
project MINT, ERC-StG-2012-307609. IMDEA Nanoscience acknowledges support from the
âSevero Ochoaâ Programme for Centres of Excellence in R&D (MINECO, grant SEV-2016-0686). IFIMAC acknowledges support from the âMarĂa de Maeztuâ Programme for Units of Excellence in R&D (MDM-2014-0377
A Kinematic Link between Boxy Bulges, Stellar Bars, and Nuclear Activity in NGC 3079 & NGC 4388
We present direct kinematic evidence for bar streaming motions in two active
galaxies with boxy stellar bulges. The Hawaii Imaging Fabry-Perot
Interferometer was used on the Canada-France-Hawaii 3.6-m telescope and the
University of Hawaii 2.2-m telescope to derive the two-dimensional velocity
field of the line-emitting gas in the disks of the Sc galaxy NGC 3079 and the
Sb galaxy NGC 4388. In contrast to previous work based on long-slit data, the
detection of the bar potential from the Fabry-Perot data does not rely on the
existence of inner Lindblad resonances or strong bar-induced shocks. Simple
kinematic models which approximate the intrinsic gas orbits as nonintersecting,
inclined elliptical annuli that conserve angular momentum characterize the
observed velocity fields. Box-shaped bulges in both NGC 3079 and NGC 4388 are
confirmed using new near-infrared images to reduce dust obscuration.
Morphological analysis of starlight in these galaxies is combined with the gas
kinematics derived from the Fabry-Perot spectra to test evolutionary models of
stellar bars that involve transitory boxy bulges, and to quantify the
importance of such bars in fueling active nuclei. Our data support the
evolutionary bar models, but fail to prove convincingly that the stellar bars
in NGC 3079 and NGC 4388 directly trigger or sustain the nuclear activity.
(abridged)Comment: 31 pages, 18 figures, Latex, requires aaspp4.sty. Accepted for the
Astronomical Journal (November issue
Galactic-Scale Outflow and Supersonic Ram-Pressure Stripping in the Virgo Cluster Galaxy NGC 4388
The Hawaii Imaging Fabry-Perot Interferometer (HIFI) on the University of
Hawaii 2.2m telescope was used to map the Halpha and [O III] 5007 A
emission-line profiles across the entire disk of the edge-on Sb galaxy NGC
4388. We confirm a rich complex of highly ionized gas that extends ~4 kpc above
the disk of this galaxy. Low-ionization gas associated with star formation is
also present in the disk. Evidence for bar streaming is detected in the disk
component and is discussed in a companion paper (Veilleux, Bland-Hawthorn, &
Cecil 1999; hereafter VBC). Non-rotational blueshifted velocities of 50 - 250
km/s are measured in the extraplanar gas north-east of the nucleus. The
brighter features in this complex tend to have more blueshifted velocities. A
redshifted cloud is also detected 2 kpc south-west of the nucleus. The velocity
field of the extraplanar gas of NGC 4388 appears to be unaffected by the
inferred supersonic (Mach number M ~ 3) motion of this galaxy through the ICM
of the Virgo cluster. We argue that this is because the galaxy and the high-|z|
gas lie behind a Mach cone with opening angle ~ 80 degrees. The shocked ICM
that flows near the galaxy has a velocity of ~ 500 km/s and exerts insufficient
ram pressure on the extraplanar gas to perturb its kinematics. We consider
several explanations of the velocity field of the extraplanar gas. Velocities,
especially blueshifted velocities on the N side of the galaxy, are best
explained as a bipolar outflow which is tilted by > 12 degrees from the normal
to the disk. The observed offset between the extraplanar gas and the radio
structure may be due to buoyancy or refractive bending by density gradients in
the halo gas. Velocity substructure in the outflowing gas also suggests an
interaction with ambient halo gas.Comment: 29 pages including 5 figures, Latex, requires aaspp4.sty, to appear
in ApJ, 520 (July 20, 1999 issue
Swift observations of the X-ray and UV evolution of V2491 Cyg (Nova Cyg 2008 No. 2)
We present extensive, high-density Swift observations of V2491 Cyg (Nova Cyg
2008 No. 2). Observing the X-ray emission from only one day after the nova
discovery, the source is followed through the initial brightening, the
Super-Soft Source phase and back to the pre-outburst flux level. The evolution
of the spectrum throughout the outburst is demonstrated. The UV and X-ray
light-curves follow very different paths, although changes occur in them around
the same times, indicating a link between the bands. Flickering in the
late-time X-ray data indicates the resumption of accretion.
We show that if the white dwarf is magnetic, it would be among the most
magnetic known; the lack of a periodic signal in our later data argues against
a magnetic white dwarf, however. We also discuss the possibility that V2491 Cyg
is a recurrent nova, providing recurrence timescale estimates.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure (2 in colour), accepted for publication in MNRA
A Systematic Study of Mid-Infrared Emission from Core-Collapse Supernovae with Spirits
The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.We present a systematic study of mid-infrared emission from 141 nearby supernovae (SNe) observed with Spitzer/IRAC as part of the ongoing SPIRITS survey. We detect 8 Type Ia and 36 core-collapse SNe. All Type Ia/Ibc SNe become undetectable within three years of explosion, whereas 22 ± 11% of Type II SNe continue to be detected. Five Type II SNe are detected even two decades after discovery (SN 1974E, 1979C, 1980K, 1986J, and 1993J). Warm dust luminosity, temperature, and a lower limit on mass are obtained by fitting the two IRAC bands, assuming an optically thin dust shell. We derive warm dust masses between 10-6 and 10-2 M o and dust color temperatures between 200 and 1280 K. This observed warm dust could be pre-existing or newly created, but in either case represents a lower limit to the dust mass because cooler dust may be present. We present three case studies of extreme SNe. SN 2011ja (II-P) was over-luminous ([4.5] = -15.6 mag) at 900 days post explosion with increasing hot dust mass, suggesting either an episode of dust formation or intensifying circumstellar material (CSM) interactions heating up pre-existing dust. SN 2014bi (II-P) showed a factor of 10 decrease in dust mass over one month, suggesting either dust destruction or reduced dust heating. The IR luminosity of SN 2014C (Ib) stayed constant over 800 days, possibly due to strong CSM interaction with an H-rich shell, which is rare among stripped-envelope SNe. The observations suggest that this CSM shell originated from an LBV-like eruption roughly 100 years pre-explosion. The observed diversity demonstrates the power of mid-IR observations of a large sample of SNe. © 2017
The Eruption of the Candidate Young Star ASASSN-15qi
Outbursts on young stars are usually interpreted as accretion bursts caused by instabilities in the disk or the star-disk connection. However, some protostellar outbursts may not fit into this framework. In this paper, we analyze optical and near-infrared spectra and photometry to characterize the 2015 outburst of the probable young star ASASSN-15qi. The mag brightening in the band was sudden, with an unresolved rise time of less than one day. The outburst decayed exponentially by 1 mag for 6 days and then gradually back to the pre-outburst level after 200 days. The outburst is dominated by emission from K gas. An explosive release of energy accelerated matter from the star in all directions, seen in a spectacular cool, spherical wind with a maximum velocity of 1000 km/s. The wind and hot gas both disappeared as the outburst faded and the source the source returned to its quiescent F-star spectrum. Nebulosity near the star brightened with a delay of 10-20 days. Fluorescent excitation of H is detected in emission from vibrational levels as high as , also with a possible time delay in flux increase. The mid-infrared spectral energy distribution does not indicate the presence of warm dust emission, although the optical photospheric absorption and CO overtone emission could be related to a gaseous disk. Archival photometry reveals a prior outburst in 1976. Although we speculate about possible causes for this outburst, none of the explanations are compelling
Robust, carbon related, superconducting nanostructure at the apex of a tungsten STM tip
The following article appeared in Applied Physics Letters 115.7 (2019): 073108 and may be found at https://pubs.aip.org/aip/apl/article/115/7/073108/595832/Robust-carbon-related-superconductingBy pulsing the tunneling voltage between the Tungsten (W) tip of a Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) and a graphene-covered metal
surface, a superconducting (SC) nanostructure is formed at the apex of the STM tip. We have characterized the SC properties of the resulting
nanotip as a function of temperature and magnetic field, obtaining a transition temperature of 3.3 K and a critical field well above 3 T. The SC
nanotip is robust and stable and achieves atomic resolution. A non-SC tip can be easily recovered by controlled voltage pulsing on a clean
metal surface. The present result should be taken into account when studying zero-bias features like Kondo resonances, zero-bias-conductance
peaks, or superconductivity on graphene-based systems by means of STM using tungsten tipsThis work was partially supported by Ministerio de Economıa
y Competitividad (MINECO) under Project Nos. FIS2016-75862-P,
FIS2017-84330-R, DETECTA ESP2017-86582-C4-3-R, and
FIS2015-67367-C2-1-P, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y
Universidades under Project Nos. PGC2018-097028-A-I00 and
PGC2018-093291-B-I00, Comunidad de Madrid under Project Nos.
NANOMAGCOST-CM, S2018/NMT-4321, NMAT2D P2018/
NMT-4511, and S2018/NMT-4291 TEC2SPACE-CM, and EUCOST Program NANOCOHYBRI, Action No. CA16218. M.G.
received financial support through the Postdoctoral Junior Leader
Fellowship Programme from âla Caixaâ Banking Foundation. D.G.
received financial support from DEFROST (No. ONR-G #N62909-
19-1-2053). IMDEA Nanoscience acknowledges support from the
âSevero Ochoaâ Programme for Centres of Excellence in R&D
(MINECO, Grant No. SEV-2016-0686