34,995 research outputs found
Status of the joint LIGO--TAMA300 inspiral analysis
We present the status of the joint search for gravitational waves from
inspiraling neutron star binaries in the LIGO Science Run 2 and TAMA300 Data
Taking Run 8 data, which was taken from February 14 to April 14, 2003, by the
LIGO and TAMA collaborations. In this paper we discuss what has been learned
from an analysis of a subset of the data sample reserved as a ``playground''.
We determine the coincidence conditions for parameters such as the coalescence
time and chirp mass by injecting simulated Galactic binary neutron star signals
into the data stream. We select coincidence conditions so as to maximize our
efficiency of detecting simulated signals. We obtain an efficiency for our
coincident search of 78 %, and show that we are missing primarily very distant
signals for TAMA300. We perform a time slide analysis to estimate the
background due to accidental coincidence of noise triggers. We find that the
background triggers have a very different character from the triggers of
simulated signals.Comment: 10 page, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Classical and Quantum
Gravity for the special issue of the GWDAW9 Proceedings ; Corrected typos,
minor change
Using the INSPIRAL program to search for gravitational waves from low-mass binary inspiral
The INSPIRAL program is the LIGO Scientific Collaboration's computational
engine for the search for gravitational waves from binary neutron stars and
sub-solar mass black holes. We describe how this program, which makes use of
the FINDCHIRP algorithm (discussed in a companion paper), is integrated into a
sophisticated data analysis pipeline that was used in the search for low-mass
binary inspirals in data taken during the second LIGO science run.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Classical and Quantum Gravity for
the special issue of the GWDAW9 Proceeding
The magnetic field of the double-lined spectroscopic binary system HD 5550
(Abridged) In the framework of the BinaMicS project, we have begun a study of
the magnetic properties of a sample of intermediate-mass and massive
short-period binary systems, as a function of binarity properties. We report in
this paper the characterisation of the magnetic field of HD 5550, a
double-lined spectroscopic binary system of intermediate-mass, using
high-resolution spectropolarimetric Narval observations of HD 5550. We first
fit the intensity spectra using Zeeman/ATLAS9 LTE synthetic spectra to estimate
the effective temperatures, microturbulent velocities, and the abundances of
some elements of both components, as well as the light-ratio of the system. We
then fit the least-square deconvolved profiles to determine the radial and
projected rotational velocities of both stars. We then analysed the shape and
evolution of the LSD profiles using the oblique rotator model to
characterise the magnetic fields of both stars.
We confirm the Ap nature of the primary, previously reported in the
literature, and find that the secondary displays spectral characteristics
typical of an Am star. While a magnetic field is clearly detected in the lines
of the primary, no magnetic field is detected in the secondary, in any of our
observation. If a dipolar field were present at the surface of the Am star, its
polar strength must be below 40 G. The faint variability observed in the Stokes
profiles of the Ap star allowed us to propose a rotation period of
d, close to the orbital period (6.82 d),
suggesting that the star is synchronised with its orbit. By fitting the
variability of the profiles, we propose that the Ap component hosts a
dipolar field inclined with the rotation axis at an angle
and a polar strength G. The field strength is
the weakest known for an Ap star.Comment: 13 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
Report on the first binary black hole inspiral search in LIGO data
The LIGO Scientific Collaboration is currently engaged in the first search
for binary black hole inspiral signals in real data. We are using the data from
the second LIGO science run and we focus on inspiral signals coming from binary
systems with component masses between 3 and 20 solar masses. We describe the
analysis methods used and report on preliminary estimates for the sensitivities
of the LIGO instruments during the second science run.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures. Added references for section 2, corrected figure
1. To appear in CQG, in a special issue on the proceedings of the 9th Annual
Gravitational Wave Data Analysis Workshop (GWDAW), Annecy, France, Dec. 200
Present status and future prospects for a Higgs boson discovery at the Tevatron and LHC
Discovering the Higgs boson is one of the primary goals of both the Tevatron
and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The present status of the Higgs search is
reviewed and future prospects for discovery at the Tevatron and LHC are
considered. This talk focuses primarily on the Higgs boson of the Standard
Model and its minimal supersymmetric extension. Theoretical expectations for
the Higgs boson and its phenomenological consequences are reviewed.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures, 2 tables, jpconf documentclass file, invited
talk at PASCOS 2010, the 16th International Symposium on Particles, Strings
and Cosmology, Valencia, Spain, 19--23 July 201
Reconstructed Jets at RHIC
To precisely measure jets over a large background such as pile up in high
luminosity p+p collisions at LHC, a new generation of jet reconstruction
algorithms is developed. These algorithms are also applicable to reconstruct
jets in the heavy ion environment where large event multiplicities are
produced. Energy loss in the medium created in heavy ion collisions are already
observed indirectly via inclusive hadron distributions and di-hadron
correlations. Jets can be used to study this energy loss in detail with reduced
biases. We review the latest results on jet-medium interactions as seen in A+A
collisions at RHIC, focusing on the recent progress on jet reconstruction in
heavy ion collisions.Comment: Proceedings for the 26th Winter Workshop on Nuclear Dynamic
The Phase Diagram of High Temperature QCD with Three Flavors of Improved Staggered Quarks
We report on progress in our study of high temperature QCD with three flavors
of improved staggered quarks. Simulations are being carried out with three
degenerate quarks with masses less than or equal to the strange quark mass,
, and with degenerate up and down quarks with masses in the range , and the strange quark mass fixed near its physical
value. For the quark masses studied to date we find rapid crossovers, which
sharpen as the quark mass is reduced, rather than bona fide phase transitions.Comment: Lattice 2003 (Nonzero temperature and density
Comparison of Fermi-LAT and CTA in the region between 10-100 GeV
The past decade has seen a dramatic improvement in the quality of data
available at both high (HE: 100 MeV to 100 GeV) and very high (VHE: 100 GeV to
100 TeV) gamma-ray energies. With three years of data from the Fermi Large Area
Telescope (LAT) and deep pointed observations with arrays of Cherenkov
telescope, continuous spectral coverage from 100 MeV to TeV exists for
the first time for the brightest gamma-ray sources. The Fermi-LAT is likely to
continue for several years, resulting in significant improvements in high
energy sensitivity. On the same timescale, the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA)
will be constructed providing unprecedented VHE capabilities. The optimisation
of CTA must take into account competition and complementarity with Fermi, in
particularly in the overlapping energy range 10100 GeV. Here we compare the
performance of Fermi-LAT and the current baseline CTA design for steady and
transient, point-like and extended sources.Comment: Accepted for Publication in Astroparticle Physic
The High Energy Telescope on EXIST
The Energetic X-ray Imaging Survey Telescope (EXIST) is a proposed next
generation multi-wavelength survey mission. The primary instrument is a High
Energy telescope (HET) that conducts the deepest survey for Gamma-ray Bursts
(GRBs), obscured-accreting and dormant Supermassive Black Holes and Transients
of all varieties for immediate followup studies by the two secondary
instruments: a Soft X-ray Imager (SXI) and an Optical/Infrared Telescope (IRT).
EXIST will explore the early Universe using high redshift GRBs as cosmic probes
and survey black holes on all scales. The HET is a coded aperture telescope
employing a large array of imaging CZT detectors (4.5 m^2, 0.6 mm pixel) and a
hybrid Tungsten mask. We review the current HET concept which follows an
intensive design revision by the HET imaging working group and the recent
engineering studies in the Instrument and Mission Design Lab at the Goddard
Space Flight Center. The HET will locate GRBs and transients quickly (<10-30
sec) and accurately (< 20") for rapid (< 1-3 min) onboard followup soft X-ray
and optical/IR (0.3-2.2 micron) imaging and spectroscopy. The broad energy band
(5-600 keV) and the wide field of view (~90 deg x 70 deg at 10% coding
fraction) are optimal for capturing GRBs, obscured AGNs and rare transients.
The continuous scan of the entire sky every 3 hours will establish a
finely-sampled long-term history of many X-ray sources, opening up new
possibilities for variability studies.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables, SPIE conference proceedings (UV,
X-ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XVI, 7435-9
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