384 research outputs found
Cygnus X-3 in outburst : quenched radio emission, radiation losses and variable local opacity
We present multiwavelength observations of Cygnus X-3 during an extended
outburst in 1994 February - March. Intensive radio monitoring at 13.3, 3.6 &
2.0 cm is complemented by observations at (sub)millimetre and infrared
wavelengths, which find Cyg X-3 to be unusually bright and variable, and
include the first reported detection of the source at 0.45 mm. We report the
first confirmation of quenched radio emission prior to radio flaring
independent of observations at Green Bank. The observations reveal evidence for
wavelength-dependent radiation losses and gradually decreasing opacity in the
environment of the radio jet. We find that the radiation losses are likely to
be predominantly inverse Compton losses experienced by the radio-emitting
electrons in the strong radiation field of a luminous companion to the compact
object. We interpret the decreasing opacity during the flare sequence as
resulting from a decreasing proportion of thermal electrons entrained in the
jet, reflecting a decreasing density in the region of jet formation. We
present, drawing in part on the work of other authors, a model based upon
mass-transfer rate instability predicting gamma-ray, X-ray, infrared and radio
trends during a radio flaring sequence.Comment: LaTeX, 11 pages, 6 figures. Submitted to MNRA
A Search for Very Active Stars in the Galaxy
We report the first results of a systematic search near the plane of the
Galaxy for the so called very active stars (VAS), which are characterized by a
hard X-ray spectrum and activity in the radio domain. Candidates with hard
X-ray binary-like spectra have been selected from the Bright ROSAT Source
Catalogue in the Zone of Avoidance () and were tentatively
identified in GB6/PMM/NVSS radio surveys. Most of them were observed with the
ATCA and VLA. Precise radio coordinates have led to unambiguous optical
identification for 60 candidates, and a sub-sample of five of themhas been
observed with the VLT. Also some discovery and confirmatory spectra were
obtained with the AAT (4-m) and BTA (6-m). Spectroscopy with moderate
dispersion, made with the FORS1 spectrograph of the VLT has revealed two
stellar objects (one of them, VASC J1628-41, is definitivelya binary VAS), one
new AGN and two featureless spectrum sources. One of these objects, VASC
J1353-66, shows a marginal evidence of proper motion, which, if confirmed,
would imply the discovery of a new type of galactic source.Comment: to appear in A&A, 7 figure
Cygnus X-3 with ISO: investigating the wind
We observed the energetic binary Cygnus X-3 in both quiescent and flaring
states between 4 and 16 microns using the ISO satellite. We find that the
quiescent source shows the thermal free-free spectrum typical of a hot, fast
stellar wind, such as from a massive helium star. The quiescent mass-loss rate
due to a spherically symmetric, non-accelerating wind is found to be in the
range 0.4-2.9 x 10E-4 solar masses per year, consistent with other infrared and
radio observations, but considerably larger than the 10E-5 solar masses per
year deduced from both the orbital change and the X-ray column density. There
is rapid, large amplitude flaring at 4.5 and 11.5 microns at the same time as
enhanced radio and X-ray activity, with the infrared spectrum apparently
becoming flatter in the flaring state. We believe non-thermal processes are
operating, perhaps along with enhanced thermal emission.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 11 pages, 6 figure
On the nature of XTE J0421+560/CI Cam
We present the results of the analysis of RXTE, BATSE and optical/infrared
data of the 1998 outburst of the X-ray transient system XTE J0421+560 (CI Cam).
The X-ray outburst shows a very fast decay (initial e-folding time ~0.5 days,
slowing down to ~2.3 days). The X-ray spectrum in the 2-25 keV band is complex,
softening considerably during decay and with strongly variable intrinsic
absorption. A strong iron emission line is observed. No fast time variability
is detected (<0.5 % rms in the 1-4096 Hz band at the outburst peak). The
analysis of the optical/IR data suggests that the secondary is a B[e] star
surrounded by cool dust and places the system at a distance of >~ 2 kpc. At
this distance the peak 2-25 keV luminosity is ~4 x 10^37 erg/s. We compare the
properties of this peculiar system with those of the Be/NS LMC transient A
0538-66 and suggest that CI Cam is of similar nature. The presence of strong
radio emission during outburst indicates that the compact object is likely to
be a black hole or a weakly magnetized neutron star.Comment: Accepted for publication on The Astrophysical Journal, July 199
Spatially inhomogeneous superconductivity in UTe2
Newly-discovered superconductor UTe is a strong contender for a
topological spin-triplet state wherein a multi-component order parameter arises
from two nearly-degenerate superconducting states. A key issue is whether both
of these states intrinsically exist at ambient pressure. Through thermal
expansion and calorimetry, we show that UTe at ambient conditions exhibits
two detectable transitions only in some samples, and the size of the thermal
expansion jump at each transition varies when the measurement is performed in
different regions of the sample. This result indicates that the two transitions
arise from two spatially separated regions that are inhomogeneously mixed
throughout the volume of the sample, each with a discrete superconducting
transition temperature (T). Notably, samples with higher T only show a
single transition at ambient pressure. Above 0.3 GPa, however, two transitions
are invariably observed in ac calorimetry. Our results not only point to a
nearly vertical line in the pressure-temperature phase diagram but also provide
a unified scenario for the sample dependence of UTe.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, includes supplemental information, changed
conclusion on the origin of double-transition feature observed in some UTe2
sample
An inner disk below the ADAF: the intermediate spectral state of black hole accretion
Aims: The hard and soft spectral states of black hole accretion are
understood as connected with ADAF accretion (truncated disk) and standard disk
accretion, respectively. However, observations indicate the existence of cool
gas in the inner region at times when the disk is already truncated outside. We
try to shed light on these not yet understood intermediate states. Methods: The
disk-corona model allows to understand the spectral state transitions as caused
by changes of the mass flow rate in the disk and provides a picture for the
accretion geometry when disk truncation starts at the time of the soft/hard
transition, the formation of a gap in the disk filled by an advection-dominated
flow (ADAF) at the distance where the evaporation is maximal. We study the
interaction of such an ADAF with an inner thin disk below. Results: We show
that, when the accretion rate is not far below the transition rate, an inner
disk could exist below an ADAF, leading to an intermediate state of black hole
accretion.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure. Accepted for publication in A&A Letter
RXTE Observations of Cygnus X-3
In the period between May 1997 and August 1997 a series of pointed RXTE
observations were made of Cyg X-3. During this period Cyg X-3 made a transition
from a quiescent radio state to a flare state (including a major flare) and
then returned to a quiescent radio state. Analyses of the observations are made
in the context of concurrent observations in the hard X-ray (CGRO/BATSE), soft
X-ray (RXTE/ASM) and the radio (Green Bank Interferometer, Ryle Telescope, and
RATAN-600). Preliminary analyses of the observations are presented.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. newarcrc.sty included. To appear in 2nd Workshop
of Relativistic Jets from Galactic Sources, R.N. Ogley and S.J. Bell Burnell
eds, NewAR 42, in pres
Identification of a Likely Radio Counterpart of the Rapid Burster
We have identified a likely radio counterpart to the low-mass X-ray binary
MXB 1730-335 (the Rapid Burster). The counterpart has shown 8.4 GHz radio
on/off behavior correlated with the X-ray on/off behavior as observed by the
RXTE/ASM during six VLA observations. The probability of an unrelated, randomly
varying background source duplicating this behavior is 1-3% depending on the
correlation time scale. The location of the radio source is RA 17h 33m 24.61s;
Dec -33d 23' 19.8" (J2000), +/- 0.1". We do not detect 8.4 GHz radio emission
coincident with type II (accretion-driven) X-ray bursts. The ratio of radio to
X-ray emission during such bursts is constrained to be below the ratio observed
during X-ray persistent emission at the 2.9-sigma level. Synchrotron bubble
models of the radio emission can provide a reasonable fit to the full data set,
collected over several outbursts, assuming that the radio evolution is the same
from outburst to outburst, but given the physical constraints the emission is
more likely to be due to ~hour-long radio flares such as have been observed
from the X-ray binary GRS 1915+105.Comment: 28 pages, 4 figures; accepted for publication in ApJ (no changes
Further studies of 1E 1740.7-2942 with ASCA
We report the ASCA results of the Great Annihilator 1E 1740.7-2942 obtained
with five pointing observations in a time span of 3.5 years. The X-ray spectrum
for each period is well fitted with a single power-law absorbed by a high
column of gas. The X-ray flux changes by a factor of 2 from period to period,
but the other spectral parameters show no significant change. The photon index
is flat with \Gamma = 0.9--1.3. The column densities of hydrogen N_H is
1.0 x 10^{23} H cm^{-2} and that of iron N_{Fe} is 10^{19} Fe cm^{-2}.
These large column densities indicate that 1E 1740.7-2942 is near at the
Galactic Center. The column density ratio leads the iron abundance to be 2
times larger than the other elements in a unit of the solar ratio. The
equivalent width of the K\alpha-line from a neutral iron is less than 15 eV in
90% confidence. This indicates that the iron column density within several
parsecs from 1E 1740.7-2942 is less than 5 x 10^{17} Fe cm^{-2}. In addition,
the derived hydrogen column density is about 1/6 of that of giant molecular
clouds in the line of sight. All these facts support that 1E 1740.7-2942 is not
in a molecular cloud, but possibly in front of it; the X-rays are not powered
by accretion from a molecular cloud, but from a companion star like ordinary
X-ray binaries.Comment: To appear in ApJ July 20, 1999 issue, Vol. 520 #1, 23 pages LaTeX
files, uses aasms4.sty and psfig.sty, also available at
http://www-cr.scphys.kyoto-u.ac.jp/member/sakano/work/paper/index-e.htm
Unquenched large orbital magnetic moment in NiO
Magnetic properties of NiO are investigated by incorporating the spin-orbit
interaction in the LSDA+U scheme. It is found that the large part of orbital
moment remains unquenched in NiO. The orbital moment contributes about mu_L =
0.29 mu_B to the total magnetic moment of M = 1.93 mu_B, as leads to the
orbital-to-spin angular momentum ratio of L/S = 0.36. The theoretical values
are in good agreement with recent magnetic X-ray scattering measurements.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
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