Proving strong magnetic fields near to the central black hole in the quasar PG0043+039 via cyclotron lines

The optical luminous quasar PG0043+039 has not been detected before in deep X-ray observations indicating the most extreme optical-to-X-ray slope index ${\alpha}_{ox}$ of all quasars. This study aims to detect PG0043+039 in a deep X-ray exposure. Furthermore, we wanted to check out whether this object shows specific spectral properties in other frequency bands. We took deep X-ray (XMM-Newton), far-ultraviolet (HST), and optical (HET, SALT telescopes) spectra of PG0043+039 simultaneously in July 2013. We just detected PG0043+039 in our deep X-ray exposure. The steep ${\alpha}_{ox} = -2.37 {\pm} 0.05$ gradient is consistent with an unusual steep gradient $F_{\nu} {\sim} {\nu}^{\alpha}$ with ${\alpha} = -2.67 {\pm} 0.02$ seen in the UV/far-UV continuum. The optical/UV continuum flux has a clear maximum near 2500 {\AA}. The UV spectrum is very peculiar because it shows broad humps in addition to known emission lines. A modeling of these observed humps with cyclotron lines can explain their wavelength positions, their relative distances, and their relative intensities. We derive plasma temperatures of T ${\sim}$ 3keV and magnetic field strengths of B ${\sim}$ 2 ${\times} 10^8$ G for the line-emitting regions close to the black hole.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, Astronomy & Astrophysics in pres

Energetic Retrofit of Historical Downtown Buildings: Cost Effectiveness and Financing Options

Today several energy saving measures are being taken worldwide. As a component of these, the energy efficiency of the buildings should be increased. Given the high ratio of the existing, ineffective building stock, large-scale retrofit actions are going to be needed to reduce their energy usage. The historical districts and the heritage buildings stand as special part of the above question, as several limitations increase the complexity of their retrofit. In present paper, the authors are introducing retrofit possibilities for the traditional apartment house type, widespread in the past Austro-Hungarian downtowns. A detailed methodology for complex renovation is divided to three main aspects: energy efficiency, monument protection guidelines and feasibility. By combining the above aspects, optimized renovation scenarios and their cost efficient financing implementation are surveyed. Results show, that the energy saving and heritage respecting solutions are not economically feasible enough to be appealing for private investors. The retrofit, however, is much needed to increase the life quality of residents, save energy, and protect the unique architectural character, now constantly endangered by demolitions. The authors suggest solutions for the above problem by creating possible financing scenarios, which can be used as a benchmark for preliminary decision making in case of a planned retrofit.Supported by the National Cultural Fund of Hungary (http://www.nka.hu/)

A long hard look at the minimum state of PG 2112+059 with XMM-Newton

XMM-Newton successfully detected the minimum state of PG 2112+059 during a short snapshot observation and performed a long follow-up observation. The high signal-to-noise spectra are modelled assuming different emission scenarios and compared with archival spectra taken by XMM-Newton and Chandra. The PG 2112+059 X-ray spectra acquired in May 2007 allowed the detection of a weak iron fluorescent line, which is interpreted as being caused by reflection from neutral material at some distance from the primary X-ray emitting source. The X-ray spectra of PG 2112+059 taken at five different epochs during different flux states can be interpreted within two different scenarios. The first consists of two layers of ionised material with column densities of N_H ~5 x 10^22 cm^-2 and N_H ~3.5 x 10^23 cm^-2, respectively. The first layer is moderately ionised and its ionisation levels follow the flux changes, while the other layer is highly ionised and does not show any correlation with the flux of the source. The spectra can also be interpreted assuming reflection by an ionised accretion disk seen behind a warm absorber. The warm absorber ionisation is consistent with being correlated with the flux of the source, which provides an additional degree of self-consistency with the overall reflection-based model. We explain the spectral variability with light bending according to the models of Miniutti and Fabian and constrain the black hole spin to be a/M > 0.86. Both scenarios also assume that a distant cold reflector is responsible for the Fe K \alpha emission line. Light bending provides an attractive explanation of the different states of PG 2112+059 and may also describe the physical cause of the observed properties of other X-ray weak quasars.Comment: 15 pages, 12 figures, A&A latex, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Effet de l ’inoculum bacterien de la souche IRAT – FA 3 de Bradyrhizobium japonicum sur la croissance et la nodulation de 3 varietes de soja cultivees en Cote d’Ivoire

Le soja a la capacité d’utiliser l’azote atmosphérique grâce à une association symbiotique avec les bactéries du genre Rhizobium. Cette étude a pour objectif de déterminer une dose d’inoculum bactérien qui permet d’améliorer significativement les paramètres de nodulation et de croissance de 3 variétés de soja cultivées en Côte d’Ivoire. L’inoculation des graines a été effectuée avec la souche IRAT-FA3 de Bradyrhizobium japonicum avant le semis selon un dispositif en blocs de Fisher à 5 répétitions. Les résultats obtenus ont montré que la plus grande taille des plants a été observée chez les plants inoculés (54,80 cm) de Tracaja avec 600 g d’inoculum/ha, (46,72 cm) de Doko avec 200 g et (45,68 cm) de Canarana avec 800 g. Les meilleurs rendements de masse sèche racinaire (0,92 t/ha), de biomasse sèche (14,11 t/ha) et le plus grand pourcentage de nodules actifs (68 %) ont été obtenus avec la dose 600 g d’inoculum/ha chez la variété Tracaja. Il ressort de cette étude que l’inoculation a eu un impact positif sur les paramètres de croissance et de nodulation du soja.Mots clés : Soja, Bradyrhizobium japonicum, Canarana, Doko, Tracaja, Côte d’Ivoir

SDSSJ143244.91+301435.3 at VLBI: a compact radio galaxy in a narrow-line Seyfert 1

We present VLBI observations, carried out with the European Very Long Baseline Interferometry Network (EVN), of SDSSJ143244.91+301435.3, a radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 (RLNLS1) characterized by a steep radio spectrum. The source, compact at Very Large Array (VLA) resolution, is resolved on the milliarcsec scale, showing a central region plus two extended structures. The relatively high brightness temperature of all components (5x10^6-1.3x10^8 K) supports the hypothesis that the radio emission is non-thermal and likely produced by a relativistic jet and/or small radio lobes. The observed radio morphology, the lack of a significant core and the presence of a low frequency (230 MHz) spectral turnover are reminiscent of the Compact Steep Spectrum sources (CSS). However, the linear size of the source (~0.5kpc) measured from the EVN map is lower than the value predicted using the turnover/size relation valid for CSS sources (~6kpc). This discrepancy can be explained by an additional component not detected in our observations, accounting for about a quarter of the total source flux density, combined to projection effects. The low core-dominance of the source (CD<0.29) confirms that SDSSJ143244.91+301435.3 is not a blazar, i.e. the relativistic jet is not pointing towards the observer. This supports the idea that SDSSJ143244.91+301435.3 may belong to the "parent population" of flat-spectrum RLNLS1 and favours the hypothesis of a direct link between RLNLS1 and compact, possibly young, radio galaxies.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Discovery of ultra-fast outflows in a sample of Broad Line Radio Galaxies observed with Suzaku

We present the results of a uniform and systematic search for blue-shifted Fe K absorption lines in the X-ray spectra of five bright Broad-Line Radio Galaxies (BLRGs) observed with Suzaku. We detect, for the first time at X-rays in radio-loud AGN, several absorption lines at energies greater than 7 keV in three out of five sources, namely 3C 111, 3C 120 and 3C 390.3. The lines are detected with high significance according to both the F-test and extensive Monte Carlo simulations. Their likely interpretation as blue-shifted Fe XXV and Fe XXVI K-shell resonance lines implies an origin from highly ionized gas outflowing with mildly relativistic velocities, in the range 0.04-0.15c. A fit with specific photo-ionization models gives ionization parameters in the range log_xi~4-5.6 and column densities of N_H~10^22-10^23 cm^-2. These characteristics are very similar to those of the Ultra-Fast Outflows (UFOs) previously observed in radio-quiet AGN. Their estimated location within ~0.01-0.3pc from the central super-massive black hole suggests a likely origin related with accretion disk winds/outflows. Depending on the absorber covering fraction, the mass outflow rate of these UFOs can be comparable to the accretion rate and their kinetic power can correspond to a significant fraction of the bolometric luminosity and is comparable to their typical jet power. Therefore, these UFOs can play a significant role in the expected feedback from the AGN on the surrounding environment and can give us further clues on the relation between the accretion disk and the formation of winds/jets in both radio-quiet and radio-loud AGN.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal; corrected reference

Arp 299: a second merging system with two active nuclei?

Recent BeppoSAX observations of Arp 299, a powerful far-IR merging starburst system composed of IC 694 and NGC 3690, clearly unveiled for the first time in this system the presence of a strongly absorbed active galactic nucleus (AGN). However the system was not spatially resolved by BeppoSAX. Here we present the analysis of archival Chandra and (for the first time) XMM-Newton observations, which allow us to disentangle the X-ray emission of the two galaxies. The detection of a strong 6.4 keV line in NGC 3690 clearly demonstrates the existence of an AGN in this galaxy, while the presence of a strong 6.7 keV Fe-Kalpha line in the spectrum of IC 694 suggests that also this nucleus might harbor an AGN. This would be the second discovery of two AGNs in a merging system after NGC 6240

Approaches, methods and processes for innovative apiculture development: experiences from Ada'a-Liben Woreda Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

The Improving Productivity and Marketing Success (IPMS) for Ethiopian Farmers'; Project being implemented by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) commissioned Sap-Tec PLC to study the existing potential and execute apiculture development in Ada';a-Liben woreda, one of the IPMS'; ten Pilot Learning Woredas (PLWs). The main objective of this apiculture intervention was to identify the current beekeeping practices, assess potentials and problems, and provide solutions through the introduction of a participatory market-oriented modern beekeeping practice as an income-generating activity to farmers and others who are interested to complement their income. The activities reported in this paper are based on studies and interventions undertaken to enhance market-oriented apiculture development in Ada';a-Liben woreda between 2005 and 2007. This working paper is divided into a number of sections. The first two sections describe the major strengths and constraints of the bee industry in Ethiopia. Section 3 describes the beekeeping institutes and associations. Sections 4 and 5 analyse the most important opportunities and threats for apiculture development and marketing intervention in Ada';a-Liben woreda. Section 6 presents IPMS intervention strategies and lessons learned in knowledge sharing, capacity building, and commodity development including technology transfer, platforms, input supply, credit facilitation and market linkage. This section also discusses the methods used and the achievements obtained so far. Finally, Section 7 discusses both general and industry specific recommendations, which form the basis for further development of the industry. This working paper is intended to provide preliminary information on lessons drawn in beekeeping interventions in Ada';a-Liben woreda and to share the experiences to those who have already launched or are planning to launch apiary development program as an alternative income generating activity. It also highlights the methodologies applied and the lessons learned from the apiculture interventions of the IPMS project for scaling up to other woredas. The main objective of this apiculture intervention was to identify the current beekeeping practices, assess potentials and problems, and provide solutions through the introduction of a participatory market-oriented modern beekeeping practice as an income-generating activity to farmers and others who are interested to complement their income