935 research outputs found
Spectropolarimetry of the Luminous Narrow-Line Seyfert Galaxies IRAS 20181-2244 and IRAS 13224-3809
We observed the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies IRAS 20181-2244 and IRAS
13324-3809 with a new spectropolarimeter on the RC spectrograph at the CTIO 4m
telescope. Previously it had been suggested that IRAS 20181-2244 was a Type 2
QSO and thus might contain an obscured broad-line region which could be
detected by the presence of broad Balmer lines in the polarized flux. We found
the object to be polarized at about 2%, and constant with wavelength, (unlike
most narrow-line Seyfert 1s), but with no evidence of broad Balmer lines in
polarized flux. The spectropolarimetry indicates that the scattering material
is inside the BLR. IRAS 13224-3809, notable for its high variability in X-ray
and UV wavelengths, has a low polarization consistent with a Galactic
interstellar origin.Comment: 19 pages using (AASTEX) aaspp4.sty and 5 postscript figures To be
published in the Astrophysical Journa
Influence of the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, on the gas exchange of Pinot noir grapevine leaves
The effect of feeding damage by the twospotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae KOCH; Acari: Tetranychidae) on the gas exchange of grapevine leaves (Vitis vinifera L.; cv. Pinot noir) was investigated. In addition, the influence of some pesticides was studied. A significant reduction of the net CO2 assimilation, transpiration as well as stomatal and mesophyll conductance with increasing mite feeding damage were observed. At 6000 mite-days per leaf the 3rd and 9th main leaves (from the base) showed an average reduction in net CO2 assimilation of 52.2 % and 48.4 %, respectively, while the 6th leaf showed a reduction of only 21.3 %. The response of grapevine photosynthesis to mite feeding seems to depend not only on mite density and duration of feeding, but also on the phenological stage of the plant. In fact, at veraison the vines showed increased tolerance to mite feeding compared with other phenological stages. At mite infestation levels of 6000 mite-days, leaves infested with T. urticae showed, as compared to uninjured leaves, an average reduction in transpiration rate of 14.4 % to 40.8 %, depending on the leaf position. The acaricides Tetradifon and Fenbutatin-oxide and the fungicide Folpet combined with Penconazol showed no effect on the gas exchange parameters
Two-temperature coronal flow above a thin disk
We extended the disk corona model (Meyer & Meyer-Hofmeister 1994; Meyer, Liu,
& Meyer-Hofmeister 2000a) to the inner region of galactic nuclei by including
different temperatures in ions and electrons as well as Compton cooling. We
found that the mass evaporation rate and hence the fraction of accretion energy
released in the corona depend strongly on the rate of incoming mass flow from
outer edge of the disk, a larger rate leading to more Compton cooling, less
efficient evaporation and a weaker corona. We also found a strong dependence on
the viscosity, higher viscosity leading to an enhanced mass flow in the corona
and therefore more evaporation of gas from the disk below. If we take accretion
rates in units of the Eddington rate our results become independent on the mass
of the central black hole. The model predicts weaker contributions to the hard
X-rays for objects with higher accretion rate like narrow-line Seyfert 1
galaxies (NLS1s), in agreement with observations. For luminous active galactic
nuclei (AGN) strong Compton cooling in the innermost corona is so efficient
that a large amount of additional heating is required to maintain the corona
above the thin disk.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures. ApJ accepte
High efficiency photon counting using stopped light
Single-photon detection and photon counting play a central role in a large
number of quantum communication and computation protocols. While the efficiency
of state-of-the-art photo-detectors is well below the desired limits, quantum
state measurements in trapped ions can be carried out with efficiencies
approaching 100%. Here, we propose a method that can in principle achieve ideal
photon counting, by combining the techniques of photonic quantum memory and
ion-trap fluorescence detection: after mapping the quantum state of a
propagating light pulse onto metastable collective excitations of a trapped
cold atomic gas, it is possible to monitor the resonance fluorescence induced
by an additional laser field that only couples to the metastable excited state.
Even with a photon collection/detection efficiency as low as 10%, it is
possible to achieve photon counting with efficiency approaching 100%.Comment: 4 page
Constraining the black hole mass and accretion rate in the narrow-line Seyfert 1 RE J1034+396
We present a comprehensive study of the spectrum of the narrow-line Seyfert 1
galaxy RE J1034+396, summarizing the information obtained from the optical to
X-rays with observations from the William Herschel 4.2m Telescope (WHT), the
Hubble Space Telescope, the Extreme UltraViolet Explorer, ROSAT, ASCA and
BeppoSAX. The BeppoSAX spectra reveal a soft component which is
well-represented by two blackbodies with kT of about 60 eV and 160 eV,
mimicking that expected from a hot, optically-thick accretion disc around a
low-mass black hole. This is borne out by our modeling of the optical to X-ray
nuclear continuum, which constrains the physical parameters of a NLS1 for the
first time. The models demonstrate that RE J1034+396 is likely to be a system
with a nearly edge-on accretion disk (60 to 75 degrees from the disk axis),
accreting at nearly Eddington rates (0.3 to 0.7 L_edd) onto a low mass (about 2
million solar masses) black hole (abridged).Comment: ApJ accepte
Molecular Characterisation of Bacterial Wilt Resistance in \u3cem\u3eLolium Multiflorum\u3c/em\u3e Lam.
Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), a forage grass of prime importance throughout the world, is adversely affected by the pathogen Xanthomonas translucens pv graminis. Breeding for resistant cultivars is the only practicable means of disease control. However, the inheritance of bacterial wilt resistance is largely unknown. The aim of our research is to elucidate genetic control of bacterial wilt resistance using molecular technologies such as genetic linkage mapping and the analysis of quantitative trait loci (QTL)
25 kHz narrow spectral bandwidth of a wavelength tunable diode laser with a short waveguide-based external cavity
We report on the spectral properties of a diode laser with a tunable external
cavity in integrated optics. Even though the external cavity is short compared
to other small-bandwidth external cavity lasers, the spectral bandwidth of this
tunable laser is as small as 25 kHz (FWHM), at a side-mode suppression ratio
(SMSR) of 50 dB. Our laser is also able to access preset wavelengths in as
little as 200 us and able to tune over the full telecom C-band (1530 nm - 1565
nm).Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure
Long XMM observation of the Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy IRAS13224-3809: rapid variability, high spin and a soft lag
Results are presented from a 500ks long XMM-Newton observation of the
Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy IRAS13224-3809. The source is rapidly variable on
timescales down to a few 100s. The spectrum shows strong broad Fe-K and L
emission features which are interpreted as arising from reflection from the
inner parts of an accretion disc around a rapidly spinning black hole. Assuming
a power-law emissivity for the reflected flux and that the innermost radius
corresponds to the innermost stable circular orbit, the black hole spin is
measured to be 0.988 with a statistical precision better than one per cent.
Systematic uncertainties are discussed. A soft X-ray lag of 100s confirms this
scenario. The bulk of the power-law continuum source is located at a radius of
2-3 gravitational radii.Comment: 7 pages, 14 figures, submitted to MNRA
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