10,254 research outputs found
X-ray Spectroscopy of Candidate Ultracompact X-ray Binaries
We present high-resolution spectroscopy of the neutron star/low-mass X-ray
binaries (LMXBs) 4U 1850-087 and 4U 0513-40 as part of our continuing study of
known and candidate ultracompact binaries. The LMXB 4U 1850-087 is one of four
systems in which we had previously inferred an unusual Ne/O ratio in the
absorption along the line of sight, most likely from material local to the
binaries. However, our recent Chandra X-ray Observatory LETGS spectrum of 4U
1850-087 finds a Ne/O ratio by number of 0.22+/-0.05, smaller than previously
measured and consistent with the expected interstellar value. We propose that
variations in the Ne/O ratio due to source variability, as previously observed
in these sources, can explain the difference between the low- and
high-resolution spectral results for 4U 1850-087. Our XMM-Newton RGS
observation of 4U 0513-40 also shows no unusual abundance ratios in the
absorption along the line of sight. We also present spectral results from a
third candidate ultracompact binary, 4U 1822-000, whose spectrum is well fit by
an absorbed power-law + blackbody model with absorption consistent with the
expected interstellar value. Finally, we present the non-detection of a fourth
candidate ultracompact binary, 4U 1905+000, with an upper limit on the source
luminosity of < 1 x 10^{32} erg s^{-1}. Using archival data, we show that the
source has entered an extended quiescent state.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication to the Astrophysical
Journa
Chandra Observations of SN 2004et and the X-ray Emission of Type IIp Supernovae
We report the X-ray detection of the Type II-plateau supernova SN 2004et in
the spiral galaxy NGC 6946, using the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. The position
of the X-ray source was found to agree with the optical position within ~0.4
arcsec. Chandra also surveyed the region before the 2004 event, finding no
X-ray emission at the location of the progenitor. For the post-explosion
observations, a total of 202, 151, and 158 photons were detected in three
pointings, each ~29 ks in length, on 2004 October 22, November 6, and December
3, respectively. The spectrum of the first observation is best fit by a thermal
model with a temperature of kT=1.3 keV and a line-of-sight absorption of
N_H=1.0 x 10^{22} cm^{-2}. The inferred unabsorbed luminosity (0.4-8 keV) is
~4x10^{38} erg/s, adopting a distance of 5.5 Mpc. A comparison between hard and
soft counts on the first and third epochs indicates a softening over this time,
although there is an insufficient number of photons to constrain the variation
of temperature and absorption by spectral fitting. We model the emission as
arising from the reverse shock region in the interaction between the supernova
ejecta and the progenitor wind. For a Type IIP supernova with an extended
progenitor, the cool shell formed at the time of shock wave breakout from the
star can affect the initial evolution of the interaction shell and the
absorption of radiation from the reverse shock. The observed spectral softening
might be due to decreasing shell absorption. We find a pre-supernova mass loss
rate of (2-2.5)x 10^{-6} M_{\odot} /yr for a wind velocity of 10 kms, which is
in line with expectations for a Type IIP supernova.Comment: total 19 pages including 7 figures. ApJ, in press. See
http://spider.ipac.caltech.edu/staff/rho/preprint/SN2004etms.ps for the paper
including full resolution image
A Deep Chandra Observation of Kepler's Supernova Remnant: A Type Ia Event with Circumstellar Interaction
We present initial results of a 750 ks Chandra observation of the remnant of
Kepler's supernova of AD 1604. The strength and prominence of iron emission,
together with the absence of O-rich ejecta, demonstrate that Kepler resulted
from a thermonuclear supernova, even though evidence for circumstellar
interaction is also strong. We have analyzed spectra of over 100 small regions,
and find that they fall into three classes. (1) The vast majority show Fe L
emission between 0.7 and 1 keV and Si and S K alpha emission; we associate
these with shocked ejecta. A few of these are found at or beyond the mean blast
wave radius. (2) A very few regions show solar O/Fe abundance rations; these we
associate with shocked circumstellar medium (CSM). Otherwise O is scarce. (3) A
few regions are dominated by continuum, probably synchrotron radiation.
Finally, we find no central point source, with a limit about 100 times fainter
than the central object in Cas A. The evidence that the blast wave is
interacting with CSM may indicate a Ia explosion in a more massive progenitor.Comment: Accepted by ApJ Letter
An adjustable law of motion for relativistic spherical shells
A classical and a relativistic law of motion for an advancing shell are
deduced applying the thin layer approximation. A new parameter connected with
the quantity of absorbed matter in the expansion is introduced; this allows of
matching theory and observation.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures and article in press; Central European Journal
of Physics 201
Why did Supernova 1054 shine at late times?
The Crab nebula is the remnant of supernova 1054 (SN 1054). The progenitor of
this supernova has, based on nucleosynthesis arguments, been modeled as an 8-10
solar mass star. Here we point out that the observations of the late light
curve of SN 1054, from the historical records, are not compatible with the
standard scenario, in which the late time emission is powered by the
radioactive decay of small amounts of Ni-56. Based on model calculations we
quantify this discrepancy. The rather large mass of Ni-56 needed to power the
late time emission, 0.06[-0.03,+0.02] solar masses, seems inconsistent with
abundances in the Crab nebula. The late light curve may well have been powered
by the pulsar, which would make SN 1054 unique in this respect. Alternatively,
the late light curve could have been powered by circumstellar interaction, in
accordance with scenarios in which 8-10 solar mass stars are progenitors to
`dense wind' supernovae.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in A&
Coronal X-Ray Emission from the Stellar Companions to Transiently Accreting Black Holes
Observations of soft X-ray transients (SXTs) in quiescence have found that
the binaries harboring black holes are fainter than those that contain a
neutron star. Narayan and collaborators postulated that the faint X-ray
emission from black hole binaries was powered by an advection dominated
accretion flow (ADAF). We explore an alternative explanation for the quiescent
X-ray emission from the black hole systems: coronal emission from the rapidly
rotating optical companion. This is commonly observed and well studied in other
tidally locked binaries, such as the RS CVns. We show that two of the three
X-ray detected black hole binaries (A0620-00 and GRO J1655-40) exhibit X-ray
fluxes entirely consistent with coronal emission. The X-ray spectra of these
objects should be best fit with thermal Raymond-Smith models rich in lines when
coronal emission predominates. One black hole system (V404 Cyg) is too X-ray
bright to be explained as coronal emission. The quiescent X-ray emission from
the neutron star binaries is far too bright for coronal emission. It might be
that all SXT's have variable accretion rates in quiescence and that the basal
quiescent X-ray flux is set by either coronal emission from the companion or --
when present -- by thermal emission from the neutron star. We also show that
the lithium abundances in the black hole systems are comparable to those in the
RS CVns, reducing the need for production mechanisms that involve the compact
object.Comment: ApJ, accepted (v541; Oct 1, 2000); Changes to figures and tables,
minor modifications to text. Uses emulateapj.sty. 14 pages, 3 figure
Influence of the r-mode instability on hypercritically accreting neutron stars
We have investigated an influence of the r-mode instability on
hypercritically accreting () neutron stars in
close binary systems during their common envelope phases based on the scenario
proposed by Bethe et al. \shortcite{bethe-brown-lee}. On the one hand neutron
stars are heated by the accreted matter at the stellar surface, but on the
other hand they are also cooled down by the neutrino radiation. At the same
time, the accreted matter transports its angular momentum and mass to the star.
We have studied the evolution of the stellar mass, temperature and rotational
frequency.
The gravitational-wave-driven instability of the r-mode oscillation strongly
suppresses spinning-up of the star, whose final rotational frequency is well
below the mass-shedding limit, typically as small as 10% of that of the
mass-shedding state. On a very short time scale the rotational frequency tends
to approach a certain constant value and saturates there as far as the amount
of the accreted mass does not exceed a certain limit to collapse to a black
hole. This implies that the similar mechanism of gravitational radiation as the
so-called Wagoner star may work in this process. The star is spun up by
accretion until the angular momentum loss by gravitational radiation balances
the accretion torque. The time-integrated dimensionless strain of the radiated
gravitational wave may be large enough to be detectable by the gravitational
wave detectors such as LIGO II.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure
Circumstellar interaction in supernovae in dense environments - an observational perspective
In a supernova explosion, the ejecta interacting with the surrounding
circumstellar medium (CSM) give rise to variety of radiation. Since CSM is
created from the mass lost from the progenitor star, it carries footprints of
the late time evolution of the star. This is one of the unique ways to get a
handle on the nature of the progenitor star system. Here, I will focus mainly
on the supernovae (SNe) exploding in dense environments, a.k.a. Type IIn SNe.
Radio and X-ray emission from this class of SNe have revealed important
modifications in their radiation properties, due to the presence of high
density CSM. Forward shock dominance of the X-ray emission, internal free-free
absorption of the radio emission, episodic or non-steady mass loss rate,
asymmetry in the explosion seem to be common properties of this class of SNe.Comment: Fixed minor typos. 31 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in
Space Science Reviews. Chapter in International Space Science Institute
(ISSI) Book on "Supernovae" to be published in Space Science Reviews by
Springe
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