108 research outputs found
Simultaneous Multi-band Radio & X-ray Observations of the Galactic Center Magnetar SGR 17452900
We report on multi-frequency, wideband radio observations of the Galactic
Center magnetar (SGR 17452900) with the Green Bank Telescope for 100
days immediately following its initial X-ray outburst in April 2013. We made
multiple simultaneous observations at 1.5, 2.0, and 8.9 GHz, allowing us to
examine the magnetar's flux evolution, radio spectrum, and interstellar medium
parameters (such as the dispersion measure (DM), the scattering timescale and
its index). During two epochs, we have simultaneous observations from the
Chandra X-ray Observatory, which permitted the absolute alignment of the radio
and X-ray profiles. As with the two other radio magnetars with published
alignments, the radio profile lies within the broad peak of the X-ray profile,
preceding the X-ray profile maximum by 0.2 rotations. We also find that
the radio spectral index is significantly negative between 2 and
9 GHz; during the final 30 days of our observations ,
which is typical of canonical pulsars. The radio flux has not decreased during
this outburst, whereas the long-term trends in the other radio magnetars show
concomitant fading of the radio and X-ray fluxes. Finally, our wideband
measurements of the DMs taken in adjacent frequency bands in tandem are
stochastically inconsistent with one another. Based on recent theoretical
predictions, we consider the possibility that the dispersion measure is
frequency-dependent. Despite having several properties in common with the other
radio magnetars, such as , an
increase in the radio flux during the X-ray flux decay has not been observed
thus far in other systems.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures, 3 tables; accepted to Ap
The X-ray outburst of the Galactic Centre magnetar SGR J1745-2900 during the first 1.5 year
In 2013 April a new magnetar, SGR 1745-2900, was discovered as it entered an
outburst, at only 2.4 arcsec angular distance from the supermassive black hole
at the Centre of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A*. SGR 1745-2900 has a surface
dipolar magnetic field of ~ 2x10^{14} G, and it is the neutron star closest to
a black hole ever observed. The new source was detected both in the radio and
X-ray bands, with a peak X-ray luminosity L_X ~ 5x10^{35} erg s^{-1}. Here we
report on the long-term Chandra (25 observations) and XMM-Newton (8
observations) X-ray monitoring campaign of SGR 1745-2900, from the onset of the
outburst in April 2013 until September 2014. This unprecedented dataset allows
us to refine the timing properties of the source, as well as to study the
outburst spectral evolution as a function of time and rotational phase. Our
timing analysis confirms the increase in the spin period derivative by a factor
of ~2 around June 2013, and reveals that a further increase occurred between
2013 Oct 30 and 2014 Feb 21. We find that the period derivative changed from
6.6x10^{-12} s s^{-1} to 3.3x10^{-11} s s^{-1} in 1.5 yr. On the other hand,
this magnetar shows a slow flux decay compared to other magnetars and a rather
inefficient surface cooling. In particular, starquake-induced crustal cooling
models alone have difficulty in explaining the high luminosity of the source
for the first ~200 days of its outburst, and additional heating of the star
surface from currents flowing in a twisted magnetic bundle is probably playing
an important role in the outburst evolution.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures; accepted for publication on MNRA
About curvature, conformal metrics and warped products
We consider the curvature of a family of warped products of two
pseduo-Riemannian manifolds and furnished with metrics of
the form and, in particular, of the type , where are smooth
functions and is a real parameter. We obtain suitable expressions for the
Ricci tensor and scalar curvature of such products that allow us to establish
results about the existence of Einstein or constant scalar curvature structures
in these categories. If is Riemannian, the latter question involves
nonlinear elliptic partial differential equations with concave-convex
nonlinearities and singular partial differential equations of the
Lichnerowicz-York type among others.Comment: 32 pages, 3 figure
The X-Ray Outburst of the Galactic Center Magnetar over Six Years of Chandra Observations
The magnetar SGR J1745â2900, discovered at a distance of parsecs from the Milky Way central black hole, Sagittarius A*, represents the closest pulsar to a supermassive black hole ever detected. Furthermore, its intriguing radio emission has been used to study the environment of the black hole, as well as to derive a precise position and proper motion for this object. The discovery of SGR J1745â2900 has led to interesting debates about the number, age, and nature of pulsars expected in the Galactic center region. In this work, we present extensive X-ray monitoring of the outburst of SGR J1745â2900 using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the only instrument with the spatial resolution to distinguish the magnetar from the supermassive black hole (2"4 angular distance). It was monitored from its outburst onset in 2013 April until 2019 August, collecting more than 50 Chandra observations for a total of more than 2.3 Ms of data. Soon after the outburst onset, the magnetar emission settled onto a purely thermal emission state that cooled from a temperature of about 0.9â0.6 keV over 6 yr. The pulsar timing properties showed at least two changes in the period derivative, increasing by a factor of about 4 during the outburst decay. We find that the long-term properties of this outburst challenge current models for the magnetar outbursts.N.R., D.V., and A.B. are supported by the H2020 ERC Consolidator Grant âMAGNESIAâ under grant agreement No. 817661 (PI: Rea). N.R., F.C.Z., D.V., A.B., and D.F.T. also acknowledge support from grants SGR2017-1383 and PGC2018-095512-BI00. F.C.Z. is supported by a Juan de la Cierva fellowship. A.P. acknowledges financial support from grants ASI/INAF I/037/12/0, ASI/INAF 2017-14-H.0 (PI: Belloni) and from INAF grant âSostegno alla ricerca scientifica main streams dellâINAF,â Presidential Decree 43/2018 (PI: Belloni). D.H. acknowledges support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grant, the Fonds de recherche du QuĂ©becâNature et Technologies (FRQNT) Nouveaux Chercheurs program, and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR). G.L.I., S.M., and R.T. have been partially supported by PRIN-MIUR 2017. J.A.P. acknowledges support by the Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEO/2019/071) and by Agencia Estatal de InvestigaciĂłn (PGC2018-095984-B-I00). G.P. is supported by the H2020 ERC Consolidator Grant âHot Milkâ under grant agreement No. 865637. L.S. acknowledges financial contributions from ASI-INAF agreements 2017-14-H.O and I/037/12/0 and from âiPeskaâ research grant (PI: Andrea Possenti) funded under the INAF call PRIN-SKA/CTA (resolution 70/2016). We acknowledge support from the PHAROS COST Action (CA16214)
Strongly magnetized pulsars: explosive events and evolution
Well before the radio discovery of pulsars offered the first observational
confirmation for their existence (Hewish et al., 1968), it had been suggested
that neutron stars might be endowed with very strong magnetic fields of
-G (Hoyle et al., 1964; Pacini, 1967). It is because of their
magnetic fields that these otherwise small ed inert, cooling dead stars emit
radio pulses and shine in various part of the electromagnetic spectrum. But the
presence of a strong magnetic field has more subtle and sometimes dramatic
consequences: In the last decades of observations indeed, evidence mounted that
it is likely the magnetic field that makes of an isolated neutron star what it
is among the different observational manifestations in which they come. The
contribution of the magnetic field to the energy budget of the neutron star can
be comparable or even exceed the available kinetic energy. The most magnetised
neutron stars in particular, the magnetars, exhibit an amazing assortment of
explosive events, underlining the importance of their magnetic field in their
lives. In this chapter we review the recent observational and theoretical
achievements, which not only confirmed the importance of the magnetic field in
the evolution of neutron stars, but also provide a promising unification scheme
for the different observational manifestations in which they appear. We focus
on the role of their magnetic field as an energy source behind their persistent
emission, but also its critical role in explosive events.Comment: Review commissioned for publication in the White Book of
"NewCompStar" European COST Action MP1304, 43 pages, 8 figure
Matter ejections behind the highs and lows of the transitional millisecond pulsar PSR J1023+0038
Transitional millisecond pulsars are an emerging class of sources that link low-mass X-ray binaries to millisecond radio pulsars in binary systems. These pulsars alternate between a radio pulsar state and an active low-luminosity X-ray disc state. During the active state, these sources exhibit two distinct emission modes (high and low) that alternate unpredictably, abruptly, and incessantly. X-ray to optical pulsations are observed only during the high mode. The root cause of this puzzling behaviour remains elusive. This paper presents the results of the most extensive multi-wavelength campaign ever conducted on the transitional pulsar prototype, PSR J1023+0038, covering from the radio to X-rays. The campaign was carried out over two nights in June 2021 and involved 12 different telescopes and instruments, including XMM-Newton, HST, VLT/FORS2 (in polarimetric mode), ALMA, VLA, and FAST. By modelling the broadband spectral energy distributions in both emission modes, we show that the mode switches are caused by changes in the innermost region of the accretion disc. These changes trigger the emission of discrete mass ejections, which occur on top of a compact jet, as testified by the detection of at least one short-duration millimetre flare with ALMA at the high-to-low mode switch. The pulsar is subsequently re-enshrouded, completing our picture of the mode switches.</p
Polymer Composites Containing Gated Mesoporous Materials for On-Command Controlled Release
Polyamidic nanofibrous membranes containing gated silica mesoporous particles, acting as carriers, are described as novel hybrid composite materials for encapsulation and on-command delivery of garlic extracts. The carrier system consists of MCM-41 solids functionalized in the outer surface, with linear polyamines (solid P1) and with hydrolyzed starch (solid P2), both acting as molecular gates. Those particles were adsorbed on electospun nylon-6 nanofibrous membranes yielding to composite materials M1 and M2. FE-SEM analysis confirmed the presence of particles incorporated on the nylon nanofibers. The release of the entrapped molecules (garlic extract) from the P1, P2, M1, and M2 materials was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry measurements. Electrochemical studies showed that at acidic pH P1 and M1 were unable to release their entrapped cargo (closed gate), whereas at neutral pH both materials release their loading (open gate). Dealing with P2 and M2 materials, in the absence of pancreatin a negligible release is observed (closed gate), whereas in the presence of enzyme the load is freely to diffuse to the solution. These newly developed composite nanomaterials, provide a homogeneous easy-to-handle system with controlled delivery and bioactive-protective features, having potential applications on pharmacology, medical and engineering fields.The authors wish to express their gratitude to the Generalitat Valenciana (Grisolia scholarship 2011/012, project PROM-ETEO/2009/016), Spanish Government (MINECO Projects AGL2012-39597-C02-01, AGL2012-39597-C02-02 and MAT2012-38429-C04-01) and the CIBER-BBN for their support. IILA thanks DISTAM and Universita degli di Milano for a specialization scholarship. We would also like to thank the Institut de Ciencia dels Materials (ICMUV) and to the Microscopy Service of the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia for technical support. We thank Roquette for the Glucidex samples.Acosta Romero, C.; PĂ©rez Esteve, E.; Fuenmayor, CA.; Benedetti, S.; Cosio, MS.; Soto Camino, J.; SancenĂłn Galarza, F.... (2014). Polymer Composites Containing Gated Mesoporous Materials for On-Command Controlled Release. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. 6(9):6453-6460. https://doi.org/10.1021/am405939y645364606
Measurement of the ground-state distributions in bistable mechanically interlocked molecules using slow scan rate cyclic voltammetry
Nanoscale Confinement and Fluorescence Effects of Bacterial Light Harvesting Complex LH2 in Mesoporous Silicas
Many key chemical and biochemical reactions, particularly in living cells, take place in confined space at the mesoscopic scale. Toward understanding of physicochemical nature of biomacromolecules confined in nanoscale space, in this work we have elucidated fluorescence effects of a light harvesting complex LH2 in nanoscale chemical environments. Mesoporous silicas (SBA-15 family) with different shapes and pore sizes were synthesized and used to create nanoscale biomimetic environments for molecular confinement of LH2. A combination of UV-vis absorption, wide-field fluorescence microscopy, and in situ ellipsometry supports that the LH2 complexes are located inside the silica nanopores. Systematic fluorescence effects were observed and depend on degree of space confinement. In particular, the temperature dependence of the steady-state fluorescence spectra was analyzed in detail using condensed matter band shape theories. Systematic electronic-vibrational coupling differences in the LH2 transitions between the free and confined states are found, most likely responsible for the fluorescence effects experimentally observed
Interaction of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles with Human Red Blood Cell Membranes: Size and Surface Effects
The interactions of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) of different particle sizes and surface properties with human red blood cell (RBC) membranes were investigated by membrane filtration, flow cytometry, and various microscopic techniques. Small MCM-41-type MSNs (âŒ100 nm) were found to adsorb to the surface of RBCs without disturbing the membrane or morphology. In contrast, adsorption of large SBA-15-type MSNs (âŒ600 nm) to RBCs induced a strong local membrane deformation leading to spiculation of RBCs, internalization of the particles, and eventual hemolysis. In addition, the relationship between the degree of MSN surface functionalization and the degree of its interaction with RBC, as well as the effect of RBCâMSN interaction on cellular deformability, were investigated. The results presented here provide a better understanding of the mechanisms of RBCâMSN interaction and the hemolytic activity of MSNs and will assist in the rational design of hemocompatible MSNs for intravenous drug delivery and in vivo imaging
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