31 research outputs found
The proper motion and energy distribution of the isolated neutron star RX J0720.4-3125
ESO 4m class telescope and VLT deep imaging of the isolated neutron star RX
J0720.4-3125 reveals a proper motion of mu = 97 +/-12 mas/yr and a blue U-B
color index. We show that a neutron star atmosphere model modified to account
for a limited amount of hydrogen on the star's surface can well represent both
the optical and X-ray data without invoking any additional components. The
large proper motion almost completely excludes the possibility that accretion
from interstellar medium is the powering mechanism of the X-ray emission. It
also implies that the proposed spin down is entirely due to magnetic dipole
losses. RX J0720.4-3125 is thus a very likely middle aged cooling neutron star.
Its overall properties are quite similar to some of the long period radio
pulsars recently discovered, giving further support to the idea that RX
J0720.4-3125 may be a pulsar whose narrow radio beam does not cross the Earth.Comment: Submitted to Astronomy and Astrophysics, 8 pages 5 figure
The isolated neutron star X-ray pulsars RX J0420.0–5022 and RX J0806.4–4123 : new X-ray and optical observations
We report on the analysis of new X-ray data obtained with XMM-Newton and Chandra from two ROSAT-discovered X-ray dim isolated neutron stars (XDINs). RX J0806.4−4123 was observed with XMM-Newton in April 2003, 2.5 years after
the first observation. The EPIC-pn data confirm that this object is an X-ray pulsar with 11.371 s neutron star spin period. The X-ray spectrum is consistent with absorbed black-body emission with a temperature kT = 96 eV and N H = 4 × 10 19 cm −2 without significant changes between the two observations. Four XMM-Newton observations of RX
J0420.0−5022 between December 2002 and July 2003 did not confirm the 22.7 s pulsations originally indicated in ROSAT data, but clearly reveal a 3.453 s period. A fit to the X-ray spectrum using an absorbed black-body model yields kT = 45 eV, the lowest value found from the small group of XDINs and N H = 1.0 × 10 20 cm −2. Including a broad absorption line improves the quality of the spectral fits considerably for both objects and may indicate the presence of absorption features similar to those reported from RBS1223, RX J1605.3+3249 and RX J0720.4−3125. For both targets we derive accurate X-ray positions from the Chandra data and present an optical counterpart candidate for RX J0420.0−5022 with B = 26.6 ± 0.3 mag from VLT imaging
The Magnificent Seven: Magnetic fields and surface temperature distributions
Presently seven nearby radio-quiet isolated neutron stars discovered in ROSAT
data and characterized by thermal X-ray spectra are known. They exhibit very
similar properties and despite intensive searches their number remained
constant since 2001 which led to their name ``The Magnificent Seven''. Five of
the stars exhibit pulsations in their X-ray flux with periods in the range of
3.4 s to 11.4 s. XMM-Newton observations revealed broad absorption lines in the
X-ray spectra which are interpreted as cyclotron resonance absorption lines by
protons or heavy ions and / or atomic transitions shifted to X-ray energies by
strong magnetic fields of the order of 10^13 G. New XMM-Newton observations
indicate more complex X-ray spectra with multiple absorption lines. Pulse-phase
spectroscopy of the best studied pulsars RX J0720.4-3125 and RBS 1223 reveals
variations in derived emission temperature and absorption line depth with pulse
phase. Moreover, RX J0720.4-3125 shows long-term spectral changes which are
interpreted as due to free precession of the neutron star. Modeling of the
pulse profiles of RX J0720.4-3125 and RBS 1223 provides information about the
surface temperature distribution of the neutron stars indicating hot polar caps
which have different temperatures, different sizes and are probably not located
in antipodal positions.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, to appear in Astrophysics and Space Science, in
the proceedings of "Isolated Neutron Stars: from the Interior to the
Surface", edited by D. Page, R. Turolla and S. Zan
XMM-Newton observations of the X-ray soft polar QS Telescopii
Context. On the basis of XMM-Newton observations, we investigate the energy
balance of selected magnetic cataclysmic variables, which have shown an extreme
soft-to-hard X-ray flux ratio in the ROSAT All-Sky Survey.
Aims. We intend to establish the X-ray properties of the system components,
their flux contributions, and the accretion geometry of the X-ray soft polar QS
Tel. In the context of high-resolution X-ray analyses of magnetic cataclysmic
variables, this study will contribute to better understanding the accretion
processes on magnetic white dwarfs.
Methods. During an intermediate high state of accretion of QS Tel, we have
obtained 20 ks of XMM-Newton data, corresponding to more than two orbital
periods, accompanied by simultaneous optical photometry and phase-resolved
spectroscopy. We analyze the multi-wavelength spectra and light curves and
compare them to former high- and low-state observations.
Results. Soft emission at energies below 2 keV dominates the X-ray light
curves. The complex double-peaked maxima are disrupted by a sharp dip in the
very soft energy range (0.1-0.5 keV), where the count rate abruptly drops to
zero. The EPIC spectra are described by a minimally absorbed black body at 20
eV and two partially absorbed MEKAL plasma models with temperatures around 0.2
and 3 keV. The black-body-like component arises from one mainly active, soft
X-ray bright accretion region nearly facing the mass donor. Parts of the plasma
emission might be attributed to the second, virtually inactive pole. High
soft-to-hard X-ray flux ratios and hardness ratios demonstrate that the
high-energy emission of QS Tel is substantially dominated by its X-ray soft
component.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. 7 pages, 4
figures, 2 table
XMM-Newton observation of the long-period polar V1309 Ori: The case for pure blobby accretion
Using XMM-Newton we have obtained the first X-ray observation covering a
complete orbit of the longest period polar, V1309 Ori. The X-ray light curve is
dominated by a short, bright phase interval with EPIC pn count rates reaching
up to 15 cts/sec per 30 sec resolution bin. The bright phase emission is well
described by a single blackbody component with kT_bb = (45 +- 3) eV. The
absence of a bremsstrahlung component at photon energies above 1 keV yields a
flux ratio F_bb/F_br > 6700. This represents the most extreme case of a soft
X-ray excess yet observed in an AM Herculis star. The bright, soft X-ray
emission is subdivided into a series of individual flare events supporting the
hypothesis that the soft X-ray excess in V1309 is caused by accretion of dense
blobs. In addition to the bright phase emission, a faint, hard X-ray component
is visible throughout the binary orbit with an almost constant count rate of
0.01 cts/sec. Spectral modelling indicates that this emission originates from a
complex multi-temperature plasma. At least three components of an optically
thin plasma with temperatures kT= 0.065, 0.7, and 2.9 keV are required to fit
the observed flux distribution. The faint phase emission is occulted during the
optical eclipse. Eclipse ingress lasts about 15--20 min and is substantially
prolonged beyond nominal ingress of the white dwarf. This and the comparatively
low plasma temperature provide strong evidence that the faint-phase emission is
not thermal bremsstrahlung from a post-shock accretion column above the white
dwarf. A large fraction of the softer faint-phase emission could be explained
by scattering of photons from the blackbody component in the infalling material
above the accretion region. The remaining hard X-ray flux could be produced in
the coupling region, so far unseen in other polars.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, A&A publishe
Unveiling the nature of INTEGRAL objects through optical spectroscopy. IX. 22 more identifications, and a glance into the far hard X-ray Universe
(Abridged) Since its launch in October 2002, the INTEGRAL satellite has
revolutionized our knowledge of the hard X-ray sky thanks to its unprecedented
imaging capabilities and source detection positional accuracy above 20 keV.
Nevertheless, many of the newly-detected sources in the INTEGRAL sky surveys
are of unknown nature. The combined use of available information at longer
wavelengths (mainly soft X-rays and radio) and of optical spectroscopy on the
putative counterparts of these new hard X-ray objects allows us to pinpoint
their exact nature. Continuing our long-standing program that has been running
since 2004, and using 6 different telescopes of various sizes, we report the
classification through optical spectroscopy of 22 more unidentified or poorly
studied high-energy sources detected with the IBIS instrument onboard INTEGRAL.
We found that 16 of them are active galactic nuclei (AGNs), while the remaining
6 objects are within our Galaxy. Among the identified extragalactic sources, 14
are Type 1 AGNs; of these, 6 lie at redshift larger than 0.5 and one has z =
3.12, which makes it the second farthest object detected in the INTEGRAL
surveys up to now. The remaining AGNs are of type 2, and one of them is a pair
of interacting Seyfert 2 galaxies. The Galactic objects are identified as two
cataclysmic variables, one high-mass X-ray binary, one symbiotic binary and two
chromospherically active stars. We thus still find that AGNs are the most
abundant population among hard X-ray objects identified through optical
spectroscopy. Moreover, we note that the higher sensitivity of the more recent
INTEGRAL surveys is now enabling the detection of high-redshift AGNs, thus
allowing the exploration of the most distant hard X-ray emitting sources and
possibly of the most extreme blazars.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures, 8 tables, accepted for publication on Astronomy
& Astrophysics, main journa
The role of protected areas in the avoidance of anthropogenic conversion in a high pressure region : a matching method analysis in the core region of the brazilian cerrado
Global efforts to avoid anthropogenic conversion of natural habitat rely heavily on the establishment of protected areas. Studies that evaluate the effectiveness of these areas with a focus on preserving the natural habitat define effectiveness as a measure of the influence of protected areas on total avoided conversion. Changes in the estimated effectiveness are related to local and regional differences, evaluation methods, restriction categories that include the protected areas, and other characteristics. The overall objective of this study
was to evaluate the effectiveness of protected areas to prevent the advance of the conversion of natural areas in the core region of the Brazil’s Cerrado Biome, taking into account the influence of the restriction degree, governmental sphere, time since the establishment of the protected area units, and the size of the area on the performance of protected areas. The evaluation was conducted using matching methods and took into account the following two fundamental issues: control of statistical biases caused by the influence of covariates on the likelihood of anthropogenic conversion and the non-randomness of the allocation of protected areas throughout the territory (spatial correlation effect) and the control of statistical bias caused by the influence of auto-correlation and leakage effect. Using a sample design that is not based on ways to control these biases may result in outcomes that underestimate or overestimate the effectiveness of those units. The matching method accounted for a bias reduction in 94–99% of the estimation of the average effect of protected areas on anthropogenic conversion and allowed us to obtain results with a reduced influence of the auto-correlation and leakage effects. Most protected areas had a positive influence on the maintenance of natural habitats, although wide variation in this effectiveness was dependent on the type, restriction, governmental sphere, size and age group of the unit
Cervical cancer screening service utilisation in UK.
This study investigates empirically how past screening behaviour, individual and household characteristics affect the current uptake of cervical cancer screening in UK. For the conceptual framework, we use a modified Grossman model which is extended for non-economic factors. A dynamic version of a random effects panel probit model with initial conditions is estimated on the balanced sub-sample of the data. The analysis sample is restricted to women of age 16 and older and grouped into different age categories with respect to the NHS Cervical Screening Programme (NHSCSP). As dataset a balanced panel data of 857 women with 11,998 observations from the British Household Panel Study (BHPS) for the period from 1992 to 2008 is used for the analysis. Results suggest show that previous screening uptake, age, partner status, employment status and a previous GP visit have a significant influence on the likelihood of the uptake of cervical cancer screening