Ultraviolet observations of the X-ray photoionized wind of Cygnus X-1 during X-ray soft/high state

(Shortened) Ultraviolet observations of the black hole X-ray binary Cygnus X-1 were obtained using the STIS on HSTubble. We detect P Cygni line features show strong, broad absorption components when the X-ray source is behind the companion star and noticeably weaker absorption when the X-ray source is between us and the companion star. We fit the P Cygni profiles using the SEI method applied to a spherically symmetric stellar wind subject to X-ray photoionization from the black hole. The Si IV doublet provides the most reliable estimates of the parameters of the wind and X-ray illumination. The velocity $v$ increases with radius $r$ according to $v=v_\infty(1-r_\star/r)^\beta$, with$\beta\approx0.75$ and $v_\infty\approx1420$ km s$^{-1}$.The microturbulent velocity was $\approx160$ km s$^{-1}$. Our fit implies a ratio of X-ray luminosity to wind mass-loss rate of L$_{X,38}/\dot M_{-6} \approx 0.33$, measured at $\dot M_{-6}$ = 4.8. Our models determine parameters that may be used to estimate the accretion rate onto the black hole and independently predict the X-ray luminosity. Our predicted L$_x$ matches that determined by contemporaneous RXTE ASM remarkably well, but is a factor of 3 lower than the rate according to Bondi-Hoyle-Littleton spherical wind accretion. We suggest that some of the energy of accretion may go into powering a jet.Comment: 34 pages, 21 figures, 4 tables, accepted for publication in Ap

Mode summation approach to Casimir effect between two objects

In this paper, we explore the TGTG formula from the perspective of mode summation approach. Both scalar fields and electromagnetic fields are considered. In this approach, one has to first solve the equation of motion to find a wave basis for each object. The two T's in the TGTG formula are T-matrices representing the Lippmann-Schwinger T-operators, one for each of the objects. The two G's in the TGTG formula are the translation matrices, relating the wave basis of an object to the wave basis of the other object. After discussing the general theory, we apply the prescription to derive the explicit formulas for the Casimir energies for the sphere-sphere, sphere-plane, cylinder-cylinder and cylinder-plane interactions. First the T-matrices for a plane, a sphere and a cylinder are derived for the following cases: the object is imposed with general Robin boundary conditions; the object is semitransparent; and the object is magnetodielectric. Then the operator approach is used to derive the translation matrices. From these, the explicit TGTG formula for each of the scenarios can be written down. Besides summarizing all the TGTG formulas that have been derived so far, we also provide the TGTG formulas for some scenarios that have not been considered before.Comment: 42 page

Do Instantons Like a Colorful Background?

We investigate chiral symmetry breaking and color symmetry breaking in QCD. The effective potential of the corresponding scalar condensates is discussed in the presence of non-perturbative contributions from the semiclassical one-instanton sector. We concentrate on a color singlet scalar background which can describe chiral condensation, as well as a color octet scalar background which can generate mass for the gluons. Whereas a non-vanishing singlet chiral field is favored by the instantons, we have found no indication for a preference of color octet backgrounds.Comment: 25 pages, 7 figure

Preferred foliation effects in Quantum General Relativity

We investigate the infrared (IR) effects of Lorentz violating terms in the gravitational sector using functional renormalization group methods similar to Reuter and collaborators. The model we consider consists of pure quantum gravity coupled to a preferred foliation, described effectively via a scalar field with non-standard dynamics. We find that vanishing Lorentz violation is a UV attractive fixed-point of this model in the local potential approximation. Since larger truncations may lead to differing results, we study as a first example effects of additional matter fields on the RG running of the Lorentz violating term and provide a general argument why they are small.Comment: 12 pages, no figures, compatible with published versio

Geothermal Casimir Phenomena

We present first worldline analytical and numerical results for the nontrivial interplay between geometry and temperature dependencies of the Casimir effect. We show that the temperature dependence of the Casimir force can be significantly larger for open geometries (e.g., perpendicular plates) than for closed geometries (e.g., parallel plates). For surface separations in the experimentally relevant range, the thermal correction for the perpendicular-plates configuration exhibits a stronger parameter dependence and exceeds that for parallel plates by an order of magnitude at room temperature. This effect can be attributed to the fact that the fluctuation spectrum for closed geometries is gapped, inhibiting the thermal excitation of modes at low temperatures. By contrast, open geometries support a thermal excitation of the low-lying modes in the gapless spectrum already at low temperatures.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, contribution to QFEXT07 proceedings, v2: discussion switched from Casimir energy to Casimir force, new analytical results included, matches JPhysA versio

Systematic study of carrier correlations in the electron-hole recombination dynamics of quantum dots

The ground state carrier dynamics in self-assembled (In,Ga)As/GaAs quantum dots has been studied using time-resolved photoluminescence and transmission. By varying the dot design with respect to confinement and doping, the dynamics is shown to follow in general a non-exponential decay. Only for specific conditions in regard to optical excitation and carrier population, for example, the decay can be well described by a mono-exponential form. For resonant excitation of the ground state transition a strong shortening of the luminescence decay time is observed as compared to the non-resonant case. The results are consistent with a microscopic theory that accounts for deviations from a simple two-level picture.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

The Ultraviolet Spectrum and Physical Properties of the Mass Donor Star in HD 226868 = Cygnus X-1

We present an examination of high resolution, ultraviolet spectroscopy from Hubble Space Telescope of the photospheric spectrum of the O-supergiant in the massive X-ray binary HD 226868 = Cyg X-1. We analyzed this and ground-based optical spectra to determine the effective temperature and gravity of the O9.7 Iab supergiant. Using non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE), line blanketed, plane parallel models from the TLUSTY grid, we obtain T_eff = 28.0 +/- 2.5kK and log g > 3.00 +/- 0.25, both lower than in previous studies. The optical spectrum is best fit with models that have enriched He and N abundances. We fit the model spectral energy distribution for this temperature and gravity to the UV, optical, and IR fluxes to determine the angular size of and extinction towards the binary. The angular size then yields relations for the stellar radius and luminosity as a function of distance. By assuming that the supergiant rotates synchronously with the orbit, we can use the radius - distance relation to find mass estimates for both the supergiant and black hole as a function of the distance and the ratio of stellar to Roche radius. Fits of the orbital light curve yield an additional constraint that limits the solutions in the mass plane. Our results indicate masses of 23^{+8}_{-6} M_sun for the supergiant and 11^{+5}_{-3} M_sun for the black hole.Comment: ApJ in pres

Multi-epoch Near-Infrared Interferometry of the Spatially Resolved Disk Around the Be Star Zeta Tau

We present interferometric observations of the Be star Zeta Tau obtained using the MIRC beam combiner at the CHARA Array. We resolved the disk during four epochs in 2007-2009. We fit the data with a geometric model to characterize the circumstellar disk as a skewed elliptical Gaussian and the central Be star as a uniform disk. The visibilities reveal a nearly edge-on disk with a FWHM major axis of ~ 1.8 mas in the H-band. The non-zero closure phases indicate an asymmetry within the disk. Interestingly, when combining our results with previously published interferometric observations of Zeta Tau, we find a correlation between the position angle of the disk and the spectroscopic V/R ratio, suggesting that the tilt of the disk is precessing. This work is part of a multi-year monitoring campaign to investigate the development and outward motion of asymmetric structures in the disks of Be stars.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal. 27 pages, 7 Figure

Radial Velocities of Six OB Stars

We present new results from a radial velocity study of six bright OB stars with little or no prior measurements. One of these, HD 45314, may be a long-period binary, but the velocity variations of this Be star may be related to changes in its circumstellar disk. Significant velocity variations were also found for HD 60848 (possibly related to nonradial pulsations) and HD 61827 (related to wind variations). The other three targets, HD 46150, HD 54879, and HD 206183, are constant velocity objects, but we note that HD 54879 has H$\alpha$ emission that may originate from a binary companion. We illustrate the average red spectrum of each target.Comment: Accepted for publication in PASP July 2007 issu