399 research outputs found
Hadronic versus leptonic origin of gamma-ray emission from supernova remnants
GeV and TeV emission from the forward shocks of supernova remnants (SNRs)
indicates that they are capable particle accelerators, making them promising
sources of Galactic cosmic rays (CRs). However, it remains uncertain whether
this -ray emission arises primarily from the decay of neutral pions
produced by very high energy hadrons, or from inverse-Compton and/or
bremsstrahlung emission from relativistic leptons. By applying a semi-analytic
approach to non-linear diffusive shock acceleration (NLDSA) and calculating the
particle and photon spectra produced in different astrophysical environments,
we parametrize the relative strength of hadronic and leptonic emission. We show
that, even if CR acceleration is likely to occur in all SNRs, the observed
photon spectra may instead primarily reflect the environment surrounding the
SNR, specifically the ambient density and radiation field. We find that the
most hadronic-appearing spectra are young and found in environments of high
density but low radiation energy density. This study aims to guide the
interpretation of current -ray observations and single out the best
targets of future campaigns.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Ap
Radio Continuum Emission from the Magnetar SGR J1745-2900: Interaction with Gas Orbiting Sgr A*
We present radio continuum light curves of the magnetar SGR J17452900 and
Sgr A* obtained with multi-frequency, multi-epoch Very Large Array observations
between 2012 and 2014. During this period, a powerful X-ray outburst from SGR
J17452900 occurred on 2013-04-24. Enhanced radio emission is delayed with
respect to the X-ray peak by about seven months. In addition, the flux density
of the emission from the magnetar fluctuates by a factor of 2 to 4 at
frequencies between 21 and 41 GHz and its spectral index varies erratically.
Here we argue that the excess fluctuating emission from the magnetar arises
from the interaction of a shock generated from the X-ray outburst with the
orbiting ionized gas at the Galactic center. In this picture, variable
synchrotron emission is produced by ram pressure variations due to
inhomogeneities in the dense ionized medium of the Sgr A West bar. The pulsar
with its high transverse velocity is moving through a highly blue-shifted
ionized medium. This implies that the magnetar is at a projected distance of
pc from Sgr A* and that the orbiting ionized gas is partially or
largely responsible for a large rotation measure detected toward the magnetar.
Despite the variability of Sgr A* expected to be induced by the passage of the
G2 cloud, monitoring data shows a constant flux density and spectral index
during this periodComment: 12 pages, 3 figures, ApJL (in press
Magneto-optical properties of Au upon the injection of hot spin-polarized electrons across Fe/Au(001) interfaces
We demonstrate a novel method for the excitation of sizable magneto-optical
effects in Au by means of the laser-induced injection of hot spin-polarized
electrons in Au/Fe/MgO(001) heterostructures. It is based on the energy- and
spin-dependent electron transmittance of Fe/Au interface which acts as a spin
filter for non-thermalized electrons optically excited in Fe. We show that
after crossing the interface, majority electrons propagate through the Au layer
with the velocity on the order of 1 nm/fs (close to the Fermi velocity) and the
decay length on the order of 100 nm. Featuring ultrafast functionality and
requiring no strong external magnetic fields, spin injection results in a
distinct magneto-optical response of Au. We develop a formalism based on the
phase of the transient complex MOKE response and demonstrate its robustness in
a plethora of experimental and theoretical MOKE studies on Au, including our ab
initio calculations. Our work introduces a flexible tool to manipulate
magneto-optical properties of metals on the femtosecond timescale that holds
high potential for active magneto-photonics, plasmonics, and spintronics
Combining observations with acoustic swath bathymetry and backscatter to map seabed sediment texture classes: the empirical best linear unbiased predictor
Seabed sediment texture can be mapped by geostatistical prediction from limited direct observations such as grab-samples. A geostatistical model can provide local estimates of the probability of each texture class so the most probable sediment class can be identified at any unsampled location, and the uncertainty of this prediction can be quantified. In this paper we show, in a case study off the northeast coast of England, how swath bathymetry and backscatter can be incorporated into a geostatistical linear mixed model (LMM) as fixed effects (covariates).
Parameters of the LMM were estimated by maximum likelihood which allowed us to show that both covariates provided useful information. In a cross-validation, each observation was predicted from the rest using the LMMs with (i) no covariates, or (ii) bathymetry and backscatter as covariates. The proportion of cases in which the most probable class according to the prediction corresponded to the observed class was increased (from 58% to 65% of cases) by including the covariates which also increased the information content of the predictions, measured by the entropy of the class probabilities. A qualitative assessment of the geostatistical results shows that the model correctly predicts, for example, the occurrence of coarser sediment over discrete glacial sediment landforms, and muddier sediment in relatively quiescent, localized deep water environments. This demonstrates the potential for assimilating geophysical data with direct observations by the LMM, and could offer a basis for a routine mapping procedure which incorporates these and other ancillary information such as manually-interpreted geological and geomorphological maps
Evidence for multiple shocks from the -ray emission of RS Ophiuchi
In August of 2021, Fermi-LAT, H.E.S.S., and MAGIC detected GeV and TeV
-ray emission from an outburst of recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi. This
detection represents the first very high energy -rays observed from a
nova, and opens a new window to study particle acceleration. Both H.E.S.S. and
MAGIC described the observed -rays as arising from a single, external
shock. In this paper, we perform detailed, multi-zone modeling of RS Ophiuchi's
2021 outburst including a self-consistent prescription for particle
acceleration and magnetic field amplification. We demonstrate that, contrary to
previous work, a single shock cannot simultaneously explain RS Ophiuchi's GeV
and TeV emission, particularly the spectral shape and distinct light curve
peaks. Instead, we put forward a model involving multiple shocks that
reproduces the observed -ray spectrum and temporal evolution. The
simultaneous appearance of multiple distinct velocity components in the nova
optical spectrum over the first several days of the outburst supports the
presence of distinct shocks, which may arise either from the strong latitudinal
dependence of the density of the external circumbinary medium (e.g., in the
binary equatorial plane versus the poles) or due to internal collisions within
the white dwarf ejecta (as powers the -ray emission in classical
novae).Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Ap
Non-equilibrium magnetic effects at interfaces for ultrafast dynamics (Conference Presentation)
Representing the future of spintronics, femtosecond spin current (SC) pulses constitute a versatile tool to transfer spin and control magnetization on the ultrafast timescale. It is therefore of paramount importance to understand the kinetics of these pulses and the fundamentals of their interaction with magnetized media. In our work, we demonstrate the key role of interfaces for the SC dynamics in Fe/Au/Fe multilayers. In particular, we argue that both (i) demagnetization caused by a pulse of hot electrons and (ii) spin transfer torque exerted by the orthogonal to the Fe magnetization projection of magnetic moment delivered by SC pulse are localized in the vicinity of the Fe/Au interface. We analyze both processes in details, showing that the SC-driven excitation of the sub-THz spin wave dynamics in Fe film is enabled by the spatial confinement of the exerted spin transfer torque. Moreover, a pulse of hot electrons leads to the efficient demagnetization of the Fe film. By disentangling the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) transients we demonstrate the strong spatial non-uniformity of this demagnetization. We argue that simultaneous recording of transient MOKE rotation and ellipticity is crucial for drawing such conclusions. Our findings have a twofold impact: firstly, they illustrate rich opportunities of utilizing SC pulses for manipulation of magnetization in ferromagnets and, secondly, they highlight the importance of spatial localization for understanding the ultrafast spin dynamics in multilayers
Ultrafast Non-local Spin Dynamics in Metallic Bi-Layers by Linear and Non-linear Magneto-Optics
We make a step towards the understanding of spin dynamics induced by spin-polarized hot carriers in metals. Exciting the Fe layer of Au/Fe/MgO(001) structures with femtosecond laser pulses, we demonstrate the ultrafast spin transport from Fe into Au using time-resolved MOKE and mSHG for depth-sensitive detection of the transient magnetization
Seabed characterization: developing fit for purpose methodologies
We briefly describe three methods of seabed characterization which are ‘fit for purpose’, in
that each approach is well suited to distinct objectives e.g. characterizing glacial
geomorphology and shallow glacial geology vs. rapid prediction of seabed sediment
distribution via geostatistics. The methods vary from manual ‘expert’ interpretation to
increasingly automated and mathematically based models, each with their own attributes
and limitations. We would note however that increasing automation and mathematical
sophistication does not necessarily equate to improve map outputs, or reduce the time
required to produce them. Judgements must be made to select methodologies which are
most appropriate to the variables mapped, and according to the extent and presentation
scale of final maps
First language attrition and syntactic subjects: a study of Greek and Italian near-native speakers of English
Exact solution of kinetic analysis for thermally activated delayed fluorescence materials
Research at Kyushu, Kyoto and St Andrews Universities was supported by EPSRC and JSPS Core to Core grants (JSPS Core-to-core Program; EPSRC grant number EP/R035164/1). Authors are also grateful for financial support from the Program for Building Regional Innovation Ecosystems of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan, JST ERATO Grant JPMJER1305, JSPS KAKENHI JP20H05840, and Kyulux Inc.The photophysical analysis of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials has become instrumental to providing insight into their stability and performance, which is not only relevant for organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), but also for other applications such as sensing, imaging and photocatalysis. Thus, a deeper understanding of the photophysics underpinning the TADF mechanism is required to push materials design further. Previously reported analyses in the literature of the kinetics of the various processes occurring in a TADF material rely on several a priori assumptions to estimate the rate constants for forward and reverse intersystem crossing (ISC and RISC, respectively). In this report, we demonstrate a method to determine these rate constants using a three-state model together with a steady-state approximation and, importantly, no additional assumptions. Further, we derive the exact rate equations, greatly facilitating a comparison of the TADF properties of structurally diverse emitters and providing a comprehensive understanding of the photophysics of these systems.PostprintPostprintPeer reviewe
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