35,223 research outputs found
Quiescent NIR and optical counterparts to candidate black hole X-ray binaries
We present near-infrared and optical imaging of fifteen candidate black hole
X-ray binaries. In addition to quiescent observations for all sources, we also
observed two of these sources (IGR J17451-3022 and XTE J1818-245) in outburst.
We detect the quiescent counterpart for twelve out of fifteen sources, and for
the remaining three we report limiting magnitudes. The magnitudes of the
detected counterparts range between = 17.59 and = 22.29 mag. We
provide (limits on) the absolute magnitudes and finding charts of all sources.
Of these twelve detections in quiescence, seven represent the first quiescent
reported values (for MAXI J1543-564, XTE J1726-476, IGR J17451-3022, XTE
J1818-245, MAXI J1828-249, MAXI J1836-194, Swift J1910.2-0546) and two
detections show fainter counterparts to XTE J1752-223 and XTE J2012+381 than
previously reported. We used theoretical arguments and observed trends, for
instance between the outburst and quiescent X-ray luminosity and orbital period
to derive an expected trend between and of
. Comparing this to observations we
find a different behaviour. We discuss possible explanations for this result.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA
Characterisation of a candidate dual AGN
We present Chandra and optical observations of a candidate dual AGN
discovered serendipitously while searching for recoiling black holes via a
cross-correlation between the serendipitous XMM source catalog (2XMMi) and
SDSS-DR7 galaxies with a separation no larger than ten times the sum of their
Petrosian radii. The system has a stellar mass ratio M/M. One of the galaxies (Source 1) shows clear evidence for AGN activity in
the form of hard X-ray emission and optical emission-line diagnostics typical
of AGN ionisation. The nucleus of the other galaxy (Source 2) has a soft X-ray
spectrum, bluer colours, and optical emission line ratios dominated by stellar
photoionisation with a "composite" signature, which might indicate the presence
of a weak AGN. When plotted on a diagram with X-ray luminosity vs [OIII]
luminosity both nuclei fall within the locus defined by local Seyfert galaxies.
From the optical spectrum we estimate the electron densities finding n e cm and n e cm. From a 2D
decomposition of the surface brightness distribution we infer that both
galaxies host rotationally supported bulges (Sersic index ). While the
active nature of Source 1 can be established with confidence, whether the
nucleus of Source 2 is active remains a matter of debate. Evidence that a faint
AGN might reside in its nucleus is, however, tantalising.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication on MNRAS. Comments
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Time-resolved spectroscopy of the pulsating CV GW Lib
We present time-resolved optical spectroscopy of the dwarf nova GW Librae during its rare 2007 April superoutburst and compare these with quiescent epochs. The data provide the first opportunity to track the evolution of the principal spectral features. In the early stages of the outburst, the optically thick disc dominates the optical and the line components show clear orbital radial velocity excursions. In the course of several weeks, optically thin regions become more prominent as strong emission lines replace the broad disc absorption.
Post-outburst spectroscopy covering the I band illustrates the advantages of Ca II relative to the commonly used Balmer lines when attempting to constrain binary parameters. Due to the lower ionization energy combined with smaller thermal and shear broadening of these lines, a sharp emission component is seen to be moving in between the accretion disc peaks in the Ca II line. No such component is visible in the Balmer lines. We interpret this as an emission component originating on the hitherto unseen mass donor star. This emission component has a mean velocity of similar to -15 +/- 5 km s(-1) which is associated with the systemic velocity., and a velocity semi-amplitude of K-em = 82.2 +/- 4.9 km s(-1). Doppler tomography reveals an asymmetric accretion disc, with the S-wave mapping to a sharp spot in the tomogram with a velocity consistent to what is obtained with line profile fitting. A centre of symmetry analysis of the disc component suggests a very small value for the WD orbital velocity K-1 as is also inferred from double Gaussian fits to the spectral lines.
While our conservative dynamical limits place a hard upper limit on the binary mass ratio of q < 0.23, we favour a significantly lower value near q similar to 0.06. Pulsation modelling suggests a white dwarf mass similar to 1 M-circle dot. This, paired with a low-mass donor, near the empirical sequence of an evolved cataclysmic variable close to the period bounce, appears to be consistent with all the observational constraints to date
Discovery of a new radio galaxy within the error box of the unidentified gamma-ray source 3EG J1735-1500
We report the discovery of a new radio galaxy within the location error box
of the gamma-ray source 3EG J1735-1500. The galaxy is a double-sided jet source
forming a large angle with the line of sight. Optical observations reveal a V ~
18 magnitude galaxy at the position of the radio core. Although the association
with the EGRET source is not confirmed at the present stage, because there is a
competing, alternative gamma-ray candidate within the location error contours
which is also studied here, the case deserves further attention. The new radio
galaxy can be used to test the recently proposed possibility of gamma-ray
emitting radio galaxies beyond the already known case of Centaurus A.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap
How to generate pentagonal symmetry using Turing systems
We explore numerically the formation of Turing patterns in a confined circular domain with small aspect ratio. Our results show that stable fivefold patterns are formed over a well defined range of disk sizes, offering a possible mechanism for inducing the fivefold symmetry observed in early development of regular echinoids. Using this pattern as a seed, more complex biological structures can be mimicked, such as the pigmentation pattern of sea urchins and the plate arrangements of the calyxes of primitive camerate crinoids
Mechanical oscillations in lasing microspheres
We investigate the feasibility of activating coherent mechanical oscillations
in lasing microspheres by modulating the laser emission at a mechanical
eigenfrequency. To this aim, 1.5% Nd3+:Barium-Titanium-Silicate microspheres
with diameters around 50 {\mu}m were used as high quality factor (Q>10^6)
whispering gallery mode lasing cavities. We have implemented a pump-and-probe
technique in which the pump laser used to excite the Nd3+ ions is focused on a
single microsphere with a microscope objective and a probe laser excites a
specific optical mode with the evanescent field of a tapered fibre. The studied
microspheres show monomode and multi-mode lasing action, which can be modulated
in the best case up to 10 MHz. We have optically transduced thermally-activated
mechanical eigenmodes appearing in the 50-70 MHz range, the frequency of which
decreases with increasing the size of the microspheres. In a pump-and-probe
configuration we observed modulation of the probe signal up to the maximum pump
modulation frequency of our experimental setup, i.e., 20 MHz. This modulation
decreases with frequency and is unrelated to lasing emission, pump scattering
or thermal effects. We associate this effect to free-carrier-dispersion induced
by multiphoton pump light absorption. On the other hand, we conclude that, in
our current experimental conditions, it was not possible to resonantly excite
the mechanical modes. Finally, we discuss on how to overcome these limitations
by increasing the modulation frequency of the lasing emission and decreasing
the frequency of the mechanical eigenmodes displaying a strong degree of
optomechanical coupling.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure
Cerenkov radiation and scalar stars
We explore the possibility that a charged particle moving in the
gravitational field generated by a scalar star could radiate energy via a
recently proposed gravitational \v{C}erenkov mechanism. We numerically prove
that this is not possible for stable boson stars. We also show that soliton
stars could have \v{C}erenkov radiation for particular values of the boson
mass, although diluteness of the star grows and actual observational
possibility decreases for the more usually discussed boson masses. These
conclusions diminish, although do not completely rule out, the observational
possibility of actually detecting scalar stars using this mechanism, and lead
us to consider other forms, like gravitational lensing.Comment: Accepted for publication in Class. Quantum Gra
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