Modeling the radio and optical/NIR afterglows of GRB 980703: a numerical study

Extensive multi-band afterglow data are available for GRB 980703. Especially, its radio afterglow was very bright and was monitored until more than 1000 days after the trigger time. Additionally, there is no obvious special feature, i.e., no rebrightenings, no plateau, and no special steep decay or slow decay in the multi-band afterglow light curves. All these conditions make GRB 980703 a precious sample in gamma-ray burst research. Here we use the observational data of GRB 980703 to test the standard fireball model in depth. It is found that the model can give a satisfactory explanation to the multi-band and overall afterglow light curves. The beaming angle of GRB 980703 is derived as ~0.23 radian, and the circum-burst medium density is ~ 27 cm-3. The total isotropic equivalent kinetic energy of the ejecta is ~ 3.8E52 ergs. A rest-frame extinction of Av ~ 2.5 mag in the host galaxy is also derived.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, PDF version only; typos corrected, to appear in: Science in China Series

Using self-driven microswimmers for particle separation

Microscopic self-propelled swimmers capable of autonomous navigation through complex environments provide appealing opportunities for localization, pick-up and delivery of micro-and nanoscopic objects. Inspired by motile cells and bacteria, man-made microswimmers have been fabricated, and their motion in patterned surroundings has been experimentally studied. We propose to use self-driven artificial microswimmers for separation of binary mixtures of colloids. We revealed different regimes of separation including one with a velocity inversion. Our finding could be of use for various biological and medical applications.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Cataclysmic Variables and Other Compact Binaries in the Globular Cluster NGC 362: Candidates from Chandra and HST

Highly sensitive and precise X-ray imaging from Chandra, combined with the superb spatial resolution of HST optical images, dramatically enhances our empirical understanding of compact binaries such as cataclysmic variables and low mass X-ray binaries, their progeny, and other stellar X-ray source populations deep into the cores of globular clusters. Our Chandra X-ray images of the globular cluster NGC 362 reveal 100 X-ray sources, the bulk of which are likely cluster members. Using HST color-magnitude and color-color diagrams, we quantitatively consider the optical content of the NGC 362 Chandra X-ray error circles, especially to assess and identify the compact binary population in this condensed-core globular cluster. Despite residual significant crowding in both X-rays and optical, we identify an excess population of H{\alpha}-emitting objects that is statistically associated with the Chandra X-ray sources. The X-ray and optical characteristics suggest that these are mainly cataclysmic variables, but we also identify a candidate quiescent low mass X-ray binary. A potentially interesting and largely unanticipated use of observations such as these may be to help constrain the macroscopic dynamic state of globular clusters.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the conference "Binary Star Evolution: Mass Loss, Accretion, and Mergers," Mykonos, Greece, June 22-25, 201

New XMM-Newton analysis of three bright X-ray sources in M31 globular clusters, including a new black hole candidate

We present detailed analysis of three globular cluster X-ray sources in the XMM-Newton extended survey of M31. The X-ray counterpart to the M31 globular cluster Bo 45 (XBo 45) was observed with XMM-Newton on 2006 December 26. Its combined pn+MOS 0.3--10 keV lightcurve exhibited a r.m.s variability of ~10%, and its 0.3--7.0 keV emission spectrum was well described by an absorbed power law with photon index 1.44$\pm$0.12. Its variability and emission is characteristic of low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) in the low-hard state, whether the accretor is a neutron star or black hole. Such behaviour is typically observed at luminosities \la10% Eddington. However, XBo 45 exhibited this behaviour at an unabsorbed, 0.3--10 keV luminosity of 2.5$\pm0.2\times 10^{38}$ erg s$^{-1}$, or{~140%} Eddington for a 1.4 $M_{\odot}$ neutron star accreting hydrogen. Hence, we identify XBo 45 as a new candidate black hole LMXB. XBo 45 appears to have been consistently bright for ~30 years, consistent with theoretical prediction for a globular cluster black hole binary formed via tidal capture. Bo 375 was observed in the 2007, January 2 XMM-Newton observation, and has a two-component spectrum that is typical for a bright neutron star LMXB. Bo 135 was observed in the same field as Bo 45, and could contain either a black hole or neutron star.Comment: Accepted by ApJ, 16 pages, 5 figures. This version includes the final changes made at the request of the refere

Intersections of homogeneous Cantor sets and beta-expansions

Let $\Gamma_{\beta,N}$ be the $N$-part homogeneous Cantor set with $\beta\in(1/(2N-1),1/N)$. Any string $(j_\ell)_{\ell=1}^\N$ with $j_\ell\in\{0,\pm 1,...,\pm(N-1)\}$ such that $t=\sum_{\ell=1}^\N j_\ell\beta^{\ell-1}(1-\beta)/(N-1)$ is called a code of $t$. Let $\mathcal{U}_{\beta,\pm N}$ be the set of $t\in[-1,1]$ having a unique code, and let $\mathcal{S}_{\beta,\pm N}$ be the set of $t\in\mathcal{U}_{\beta,\pm N}$ which make the intersection $\Gamma_{\beta,N}\cap(\Gamma_{\beta,N}+t)$ a self-similar set. We characterize the set $\mathcal{U}_{\beta,\pm N}$ in a geometrical and algebraical way, and give a sufficient and necessary condition for $t\in\mathcal{S}_{\beta,\pm N}$. Using techniques from beta-expansions, we show that there is a critical point $\beta_c\in(1/(2N-1),1/N)$, which is a transcendental number, such that $\mathcal{U}_{\beta,\pm N}$ has positive Hausdorff dimension if $\beta\in(1/(2N-1),\beta_c)$, and contains countably infinite many elements if $\beta\in(\beta_c,1/N)$. Moreover, there exists a second critical point $\alpha_c=\big[N+1-\sqrt{(N-1)(N+3)}\,\big]/2\in(1/(2N-1),\beta_c)$ such that $\mathcal{S}_{\beta,\pm N}$ has positive Hausdorff dimension if $\beta\in(1/(2N-1),\alpha_c)$, and contains countably infinite many elements if $\beta\in[\alpha_c,1/N)$.Comment: 23 pages, 4 figure

Structural Congruency of Ligand Binding to the Insulin and Insulin/Type 1 Insulin-like Growth Factor Hybrid Receptors

SummaryThe homodimeric insulin and type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptors (IR and IGF-1R) share a common architecture and each can bind all three ligands within the family: insulin and insulin-like growth factors I and II (IGF-I and IFG-II). The receptor monomers also assemble as heterodimers, the primary ligand-binding sites of which each comprise the first leucine-rich repeat domain (L1) of one receptor type and an α-chain C-terminal segment (αCT) of the second receptor type. We present here crystal structures of IGF-I bound to such a hybrid primary binding site and of a ligand-free version of an IR αCT peptide bound to an IR L1 plus cysteine-rich domain construct (IR310.T). These structures, refined at 3.0-Å resolution, prove congruent to respective existing structures of insulin-complexed IR310.T and the intact apo-IR ectodomain. As such, they provide key missing links in the emerging, but sparse, repertoire of structures defining the receptor family

Growth of High-Mobility Bi2Te2Se Nanoplatelets on hBN Sheets by van der Waals Epitaxy

The electrical detection of the surface states of topological insulators is strongly impeded by the interference of bulk conduction, which commonly arises due to pronounced doping associated with the formation of lattice defects. As exemplified by the topological insulator Bi2Te2Se, we show that via van der Waals epitaxial growth on thin hBN substrates the structural quality of such nanoplatelets can be substantially improved. The surface state carrier mobility of nanoplatelets on hBN is increased by a factor of about 3 compared to platelets on conventional Si/SiOx substrates, which enables the observation of well-developed Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations. We furthermore demonstrate the possibility to effectively tune the Fermi level position in the films with the aid of a back gate

A Synoptic X-ray Study of M31 with the Chandra-HRC

We have obtained 17 epochs of Chandra High Resolution Camera (HRC) snapshot images, each covering most of the M31 disk. The data cover a total baseline of 2.5 years and contain a mean effective exposure of 17 ks. We have measured the mean fluxes and long-term lightcurves for 166 objects detected in these data. At least 25% of the sources show significant variability. The cumulative luminosity function (CLF) of the disk sources is well-fit by a power-law with a slope comparable to those observed in typical elliptical galaxies. The CLF of the bulge is a broken power law similar to measurements made by previous surveys. We note several sources in the southwestern disk with L_X > 10^{37} erg/s . We cross-correlate all of our sources with published optical and radio catalogs, as well as new optical data, finding counterpart candidates for 55 sources. In addition, 17 sources are likely X-ray transients. We analyze follow-up HST WFPC2 data of two X-ray transients, finding F336W (U-band equivalent) counterparts. In both cases, the counterparts are variable. In one case, the optical counterpart is transient with F336W = 22.3 +/- 0.1 mag. The X-ray and optical properties of this object are consistent with a ~10 solar mass black hole X-ray nova with an orbital period of ~20 days. In the other case, the optical counterpart varies between F336W = 20.82 +/- 0.06 mag and F336W = 21.11 +/- 0.02 mag. Ground-based and HST observations show this object is bright (V = 18.8 +/- 0.1) and slightly extended. Finally, the frequency of bright X-ray transients in the M31 bulge suggests that the ratio of neutron star to black hole primaries in low-mass X-ray binaries (NS/BH) is ~1.Comment: 68 pages (27 text), 8 tables, 16 figures, 1 appendix, accepted by ApJ; accepted version contains reorganized text, new tables and figures, and updated result

A Catalog of Transient X-ray Sources in M31

From October 1999 to August 2002, 45 transient X-ray sources were detected in M31 by Chandra and XMM-Newton. We have performed spectral analysis of all XMM-Newton and Chandra ACIS detections of these sources, as well as flux measurements of Chandra HRC detections. The result is absorption-corrected X-ray lightcurves for these sources covering this 2.8 year period, along with spectral parameters for several epochs of the outbursts of most of the transient sources. We supply a catalog of the locations, outburst dates, peak observed luminosities, decay time estimates, and spectral properties of the transient sources, and we discuss similarities with Galactic X-ray novae. Duty cycle estimates are possible for 8 of the transients and range from 40% to 2%; upper limits to the duty cycles are estimated for an additional 15 transients and cover a similar range. We find 5 transients which have rapid decay times and may be ultra-compact X-ray binaries. Spectra of three of the transients suggest they may be faint Galactic foreground sources. If even one is a foreground source, this suggests a surface density of faint transient X-ray sources of >~1 deg$^{-2}$.Comment: 63 pages, 22 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in Ap

Minimal Universal Extra Dimensions in CalcHEP/CompHEP

We present an implementation of the model of minimal universal extra dimensions (MUED) in CalcHEP/CompHEP. We include all level-1 and level-2 Kaluza-Klein (KK) particles outside the Higgs sector. The mass spectrum is automatically calculated at one loop in terms of the two input parameters in MUED: the radius of the extra dimension and the cut-off scale of the model. We implement both the KK number conserving and the KK number violating interactions of the KK particles. We also account for the proper running of the gauge coupling constants above the electroweak scale. The implementation has been extensively cross-checked against known analytical results in the literature and numerical results from other programs. Our files are publicly available and can be used to perform various automated calculations within the MUED model.Comment: 32 pages, 4 figures, 6 tables, invited contribution for New Journal of Physics Focus Issue on 'Extra Space Dimensions', the model file can be downloaded from http://home.fnal.gov/~kckong/mued