4,078 research outputs found
Very Large Telescope Observations of the peculiar globular cluster NGC6712. Discovery of a UV, H-alpha excess star in the core
We present results from multi-band observations in the central region of the
cluster NGC6712 with the ESO-Very Large Telescope. Using high resolution images
we have identified three UV-excess stars. In particular two of them are within
the cluster core, a few arcsec apart: the first object is star "S" which
previous studies identified as the best candidate to the optical counterpart to
the luminous X-ray source detected in this cluster. The other UV object shows
clearcut H-alpha emission and, for this reason, is an additional promising
interacting binary candidate (a quiescent LMXB or a CV). The presence of two
unrelated interacting binary systems a few arcsec apart in the core of this
low-density cluster is somewhat surprising and supports the hypothesis that the
(internal) dynamical history of the cluster and/or the (external) interaction
with the Galaxy might play a fundamental role in the formation of these
peculiar objects.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures. ApJL in pres
Quantization of a generally covariant gauge system with two super Hamiltonian constraints
The Becci-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin (BRST) operator quantization of a
finite-dimensional gauge system featuring two quadratic super Hamiltonian and m
linear supermomentum constraints is studied as a model for quantizing generally
covariant gauge theories. The proposed model ``completely'' mimics the
constraint algebra of General Relativity. The Dirac constraint operators are
identified by realizing the BRST generator of the system as a Hermitian
nilpotent operator, and a physical inner product is introduced to complete a
consistent quantization procedure.Comment: 17 pages. Latex file. Minor changes, two references adde
The optical companion to the binary millisecond pulsar J1824-2452H in the globular cluster M28
We report on the optical identification of the companion star to the
eclipsing millisecond pulsar PSR J1824-2452H in the galactic globular cluster
M28 (NGC 6626). This star is at only 0.2" from the nominal position of the
pulsar and it shows optical variability (~ 0.25 mag) that nicely correlates
with the pulsar orbital period. It is located on the blue side of the cluster
main sequence, ~1.5 mag fainter than the turn-off point. The observed light
curve shows two distinct and asymmetric minima, suggesting that the companion
star is suffering tidal distortion from the pulsar. This discovery increases
the number of non-degenerate MSP companions optically identified so far in
globular clusters (4 out of 7), suggesting that these systems could be a common
outcome of the pulsar recycling process, at least in dense environments where
they can be originated by exchange interactions.Comment: accepted for publication on ApJ, 17 pages, 5 figure
Environmental induced renormalization effects in quantum Hall edge states
We propose a general mechanism for renormalization of the tunneling exponents
in edge states of the fractional quantum Hall effect. Mutual effects of the
coupling with out-of-equilibrium 1/f noise and dissipation are considered both
for the Laughlin sequence and for composite co- and counter-propagating edge
states with Abelian or non-Abelian statistics. For states with
counter-propagating modes we demonstrate the robustness of the proposed
mechanism in the so called disorder-dominated phase. Prototypes of these
states, such as \nu=2/3 and \nu=5/2, are discussed in detail and the rich
phenomenology induced by the presence of a noisy environment is presented. The
proposed mechanism justifies the strong renormalizations reported in many
experimental observations carried out at low temperatures. We show how
environmental effects could affect the relevance of the tunneling excitations,
leading to important implications in particular for the \nu=5/2 case.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure
The Optical Counterpart to the Accreting Millisecond X-ray Pulsar SAX J1748.9-2021 in the Globular Cluster NGC 6440
We used a combination of deep optical and Halpha images of the Galactic
globular cluster NGC 6440, acquired with the Hubble Space Telescope, to
identify the optical counterpart to the accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar SAX
J1748.9-2021during quiescence. A strong Halpha emission has been detected from
a main sequence star (hereafter COM-SAX J1748.9-2021) located at only 0.15"
from the nominal position of the X-ray source. The position of the star also
agrees with the optical counterpart found by Verbunt et al. (2000) during an
outburst. We propose this star as the most likely optical counterpart to the
binary system. By direct comparison with isochrones, we estimated that COM-SAX
J1748.9-2021 has a mass of 0.70 Msun - 0.83 Msun, a radius of 0.88 pm 0.02 Rsun
and a superficial temperature of 5250pm80 K. These parameters combined with the
orbital characteristics of the binary suggest that the system is observed at a
very low inclination angle (~8 deg -14 deg) and that the star is filling or
even overflowing its Roche Lobe. This, together with the equivalent width of
the Halpha emission (~20 Ang), suggest possible on-going mass transfer. The
possibile presence of such a on-going mass transfer during a quiescence state
also suggests that the radio pulsar is not active yet and thus this system,
despite its similarity with the class of redback millisecond pulsars, is not a
transitional millisecond pulsar.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap
Blue Straggler masses from pulsation properties. I. The case of NGC6541
We used high-spatial resolution images acquired with the WFC3 on board HST to
probe the population of variable blue straggler stars in the central region of
the poorly studied Galactic globular cluster NGC 6541. The time sampling of the
acquired multi wavelength (F390W, F555W and F814W) data allowed us to discover
three WUma stars and nine SX Phoenicis. Periods, mean magnitudes and pulsation
modes have been derived for the nine SX Phoenicis and their masses have been
estimated by using pulsation equations obtained from linear non adiabatic
models. We found masses in the range 1.0-1.1Mo, with an average value of
1.06+-0.09 Mo (sigma = 0.04), significantly in excess of the cluster Main
Sequence Turn Off mass (~ 0.75Mo). A mild trend between mass and luminosity
seems also to be present. The computed pulsation masses turn out to be in very
good agreement with the predictions of evolutionary tracks for single stars,
indicating values in the range ~ 1.0-1.2 Mo for most of the BSS population, in
agreement with what discussed in a number of previous studies.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures, ApJ, accepte
Optical Identification of He White Dwarfs Orbiting Four Millisecond Pulsars in the Globular Cluster 47 Tucanae
We used ultra-deep UV observations obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope
to search for optical companions to binary millisecond pulsars (MSPs) in the
globular cluster 47 Tucanae. We identified four new counterparts (to MSPs
47TucQ, 47TucS, 47TucT and 47TucY) and confirmed those already known (to MSPs
47TucU and 47TucW). In the color magnitude diagram, the detected companions are
located in a region between the main sequence and the CO white dwarf cooling
sequences, consistent with the cooling tracks of He white dwarfs of mass
between 0.15 Msun and 0.20 Msun. For each identified companion, mass, cooling
age, temperature and pulsar mass (as a function of the inclination angle) have
been derived and discussed. For 47TucU we also found that the past accretion
history likely proceeded in a sub-Eddington rate. The companion to the redback
47TucW is confirmed to be a non degenerate star, with properties particularly
similar to those observed for black widow systems. Two stars have been
identified within the 2-sigma astrometric uncertainty from the radio positions
of 47TucH and 47TucI, but the available data prevent us from firmly assessing
whether they are the true companions of these two MSPs.Comment: 27 pages, 7 figures, Accepted for publication by Ap
The optical companion to the intermediate mass millisecond pulsar J1439-5501 in the Galactic field
We present the identification of the companion star to the intermediate mass
binary pulsar J1439-5501 obtained by means of ground-based deep images in the
B, V and I bands, acquired with FORS2 mounted at the ESO-VLT. The companion is
a massive white dwarf (WD) with B=23.57+-0.02, V=23.21+-0.01 and I=22.96+-0.01,
located at only ~0.05" from the pulsar radio position. Comparing the WD
location in the (B, B-V) and (V, V-I) Color-Magnitude diagrams with theoretical
cooling sequences we derived a range of plausible combinations of companion
masses (1<~Mcom<~1.3 Msun), distances (d<~1200 pc), radii (<~7.8 10^3 Rsun) and
temperatures (T=31350^{+21500}_{-7400}). From the PSR mass function and the
estimated mass range we also constrained the inclination angle i >~ 55 degrees
and the pulsar mass (Mpsr <~2.2 Msun). The comparison between the WD cooling
age and the spin down age suggests that the latter is overestimated by a factor
of about ten.Comment: Accepted for publication by ApJ; 19 pages, 5 figures, 1 tabl
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