Physical Mechanisms for the Variable Spin-down of SGR 1900+14

We consider the physical implications of the rapid spindown of Soft Gamma Repeater 1900+14, and of the apparent "braking glitch", \Delta P/P = l x 10^-4, that was concurrent with the Aug. 27th giant flare. A radiation-hydrodynamical outflow associated with the flare could impart the required torque, but only if the dipole magnetic field is stronger than ~ 10^14 G and the outflow lasts longer and/or is more energetic than the observed X-ray flare. A positive period increment is also a natural consequence of a gradual, plastic deformation of the neutron star crust by an intense magnetic field, which forces the neutron superfluid to rotate more slowly than the crust. Sudden unpinning of the neutron vortex lines during the August 27th event would then induce a glitch opposite in sign to those observed in young pulsars, but of a much larger magnitude as a result of the slower rotation. The change in the persistent X-ray lightcurve following the August 27 event is ascribed to continued particle heating in the active region of that outburst. The enhanced X-ray output can be powered by a steady current flowing through the magnetosphere, induced by the twisting motion of the crust. The long term rate of spindown appears to be accelerated with respect to a simple magnetic dipole torque. Accelerated spindown of a seismically-active magnetar will occur when its persistent output of Alfven waves and particles exceeds its spindown luminosity. We suggest that SGRs experience some episodes of relative inactivity, with diminished spindown rates, and that such inactive magnetars are observed as Anomalous X-ray Pulsars (AXPs). The rapid reappearence of persistent X-ray emission following August 27 flare gives evidence against accretion-powered models.Comment: 24 pages, no figure

New Exclusion Limits for the Search of Scalar and Pseudoscalar Axion-Like Particles from "Light Shining Through a Wall"

Physics beyond the Standard Model predicts the possible existence of new particles that can be searched at the low energy frontier in the sub-eV range. The OSQAR photon regeneration experiment looks for "Light Shining through a Wall" from the quantum oscillation of optical photons into "Weakly Interacting Sub-eV Particles", such as axion or Axion-Like Particles (ALPs), in a 9 T transverse magnetic field over the unprecedented length of $2 \times 14.3$ m. In 2014, this experiment has been run with an outstanding sensitivity, using an 18.5 W continuous wave laser emitting in the green at the single wavelength of 532 nm. No regenerated photons have been detected after the wall, pushing the limits for the existence of axions and ALPs down to an unprecedented level for such a type of laboratory experiment. The di-photon couplings of possible pseudo-scalar and scalar ALPs can be constrained in the nearly massless limit to be less than $3.5\cdot 10^{-8}$ GeV$^{-1}$ and $3.2\cdot 10^{-8}$ GeV$^{-1}$, respectively, at 95% Confidence Level.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Discovery of Pulsed X-ray Emission from the SMC Transient RX J0117.6-7330

We report on the detection of pulsed, broad-band, X-ray emission from the transient source RX J0117.6-7330. The pulse period of 22 seconds is detected by the ROSAT/PSPC instrument in a 1992 Sep 30 - Oct 2 observation and by the CGRO/BATSE instrument during the same epoch. Hard X-ray pulsations are detectable by BATSE for approximately 100 days surrounding the ROSAT observation (1992 Aug 28 - Dec 8). The total directly measured X-ray luminosity during the ROSAT observation is 1.0E38 (d/60 kpc)^2 ergs s-1. The pulse frequency increases rapidly during the outburst, with a peak spin-up rate of 1.2E-10 Hz s-1 and a total frequency change 1.8%. The pulsed percentage is 11.3% from 0.1-2.5 keV, increasing to at least 78% in the 20-70 keV band. These results establish RX J0117.6-7330 as a transient Be binary system.Comment: 17 pages, Latex, aasms, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter

Search for weakly interacting sub-eV particles with the OSQAR laser-based experiment: results and perspectives

Recent theoretical and experimental studies highlight the possibility of new fundamental particle physics beyond the Standard Model that can be probed by sub-eV energy experiments. The OSQAR photon regeneration experiment looks for "Light Shining through a Wall" (LSW) from the quantum oscillation of optical photons into "Weakly Interacting Sub-eV Particles" (WISPs), like axion or axion-like particles (ALPs), in a 9 T transverse magnetic field over the unprecedented length of $2 \times 14.3$ m. No excess of events has been detected over the background. The di-photon couplings of possible new light scalar and pseudo-scalar particles can be constrained in the massless limit to be less than $8.0\times10^{-8}$ GeV$^{-1}$. These results are very close to the most stringent laboratory constraints obtained for the coupling of ALPs to two photons. Plans for further improving the sensitivity of the OSQAR experiment are presented.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure

Moody's Correlated Binomial Default Distributions for Inhomogeneous Portfolios

This paper generalizes Moody's correlated binomial default distribution for homogeneous (exchangeable) credit portfolio, which is introduced by Witt, to the case of inhomogeneous portfolios. As inhomogeneous portfolios, we consider two cases. In the first case, we treat a portfolio whose assets have uniform default correlation and non-uniform default probabilities. We obtain the default probability distribution and study the effect of the inhomogeneity on it. The second case corresponds to a portfolio with inhomogeneous default correlation. Assets are categorized in several different sectors and the inter-sector and intra-sector correlations are not the same. We construct the joint default probabilities and obtain the default probability distribution. We show that as the number of assets in each sector decreases, inter-sector correlation becomes more important than intra-sector correlation. We study the maximum values of the inter-sector default correlation. Our generalization method can be applied to any correlated binomial default distribution model which has explicit relations to the conditional default probabilities or conditional default correlations, e.g. Credit Risk${}^{+}$, implied default distributions. We also compare some popular CDO pricing models from the viewpoint of the range of the implied tranche correlation.Comment: 29 pages, 17 figures and 1 tabl

XTE J1946+274 = GRO J1944+26: An Enigmatic Be/X-ray Binary

XTE J1946+274 = GRO J1944+26 is a 15.8 s Be/X-ray pulsar discovered simultaneously in 1998 September with the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) and the All-Sky Monitor (ASM) on the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). Here we present new results from BATSE and {\em RXTE} including a pulse timing analysis, spectral analysis, and evidence for an accretion disk. Our pulse timing analysis yielded an orbital period of 169.2 days, a moderate eccentricity of 0.33, and implied a mass function of 9.7 M_sun. We observed evidence for an accretion disk, a correlation between measured spin-up rate and flux, which was fitted to obtain a distance estimate of 9.5 +/- 2.9 kpc. XTE J1946+274 remained active from 1998 September - 2001 July, undergoing 13 outbursts that were not locked in orbital phase. Comparing RXTE PCA observations from the initial bright outburst in 1998 and the last pair of outbursts in 2001, we found energy and intensity dependent pulse profile variations in both outbursts and hardening spectra with increasing intensity during the fainter 2001 outbursts. In 2001 July, optical Halpha observations indicate a density perturbation appeared in the Be disk as the X-ray outbursts ceased. We propose that the equatorial plane of the Be star is inclined with respect to the orbital plane in this system and that this inclination may be a factor in the unusual outburst behavior of the system.Comment: 18 pages, 15 figures, To appear in ApJ v584, Feb 20, 2003 issu

The pre-outburst flare of the A 0535+26 August/September 2005 outburst

We study the spectral and temporal behavior of the High Mass X-ray Binary A 0535+26 during a `pre-outburst flare' which took place ~5 d before the peak of a normal (type I) outburst in August/September 2005. We compare the studied behavior with that observed during the outburst. We analyse RXTE observations that monitored A 0535+26 during the outburst. We complete spectral and timing analyses of the data. We study the evolution of the pulse period, present energy-dependent pulse profiles both at the initial pre-outburst flare and close to outburst maximum, and measure how the cyclotron resonance-scattering feature (hereafter CRSF) evolves. We present three main results: a constant period P=103.3960(5)s is measured until periastron passage, followed by a spin-up with a decreasing period derivative of Pdot=(-1.69+/-0.04)x10^(-8)s/s at MJD 53618, and P remains constant again at the end of the main outburst. The spin-up provides evidence for the existence of an accretion disk during the normal outburst. We measure a CRSF energy of Ecyc~50kev during the pre-outburst flare, and Ecyc~46kev during the main outburst. The pulse shape, which varies significantly during both pre-outburst flare and main outburst, evolves strongly with photon energy.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in A&A Letters. To be published in parallel to Postnov et al. 200

Long-term source monitoring with BATSE

The uncollimated Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) large area detectors (LADs) are well suited to nearly continuous monitoring of the stronger hard x-ray sources, and time series analysis for pulsars. An overview of the analysis techniques presently being applied to the data are discussed, including representative observations of the Crab Nebula, Crab pulsar, and summaries of the sources detected to data. Results of a search for variability in the Crab Pulsar pulse profile are presented

Occultation analysis of BATSE data: Operational aspects

The Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) large area detectors are being used to monitor hard x-ray/gamma ray sources on a daily basis for evidence of transient behavior. Flux measurements are performed using a simple earth occultation technique. Daily searches are also being performed to detect occultation steps of sources which are not being routinely monitored. Topics concerning the operational aspects of the occultation measurements are presented. Preliminary spectral results are also presented for several of the brighter sources

Spin-Triplet Excitons in the S=1/2S=1/2 Gapped Antiferromagnet BaCuSi2_2O6_6: Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Studies

BaCuSi$_2$O$_6$, a $S=1/2$ quantum antiferromagnet with a double-layer structure of Cu$^{2+}$ ions in a distorted planar-rectangular coordination and with a dimerized spin singlet ground state, is studied by means of the electron paramagnetic resonance technique. It is argued that multiple absorptions observed at low temperatures are intimately related to a thermally-activated spin-triplet exciton superstructure. Analysis of the angular dependence of exciton modes in BaCuSi$_2$O$_6$ allows us to accurately estimate anisotropy parameters. In addition, the temperature dependence of EPR intensity and linewidth is discussed.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev.