6,346 research outputs found
The chaotic behavior of the black hole system GRS 1915+105
A modified non-linear time series analysis technique, which computes the
correlation dimension , is used to analyze the X-ray light curves of the
black hole system GRS 1915+105 in all twelve temporal classes. For four of
these temporal classes saturates to which indicates that
the underlying dynamical mechanism is a low dimensional chaotic system. Of the
other eight classes, three show stochastic behavior while five show deviation
from randomness. The light curves for four classes which depict chaotic
behavior have the smallest ratio of the expected Poisson noise to the
variability () while those for the three classes which depict
stochastic behavior is the highest (). This suggests that the temporal
behavior of the black hole system is governed by a low dimensional chaotic
system, whose nature is detectable only when the Poisson fluctuations are much
smaller than the variability.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journa
A Blue Straggler Binary System with at least Three Progenitors in the Core of a Globular Cluster?
We show that the X-ray source W31 in the core of the globular cluster 47
Tucanae is physically associated with the bright blue straggler BSS-7. The two
sources are astrometrically matched to 0.061\arcsec, with a chance coincidence
probability of less than 1%. We then analyse optical time-series photometry
obtained with the {\em Hubble Space Telescope} (HST) and find that BSS-7
displays a 1.56 day periodic signal in the I band. We also construct a
broad-band (far-ultraviolet through far-red) spectral energy distribution for
BSS-7 and fit this with single and binary models. The binary model is a better
fit to the data, and we derive the corresponding stellar parameters.
All of our findings are consistent with BSS-7 being a detached binary
consisting of a blue straggler primary with an X-ray-active,
upper-main-sequence companion. The formation of such a system would necessarily
involve at least three stars, which is consistent with recent N-body models in
which blue stragglers often form via multiple encounters that can involve both
single and binary stars. However, we cannot yet entirely rule out the
possibility that BSS-7 descended directly from a binary system via mass
transfer. The system parameters needed to distinguish definitively between
these scenarios may be obtainable from time-resolved spectroscopy.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ; revised version
includes a discussion of an alternative 2-progenitor binary evolution
scenario, and an appendix discussing other probable/possible BSS/X-ray
matches in globular clusters and related source
Multiple relativistic outbursts of GRS 1915+105: radio emission and internal shocks
We present 5-GHz MERLIN radio images of the microquasar GRS 1915+105 during
two separate outbursts in 2001 March and 2001 July, following the evolution of
the jet components as they move outwards from the core of the system. Proper
motions constrain the intrinsic jet speed to be >0.57c, but the uncertainty in
the source distance prevents an accurate determination of the jet speed. No
deceleration is observed in the jet components out to an angular separation of
about 300mas. Linear polarisation is observed in the approaching jet component,
with a gradual rotation in position angle and a decreasing fractional
polarisation with time. Our data lend support to the internal shock model
whereby the jet velocity increases leading to internal shocks in the
pre-existing outflow before the jet switches off. The compact nuclear jet is
seen to re-establish itself within two days, and is visible as core emission at
all epochs. The energetics of the source are calculated for the possible range
of distances; a minimum power of 1-10 per cent of the Eddington luminosity is
required to launch the jet.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS. For
higher-resolution versions of Figures 3, 5, and 12, see
http://remote.science.uva.nl/~jmiller/grs1915/figures.htm
UV Imaging of the Galaxy Cluster CL0939+4713 (Abell 851) at z=0.41
The first UV F300W and F218W WFPC2 observations of the rich galaxy cluster
CL0939+4713 at z=0.41 are presented and discussed. UV/optical two-color and c-m
diagrams of the sources detected in the F300W waveband are constructed. Thanks
to pre-existing HST optical images of the same field a morphological
classification for the majority of these objects is also provided. Moreover,
taking advantage of recent redshift surveys along CL0939+4713 line of sight,
separate diagrams comparing the properties of galaxies belonging to the cluster
and to its close projected field are presented. Possible evolutionary effects
in the UV from z~0.4 to present time are investigated by comparing the
restframe [mid-UV-Optical] colors of galaxies in CL0939+4713 with balloon-borne
data of the Coma cluster, as well as by resorting to suitable galaxy evolution
models. Finally, current attempts to constrain the epoch of the UV-upturn onset
in evolved populations by means of HST UV observations are discussed.Comment: 20 pages, LaTeX, with 6 PostScript figures, Submitted to The
Astrophysical Journal, Figures 1 and 2 have lower resolution than the ApJ
submitted versio
Influence of polydispersity on the critical parameters of an effective potential model for asymmetric hard sphere mixtures
We report a Monte Carlo simulation study of the properties of highly
asymmetric binary hard sphere mixtures. This system is treated within an
effective fluid approximation in which the large particles interact through a
depletion potential (R. Roth {\em et al}, Phys. Rev. E{\bf 62} 5360 (2000))
designed to capture the effects of a virtual sea of small particles. We
generalize this depletion potential to include the effects of explicit size
dispersity in the large particles and consider the case in which the particle
diameters are distributed according to a Schulz form having degree of
polydispersity 14%. The resulting alteration (with respect to the monodisperse
limit) of the metastable fluid-fluid critical point parameters is determined
for two values of the ratio of the diameters of the small and large particles:
and . We find that inclusion of
polydispersity moves the critical point to lower reservoir volume fractions of
the small particles and high volume fractions of the large ones. The estimated
critical point parameters are found to be in good agreement with those
predicted by a generalized corresponding states argument which provides a link
to the known critical adhesion parameter of the adhesive hard sphere model.
Finite-size scaling estimates of the cluster percolation line in the one phase
fluid region indicate that inclusion of polydispersity moves the critical point
deeper into the percolating regime. This suggests that phase separation is more
likely to be preempted by dynamical arrest in polydisperse systems.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure
X-ray Spectral and timing properties of the black hole x-ray transient Swift J1753.5-0127
We have carried out detailed analysis on the black hole candidate (BHC) X-
ray transient Swift J1753.5-0127 observed by the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer
(RXTE) during its outburst in 2005 {2006. The spectral analysis shows that the
emissions are dominated by the hard X-rays, thus revealing the low/hard state
of the source during the outburst. The peak luminosity is found lower than the
typical value of balancing the mass flow and evaporation of the inner edge of
disk (Meyer-Hofmeister 2004). As a result, the disk is prevented from extending
inward to produce strong soft X-rays, corresponding to the so-called high/soft
state. These are the typical characteristics for a small subset of BHCs, i.e.
those soft X-ray transients stay at the low/hard state during the outburst. In
most observational time, the QPO frequencies are found to vary roughly linearly
with the fluxes and the spectral indices, while the deviation from this
relationship at the peak luminosity might provide the first observational
evidence of a partially evaporated inner edge of the accretion disk. The
anti-correlation between the QPO frequency and spectral color suggests that the
global disk oscillation model proposed by Titarchuk & Osherovich (2000) is not
likely at work.Comment: Accepted by ApJ, 24 pages, 13 figures, 3 table
On the origin of the various types of radio emission in GRS 1915+105
We investigate the association between the radio ``plateau'' states and the
large superluminal flares in GRS 1915+105 and propose a qualitative scenario to
explain this association. We identify several candidate superluminal flare
events from available monitoring data on this source and analyze the
contemporaneous RXTE pointed observations. We detect a strong correlation
between the average X-ray flux during the ``plateau'' state and the total
energy emitted in radio during the subsequent radio flare. We find that the
sequence of events is similar for all large radio flares with a fast rise and
exponential decay morphology. Based on these results, we propose a qualitative
scenario in which the separating ejecta during the superluminal flares are
observed due to the interaction of the matter blob ejected during the X-ray
soft dips, with the steady jet already established during the ``plateau''
state. This picture can explain all types of radio emission observed from this
source in terms of its X-ray emission characteristics.Comment: Corrected typo in the author names, contents unchanged, accepted in
Ap
Probing the evolution of early-type cluster galaxies through chemical enrichment
A simple chemical enrichment model for cluster early-type galaxies is
described in which the mechanisms considered in the evolutionary model are
infall of primordial gas, outflows and a possible variation in the star
formation efficiency. We find that - within the framework of our models - only
outflows can generate a suitable range of metallicities. The chemical
enrichment tracks can be combined with the latest population synthesis models
to simulate clusters over a wide redshift range, for a set of toy models. The
color-magnitude relation of local clusters is used as a constraint, fixing the
correlation between absolute luminosity and ejected fraction of gas from
outflows. It is found that the correlations between color or mass-to-light
ratios and absolute luminosity are degenerate with respect to most of the input
parameters. However, a significant change between monolithic and hierarchical
models is predicted for redshifts z\simgt 1. The comparison between predicted
and observed mass-to-light ratios yield an approximate linear bias between
total and stellar masses: in
early-type galaxies. If we assume that outflows constitute the driving
mechanism for the colors observed in cluster early type galaxies, the
metallicity of the intracluster medium (ICM) can be linked to outflows. The
color-magnitude constraint requires faint galaxies to eject 85%
of their gas, which means that most of the metals in the ICM may have
originated in these dwarf galaxies.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. Uses emulateapj.sty. 12 pages with
10 embedded EPS figure
Exact results for `bouncing' Gaussian wave packets
We consider time-dependent Gaussian wave packet solutions of the Schrodinger
equation (with arbitrary initial central position, x_0, and momentum, p_0, for
an otherwise free-particle, but with an infinite wall at x=0, so-called
bouncing wave packets. We show how difference or mirror solutions of the form
psi(x,t)-psi(-x,t) can, in this case, be normalized exactly, allowing for the
evaluation of a number of time-dependent expectation values and other
quantities in closed form. For example, we calculate _t explicitly which
illustrates how the free-particle kinetic (and hence total) energy is affected
by the presence of the distant boundary. We also discuss the time dependence of
the expectation values of position, _t, and momentum, _t, and their
relation to the impulsive force during the `collision' with the wall. Finally,
the x_0,p_0 --> 0 limit is shown to reduce to a special case of a non-standard
free-particle Gaussian solution. The addition of this example to the literature
then expands on the relatively small number of Gaussian solutions to quantum
mechanical problems with familiar classical analogs (free particle, uniform
acceleration, harmonic oscillator, unstable oscillator, and uniform magnetic
field) available in closed form.Comment: 14 pages, 1 embedded .eps figur
Exploring Cluster Ellipticals as Cosmological Standard Rods
We explore the possibility to calibrate massive cluster ellipticals as
cosmological standard rods using the Fundamental Plane relation combined with a
correction for luminosity evolution. Though cluster ellipticals certainly
formed in a complex way, their passive evolution out to redshifts of about 1
indicates that basically all major merging and accretion events took place at
higher redshifts. Therefore, a calibration of their luminosity evolution can be
attempted. We propose to use the Mg relation for that purpose because
it is independent of distance and cosmology. We discuss a variety of possible
caveats, ranging from dynamical evolution to uncertainties in stellar
population models and evolution corrections to the presence of age spread.
Sources of major random and systematic errors are analysed as well. We apply
the described procedure to nine elliptical galaxies in two clusters at
and derive constraints on the cosmological model. For the best
fitting -free cosmological model we obtain: , with
90% confidence limits being (the lower limit being due to the
presence of matter in the Universe). If the inflationary scenario applies (i.e.
the Universe has flat geometry), then, for the best fitting model, matter and
contribute about equally to the critical cosmic density (i.e.
). With 90% confidence
should be smaller than 0.9.Comment: 21 pages, including 5 eps-figures, Latex, uses aasms4.sty, accepted
by ApJ main journa
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