Rotation and X-ray emission from protostars

The ASCA satellite has recently detected variable hard X-ray emission from two Class I protostars in the rho Oph cloud, YLW15 (IRS43) and WL6, with a characteristic time scale ~20h. In YLW15, the X-ray emission is in the form of quasi-periodic energetic flares, which we explain in terms of strong magnetic shearing and reconnection between the central star and the accretion disk. In WL6, X-ray flaring is rotationally modulated, and appears to be more like the solar-type magnetic activity ubiquitous on T Tauri stars. We find that YLW15 is a fast rotator (near break-up), while WL6 rotates with a significantly longer period. We derive a mass M_\star ~ 2 M_\odot and \simlt 0.4 M_\odot for the central stars of YLW15 and WL6 respectively. On the long term, the interactions between the star and the disk results in magnetic braking and angular momentum loss of the star. On time scales t_{br} ~ a few 10^5 yrs, i.e., of the same order as the estimated duration of the Class~I protostar stage. Close to the birthline there must be a mass-rotation relation, t_{br} \simpropto M_\star, such that stars with M_\star \simgt 1-2 M_\odot are fast rotators, while their lower-mass counterparts have had the time to spin down. The rapid rotation and strong star-disk magnetic interactions of YLW15 also naturally explain the observation of X-ray ``superflares''. In the case of YLW15, and perhaps also of other protostars, a hot coronal wind (T~10^6 K) may be responsible for the VLA thermal radio emission. This paper thus proposes the first clues to the rotation status and evolution of protostars.Comment: 13 pages with 6 figures. To be published in ApJ (April 10, 2000 Part 1 issue

Stable ozone layer in Norway and USSR

Long-term column ozone density measurements have been carried out in Norway and USSR. Data from Tromso and two meridional chains in USSR are analyzed, and most of the stations show that no significant decreasing trend in ozone has occurred during the last two decades

The final fate of spherical inhomogeneous dust collapse II: Initial data and causal structure of singularity

Further to results in [9], pointing out the role of initial density and velocity distributions towards determining the final outcome of spherical dust collapse, the causal structure of singularity is examined here in terms of evolution of the apparent horizon. We also bring out several related features which throw some useful light towards understanding the nature of this singularity, including the behaviour of geodesic families coming out and some aspects related to the stability of singularity.Comment: Latex file, uses epsf.sty, 15 pages and 3 eps figures. Paragraph on role of smooth functions rewritten. Four references added. To appear in Classical & Quantum Gravit

A New Method for Radiosynthesis of 11C-Labeled Carbamate Groups and its Application for a Highly Efficient Synthesis of the Kappa-Opioid Receptor Tracer [11C]GR103545

11C-labeled carbamates can be obtained in a three-component coupling reaction of primary or secondary amines with CO2 and 11C-methylation reagents. [11C]Methyl-triflate mediated methylation of carbamino adducts provides the corresponding 11C-labeled carbamate groups in excellent yields under mild conditions (temperatures ≤ 40°C, 2 min reaction time). The utility of the method has been demonstrated by a highly efficient radiosynthesis of [11C]GR103545

General relativistic corrections to the Sagnac effect

The difference in travel time of corotating and counter-rotating light waves in the field of a central massive and spinning body is studied. The corrections to the special relativistic formula are worked out in a Kerr field. Estimation of numeric values for the Earth and satellites in orbit around it show that a direct measurement is in the order of concrete possibilities.Comment: REVTex, accepted for publication on Phys. Rev.

A direct kinematical derivation of the relativistic Sagnac effect for light or matter beams

The Sagnac time delay and the corresponding Sagnac phase shift, for relativistic matter and electromagnetic beams counter-propagating in a rotating interferometer, are deduced on the ground of relativistic kinematics. This purely kinematical approach allows to explain the ''universality'' of the effect, namely the fact that the Sagnac time difference does not depend on the physical nature of the interfering beams. The only prime requirement is that the counter-propagating beams have the same velocity with respect to any Einstein synchronized local co-moving inertial frame.Comment: 10 pages, 1 EPS figure, to appear in General Relativity and Gravitatio

Towards a physical interpretation for the Stephani Universes

A physicaly reasonable interpretation is provided for the perfect fluid, sphericaly symmetric, conformally flat ``Stephani Universes''. The free parameters of this class of exact solutions are determined so that the ideal gas relation $p=n k T$ is identicaly fulfiled, while the full equation of state of a classical monatomic ideal gas and a matter-radiation mixture holds up to a good approximation in a near dust, matter dominated regime. Only the models having spacelike slices with positive curvature admit a regular evolution domain that avoids an unphysical singularity. In the matter dominated regime these models are dynamicaly and observationaly indistinguishable from ``standard'' FLRW cosmology with a dust source.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figures, LaTeX with revtex style, submitted to General Relativity and Gravitatio

Hard X-ray and Gamma-ray Emission Induced by Ultra-High Energy Protons in Cluster Accretion Shocks

All sufficiently massive clusters of galaxies are expected to be surrounded by strong accretion shocks, where protons can be accelerated to $\sim 10^{18}$-$10^{19}$ eV under plausible conditions. Such protons interact with the cosmic microwave background and efficiently produce very high energy electron-positron pairs, which then radiate synchrotron and inverse Compton emission, peaking respectively at hard X-ray and TeV gamma-ray energies. Characterized by hard spectra (photon indices $\sim 1.5$) and spatial distribution tracing the accretion shock, these can dominate over other nonthermal components depending on the shock magnetic field. HESS and other Cerenkov telescopes may detect the TeV emission from nearby clusters, notwithstanding its extended nature. The hard X-rays may be observable by future imaging facilities such as NeXT, and possibly also by ASTRO-E2/HXD. Such detections will not only provide a clear signature of ultra-high energy proton acceleration, but also an important probe of the accretion shock itself as well as magnetic fields in the outermost regions of clusters.Comment: To appear in Ap.J. Letters; 5 pages, 2 figure