Soft-excess in ULX spectra: disc emission or wind absorption?

We assess the claim that Ultra-luminous X-ray sources (ULXs) host intermediate-mass black holes (BH) by comparing the cool disc-blackbody model with a range of other models, namelly a more complex physical model based on a power-law component slightly modified at various energies by smeared emission/absorption lines from highly-ionized gas. Our main conclusion is that the presence of a soft excess, or a soft deficit, depends entirely on the energy range to which we choose to fit the ``true'' power-law continuum; hence, we argue that those components should not be taken as evidence for accretion disc emission, nor used to infer BH masses. We speculate that bright ULXs could be in a spectral state similar to (or an extension of) the steep-power-law state of Galactic BH candidates, in which the disc is completely comptonized and not directly detectable, and the power-law emission may be modified by the surrounding, fast-moving, ionized gas.Comment: To appear in the proceedings of "The Multicoloured Landscape of Compact Objects and their Explosive Progenitors: Theory vs. Observations", Cefalu', Sicily, June 11-24, 2006 (AIP). Compilation needs specific AIP .clo, .cls, .sty and .tex files (included along with the paper .tex file and figures

Does magnetic pressure affect the ICM dynamics?

A possible discrepancy found in the determination of mass from gravitational lensing data, and from X-rays observations, has been largely discussed in the latest years (for instance, Miralda-Escude & Babul (1995)). Another important discrepancy related to these data is that the dark matter is more centrally condensed than the X-ray-emitting gas, and also with respect to the galaxy distribution (Eyles et al. 1991). Could these discrepancies be consequence of the standard description of the ICM, in which it is assumed hydrostatic equilibrium maintained by thermal pressure? We follow the evolution of the ICM, considering a term of magnetic pressure, aiming at answering the question whether or not these discrepancies can be explained via non-thermal terms of pressure. Our results suggest that the magnetic pressure could only affect the dynamics of the ICM on scales as small as < 1kpc. Our models are constrained by the observations of large and small scale fields and we are successful at reproducing available data, for both Faraday rotation limits and inverse Compton limits for the magnetic fields. In our calculations the radius (from the cluster center) in which magnetic pressure reaches equipartition is smaller than radii derived in previous works, as a consequence of the more realistic treatment of the magnetic field geometry and the consideration of a sink term in the cooling flow.Comment: 8 pages with 7 figures included. MNRAS accepted. Minor changes in the section of discussions and conclusions. Also available at http://www.iac.es/publicaciones/preprints.htm

Substratos e fertilizantes de liberação controlada para a produção de mudas de Samanea tubulosa (Bentham) Barneby & Grimes.

As pastagens no Estado do Acre são pouco arborizadas e, Samanea tubulosa (Bentham) Barneby & Grimes, Fabaceae, constitui-se em espécie arbórea potencial para reflorestamento de área de reserva legal e implantação de sistemas silvipastoris com vistas ao aproveitamento da madeira, sombreamento para o gado e melhora do pasto em torno das árvores, bem como, para a recomposição de área de preservação permanente. Para o reflorestamento, o uso de mudas possibilita o aumento de eficiência na implantação da floresta com menor custo em menos tempo. Neste trabalho diferentes substratos e fertilizantes de liberação controlada foram estudados para a produção de mudas de bordão-develho. Substratos a base de casca de arroz carbonizada, serragem curtida e solo argiloso com a adição de fertilizantes de liberação controlada NPK permitiram a obtenção de mudas de bordão-de-velho com valores médios de altura e diâmetro do coleto maiores do que mudas produzidas com substrato comercial Plantmax® com ou sem a adição de fertilizantes de liberação controlada. Os tratamentos que não continham fertilizantes NPK de liberação controlada proporcionaram mudas com menores valores médios de altura e diâmetro do coleto, independente do tipo de substrato. Dentre estes, o tratamento 5 (casca de arroz carbonizada (70%) e vermiculita (30%) + FTEBR12® 2,5% (p/p)) teve os menores valores médios seguido imediatamente do tratamento 1 (Plantmax® + FTEBR12® 2,5% (p/p)) e do tratamento 9 (solo argiloso de horizonte B (LVA) (60%) + casca de arroz carbonizada (20%) + serragem curtida (20%) + FTE BR12® 2,5% (p/p)). The pastures in the state of Acre are just and afforested, and Samanea tubulosa (Bentham) Barneby & Grimes, Fabaceae , (rain tree) is a potential tree species for reforestation of a reserve area and silvopastoral (pasture/animals + trees) system with nice views to the use of wood, shade and the improvement of livestock grazing around the trees, as well as for the rebuilding of areas of permanent preservation. For the reforestation, the use of seedlings allows for increased efficiency in the deployment of the forest with less cost in less time. In this work different substrates and controlled-release fertilizers were studied for the production of seedlings of rain tree. Substrates the basis of carbonized rice hulls, tanned leather and clay soil with the addition of controlled-release NPK fertilizer allow the production of seedlings of rain tree with average height and diameter of more than collect seedlings produced with substrate commercial Plantmax® with or without the addition of controlled-release fertilizers. The treatments that did not contain controlled-release NPK fertilizer provided seedlings with lower average height and diameter of the collection, regardless of the type of substrate. Among these, treatment 5 (carbonized rice hulls (70%) and vermiculite (30%) + FTEBR12® 2.5% (w / w)) had the lowest average values of treatment followed immediately 1 (Plantmax® FTEBR12® + 2, 5% (w / w)) and treatment 9 (soil clayed of B horizon (LV) (60%) + carbonized rice hulls (20%) + tanned leather (20%) + FTE BR12 2,5%(w / w))

Properties improvement of poly(o-methoxyaniline) based supercapacitors : experimental and theoretical behaviour study of self-doping effect

The support of this research by FAPESP (2011/10897-2, 2013/07296-2), CsF-PVE (99999.007708/2015-07), CAPES and CNPq is gratefully acknowledged. We also thank the University of Aberdeen for providing computational time on MaxwellPeer reviewedPostprin