5,060 research outputs found
Accretion disc-corona and jet emission from the radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy RX J1633.3+4719
We perform X-ray/ultraviolet (UV) spectral and X-ray variability studies of
the radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxy RX J1633.3+4719 using
XMM-Newton and Suzaku observations from 2011 and 2012. The 0.3-10 keV spectra
consist of an ultrasoft component described by an accretion disc blackbody
(kT_in = 39.6^{+11.2}_{-5.5} eV) and a power law due to the thermal
Comptonization ({\Gamma} = 1.96^{+0.24}_{-0.31}) of the disc emission. The disc
temperature inferred from the soft excess is at least a factor of 2 lower than
that found for the canonical soft excess emission from radio-quiet NLS1s. The
UV spectrum is described by a power law with photon index 3.05^{+0.56}_{-0.33}.
The observed UV emission is too strong to arise from the accretion disc or the
host galaxy, but can be attributed to a jet. The X-ray emission from RX
J1633.3+4719 is variable with fractional variability amplitude =13.5 per cent. In contrast to radio-quiet active galactic nuclei
(AGN), X-ray emission from the source becomes harder with increasing flux. The
fractional rms variability increases with energy and the rms spectrum is well
described by a constant disc component and a variable power-law continuum with
the normalization and photon index being anticorrelated. Such spectral
variability cannot be caused by variations in the absorption and must be
intrinsic to the hot corona. Our finding of possible evidence for emission from
the inner accretion disc, jet and hot corona from RX J1633.3+4719 in the
optical to X-ray bands makes this object an ideal target to probe the disc-jet
connection in AGN.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figures, 3 tables, Published in MNRA
High-energy Atmospheric Muon Flux Expected at India-Based Neutrino Observatory
We calculate the zenith-angle dependence of conventional and prompt
high-energy muon fluxes at India-Based Neutrino Observatory (INO) depth. This
study demonstrates a possibility to discriminate models of the charm
hadroproduction including the low-x QCD behaviour of hadronic cross-sections
relevant at very high energies.Comment: 10 pages. 8 figures, 3 table
Embedded AGN and star formation in the central 80 pc of IC 3639
[Abridged] Methods: We use interferometric observations in the -band with
VLTI/MIDI to resolve the mid-IR nucleus of IC 3639. The origin of the nuclear
infrared emission is determined from: 1) the comparison of the correlated
fluxes from VLTI/MIDI with the fluxes measured at subarcsec resolution
(VLT/VISIR, VLT/ISAAC); 2) diagnostics based on IR fine-structure line ratios,
the IR continuum emission, IR bands produced by polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAH) and silicates; and 3) the high-angular resolution spectral
energy distribution. Results: The unresolved flux of IC 3639 is at , measured with three different baselines in
VLTI (UT1-UT2, UT3-UT4, and UT2-UT3; -), making this the
faintest measurement so far achieved with mid-IR interferometry. The correlated
flux is a factor of - times fainter than the VLT/VISIR total flux
measurement. The observations suggest that most of the mid-IR emission has its
origin on spatial scales between and (-). A composite scenario where the star formation component dominates
over the AGN is favoured by the diagnostics based on ratios of IR
fine-structure emission lines, the shape of the IR continuum, and the PAH and
silicate bands. Conclusions: A composite AGN-starburst scenario is able to
explain both the mid-IR brightness distribution and the IR spectral properties
observed in the nucleus of IC 3639. The nuclear starburst would dominate the
mid-IR emission and the ionisation of low-excitation lines (e.g. [NeII]) with a net contribution of . The AGN accounts for the
remaining of the mid-IR flux, ascribed to the unresolved component
in the MIDI observations, and the ionisation of high-excitation lines (e.g.
[NeV] and [OIV]).Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
Diffraction-limited Subaru imaging of M82: sharp mid-infrared view of the starburst core
We present new imaging at 12.81 and 11.7 microns of the central ~40"x30"
(~0.7x0.5 kpc) of the starburst galaxy M82. The observations were carried out
with the COMICS mid-infrared (mid-IR) imager on the 8.2m Subaru telescope, and
are diffraction-limited at an angular resolution of <0".4. The images show
extensive diffuse structures, including a 7"-long linear chimney-like feature
and another resembling the edges of a ruptured bubble. This is the clearest
view to date of the base of the kpc-scale dusty wind known in this galaxy.
These structures do not extrapolate to a single central point, implying
multiple ejection sites for the dust. In general, the distribution of dust
probed in the mid-IR anticorrelates with the locations of massive star clusters
that appear in the near-infrared. The 10-21 micron mid-IR emission,
spatially-integrated over the field of view, may be represented by hot dust
with temperature of ~160 K. Most discrete sources are found to have extended
morphologies. Several radio HII regions are identified for the first time in
the mid-IR. The only potential radio supernova remnant to have a mid-IR
counterpart is a source which has previously also been suggested to be a weak
active galactic nucleus. This source has an X-ray counterpart in Chandra data
which appears prominently above 3 keV and is best described as a hot (~2.6 keV)
absorbed thermal plasma with a 6.7 keV Fe K emission line, in addition to a
weaker and cooler thermal component. The mid-IR detection is consistent with
the presence of strong [NeII]12.81um line emission. The broad-band source
properties are complex, but the X-ray spectra do not support the active
galactic nucleus hypothesis. We discuss possible interpretations regarding the
nature of this source.Comment: Accepted for publication in PASJ Subaru special issue. High
resolution version available temporarily at
http://www.astro.isas.jaxa.jp/~pgandhi/pgandhi_m82.pd
Serendipitous discovery of an extended X-ray jet without a radio counterpart in a high-redshift quasar
A recent Chandra observation of the nearby galaxy cluster Abell 585 has led
to the discovery of an extended X-ray jet associated with the high-redshift
background quasar B3 0727+409, a luminous radio source at redshift z=2.5. This
is one of only few examples of high-redshift X-ray jets known to date. It has a
clear extension of about 12", corresponding to a projected length of ~100 kpc,
with a possible hot spot located 35" from the quasar. The archival high
resolution VLA maps surprisingly reveal no extended jet emission, except for
one knot about 1.4" from the quasar. The high X-ray to radio luminosity ratio
for this source appears consistent with the amplification
expected from the inverse Compton radiative model. This serendipitous discovery
may signal the existence of an entire population of similar systems with bright
X-ray and faint radio jets at high redshift, a selection bias which must be
accounted for when drawing any conclusions about the redshift evolution of jet
properties and indeed about the cosmological evolution of supermassive black
holes and active galactic nuclei in general
Observations on whale shark Rhineodon typus (Smith) caught at Pamban, Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar
A male whale shark Rhineodon typus of 688 cm in total length caught in a No.4 gill net was
landed on 20-01 -2001 at Pamban light house landing centre. The whale shark was estimated to
weigh around 1.5 tonnes
Heavy boson production through the collision of an ultrahigh-energy neutrino on a target nucleon
We discuss W and Z production through the deep inelastic neutrino-nucleon
scattering in the context of the standard model SU(3)x SU(2)x U(1) of the
strong and electroweak interactions. We find the cross section rates for the
process neutrino + nucleon --> lepton(-) + W(+) + X for the case of
ultrahigh-energy neutrinos colliding on a target nucleon.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figure
Heavy landings of the filefish Aluterus monoceros from the Gulf of Mannar
Heavy landings of the unicorn leatherjacket filefish,
Aluterus monoceros (Linnaeus, 1758) was observed
at Pamban Therkuvady fish landing centre, landed by
trawlers operating in Gulf of Manna
The Transcriptomic Response of Rat Hepatic Stellate Cells to Endotoxin: Implications for Hepatic Inflammation and Immune Regulation
With their location in the perisinusoidal space of Disse, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) communicate with all of the liver cell types both by physical association (cell body as well as cytosolic processes penetrating into sinusoids through the endothelial fenestrations) and by producing several cytokines and chemokines. Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), circulating levels of which are elevated in liver diseases and transplantation, stimulates HSCs to produce increased amounts of cytokines and chemokines. Although recent research provides strong evidence for the role of HSCs in hepatic inflammation and immune regulation, the number of HSC-elaborated inflammatory and immune regulatory molecules may be much greater then known at the present time. Here we report time-dependent changes in the gene expression profile of inflammatory and immune-regulatory molecules in LPS-stimulated rat HSCs, and their validation by biochemical analyses. LPS strongly up-regulated LPS-response elements (TLR2 and TLR7) but did not affect TLR4 and down-regulated TLR9. LPS also up-regulated genes in the MAPK, NFκB, STAT, SOCS, IRAK and interferon signaling pathways, numerous CC and CXC chemokines and IL17F. Interestingly, LPS modulated genes related to TGFβ and HSC activation in a manner that would limit their activation and fibrogenic activity. The data indicate that LPS-stimulated HSCs become a major cell type in regulating hepatic inflammatory and immunological responses by altering expression of numerous relevant genes, and thus play a prominent role in hepatic pathophysiology including liver diseases and transplantation
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