1,512 research outputs found
Some thoughts about nonequilibrium temperature
The main objective of this paper is to show that, within the present
framework of the kinetic theoretical approach to irreversible thermodynamics,
there is no evidence that provides a basis to modify the ordinary Fourier
equation relating the heat flux in a non-equilibrium steady state to the
gradient of the local equilibrium temperature. This fact is supported, among
other arguments, through the kinetic foundations of generalized hydrodynamics.
Some attempts have been recently proposed asserting that, in the presence of
non-linearities of the state variables, such a temperature should be replaced
by the non-equilibrium temperature as defined in Extended Irreversible
Thermodynamics. In the approximations used for such a temperature there is so
far no evidence that sustains this proposal.Comment: 13 pages, TeX, no figures, to appear in Mol. Phy
Vanadium Inhalation in a Mouse Model for the Understanding of Air-Suspended Particle Systemic Repercussion
There is an increased concern about the health effects that air-suspended particles have on human health which have been dissected in animal models. Using CD-1 mouse, we explore the effects that vanadium inhalation produce in different tissues and organs. Our findings support the systemic effects of air pollution. In this paper, we describe our findings in different organs in our conditions and contrast our results with the literature
The Cherenkov Telescope Array Large Size Telescope
The two arrays of the Very High Energy gamma-ray observatory Cherenkov
Telescope Array (CTA) will include four Large Size Telescopes (LSTs) each with
a 23 m diameter dish and 28 m focal distance. These telescopes will enable CTA
to achieve a low-energy threshold of 20 GeV, which is critical for important
studies in astrophysics, astroparticle physics and cosmology. This work
presents the key specifications and performance of the current LST design in
the light of the CTA scientific objectives.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, In Proceedings of the 33rd International Cosmic
Ray Conference (ICRC2013), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). All CTA contributions at
arXiv:1307.223
Detection of very high energy gamma-ray emission from the gravitationally-lensed blazar QSO B0218+357 with the MAGIC telescopes
Context. QSO B0218+357 is a gravitationally lensed blazar located at a
redshift of 0.944. The gravitational lensing splits the emitted radiation into
two components, spatially indistinguishable by gamma-ray instruments, but
separated by a 10-12 day delay. In July 2014, QSO B0218+357 experienced a
violent flare observed by the Fermi-LAT and followed by the MAGIC telescopes.
Aims. The spectral energy distribution of QSO B0218+357 can give information on
the energetics of z ~ 1 very high energy gamma- ray sources. Moreover the
gamma-ray emission can also be used as a probe of the extragalactic background
light at z ~ 1. Methods. MAGIC performed observations of QSO B0218+357 during
the expected arrival time of the delayed component of the emission. The MAGIC
and Fermi-LAT observations were accompanied by quasi-simultaneous optical data
from the KVA telescope and X-ray observations by Swift-XRT. We construct a
multiwavelength spectral energy distribution of QSO B0218+357 and use it to
model the source. The GeV and sub-TeV data, obtained by Fermi-LAT and MAGIC,
are used to set constraints on the extragalactic background light. Results.
Very high energy gamma-ray emission was detected from the direction of QSO
B0218+357 by the MAGIC telescopes during the expected time of arrival of the
trailing component of the flare, making it the farthest very high energy
gamma-ray sources detected to date. The observed emission spans the energy
range from 65 to 175 GeV. The combined MAGIC and Fermi-LAT spectral energy
distribution of QSO B0218+357 is consistent with current extragalactic
background light models. The broad band emission can be modeled in the
framework of a two zone external Compton scenario, where the GeV emission comes
from an emission region in the jet, located outside the broad line region.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in A&
First broadband characterization and redshift determination of the VHE blazar MAGIC J2001+439
We aim to characterize the broadband emission from 2FGL J2001.1+4352, which
has been associated with the unknown-redshift blazar MG4 J200112+4352. Based on
its gamma-ray spectral properties, it was identified as a potential very high
energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) gamma-ray emitter. The source was observed with MAGIC
first in 2009 and later in 2010 within a multi-instrument observation campaign.
The MAGIC observations yielded 14.8 hours of good quality stereoscopic data.
The object was monitored at radio, optical and gamma-ray energies during the
years 2010 and 2011. The source, named MAGIC J2001+439, is detected for the
first time at VHE with MAGIC at a statistical significance of 6.3 {\sigma} (E >
70 GeV) during a 1.3-hour long observation on 2010 July 16. The
multi-instrument observations show variability in all energy bands with the
highest amplitude of variability in the X-ray and VHE bands. We also organized
deep imaging optical observations with the Nordic Optical Telescope in 2013 to
determine the source redshift. We determine for the first time the redshift of
this BL Lac object through the measurement of its host galaxy during low blazar
activity. Using the observational evidence that the luminosities of BL Lac host
galaxies are confined to a relatively narrow range, we obtain z = 0.18 +/-
0.04. Additionally, we use the Fermi-LAT and MAGIC gamma-ray spectra to provide
an independent redshift estimation, z = 0.17 +/- 0.10. Using the former (more
accurate) redshift value, we adequately describe the broadband emission with a
one-zone SSC model for different activity states and interpret the few-day
timescale variability as produced by changes in the high-energy component of
the electron energy distribution.Comment: 17 pages, 15 figures, Accepted for publication in A&
Investigating the peculiar emission from the new VHE gamma-ray source H1722+119
The MAGIC (Major Atmospheric Gamma-ray Imaging Cherenkov) telescopes observed
the BL Lac object H1722+119 (redshift unknown) for six consecutive nights
between 2013 May 17 and 22, for a total of 12.5 h. The observations were
triggered by high activity in the optical band measured by the KVA (Kungliga
Vetenskapsakademien) telescope. The source was for the first time detected in
the very high energy (VHE, GeV) -ray band with a statistical
significance of 5.9 . The integral flux above 150 GeV is estimated to
be per cent of the Crab Nebula flux. We used contemporaneous
high energy (HE, 100 MeV GeV) -ray observations from
Fermi-LAT (Large Area Telescope) to estimate the redshift of the source. Within
the framework of the current extragalactic background light models, we estimate
the redshift to be . Additionally, we used contemporaneous
X-ray to radio data collected by the instruments on board the Swift satellite,
the KVA, and the OVRO (Owens Valley Radio Observatory) telescope to study
multifrequency characteristics of the source. We found no significant temporal
variability of the flux in the HE and VHE bands. The flux in the optical and
radio wavebands, on the other hand, did vary with different patterns. The
spectral energy distribution (SED) of H1722+119 shows surprising behaviour in
the Hz frequency range. It can be modelled
using an inhomogeneous helical jet synchrotron self-Compton model.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, 2 table
Long-term multi-wavelength variability and correlation study of Markarian 421 from 2007 to 2009
We study the multi-band variability and correlations of the TeV blazar Mrk
421 on year time scales, which can bring additional insight on the processes
responsible for its broadband emission. We observed Mrk 421 in the very high
energy (VHE) gamma-ray range with the Cherenkov telescope MAGIC-I from March
2007 to June 2009 for a total of 96 hours of effective time after quality cuts.
The VHE flux variability is quantified with several methods, including the
Bayesian Block algorithm, which is applied to data from Cherenkov telescopes
for the first time. The 2.3 year long MAGIC light curve is complemented with
data from the Swift/BAT and RXTE/ASM satellites and the KVA, GASP-WEBT, OVRO,
and Mets\"ahovi telescopes from February 2007 to July 2009, allowing for an
excellent characterisation of the multi-band variability and correlations over
year time scales. Mrk 421 was found in different gamma-ray emission states
during the 2.3 year long observation period. Flares and different levels of
variability in the gamma-ray light curve could be identified with the Bayesian
Block algorithm. The same behaviour of a quiet and active emission was found in
the X-ray light curves measured by Swift/BAT and the RXTE/ASM, with a direct
correlation in time. The behaviour of the optical light curve of GASP-WEBT and
the radio light curves by OVRO and Mets\"ahovi are different as they show no
coincident features with the higher energetic light curves and a less variable
emission. The fractional variability is overall increasing with energy. The
comparable variability in the X-ray and VHE bands and their direct correlation
during both high- and low-activity periods spanning many months show that the
electron populations radiating the X-ray and gamma-ray photons are either the
same, as expected in the Synchrotron-Self-Compton mechanism, or at least
strongly correlated, as expected in electromagnetic cascades.Comment: Corresponding authors: Ann-Kristin Overkemping
([email protected]), Marina Manganaro
([email protected]), Diego Tescaro ([email protected]), To be published
in Astronomy&Astrophysics (A&A), 12 pages, 9 figure
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