197 research outputs found
Ni abundance in the core of the Perseus Cluster: an answer to the significance of resonant scattering
Using an XMM-Newton observation of the Perseus cluster we show that the
excess in the flux of the 7-8 keV line complex previously detected by ASCA and
BeppoSAX is due to an overabundance of Nickel rather than to an anomalously
high Fe He/Fe He ratio. This observational fact leads to the
main result that resonant scattering, which was assumed to be responsible for
the supposed anomalous Fe He/Fe He ratio, is no longer required.
The absence of resonant scattering points towards the presence of significant
gas motions (either turbulent or laminar) in the core of the Perseus cluster.Comment: 29 pages, 10 bw figures, accepted for publication in the
Astrophysical Journa
An XMM-Newton study of the 401 Hz accreting pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658 in quiescence
SAX J1808.4-3658 is a unique source being the first Low Mass X-ray Binary
showing coherent pulsations at a spin period comparable to that of millisecond
radio pulsars. Here we present an XMM-Newton observation of SAX J1808.4-3658 in
quiescence, the first which assessed its quiescent luminosity and spectrum with
good signal to noise. XMM-Newton did not reveal other sources in the vicinity
of SAX J1808.4-3658 likely indicating that the source was also detected by
previous BeppoSAX and ASCA observations, even if with large positional and flux
uncertainties. We derive a 0.5-10 keV unabsorbed luminosity of L_X=5x10^{31}
erg/s, a relatively low value compared with other neutron star soft X-ray
transient sources. At variance with other soft X-ray transients, the quiescent
spectrum of SAX J1808.4-3658 was dominated by a hard (Gamma~1.5) power law with
only a minor contribution (<10%) from a soft black body component. If the power
law originates in the shock between the wind of a turned-on radio pulsar and
matter outflowing from the companion, then a spin-down to X-ray luminosity
conversion efficiency of eta~10^{-3} is derived; this is in line with the value
estimated from the eclipsing radio pulsar PSR J1740-5340. Within the deep
crustal heating model, the faintness of the blackbody-like component indicates
that SAX J1808.4-3658 likely hosts a massive neutronstar (M>1.7 solar masses).Comment: Paper accepted for publication in ApJ
The X-Ray Concentration-Virial Mass Relation
We present the concentration (c)-virial mass (M) relation of 39 galaxy
systems ranging in mass from individual early-type galaxies up to the most
massive galaxy clusters, (0.06-20) x 10^{14} M_sun. We selected for analysis
the most relaxed systems possessing the highest quality data currently
available in the Chandra and XMM public data archives. A power-law model fitted
to the X-ray c-M relation requires at high significance (6.6 sigma) that c
decreases with increasing M, which is a general feature of CDM models. The
median and scatter of the c-M relation produced by the flat, concordance LCDM
model (Omega_m=0.3, sigma_8=0.9) agrees with the X-ray data provided the sample
is comprised of the most relaxed, early forming systems, which is consistent
with our selection criteria. Holding the rest of the cosmological parameters
fixed to those in the concordance model the c-M relation requires 0.76< sigma_8
<1.07 (99% conf.), assuming a 10% upward bias in the concentrations for early
forming systems. The tilted, low-sigma_8 model suggested by a new WMAP analysis
is rejected at 99.99% confidence, but a model with the same tilt and
normalization can be reconciled with the X-ray data by increasing the dark
energy equation of state parameter to w ~ -0.8. When imposing the additional
constraint of the tight relation between sigma_8 and Omega_m from studies of
cluster abundances, the X-ray c-M relation excludes (>99% conf.) both open CDM
models and flat CDM models with Omega_m ~1. This result provides novel evidence
for a flat, low-Omega_m universe with dark energy using observations only in
the local (z << 1) universe. Possible systematic errors in the X-ray mass
measurements of a magnitude ~10% suggested by CDM simulations do not change our
conclusions.Comment: Accepted for Publication in ApJ; 13 pages, 4 figures; minor
clarifications and updates; correlation coefficients corrected in Table 1
(correct values were used in the analysis in previous versions); conclusions
unchange
Using Typical Consumption Profiles to Stablish the Consumption Level for Short Time Periods
The current practices in the consumption metering by electricity utilities is currently largely based on monthly consumption reading. The consumption metering device is always calculating the cumulative consumption. Then, it is possible to calculate the difference between the actual and the previous consumption evaluation in order to estimate the monthly consumption. The power systems planning needs in many aspects to handle consumption data obtained for shorter periods, namely in the Demand Response programs planning. The work presented in this paper is based on the application of typical consumption profiles that are previously defined for a certain power system area. Such profiles are then used in order to estimate the 15 minutes consumption for a certain consumer or consumer type
Serendipitous XMM-Newton discovery of a cluster of galaxies at z=0.28
We report the discovery of a galaxy cluster serendipitously detected as an
extended X-ray source in an offset observation of the group NGC 5044. The
cluster redshift, z=0.281, determined from the optical spectrum of the
brightest cluster galaxy, agrees with that inferred from the X-ray spectrum
using the Fe K alpha complex of the hot ICM (z=0.27 +/- 0.01). Based on the 50
ks XMM observation, we find that within a radius of 383 kpc the cluster has an
unabsorbed X-ray flux, f_X (0.5-2 keV) = 3.34 (+0.08, -0.13) x 10^{-13}
erg/cm^2/s, a bolometric X-ray luminosity, L_X = 2.21 (+0.34, -0.19) x 10^{44}
erg/s, kT = 3.57 +/- 0.12 keV, and metallicity, 0.60 +/- 0.09 solar. The
cluster obeys the scaling relations for L_X and T observed at intermediate
redshift. The mass derived from an isothermal NFW model fit is, M_vir = 3.89
+/- 0.35 x 10^{14} solar masses, with a concentration parameter, c = 6.7 +/-
0.4, consistent with the range of values expected in the concordance
cosmological model for relaxed clusters. The optical properties suggest this
could be a ``fossil cluster''.Comment: 5 pages, 4 colour figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Status of the EPIC thin and medium filters on-board XMM-Newton after more than 10 years of operation II: analysis of in-flight data
After more than ten years of operation of the EPIC camera on board the X-ray observatory XMM-Newton we have reviewed the status of its thin and medium filters by performing both analysis of data collected in-flight and laboratory measurements on on-ground back-up filters. We have investigated the status of the EPIC thin and medium filters by performing an analysis of the optical loading in the PN offset maps to gauge variations in the optical and UV transmission of the filters. We both investigated repeated observations of single optically bright targets and performed a statistical analysis of the extent of loading versus visual magnitude at different epochs. We report the results of these measurements
The Absence of Adiabatic Contraction of the Radial Dark Matter Profile in the Galaxy Cluster A2589
We present an X-ray analysis of the radial mass profile of the radio-quiet
galaxy cluster A2589 between 0.015-0.25 r_vir using an XMM-Newton observation.
Except for a ~16 kpc shift of the X-ray center of the R=45-60 kpc annulus,
A2589 possesses a remarkably symmetrical X-ray image and is therefore an
exceptional candidate for precision studies of its mass profile by applying
hydrostatic equilibrium. The total gravitating matter profile is well described
by the NFW model (fractional residuals <~10%) with c_vir=6.1 +/- 0.3 and M_vir
= 3.3 +/- 0.3 x 10^{14} M_sun (r_vir = 1.74 +/- 0.05 Mpc) in excellent
agreement with LCDM. When the mass of the hot ICM is subtracted from the
gravitating matter profile, the NFW model fitted to the resulting dark matter
(DM) profile produces essentially the same result. However, if a component
accounting for the stellar mass (M_*) of the cD galaxy is included, then the
NFW fit to the DM profile is substantially degraded in the central r ~50 kpc
for reasonable M_*/L_V. Modifying the NFW DM halo by adiabatic contraction
arising from the early condensation of stellar baryons in the cD galaxy further
degrades the fit. The fit is improved substantially with a Sersic-like model
recently suggested by high resolution N-body simulations but with an inverse
Sersic index, alpha ~0.5, a factor of ~3 higher than predicted. We argue that
neither random turbulent motions nor magnetic fields can provide sufficient
non-thermal pressure support to reconcile the XMM mass profile with adiabatic
contraction of a CDM halo assuming reasonable M_*/L_V. Our results support the
scenario where, at least for galaxy clusters, processes during halo formation
counteract adiabatic contraction so that the total gravitating mass in the core
approximately follows the NFW profile.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ. Minor changes
to match published versio
Systematic study of X-ray Cavities in the brightest galaxy of the Draco Constellation NGC 6338
We present results based on the systematic analysis of currently available
Chandra archive data on the brightest galaxy in the Draco constellation NGC
6338, in order to investigate the properties of the X-ray cavities. In the
central ~6 kpc, at least a two and possibly three, X-ray cavities are evident.
All these cavities are roughly of ellipsoidal shapes and show a decrement in
the surface brightness of several tens of percent. In addition to these
cavities, a set of X-ray bright filaments are also noticed which are spatially
coincident with the H{\alpha} filaments over an extent of 15 kpc. The H{\alpha}
emission line filaments are perpendicular to the X- ray cavities. Spectroscopic
analysis of the hot gas in the filaments and cavities reveal that the X-ray
filaments are cooler than the gas contained in the cavities. The emission line
ratios and the extended, asymmetric nature of the H{\alpha} emission line
filaments seen in this system require a harder ionizing source than that
produced by star formation and/or young, massive stars. Radio emission maps
derived from the analysis of 1.4 GHz VLA FIRST survey data failed to show any
association of these X-ray cavities with radio jets, however, the cavities are
filled by radio emission. The total power of the cavities is 17\times 1042 erg
s-1 and the ratio of the radio luminosity to cavity power is ~ 10-4, implying
that most of the jet power is mechanical.Comment: The paper contains 12 figures and 3 tables, Accepted 2011 December 7
for publication in MNRA
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