17,838 research outputs found
A magnetically driven origin for the low luminosity GRB 170817A associated with GW170817
The gamma-ray burst GRB 170817A associated with GW170817 is subluminous and
subenergetic compared with other typical short GRBs. It may be due to a
relativistic jet viewed off-axis, or a structured jet, or cocoon emission.
Giant flares from magnetars may possibly be ruled out. However, the luminosity
and energetics of GRB 170817A is coincident with that of magnetar giant flares.
After the coalescence of the binary neutron star, a hypermassive neutron star
may be formed. The hypermassive neutron star may have magnetar-strength
magnetic field. During the collapse of the hypermassive neutron star, the
magnetic field energy will also be released. This giant-flare-like event may
explain the the luminosity and energetics of GRB 170817A. Bursts with similar
luminosity and energetics are expected in future neutron star-neutron star or
neutron star-black hole mergers.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, accepted in Research in Astronomy and Astrophysic
The optical/UV excess of isolated neutron stars in the RCS model
The X-ray dim isolated neutron stars (XDINSs) are peculiar pulsar-like
objects, characterized by their very well Planck-like spectrum. In studying
their spectral energy distributions, the optical/UV excess is a long standing
problem. Recently, Kaplan et al. (2011) have measured the optical/UV excess for
all seven sources, which is understandable in the resonant cyclotron scattering
(RCS) model previously addressed. The RCS model calculations show that the RCS
process can account for the observed optical/UV excess for most sources . The
flat spectrum of RX J2143.0+0654 may due to contribution from bremsstrahlung
emission of the electron system in addition to the RCS process.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in Research in
Astronomy and Astrophysic
AXPs and SGRs in the outer gap model: confronting Fermi observations
Anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) and soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs) are
magnetar candidates, i.e., neutron stars powered by strong magnetic field. If
they are indeed magnetars, they will emit high-energy gamma-rays which are
detectable by Fermi-LAT according to the outer gap model. However, no
significant detection is reported in recent Fermi-LAT observations of all known
AXPs and SGRs. Considering the discrepancy between theory and observations, we
calculate the theoretical spectra for all AXPs and SGRs with sufficient
observational parameters. Our results show that most AXPs and SGRs are
high-energy gamma-ray emitters if they are really magnetars. The four AXPs 1E
1547.0-5408, XTE J1810-197, 1E 1048.1-5937, and 4U 0142+61 should have been
detected by Fermi-LAT. Then there is conflict between out gap model in the case
of magnetars and Fermi observations. Possible explanations in the magnetar
model are discussed. On the other hand, if AXPs and SGRs are fallback disk
systems, i.e., accretion-powered for the persistent emissions, most of them are
not high-energy gamma-ray emitters. Future deep Fermi-LAT observations of AXPs
and SGRs will help us make clear whether they are magnetars or fallback disk
systems.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in The
Astrophysical Journa
Computer model of catalytic combustion/Stirling engine heater head
The basic Acurex HET code was modified to analyze specific problems for Stirling engine heater head applications. Specifically, the code can model: an adiabatic catalytic monolith reactor, an externally cooled catalytic cylindrical reactor/flat plate reactor, a coannular tube radiatively cooled reactor, and a monolithic reactor radiating to upstream and downstream heat exchangers
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