3,553 research outputs found
Using BBN in cosmological parameter extraction from CMB: a forecast for Planck
Data from future high-precision Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB)
measurements will be sensitive to the primordial Helium abundance . At the
same time, this parameter can be predicted from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN)
as a function of the baryon and radiation densities, as well as a neutrino
chemical potential. We suggest to use this information to impose a
self-consistent BBN prior on and determine its impact on parameter
inference from simulated Planck data. We find that this approach can
significantly improve bounds on cosmological parameters compared to an analysis
which treats as a free parameter, if the neutrino chemical potential is
taken to vanish. We demonstrate that fixing the Helium fraction to an arbitrary
value can seriously bias parameter estimates. Under the assumption of
degenerate BBN (i.e., letting the neutrino chemical potential vary), the
BBN prior's constraining power is somewhat weakened, but nevertheless allows us
to constrain with an accuracy that rivals bounds inferred from present
data on light element abundances.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures; v2: minor changes, matches published versio
The Wolf-Rayet stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud: A comprehensive analysis of the WN class
Aims: Following our comprehensive studies of the WR stars in the Milky Way,
we now present spectroscopic analyses of almost all known WN stars in the LMC.
Methods: For the quantitative analysis of the wind-dominated emission-line
spectra, we employ the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) model atmosphere code. By
fitting synthetic spectra to the observed spectral energy distribution and the
available spectra (ultraviolet and optical), we obtain the physical properties
of 107 stars. Results: We present the fundamental stellar and wind parameters
for an almost complete sample of WN stars in the LMC. Among those stars that
are putatively single, two different groups can be clearly distinguished. While
12% of our sample are more luminous than 10^6 Lsun and contain a significant
amount of hydrogen, 88% of the WN stars, with little or no hydrogen, populate
the luminosity range between log (L/Lsun) = 5.3...5.8. Conclusions: While the
few extremely luminous stars (log (L/Lsun) > 6), if indeed single stars,
descended directly from the main sequence at very high initial masses, the bulk
of WN stars have gone through the red-supergiant phase. According to their
luminosities in the range of log (L/Lsun) = 5.3...5.8, these stars originate
from initial masses between 20 and 40 Msun. This mass range is similar to the
one found in the Galaxy, i.e. the expected metallicity dependence of the
evolution is not seen. Current stellar evolution tracks, even when accounting
for rotationally induced mixing, still partly fail to reproduce the observed
ranges of luminosities and initial masses. Moreover, stellar radii are
generally larger and effective temperatures correspondingly lower than
predicted from stellar evolution models, probably due to subphotospheric
inflation.Comment: 17+46 pages; 10+54 figures; v2: typos corrected, space-saving layout
for appendix C, published in A&
The XMM-Newton EPIC X-ray Light Curve Analysis of WR 6
We obtained four pointings of over 100 ks each of the well-studied Wolf-Rayet
star WR 6 with the XMM-Newton satellite. With a first paper emphasizing the
results of spectral analysis, this follow-up highlights the X-ray variability
clearly detected in all four pointings. However, phased light curves fail to
confirm obvious cyclic behavior on the well-established 3.766 d period widely
found at longer wavelengths. The data are of such quality that we were able to
conduct a search for "event clustering" in the arrival times of X-ray photons.
However, we fail to detect any such clustering. One possibility is that X-rays
are generated in a stationary shock structure. In this context we favor a
co-rotating interaction region (CIR) and present a phenomenological model for
X-rays from a CIR structure. We show that a CIR has the potential to account
simultaneously for the X-ray variability and constraints provided by the
spectral analysis. Ultimately, the viability of the CIR model will require both
intermittent long-term X-ray monitoring of WR 6 and better physical models of
CIR X-ray production at large radii in stellar winds.Comment: to appear in Ap
Stagnation and Infall of Dense Clumps in the Stellar Wind of tau Scorpii
Observations of the B0.2V star tau Scorpii have revealed unusual stellar wind
characteristics: red-shifted absorption in the far-ultraviolet O VI resonance
doublet up to +250 km/s, and extremely hard X-ray emission implying gas at
temperatures in excess of 10^7 K. We describe a phenomenological model to
explain these properties. We assume the wind of tau Sco consists of two
components: ambient gas in which denser clumps are embedded. The clumps are
optically thick in the UV resonance lines primarily responsible for
accelerating the ambient wind. The reduced acceleration causes the clumps to
slow and even infall, all the while being confined by the ram pressure of the
outflowing ambient wind. We calculate detailed trajectories of the clumps in
the ambient stellar wind, accounting for a line radiation driving force and the
momentum deposited by the ambient wind in the form of drag. We show these
clumps will fall back towards the star with velocities of several hundred
km/sec for a broad range of initial conditions. The infalling clumps produce
X-ray emitting plasmas with temperatures in excess of (1-6)x10^7 K in bow
shocks at their leading edge. The infalling material explains the peculiar
red-shifted absorption wings seen in the O VI doublet. The required mass loss
in clumps is 3% - 30% ofthe total mass loss rate. The model developed here can
be generally applied to line-driven outflows with clumps or density
irregularities. (Abstract Abridged)Comment: To appear in the ApJ (1 May 2000). 24 pages, including 6 embedded
figure
Electronic depth profiles with atomic layer resolution from resonant soft x-ray reflectivity
The analysis of x-ray reflectivity data from artificial heterostructures
usually relies on the homogeneity of optical properties of the constituent
materials. However, when the x-ray energy is tuned to an absorption edge, this
homogeneity no longer exists. Within the same material, spatial regions
containing elements at resonance will have optical properties very different
from regions without resonating sites. In this situation, models assuming
homogeneous optical properties throughout the material can fail to describe the
reflectivity adequately. As we show here, resonant soft x-ray reflectivity is
sensitive to these variations, even though the wavelength is typically large as
compared to the atomic distances over which the optical properties vary. We
have therefore developed a scheme for analyzing resonant soft x-ray
reflectivity data, which takes the atomic structure of a material into account
by "slicing" it into atomic planes with characteristic optical properties.
Using LaSrMnO4 as an example, we discuss both the theoretical and experimental
implications of this approach. Our analysis not only allows to determine
important structural information such as interface terminations and stacking of
atomic layers, but also enables to extract depth-resolved spectroscopic
information with atomic resolution, thus enhancing the capability of the
technique to study emergent phenomena at surfaces and interfaces.Comment: Completely overhauled with respect to the previous version due to
peer revie
Theoretical Black Hole Mass Distributions
We derive the theoretical distribution function of black hole masses by
studying the formation processes of black holes. We use the results of recent
2D simulations of core-collapse to obtain the relation between remnant and
progenitor masses and fold it with an initial mass function for the
progenitors. We examine how the calculated black-hole mass distributions are
modified by (i) strong wind mass loss at different evolutionary stages of the
progenitors, and (ii) the presence of close binary companions to the black-hole
progenitors. Thus, we are able to derive the binary black hole mass
distribution. The compact remnant distribution is dominated by neutron stars in
the mass range 1.2-1.6Msun and falls off exponentially at higher remnant
masses. Our results are most sensitive to mass loss from winds which is even
more important in close binaries. Wind mass-loss causes the black hole
distribution to become flatter and limits the maximum possible black-hole mass
(<10-15Msun). We also study the effects of the uncertainties in the explosion
and unbinding energies for different progenitors. The distributions are
continuous and extend over a broad range. We find no evidence for a gap at low
values (3-5Msun) or for a peak at higher values (~7Msun) of black hole masses,
but we argue that our black hole mass distribution for binaries is consistent
with the current sample of measured black-hole masses in X-ray transients. We
discuss possible biases against the detection or formation of X-ray transients
with low-mass black holes. We also comment on the possibility of black-hole
kicks and their effect on binaries.Comment: 22 pages, submitted to Ap
Blobs in Wolf-Rayet Winds: Random Photometric and Polarimetric Variability
Some isolated Wolf-Rayet stars present random variability in their optical
flux and polarization. We make the assumption that such variability is caused
by the presence of regions of enhanced density, i.e. blobs, in their envelopes.
In order to find the physical characteristics of such regions we have modeled
the stellar emission using a Monte Carlo code to treat the radiative transfer
in an inhomogeneous electron scattering envelope. We are able to treat multiple
scattering in the regions of enhanced density as well as in the envelope
itself. The finite sizes of the source and structures in the wind are also
taken into account. Most of the results presented here are based on a parameter
study of models with a single blob. The effects due to multiple blobs in the
envelope are considered to a more limited extent. Our simulations indicate that
the density enhancements must have a large geometric cross section in order to
produce the observed photopolarimetric variability. The sizes must be of the
order of one stellar radius and the blobs must be located near the base of the
envelope. These sizes are the same inferred from the widths of the sub-peaks in
optical emission lines of Wolf-Rayet stars. Other early-type stars show random
polarimetric fluctuations with characteristics similar to those observed in
Wolf-Rayet stars, which may also be interpreted in terms of a clumpy wind.
Although the origin of such structures is still unclear, the same mechanism may
be working in different types of hot stars envelopes to produce such
inhomogeneities.Comment: Accepted to ApJ. 17 pages + 6 figure
High-Field Pauli-Limiting Behavior and Strongly Enhanced Upper Critical Magnetic Fields near the Transition Temperature of an Arsenic-Deficient LaO_0.9F_0.1FeAs_(1-\delta) Superconductor
We report upper critical field B_c2(T) data for disordered
(arsenic-deficient) LaO_0.9F_0.1FeAs_(1-delta) in a wide temperature and
magnetic field range up to 47 T. Because of the large linear slope of Bc2 about
-5.4 T/K to -6.6 T/K near Tc = 28.5 K the T-dependence of the in-plane Bc2(T)
shows a flattening near 23 K above 30 T which points to Pauli-limited behavior
with Bc2(0) about 63-68 T. Our results are discussed in terms of disorder
effects within conventional and unconventional superconducting pairings.Comment: Change of the title as suggested by the Editors, one author added,
typos corrected, references updated, final published versio
Magnetic Blue Phase in the Chiral Itinerant Magnet MnSi
Chiral nematic liquid crystals sometimes form blue phases characterized by
spirals twisting in different directions. By combining model calculations with
neutron-scattering experiments, we show that the magnetic analogue of blue
phases does form in the chiral itinerant magnet MnSi in a large part of the
phase diagram. The properties of this blue phase explain a number of previously
reported puzzling features of MnSi such as partial magnetic order and a
two-component specific-heat and thermal-expansion anomaly at the magnetic
transition
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