258 research outputs found
Shell Model of Two-dimensional Turbulence in Polymer Solutions
We address the effect of polymer additives on two dimensional turbulence, an
issue that was studied recently in experiments and direct numerical
simulations. We show that the same simple shell model that reproduced drag
reduction in three-dimensional turbulence reproduces all the reported effects
in the two-dimensional case. The simplicity of the model offers a
straightforward understanding of the all the major effects under consideration
Fleming's bound for the decay of mixed states
Fleming's inequality is generalized to the decay function of mixed states. We
show that for any symmetric hamiltonian and for any density operator
on a finite dimensional Hilbert space with the orthogonal projection onto
the range of there holds the estimate \Tr(\Pi \rme^{-\rmi ht}\rho
\rme^{\rmi ht}) \geq\cos^{2}((\Delta h)_{\rho}t) for all real with
We show that equality either holds for all
or it does not hold for a single with All the density operators saturating the bound for
all i.e. the mixed intelligent states, are determined.Comment: 12 page
Are Delayed Radio Flares Common in Tidal Disruption Events? The Case of the TDE iPTF 16fnl
Radio emission from tidal disruption events (TDEs) originates from an
interaction of an outflow with the super-massive black hole (SMBH) circum
nuclear material (CNM). In turn, this radio emission can be used to probe
properties of both the outflow launched at the event and the CNM. Until
recently, radio emission was detected only for a relatively small number of
events. While the observed radio emission pointed to either relativistic or
sub-relativistic outflows of different nature, it also indicated that the
outflow has been launched shortly after the stellar disruption. Recently,
however, delayed radio flares, several months and years after stellar
disruption, were reported in the case of the TDE ASASSN-15oi. These delayed
flares suggest a delay in the launching of outflows and thus may provide new
insights into SMBH accretion physics. Here, we present a new radio dataset of
another TDE, iPTF16fnl, and discuss the possibility that a delayed radio flare
has been observed also in this case, ~ 5 months after optical discovery,
suggesting that this phenomenon may be common in TDEs. Unlike ASASSN-15oi, the
data for iPTF16fnl is sparse and the delayed radio flare can be explained by
several alternative models: among them are a complex varying CNM density
structure and a delayed outflow ejection
The Broad Absorption Line Tidal Disruption Event iPTF15af: Optical and Ultraviolet Evolution
We present multi-wavelength observations of the tidal disruption event (TDE)
iPTF15af, discovered by the intermediate Palomar Transient Factory (iPTF)
survey at redshift . The optical and ultraviolet (UV) light curves
of the transient show a slow decay over five months, in agreement with previous
optically discovered TDEs. It also has a comparable black-body peak luminosity
of erg/s. The inferred temperature
from the optical and UV data shows a value of (35) K. The
transient is not detected in X-rays up to erg/s within
the first five months after discovery. The optical spectra exhibit two distinct
broad emission lines in the He II region, and at later times also H
emission. Additionally, emission from [N III] and [O III] is detected, likely
produced by the Bowen fluorescence effect. UV spectra reveal broad emission and
absorption lines associated with high-ionization states of N V, C IV, Si IV,
and possibly P V. These features, analogous to those of broad absorption line
quasars (BAL QSOs), require an absorber with column densities cm. This optically thick gas would also explain the
non-detection in soft X-rays. The profile of the absorption lines with the
highest column density material at the largest velocity is opposite that of BAL
QSOs. We suggest that radiation pressure generated by the TDE flare at early
times could have provided the initial acceleration mechanism for this gas.
Spectral UV line monitoring of future TDEs could test this proposal.Comment: 20 pages, 12 figures, published in Ap
Did the progenitor of SN 2011dh have a binary companion?
We present late-time Hubble Space Telescope ultraviolet (UV) and optical observations of the site of SN 2011dh in the galaxy M51, ∼1164 days post-explosion. At the supernova (SN) location, we observe a point source that is visible at all wavelengths, which is significantly fainter than the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the yellow supergiant progenitor observed prior to explosion. The previously reported photometry of the progenitor is, therefore, completely unaffected by any sources that may persist at the SN location after explosion. In comparison with the previously reported late-time photometric evolution of SN 2011dh, we find that the light curve has plateaued at all wavelengths. The SED of the late-time source is clearly inconsistent with an SED of stellar origin. Although the SED is bright at UV wavelengths, there is no strong evidence that the late-time luminosity originates solely from a stellar source corresponding to the binary companion, although a partial contribution to the observed UV flux from a companion star cannot be ruled out
Evidence for a Compact Wolf-Rayet Progenitor for the Type Ic Supernova PTF 10vgv
We present the discovery of PTF 10vgv, a Type Ic supernova (SN) detected by the Palomar Transient Factory, using the Palomar 48 inch telescope (P48). R-band observations of the PTF 10vgv field with P48 probe the SN emission from its very early phases (about two weeks before R-band maximum) and set limits on its flux in the week prior to the discovery. Our sensitive upper limits and early detections constrain the post-shock-breakout luminosity of this event. Via comparison to numerical (analytical) models, we derive an upper-limit of R ≾ 4.5 R_☉ (R ≾ 1 R_☉) on the radius of the progenitor star, a direct indication in favor of a compact Wolf-Rayet star. Applying a similar analysis to the historical observations of SN 1994I yields R ≾ 1/4 R_☉ for the progenitor radius of this SN
An outburst from a massive star 40 days before a supernova explosion
Various lines of evidence suggest that very massive stars experience extreme
mass-loss episodes shortly before they explode as a supernova. Interestingly,
several models predict such pre-explosion outbursts. Establishing a causal
connection between these mass-loss episodes and the final supernova explosion
will provide a novel way to study pre-supernova massive-star evolution. Here we
report on observations of a remarkable mass-loss event detected 40 days prior
to the explosion of the Type IIn supernova SN 2010mc (PTF 10tel). Our
photometric and spectroscopic data suggest that this event is a result of an
energetic outburst, radiating at least 6x10^47 erg of energy, and releasing
about 0.01 Solar mass at typical velocities of 2000 km/s. We show that the
temporal proximity of the mass-loss outburst and the supernova explosion
implies a causal connection between them. Moreover, we find that the outburst
luminosity and velocity are consistent with the predictions of the wave-driven
pulsation model and disfavor alternative suggestions.Comment: Nature 494, 65, including supplementary informatio
A multi-wavelength investigation of the radio-loud supernova PTF11qcj and its circumstellar environment
We present the discovery, classification, and extensive panchromatic (from
radio to X-ray) follow-up observations of PTF11qcj, a supernova discovered by
the Palomar Transient Factory. PTF11qcj is located at a distance of dL ~ 124
Mpc. Our observations with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array show that this
event is radio-loud: PTF11qcj reached a radio peak luminosity comparable to
that of the famous gamma-ray-burst-associated supernova 1998bw (L_{5GHz} ~
10^{29} erg/s/Hz). PTF11qcj is also detected in X-rays with the Chandra
observatory, and in the infrared band with Spitzer. Our multi-wavelength
analysis probes the supernova interaction with circumstellar material. The
radio observations suggest a progenitor mass-loss rate of ~10^{-4} Msun/yr x
(v_w/1000 km/s), and a velocity of ~(0.3-0.5)c for the fastest moving ejecta
(at ~10d after explosion). However, these estimates are derived assuming the
simplest model of supernova ejecta interacting with a smooth circumstellar
material characterized by radial power-law density profile, and do not account
for possible inhomogeneities in the medium and asphericity of the explosion.
The radio light curve shows deviations from such a simple model, as well as a
re-brightening at late times. The X-ray flux from PTF11qcj is compatible with
the high-frequency extrapolation of the radio synchrotron emission (within the
large uncertainties). An IR light echo from pre-existing dust is in agreement
with our infrared data. Our analysis of pre-explosion data from the Palomar
Transient Factory suggests that a precursor eruption of absolute magnitude M_r
~ -13 mag may have occurred ~ 2.5 yr prior to the supernova explosion. Based on
our panchromatic follow-up campaign, we conclude that PTF11qcj fits the
expectations from the explosion of a Wolf-Rayet star. Precursor eruptions may
be a feature characterizing the final pre-explosion evolution of such stars.Comment: 43 pages, 15 figures; this version matches the one published in ApJ
(includes minor changes that address the Referee's comments.
The Palomar Transient Factory photometric catalog 1.0
We construct a photometrically calibrated catalog of non-variable sources
from the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) observations. The first version of
this catalog presented here, the PTF photometric catalog 1.0, contains
calibrated R_PTF-filter magnitudes for about 21 million sources brighter than
magnitude 19, over an area of about 11233 deg^2. The magnitudes are provided in
the PTF photometric system, and the color of a source is required in order to
convert these magnitudes into other magnitude systems. We estimate that the
magnitudes in this catalog have typical accuracy of about 0.02 mag with respect
to magnitudes from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The median repeatability of
our catalog's magnitudes for stars between 15 and 16 mag, is about 0.01 mag,
and it is better than 0.03 mag for 95% of the sources in this magnitude range.
The main goal of this catalog is to provide reference magnitudes for
photometric calibration of visible light observations. Subsequent versions of
this catalog, which will be published incrementally online, will be extended to
a larger sky area and will also include g_PTF-filter magnitudes, as well as
variability and proper motion information.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, PASP in pres
The PG-RQS survey. Building the radio spectral distribution of radio-quiet quasars. I. The 45-GHz data
The origin of the radio emission in radio-quiet quasars (RQQs) remains
unclear. Radio emission may be produced by a scaled-down version of the
relativistic jets observed in radio-loud (RL) AGN, an AGN-driven wind, the
accretion disc corona, AGN photon-ionisation of ambient gas (free-free
emission), or star formation (SF). Here, we report a pilot study, part of a
radio survey (`PG-RQS') aiming at exploring the spectral distributions of the
71 Palomar-Green (PG) RQQs: high angular resolution observations (50 mas)
at 45~GHz (7 mm) with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array of 15 sources.
Sub-mJy radio cores are detected in 13 sources on a typical scale of 100
pc, which excludes significant contribution from galaxy-scale SF. For 9 sources
the 45-GHz luminosity is above the lower frequency (1-10 GHz) spectral
extrapolation, indicating the emergence of an additional flatter-spectrum
compact component at high frequencies. The X-ray luminosity and black hole (BH)
mass, correlate more tightly with the 45-GHz luminosity than the 5-GHz. The 45
GHz-based radio-loudness increases with decreasing Eddington ratio and
increasing BH mass M. These results suggest that the 45-GHz emission
from PG RQQs nuclei originates from the innermost region of the core, probably
from the accretion disc corona. Increasing contributions to 45-GHz emission
from a jet at higher M and lower Eddington ratios and from a disc
wind at large Eddington ratios are still consistent with our results. Future
full radio spectral coverage of the sample will help us investigating the
different physical mechanisms in place in RQQ cores
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