318 research outputs found
Detection of Radio Emission from the Hyperactive L Dwarf 2MASS J13153094-2649513AB
We report the detection of radio emission from the unusually active L5e + T7
binary 2MASS J13153094-2649513AB made with the Australian Telescope Compact
Array. Observations at 5.5 GHz reveal an unresolved source with a continuum
flux of 370+/-50 microJy, corresponding to a radio luminosity of L_rad = nuL_nu
= (9+/-3)x10^23 erg/s and log10(L_rad/L_bol) = -5.44+/-0.22. No detection is
made at 9.0 GHz to a 5 sigma limit of 290 microJy, consistent with a power law
spectrum S_nu ~ nu^-a with a > 0.5. The emission is quiescent, with no evidence
of variability or bursts over 3 hr of observation, and no measurable
polarization (V/I < 34%). 2MASS J1315-2649AB is one of the most radio-luminous
ultracool dwarfs detected in quiescent emission to date, comparable in strength
to other cool sources detected in outburst. Its detection indicates no decline
in radio flux through the mid-L dwarfs. It is unique among L dwarfs in having
strong and persistent Halpha and radio emission, indicating the coexistence of
a cool, neutral photosphere (low electron density) and a highly active
chromosphere (high electron density and active heating). These traits, coupled
with the system's mature age and substellar secondary, makes 2MASS J1315-2649AB
an important test for proposed radio emission mechanisms in ultracool dwarfs.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
Analytical study of an exclusive genetic switch
The nonequilibrium stationary state of an exclusive genetic switch is
considered. The model comprises two competing species and a single binding site
which, when bound to by a protein of one species, causes the other species to
be repressed. The model may be thought of as a minimal model of the power
struggle between two competing parties. Exact solutions are given for the
limits of vanishing binding/unbinding rates and infinite binding/unbinding
rates. A mean field theory is introduced which is exact in the limit of
vanishing binding/unbinding rates. The mean field theory and numerical
simulations reveal that generically bistability occurs and the system is in a
symmetry broken state. An exact perturbative solution which in principle allows
the nonequilibrium stationary state to be computed is also developed and
computed to first and second order.Comment: 28 pages, 6 figure
Relativistic supernovae have shorter-lived central engines or more extended progenitors: the case of SN\,2012ap
Deep late-time X-ray observations of the relativistic, engine-driven, type Ic
SN2012ap allow us to probe the nearby environment of the explosion and reveal
the unique properties of relativistic SNe. We find that on a local scale of
~0.01 pc the environment was shaped directly by the evolution of the progenitor
star with a pre-explosion mass-loss rate <5x10^-6 Msun yr-1 in line with GRBs
and the other relativistic SN2009bb. Like sub-energetic GRBs, SN2012ap is
characterized by a bright radio emission and evidence for mildly relativistic
ejecta. However, its late time (t~20 days) X-ray emission is ~100 times fainter
than the faintest sub-energetic GRB at the same epoch, with no evidence for
late-time central engine activity. These results support theoretical proposals
that link relativistic SNe like 2009bb and 2012ap with the weakest observed
engine-driven explosions, where the jet barely fails to breakout. Furthermore,
our observations demonstrate that the difference between relativistic SNe and
sub-energetic GRBs is intrinsic and not due to line-of-sight effects. This
phenomenology can either be due to an intrinsically shorter-lived engine or to
a more extended progenitor in relativistic SNe.Comment: Version accepted to ApJ. Significantly broadened discussio
Spatial and Temporal Variations in Small-Scale Galactic HI Structure Toward 3C~138
We present three epochs of VLBA observations of Galactic HI absorption toward
the quasar 3C~138 with resolutions of 20 mas (~ 10 AU). This analysis includes
VLBA data from observations in 1999 and 2002 along with a reexamination of 1995
VLBA data. Improved data reduction and imaging techniques have led to an order
of magnitude improvement in sensitivity compared to previous work. With these
new data we confirm the previously detected milliarcsecond scale spatial
variations in the HI opacity at the level of Delta(tau_{max}) =0.50 \pm 0.05.
The typical size scale of the optical depth variations is ~ 50 mas or 25 AU. In
addition, for the first time we see clear evidence for temporal variations in
the HI opacity over the seven year time span of our three epochs of data. We
also attempted to detect the magnetic field strength in the HI gas using the
Zeeman effect. From this analysis we have been able to place a 3 sigma upper
limit on the magnetic field strength per pixel of ~45 muG. We have also been
able to calculate for the first time the plane of sky covering fraction of the
small scale HI gas of ~10%. We also find that the line widths of the
milliarcsecond sizescale HI features are comparable to those determined from
previous single dish measurements toward 3C~138, suggesting that the opacity
variations cannot be due to changes in the HI spin temperature. From these
results we favor a density enhancement interpretation for the small scale HI
structures, although these enhancements appear to be of short duration and are
unlikely to be in equilibrium.Comment: 34 pages, 8 figures. Figures 3 & 4 are in color. Accepted to A
On the Solutions of the Lorentz-Dirac Equation
We discuss the unstable character of the solutions of the Lorentz-Dirac
equation and stress the need of methods like order reduction to derive a
physically acceptable equation of motion. The discussion is illustrated with
the paradigmatic example of the non-relativistic harmonic oscillator with
radiation reaction. We also illustrate removal of the noncasual
pre-acceleration with the introduction of a small correction in the
Lorentz-Dirac equation.Comment: 4 eps figs. to be published in GR
Short GRB 130603B: Discovery of a jet break in the optical and radio afterglows, and a mysterious late-time X-ray excess
We present radio, optical/NIR, and X-ray observations of the afterglow of the
short-duration 130603B, and uncover a break in the radio and optical bands at
0.5 d after the burst, best explained as a jet break with an inferred jet
opening angle of 4-8 deg. GRB 130603B is only the third short GRB with a radio
afterglow detection to date, and the first time that a jet break is evident in
the radio band. We model the temporal evolution of the spectral energy
distribution to determine the burst explosion properties and find an
isotropic-equivalent kinetic energy of (0.6-1.7) x 10^51 erg and a circumburst
density of 5 x 10^-3-30 cm^-3. From the inferred opening angle of GRB 130603B,
we calculate beaming-corrected energies of Egamma (0.5-2) x 10^49 erg and EK
(0.1-1.6) x 10^49 erg. Along with previous measurements and lower limits we
find a median short GRB opening angle of 10 deg. Using the all-sky observed
rate of 10 Gpc^-3 yr^-1, this implies a true short GRB rate of 20 yr^-1 within
200 Mpc, the Advanced LIGO/VIRGO sensitivity range for neutron star binary
mergers. Finally, we uncover evidence for significant excess emission in the
X-ray afterglow of GRB 130603B at >1 d and conclude that the additional energy
component could be due to fall-back accretion or spin-down energy from a
magnetar formed following the merger.Comment: Submitted to ApJ; emulateapj style; 10 pages, 1 table, 3 figure
Radio Astronomy in LSST Era
A community meeting on the topic of "Radio Astronomy in the LSST Era" was
hosted by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Charlottesville, VA (2013
May 6--8). The focus of the workshop was on time domain radio astronomy and sky
surveys. For the time domain, the extent to which radio and visible wavelength
observations are required to understand several classes of transients was
stressed, but there are also classes of radio transients for which no visible
wavelength counterpart is yet known, providing an opportunity for discovery.
From the LSST perspective, the LSST is expected to generate as many as 1
million alerts nightly, which will require even more selective specification
and identification of the classes and characteristics of transients that can
warrant follow up, at radio or any wavelength. The LSST will also conduct a
deep survey of the sky, producing a catalog expected to contain over 38 billion
objects in it. Deep radio wavelength sky surveys will also be conducted on a
comparable time scale, and radio and visible wavelength observations are part
of the multi-wavelength approach needed to classify and understand these
objects. Radio wavelengths are valuable because they are unaffected by dust
obscuration and, for galaxies, contain contributions both from star formation
and from active galactic nuclei. The workshop touched on several other topics,
on which there was consensus including the placement of other LSST "Deep
Drilling Fields," inter-operability of software tools, and the challenge of
filtering and exploiting the LSST data stream. There were also topics for which
there was insufficient time for full discussion or for which no consensus was
reached, which included the procedures for following up on LSST observations
and the nature for future support of researchers desiring to use LSST data
products.Comment: Conference summary, 29 pages, 1 figure; to be published in the Publ.
Astron. Soc. Pacific; full science program and presentations available at
http://science.nrao.edu/science/event/RALSST201
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