A comprehensive study of Kepler phase curves and secondary eclipses -- temperatures and albedos of confirmed Kepler giant planets

We present a comprehensive study of phase curves and secondary eclipses in the Kepler data set using all data from 16 quarters that were available in 2013-2014. Our sample consists of 20 confirmed planets with R_p > 4 R_e ,P < 10d, V_mag < 15. Here we derive their temperatures and albedos, with an eye towards constraining models for the formation and evolution of such planets. Where there was overlap our results confirm parameters derived by previous studies, whereas we present new results for Kepler 1b-8b, 12b-15b, 17b, 40b, 41b, 43b, 44b, 76b, 77b, and 412b derived in a consistent manner. We also present lightcurve analyses for Kepler 91b and Kepler 74b, which both show extra dimmings at times other than from the expected primary and secondary eclipses. Corrected for thermal emission we find most of the massive planets from our sample to be low in albedo (<0.1) with a few having higher albedo (>0.1).Comment: 50 pages, 7 figures - PASP accepte

The Purple Haze of Eta Carinae: Binary-Induced Variability?

Asymmetric variability in ultraviolet images of the Homunculus obtained with the Advanced Camera for Surveys/High Resolution Camera on the Hubble Space Telescope suggests that Eta Carinae is indeed a binary system. Images obtained before, during, and after the recent ``spectroscopic event'' in 2003.5 show alternating patterns of bright spots and shadows on opposite sides of the star before and after the event, providing a strong geometric argument for an azimuthally-evolving, asymmetric UV radiation field as one might predict in some binary models. The simplest interpretation of these UV images, where excess UV escapes from the secondary star in the direction away from the primary, places the major axis of the eccentric orbit roughly perpendicular to our line of sight, sharing the same equatorial plane as the Homunculus, and with apastron for the hot secondary star oriented toward the southwest of the primary. However, other orbital orientations may be allowed with more complicated geometries. Selective UV illumination of the wind and ejecta may be partly responsible for line profile variations seen in spectra. The brightness asymmetries cannot be explained plausibly with delays due to light travel time alone, so a single-star model would require a seriously asymmetric shell ejection.Comment: 8 pages, fig 1 in color, accepted by ApJ Letter

Location of the Optical Reverse Shock in the Cassiopeia A Supernova Remnant

We use two epochs of Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 images separated by 2 yr to determine the location and propagation of the reverse shock (RS) in the young supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A). The images trace optical line emission from fast-moving knots and filaments of highly processed ejecta as they cross the RS, become heated and compressed, and radiatively cool. At numerous positions around the optical shell, new emission features are seen in the 2002 images that were not yet visible in the 2000 exposures. In a few instances emission features seen in the first epoch have completely disappeared in the second epoch. We concentrate on two regions along the rim of the main emission shell in Cas A for close inspection: one in the northwestern part of the shell and another along the southwestern part of it. In these regions the RS is viewed almost edge-on, and its precise position has been measured. The RS is coherent in these regions over arcminute (~1 pc) scales but is highly distorted perpendicular to the direction of expansion. We find the RS to be generally expanding at 50%-60% of the ~5500 km s-1 bulk velocity of the optical ejecta. We present shock models for the ejecta that are consistent with the high densities and short cooling times observed in the optical knots of the Cas A remnant

The reverse shock of SNR1987A at 18 years after outburst

We use low-dispersion spectra obtained at the Magellan Observatory to study the broad H-alpha emission from the reverse shock of the infant supernova remnant SNR1987A. These spectra demonstrate that the spatio-kinematic structure of the reverse shock can be distinguished from that of the circumstellar ring and hotspots, even at ground-based spatial resolution. We measure a total dereddened H-alpha flux of 1.99(pm0.22)e-13 ergs/s/cm2 at an epoch 18.00 years after outburst. At 50 kpc, the total reverse shock luminosity in H-alpha is roughly 15 Lsun, which implies a total flux of neutral hydrogen atoms across the reverse shock of 8.9e46/s, or roughly 2.3e-3 Msun/yr. This represents an increase by a factor ~4 since 1997. Lyman continuum radiation from gas shocked by the forward blast wave can ionize neutral hydrogen atoms in the supernova debris before they reach the reverse shock. If the inward flux of ionizing photons exceeds the flux of hydrogen atoms approaching the reverse shock, this pre-ionization will shut off the broad Ly-alpha and H-alpha emission. The observed X-ray emission of SNR1987A implies that the ratio of ionizing flux to hydrogen atom flux across the reverse shock is presently at least 0.04. The X-ray emission is increasing much faster than the flux of atoms, and if these trends continue, we estimate that the broad Ly-alpha and H-alpha emission will vanish within about 7 years.Comment: 5 pgs, Fig 1 in color, accepted by ApJ Letter

FUV and X-ray Observations of the Reverse Shock in the SMC SNR 1E 0102.2-7219

We present FUSE and XMM-Newton data for the reverse shock of the O-rich SNR 1E0102.2-7219 in the SMC. The FUSE observations cover three regions with significantly different optical [O III] intensities, all associated with the relatively bright part of the X-ray ring. Emission lines of O VI 1032, 1038 are clearly detected in the FUSE spectra. By combining this O VI doublet emission with the O VII triplet and O VIII Lyalpha fluxes from the XMM-Newton spectra and assuming a non-equilibrium ionization model with a single ionization timescale for the spectra, we are able to find a narrow range of temperatures and ionization timescales that are consistent with the respective line ratios. However, if we assume a plane-parallel shock model with a distribution of ionization timescales, the O VI emission appears to be inconsistent with O VII and O VIII in X-rays. We also analyze the total XMM-Newton EPIC-MOS 1/2 spectra for the three regions. The X-ray spectra are dominated by strong emission lines of O, Ne, and Mg, however, we detect an emission component that accounts for 14 - 25% of the flux and can be attributed to shocked ISM. We find that there is no consistent set of values for the temperature and ionization timescale which can explain the observed line ratios for O, Ne, and Mg. This would be consistent with a structured distribution of the ejecta as the O, Ne, Mg would have interacted with the reverse shock at different times.Comment: 28 pages, 5 figues, Fig. 1 as JPEG. To be published in ApJ (01 May 2006, v. 642, 1 issue

The [O III] Veil: Astropause of Eta Carinae's Wind?

We present narrowband images of eta Carinae in the light of [O III] 5007 obtained with HST/WFPC2, as well as a ground-based image in the same emission line with a larger field of view. These images show a thin veil of [O III] emission around eta Car and its ejecta, confirming the existence of an oxygen-bearing ``cocoon'' inferred from spectra. This [O III] veil may be the remnant of the pre-outburst wind of eta Car, and its outer edge probably marks the interface where eta Car's ejecta meet the stellar wind of the nearby O4 V((f)) star HD303308 or other ambient material -- i.e., it marks the ``astropause'' in eta Car's wind. This veil is part of a more extensive [O III] shell that appears to be shaped and ionized by HD303308. A pair of HST images with a 10 yr baseline shows no proper motion, limiting the expansion speed away from eta Car to 12pm13 km/s, or an expansion age of a few times 10^4 yr. Thus, this is probably the decelerated pre-outburst LBV wind of eta Car. The [O III] morphology is very different from that seen in [N II], which traces young knots of CNO-processed material; this represents a dramatic shift in the chemical makeup of material recently ejected by eta Car. This change in the chemical abundances may have resulted from the sudden removal of the star's outer envelope during eta Car's 19th century outburst or an earlier but similar event.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figs. Figs 1 and 3 in color. Accepted to AJ, October 200

Kinematics of X-ray Emitting Components in Cassiopeia A

We present high-resolution X-ray proper motion measurements of Cassiopeia A using Chandra observations from 2000 and 2002. We separate the emission into four spectrally distinct classes: Si-dominated, Fe-dominated, low-energy-enhanced, and continuum-dominated. These classes also represent distinct spatial and kinematic components. The Si- and Fe-dominated classes are ejecta and have a mean expansion rate of 0.2%/yr. This is the same as for the forward shock filaments but less than the 0.3%/yr characteristic of optical ejecta. The low-energy-enhanced spectral class possibly illuminates a clumpy circumstellar component and has a mean expansion rate of 0.05%/yr. The continuum-dominated emission likely represents the forward shock and consists of diffuse circumstellar material which is seen as a circular ring around the periphery of the remnant as well as projected across the center.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, accepted to Ap

Hubble Space Telescope Observations of Oxygen-rich Supernova Remnants in the Magellanic Clouds. III. WFPC2 Imaging of the Young, Crab-like Supernova Remnant SNRO540-69.3

Hubble Space Telescope images with the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 of the young, oxygen-rich, Crab-like supernova remnant SNR0540-69.3 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) reveal details of the emission distribution and the relationship between the expanding ejecta and synchrotron nebula. The emission distributions appear very similar to those seen in the Crab nebula, with the ejecta located in a thin envelope surrounding the synchrotron nebula. The [O III] emission is more extended than other tracers, forming a faint "skin" around the denser filaments and synchrotron nebula, as also observed in the Crab. The [O III] exhibits somewhat different kinematic structure in long-slit spectra, including a more extended high-velocity emission halo not seen in images. Yet even the fastest expansion speeds in SNR 0540 s halo are slow when compared to most other young supernova remnants, though the Crab nebula has similar slow expansion speeds. We show a striking correspondence between the morphology of the synchrotron nebula observed in an optical continuum filter with that recently resolved in Chandra X-ray images. We argue that the multi-component kinematics and filamentary morphology of the optical emission-line features likely result from magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities that form as the synchrotron nebula expands and sweeps up ejecta, as seen in the Crab nebula. Our images and spectra help to refine our understanding of SNR 0540 in several more detailed respects: they confirm the identification of H(alpha)+[N II] in the red spectrum, they show that the systemic velocity of SNR 0540 is not significantly different from that of the LMC, and they hint at a lower Ne abundance than the Crab (potentially indicating a more massive progenitor star)

Hubble Space Telescope WFPC-2 Imaging of Cassiopeia A

The young SNR Cassiopeia A was imaged with WFPC-2 through four filters selected to capture the complete velocity range of the remnant's main shell in several important emission lines. Primary lines detected were [O III] 4959,5007, [N II] 6583, [S II] 6716,6731 + [O II] 7319,7330 + [O I] 6300,6364, and [S III] 9069,9532. About 3/4th of the remnant's main shell was imaged in all four filters. Considerable detail is observed in the reverse-shocked ejecta with typical knot scale lengths of 0.2"-0.4" (1 - 2 x 10^16 cm). Both bright and faint emission features appear highly clumped. Large differences in [S III] and [O III] line intensities indicating chemical abundance differences are also seen, particularly in knots located along the bright northern limb and near the base of the northeast jet. A line of curved overlapping filament in the remnant's northwestern rim appears to mark the location of the remnant's reverse shock front in this region. Finger-like ejecta structures elsewhere suggest cases where the reverse shock front is encountering the remnant's clumped ejecta. Narrow-band [N II] images of the remnant's circumstellar knots ("QSFs") reveal them to be 0.1"-0.6" thick knots and filaments, often with diffuse edges facing away from the center of expansion. Three color composite images of the whole remnant and certain sections along with individual filter enlargements of selected regions of the bright optical shell are presented and discussed.Comment: 26 pages, 12 figures Accepted to the Astronomical Journa

Regulation of Apoptosis in Myeloid Cells by Interferon Consensus Sequence–Binding Protein

Mice with a null mutation of the gene encoding interferon consensus sequence–binding protein (ICSBP) develop a disease with marked expansion of granulocytes and macrophages that frequently progresses to a fatal blast crisis, thus resembling human chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). One important feature of CML is decreased responsiveness of myeloid cells to apoptotic stimuli. Here we show that myeloid cells from mice deficient in ICSBP exhibit reduced spontaneous apoptosis and a significant decrease in sensitivity to apoptosis induced by DNA damage. In contrast, apoptosis in thymocytes from ICSBP-deficient mice is unaffected. We also show that overexpression of ICSBP in the human U937 monocytic cell line enhances the rate of spontaneous apoptosis and the sensitivity to apoptosis induced by etoposide, lipopolysaccharide plus ATP, or rapamycin. Programmed cell death induced by etoposide was specifically blocked by peptides inhibitory for the caspase-1 or caspase-3 subfamilies of caspases. Studies of proapoptotic genes showed that cells overexpressing ICSBP have enhanced expression of caspase-3 precursor protein. In addition, analyses of antiapoptotic genes showed that overexpression of ICSBP results in decreased expression of Bcl-XL. These data suggest that ICSBP modulates survival of myeloid cells by regulating expression of apoptosis-related genes