4,948 research outputs found
The Physics of Disk Winds, Jets,and X-ray Variability in GRS 1915+105
We present new insights about accretion and ejection physics based on joint
RXTE/Chandra HETGS studies of rapid X-ray variability in GRS 1915+105. For the
first time, with fast phase-resolved spectroscopy of the rho state, we are able
to show that changes in the broadband X-ray spectrum (RXTE) on timescales of
seconds are associated with measurable changes in absorption lines (Chandra
HETGS) from the accretion disk wind. Additionally, we make a direct detection
of material evaporating from the radiation-pressure-dominated inner disk. Our
X-ray data thus reveal the black hole as it ejects a portion of the inner
accretion flow and then drives a wind from the outer disk, all in a bizarre
cycle that lasts fewer than 60 seconds but can repeat for weeks. We find that
the accretion disk wind may be sufficiently massive to play an active role in
GRS 1915+105, not only in quenching the jet on long timescales, but also in
possibly producing or facilitating transitions between classes of X-ray
variability.Comment: 3 pages, 1 Figure. Proceedings of IAU Symposium 275 (Jets at all
Scales), Buenos Aires, 13-17.09.2010; eds. G. Romero, R. Sunyaev, T. Bellon
The X-Ray Position and Infrared Counterpart of the Eclipsing X-Ray Pulsar OAO 1657-415
We have measured the precise position of the 38-s eclipsing X-ray pulsar OAO
1657-415 with the Chandra X-Ray Observatory: RA = 17h00m48.90s, Dec =
-41d39m21.6s, equninox J2000, error radius = 0.5 arcsec. Based on the
previously measured pulsar mass function and X-ray eclipse duration, this
10.4-d high-mass X-ray binary is believed to contain a B supergiant companion.
Deep optical imaging of the field did not detect any stars at the Chandra
source position, setting a limit of V>23. However, near-IR imaging revealed a
relatively bright star (J=14.1, H=11.9, K_s=10.7) coincident with the Chandra
position, and we identify this star as the IR counterpart of OAO 1657-415. The
IR colors and magnitudes and the optical non-detections for this star are all
consistent with a highly reddened B supergiant (A_V= 20.4 +/- 1.3) at a
distance of 6.4 +/- 1.5 kpc. This implies an X-ray luminosity of 3e36 erg/s
(2-10 keV). IR spectroscopy can verify the spectral type of the companion and
measure its radial velocity curve, yielding a neutron star mass measurement.Comment: 4 pages. ApJ in press (Vol. 573, July 10 issue
Search for missing baryon resonances via associated strangeness photoproduction
Differential cross-section and single polarization observables in the process
gamma p --> K^+ Lambda are investigated within a constituent quark model and a
dynamical coupled-channel formalism. The effects of two new nucleon resonances
and of the K*(892)- and K1(1270)-exchanges are briefly presented.Comment: Contributed paper to the IVth International Conference on Quarks and
Nuclear Physics, Madrid June 5-10, 200
Determining the grain composition of the interstellar medium with high resolution X-ray spectroscopy
We investigate the ability of high resolution X-ray spectroscopy to directly
probe the grain composition of the interstellar medium. Using iron K-edge
experimental data of likely ISM dust candidates taken at the National
Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Advanced
Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory, we explore the prospects for
determining the chemical composition of astrophysical dust and discuss a
technique for doing so. Focusing on the capabilities of the AstroE2 XRS
micro-calorimeters, we assess the limiting effects of spectral resolution and
noise for detecting significant X-ray absorption fine structure signal in
astrophysical environments containing dust. We find that given sufficient
signal, the resolution of the XRS will allow us to definitively distinguish gas
from dust phase absorption, and certain chemical compositions.Comment: 6 pages, 10 figures - XAFS spectra of Fe compounds; accepted for
publication in Ap
Quark-Exchange Mechanism of Reaction At 2-6 GeV
Within the constituent quark model, we examine the extent to which the
deuteron photo-disintegration at 2-6 GeV can be described by the quark-exchange
mechanism. With the parameters constrained by the scattering, the
calculated differential cross sections disagree with the data in both magnitude
and energy-dependence. The results can be improved if we use a smaller size
parameter for quark wavefunctions. We also find that the on-shell approximation
used in a previous investigation is not accurateComment: To be published in the Proceeeding of Second Asia Pacific Conference
on Few-Body Problems in Physics, Shanghai, China, August 27-30, 200
Dynamical Coupled-Channels Effects on Pion Photoproduction
The electromagnetic pion production reactions are investigated within the
dynamical coupled-channels model developed in {\bf Physics Reports, 439, 193
(2007)}. The meson-baryon channels included in this study are , , , and the , and resonant components
of the channel. With the hadronic parameters of the model determined
in a recent study of scattering, we show that the pion photoproduction
data up to the second resonance region can be described to a very large extent
by only adjusting the bare helicity amplitudes, while the
non-resonant electromagnetic couplings are taken from previous works. It is
found that the coupled-channels effects can contribute about 10 - 20 % of the
production cross sections in the (1232) resonance region, and can
drastically change the magnitude and shape of the cross sections in the second
resonance region. The importance of the off-shell effects in a dynamical
approach is also demonstrated. The meson cloud effects as well as the
coupled-channels contributions to the form factors are found
to be mainly in the low region. For the magnetic M1
(1232) form factor, the results are close to that of the Sato-Lee Model.
Necessary improvements to the model and future developments are discussed.Comment: Corrected version. 14 pages, 10 figure
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