204 research outputs found
Displaying the Heterogeneity of the SN 2002cx-like Subclass of Type Ia Supernovae with Observations of the Pan-STARRS-1 Discovered SN2009ku
SN2009ku, discovered by Pan-STARRS-1, is a Type Ia supernova (SNIa), and a
member of the distinct SN2002cx-like class of SNeIa. Its light curves are
similar to the prototypical SN2002cx, but are slightly broader and have a later
rise to maximum in g. SN2009ku is brighter (~0.6 mag) than other SN2002cx-like
objects, peaking at M_V = -18.4 mag - which is still significantly fainter than
typical SNeIa. SN2009ku, which had an ejecta velocity of ~2000 kms^-1 at 18
days after maximum brightness is spectroscopically most similar to SN2008ha,
which also had extremely low-velocity ejecta. However, SN2008ha had an
exceedingly low luminosity, peaking at M_V = -14.2 mag, ~4 mag fainter than
SN2009ku. The contrast of high luminosity and low ejecta velocity for SN2009ku
is contrary to an emerging trend seen for the SN2002cx class. SN2009ku is a
counter-example of a previously held belief that the class was more homogeneous
than typical SNeIa, indicating that the class has a diverse progenitor
population and/or complicated explosion physics. As the first example of a
member of this class of objects from the new generation of transient surveys,
SN2009ku is an indication of the potential for these surveys to find rare and
interesting objects.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure
Parity nonconserving cold neutron-parahydrogen interactions
Three pion dominated observables of the parity nonconserving interactions
between the cold neutrons and parahydrogen are calculated. The transversely
polarized neutron spin rotation, unpolarized neutron longitudinal polarization,
and photon-asymmetry of the radiative polarized neutron capture are considered.
For the numerical evaluation of the observables, the strong interactions are
taken into account by the Reid93 potential and the parity nonconserving
interactions by the DDH model along with the two-pion exchange.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figure
Selection of Burst-like Transients and Stochastic Variables Using Multi-band Image Differencing in the PAN-STARRS1 Medium-deep Survey
We present a novel method for the light-curve characterization of Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey (PS1 MDS) extragalactic sources into stochastic variables (SVs) and burst-like (BL) transients, using multi-band image-differencing time-series data. We select detections in difference images associated with galaxy hosts using a star/galaxy catalog extracted from the deep PS1 MDS stacked images, and adopt a maximum a posteriori formulation to model their difference-flux time-series in four Pan-STARRS1 photometric bands g P1, r P1, i P1, and z P1. We use three deterministic light-curve models to fit BL transients; a Gaussian, a Gamma distribution, and an analytic supernova (SN) model, and one stochastic light-curve model, the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process, in order to fit variability that is characteristic of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We assess the quality of fit of the models band-wise and source-wise, using their estimated leave-out-one cross-validation likelihoods and corrected Akaike information criteria. We then apply a K-means clustering algorithm on these statistics, to determine the source classification in each band. The final source classification is derived as a combination of the individual filter classifications, resulting in two measures of classification quality, from the averages across the photometric filters of (1) the classifications determined from the closest K-means cluster centers, and (2) the square distances from the clustering centers in the K-means clustering spaces. For a verification set of AGNs and SNe, we show that SV and BL occupy distinct regions in the plane constituted by these measures. We use our clustering method to characterize 4361 extragalactic image difference detected sources, in the first 2.5 yr of the PS1 MDS, into 1529 BL, and 2262 SV, with a purity of 95.00% for AGNs, and 90.97% for SN based on our verification sets. We combine our light-curve classifications with their nuclear or off-nuclear host galaxy offsets, to define a robust photometric sample of 1233 AGNs and 812 SNe. With these two samples, we characterize their variability and host galaxy properties, and identify simple photometric priors that would enable their real-time identification in future wide-field synoptic survey
Neutronic Design and Measured Performance of the Low Energy Neutron Source (LENS) Target Moderator Reflector Assembly
The Low Energy Neutron Source (LENS) is an accelerator-based pulsed cold
neutron facility under construction at the Indiana University Cyclotron
Facility (IUCF). The idea behind LENS is to produce pulsed cold neutron beams
starting with ~MeV neutrons from (p,n) reactions in Be which are moderated to
meV energies and extracted from a small solid angle for use in neutron
instruments which can operate efficiently with relatively broad (~1 msec)
neutron pulse widths. Although the combination of the features and operating
parameters of this source is unique at present, the neutronic design possesses
several features similar to those envisioned for future neutron facilities such
as long-pulsed spallation sources (LPSS) and very cold neutron (VCN) sources.
We describe the underlying ideas and design details of the
target/moderator/reflector system (TMR) and compare measurements of its
brightness, energy spectrum, and emission time distribution under different
moderator configurations with MCNP simulations. Brightness measurements using
an ambient temperature water moderator agree with MCNP simulations within the
20% accuracy of the measurement. The measured neutron emission time
distribution from a solid methane moderator is in agreement with simulation and
the cold neutron flux is sufficient for neutron scattering studies of
materials. We describe some possible modifications to the existing design which
would increase the cold neutron brightness with negligible effect on the
emission time distribution.Comment: This is a preprint version of an article which has been published in
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A 587 (2008) 324-341.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2007.12.04
Cosmological Constraints from Measurements of Type Ia Supernovae Discovered during the First 1.5 yr of the Pan-STARRS1 Survey
We present griz P1 light curves of 146 spectroscopically confirmed Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia; 0.03 < z < 0.65) discovered during the first 1.5 yr of the Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey. The Pan-STARRS1 natural photometric system is determined by a combination of on-site measurements of the instrument response function and observations of spectrophotometric standard stars. We find that the systematic uncertainties in the photometric system are currently 1.2% without accounting for the uncertainty in the Hubble Space Telescope Calspec definition of the AB system. A Hubble diagram is constructed with a subset of 113 out of 146 SNe Ia that pass our light curve quality cuts. The cosmological fit to 310 SNe Ia (113 PS1 SNe Ia + 222 light curves from 197 low-z SNe Ia), using only supernovae (SNe) and assuming a constant dark energy equation of state and flatness, yields . When combined with BAO+CMB(Planck)+H 0, the analysis yields and including all identified systematics. The value of w is inconsistent with the cosmological constant value of –1 at the 2.3σ level. Tension endures after removing either the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) or the H 0 constraint, though it is strongest when including the H 0 constraint. If we include WMAP9 cosmic microwave background (CMB) constraints instead of those from Planck, we find , which diminishes the discord to <2σ. We cannot conclude whether the tension with flat ΛCDM is a feature of dark energy, new physics, or a combination of chance and systematic errors. The full Pan-STARRS1 SN sample with ~three times as many SNe should provide more conclusive results
Coronal Dimmings and the Early Phase of a CME Observed with STEREO and Hinode/EIS
We investigate the early phase of the 13 February 2009 coronal mass ejection
(CME). Observations with the twin STEREO spacecraft in quadrature allow us to
compare for the first time in one and the same event the temporal evolution of
coronal EUV dimmings, observed simultaneously on-disk and above the limb. We
find that these dimmings are synchronized and appear during the impulsive
acceleration phase of the CME, with the highest EUV intensity drop occurring a
few minutes after the maximum CME acceleration. During the propagation phase
two confined, bipolar dimming regions, appearing near the footpoints of a
pre-flare sigmoid structure, show an apparent migration away from the site of
the CME-associated flare. Additionally, they rotate around the 'center' of the
flare site, i.e., the configuration of the dimmings exhibits the same
'sheared-to-potential' evolution as the postflare loops. We conclude that the
motion pattern of the twin dimmings reflects not only the eruption of the flux
rope, but also the ensuing stretching of the overlying arcade. Finally, we find
that: (1) the global-scale dimmings, expanding from the source region of the
eruption, propagate with a speed similar to that of the leaving CME front; (2)
the mass loss occurs mainly during the period of strongest CME acceleration.
Two hours after the eruption Hinode/EIS observations show no substantial plasma
outflow, originating from the 'open' field twin dimming regions.Comment: accepted for publication in Solar Physic
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