2,866 research outputs found
A Suzaku, NuSTAR, and XMM-Newton view on variable absorption and relativistic reflection in NGC 4151
We disentangle X-ray disk reflection from complex line-of-sight absorption in
the nearby Seyfert NGC 4151, using a suite of Suzaku, NuSTAR, and XMM-Newton
observations. Extending upon earlier published work, we pursue a physically
motivated model using the latest angle-resolved version of the lamp-post
geometry reflection model relxillCp_lp together with a Comptonization
continuum. We use the long-look simultaneous Suzaku/NuSTAR observation to
develop a baseline model wherein we model reflected emission as a combination
of lamp-post components at the heights of 1.2 and 15.0 gravitational radii. We
argue for a vertically extended corona as opposed to two compact and distinct
primary sources. We find two neutral absorbers (one full-covering and one
partial-covering), an ionized absorber (), and a highly-ionized
ultra-fast outflow, which have all been reported previously. All analyzed
spectra are well described by this baseline model. The bulk of the spectral
variability between 1 keV and 6 keV can be accounted for by changes in the
column density of both neutral absorbers, which appear to be degenerate and
inversely correlated with the variable hard continuum component flux. We track
variability in absorption on both short (2 d) and long (1 yr) timescales;
the observed evolution is either consistent with changes in the absorber
structure (clumpy absorber at distances ranging from the broad line region
(BLR) to the inner torus or a dusty radiatively driven wind) or a geometrically
stable neutral absorber that becomes increasingly ionized at a rising flux
level. The soft X-rays below 1 keV are dominated by photoionized emission from
extended gas that may act as a warm mirror for the nuclear radiation.Comment: 21 pages, 19 figures, 8 tables, accepted for publication by A&
Stochastic Transition States: Reaction Geometry amidst Noise
Classical transition state theory (TST) is the cornerstone of reaction rate
theory. It postulates a partition of phase space into reactant and product
regions, which are separated by a dividing surface that reactive trajectories
must cross. In order not to overestimate the reaction rate, the dynamics must
be free of recrossings of the dividing surface. This no-recrossing rule is
difficult (and sometimes impossible) to enforce, however, when a chemical
reaction takes place in a fluctuating environment such as a liquid.
High-accuracy approximations to the rate are well known when the solvent forces
are treated using stochastic representations, though again, exact no-recrossing
surfaces have not been available. To generalize the exact limit of TST to
reactive systems driven by noise, we introduce a time-dependent dividing
surface that is stochastically moving in phase space such that it is crossed
once and only once by each transition path
Accountability, Strategy, and International Non-Governmental Organizations
Increased prominence and greater influence expose international non-governmental development and environmental organizations (INGOs) to increased demands for accountability from a wide variety of stakeholdersdonors, beneficiaries, staffs, and partners among others. This paper focuses on developing the concept of INGO accountability, first as an abstract concept and then as a strategic idea with very different implications for different INGO strategies. We examine those implications for INGOs that emphasize service delivery, capacity-building, and policy influence. We propose that INGOs committed to service delivery may owe more accountability to donors and service regulators; capacity-building INGOs may be particularly obligated to clients whose capacities are being enhanced; and policy influence INGOs may be especially accountable to political constituencies and to influence targets. INGOs that are expanding their activities to include new initiatives may need to reorganize their accountability systems to implement their strategies effectively. This publication is Hauser Center Working Paper No. 7. The Hauser Center Working Paper Series was launched during the summer of 2000. The Series enables the Hauser Center to share with a broad audience important works-in-progress written by Hauser Center scholars and researchers
Molecular insights into the prototypical single-stranded DNA-binding protein from E. coli
The SSB protein o
Relationship tensions and mood: Adult childrenâs daily experience of aging parentsâ stubbornness
This study examined middleâaged individualsâ reports of parentsâ behaviors commonly attributed to stubbornness. Middleâaged adults (Nâ=â192) completed a 7âday diary reporting their mood and how often they felt their parents (Nâ=â254) engaged in behaviors often described as âstubbornnessâ (insistent or risky). Thirtyâone percent of middleâaged children reported insistent behaviors, and 17% reported risky behaviors by their parent(s). Daily reports of parent behaviors attributed to stubbornness were positively associated with parentâchild relationship quality, parent functional limitations, and child neuroticism. Reports of perceived parent insistent behaviors were also associated with greater daily negative mood among adult children. Findings highlight the impact of adult childrenâs daily perceptions of parent behaviors commonly attributed to stubbornness on the individual and relationship.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142899/1/pere12229_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142899/2/pere12229.pd
Security governance and networks: New theoretical perspectives in transatlantic security
The end of the Cold War has not only witnessed the rise of new transnational threats such as terrorism, crime, proliferation and civil war; it has also seen the growing role of non-state actors in the provision of security in Europe and North America. Two concepts in particular have been used to describe these transformations: security governance and networks. However, the differences and potential theoretical utility of these
two concepts for the study of contemporary security have so far been under-examined. This article seeks to address this gap. It proposes that security governance can help to explain the transformation of Cold War security structures, whereas network analysis is particularly useful for understanding the relations and interactions between public and private actors in the making and implementation of national and international security policies
Unfolding of eigenvalue surfaces near a diabolic point due to a complex perturbation
The paper presents a new theory of unfolding of eigenvalue surfaces of real
symmetric and Hermitian matrices due to an arbitrary complex perturbation near
a diabolic point. General asymptotic formulae describing deformations of a
conical surface for different kinds of perturbing matrices are derived. As a
physical application, singularities of the surfaces of refractive indices in
crystal optics are studied.Comment: 23 pages, 7 figure
NuSTAR and Suzaku X-ray Spectroscopy of NGC 4151: Evidence for Reflection from the Inner Accretion Disk
We present X-ray timing and spectral analyses of simultaneous 150 ks Nuclear
Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and Suzaku X-ray observations of the
Seyfert 1.5 galaxy NGC 4151. We disentangle the continuum emission, absorption,
and reflection properties of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) by applying
inner accretion disk reflection and absorption-dominated models. With a
time-averaged spectral analysis, we find strong evidence for relativistic
reflection from the inner accretion disk. We find that relativistic emission
arises from a highly ionized inner accretion disk with a steep emissivity
profile, which suggests an intense, compact illuminating source. We find a
preliminary, near-maximal black hole spin a>0.9 accounting for statistical and
systematic modeling errors. We find a relatively moderate reflection fraction
with respect to predictions for the lamp post geometry, in which the
illuminating corona is modeled as a point source. Through a time-resolved
spectral analysis, we find that modest coronal and inner disk reflection flux
variation drives the spectral variability during the observations. We discuss
various physical scenarios for the inner disk reflection model, and we find
that a compact corona is consistent with the observed features.Comment: 20 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
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