386 research outputs found
A 695-Hz quasi-periodic oscillation in the low-mass X-ray binary EXO 0748-676
We report the discovery of a 695-Hz quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) in data
taken with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer of the low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB)
EXO 0748-676. This makes EXO 0748-676 the second dipping LMXB, after 4U
1915-05, that shows kHz QPOs. Comparison with other sources suggests that the
QPO corresponds to the lower frequency peak of the kHz QPO pair often observed
in other LMXBs. The QPO was found in the only observation done during an
outburst of the source in early 1996. This observation is also the only one in
which the ~1 Hz QPO recently found in EXO 0748-676 is not present.Comment: 6 pages, accepted for publication in Part 1 of The Astrophysical
Journa
Discovery of Two Simultaneous Kilohertz Quasi-Periodic Oscillations in KS 1731-260
We have discovered two simultaneous quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) at
898.3+/-3.3 Hz and 1158.6+/-9.0 Hz in the 1996 August 1 observation of the
low-mass X-ray binary KS 1731-260 with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. The rms
amplitude and FWHM of the lower frequency QPO were 5.3+/-0.7 % and 22+/-8 Hz,
whereas those of the higher frequency QPO were 5.2+/-1.0 % and 37+/-21 Hz. At
low inferred mass accretion rate both QPOs are visible, at slightly higher mass
accretion rate the lower frequency QPO disappears and the frequency of the
higher frequency QPO increases to ~1178 Hz. At the highest inferred mass
accretion rate this QPO is only marginally detectable (2.1 sigma) near 1207 Hz,
which is the highest frequency so far observed in an X-ray binary. The
frequency difference (260.3+/-9.6 Hz) between the QPOs is equal to half the
frequency of the oscillations observed in a type I burst in this source (at
523.92+/-0.05 Hz, Smith, Morgan and Bradt 1997). This suggests that the neutron
star spin frequency is 261.96 Hz (3.8 ms), and that the lower frequency QPO is
the beat between the higher frequency QPO, which could be a preferred orbital
frequency around the neutron star, and the neutron star spin. During the 1996
August 31 observation we detected an additional QPO at 26.9+/-2.3 Hz, with a
FWHM and rms amplitude of 11+/-5 Hz and 3.4+/-0.6 %.Comment: 6 pages including 3 figures, Astrophysical Journal Letters, in press
(issue 482
Precise Measurements of the Kilohertz Quasi-Periodic Oscillations in 4U 1728-34
We have analyzed seventeen observations of the low-mass X-ray binary and
atoll source 4U 1728-34, carried out by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer in 1996
and 1997. We obtain precise measurements of the frequencies of the two
simultaneous kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations (kHz QPOs) in this source.
We show that the frequency separation between the two QPO, , is
always significantly smaller than the frequency of the nearly-coherent
oscillations seen in this source during X-ray bursts, even at the lowest
inferred mass accretion rate, when seems to reach its maximum
value. We also find that decreases significantly, from Hz to Hz, as the frequency of the lower frequency kHz QPO
increases from 615 to 895 Hz. This is the first time that variations of the kHz
QPO peak separation are measured in a source which shows nearly-coherent
oscillations during bursts.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Uses
AAS LaTex v4.0 (5 pages plus 4 postscript figures
Intrauterine repair of gastroschisis in fetal rabbits
Objective: Infants with gastroschisis (GS) still face severe morbidity. Prenatal closure may prevent gastrointestinal organ damage, but intrauterine GS repair (GSR) has not been established yet. Methods: In New Zealand White rabbits we developed and compared GS versus GSR: creation of GS was achieved by hysterotomy, right-sided laparotomy of the fetus and pressure on the abdominal wall to provoke evisceration. GSR was accomplished by careful reposition of eviscerated organs and a running suture of the fetal abdominal wall. For study purposes, 18 animals were divided equally into 3 groups: GS, GS with GSR after 2 h, and unmanipulated controls (C). Vitality was assessed by echocardiography. After 5 h all animals were sacrificed. Results: GSR inflicted no increased mortality, because all fetuses survived GS or GS with GSR. All fetuses with GS demonstrated significant evisceration of abdominal organs. In contrast, the abdominal wall of the fetuses from GSR was intact. Conclusion:The present animal model demonstrated the technical feasibility and success of an intrauterine repair of GS for the first time. However, further long-term studies (leaving GS and GSR in utero for several days) will be necessary to compare survival rates and intestinal injury, motility or absorption. The clinical application of GSR in utero remains a vision so far. Copyright (C) 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel
Interpreting the High Frequency QPO Power Spectra of Accreting Black Holes
In the context of a relativistic hot spot model, we investigate different
physical mechanisms to explain the behavior of quasi-periodic oscillations
(QPOs) from accreting black holes. The locations and amplitudes of the QPO
peaks are determined by the ray-tracing calculations presented in Schnittman &
Bertschinger (2004a): the black hole mass and angular momentum give the
geodesic coordinate frequencies, while the disk inclination and the hot spot
size, shape, and overbrightness give the amplitudes of the different peaks. In
this paper additional features are added to the existing model to explain the
broadening of the QPO peaks as well as the damping of higher frequency
harmonics in the power spectrum. We present a number of analytic results that
closely agree with more detailed numerical calculations. Four primary pieces
are developed: the addition of multiple hot spots with random phases, a finite
width in the distribution of geodesic orbits, Poisson sampling of the detected
photons, and the scattering of photons from the hot spot through a corona of
hot electrons around the black hole. Finally, the complete model is used to fit
the observed power spectra of both type A and type B QPOs seen in XTE
J1550-564, giving confidence limits on each of the model parameters.Comment: 30 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Ap
The large-scale jet-powered radio nebula of Circinus X-1
We present multi-epoch observations of the radio nebula around the neutron
star X-ray binary Circinus X-1 made at 1.4 and 2.5 GHz with the Australia
Telescope Compact Array between October 2000 and September 2004. The nebula can
be seen as a result of the interaction between the jet from the system and the
interstellar medium and it is likely that we are actually looking toward the
central X-ray binary system through the jet-powered radio lobe. The study of
the nebula thus offers a unique opportunity to estimate for the first time
using calorimetry the energetics of a jet from an object clearly identified as
a neutron star. An extensive discussion on the energetics of the complex is
presented: a first approach is based on the minimum energy estimation, while a
second one employs a self-similar model of the interaction between the jets and
the surrounding medium. The results suggest an age for the nebula of \leq 10^5
years and a corresponding time-averaged jet power \geq 10^{35} erg s^{-1}.
During periodic flaring episodes, the instantaneous jet power may reach values
of similar magnitude to the X-ray luminosity.Comment: Accepted to MNRA
Kilohertz QPO Peak Separation Is Not Constant in Scorpius X-1
We report on a series of twenty ~10^5 c/s, 0.125 msec time-resolution RXTE
observations of the Z source and low-mass X-ray binary Scorpius X-1. Twin
kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) peaks are obvious in nearly all
observations. We find that the peak separation is not constant, as expected in
some beat-frequency models, but instead varies from ~310 to ~230 Hz when the
centroid frequency of the higher-frequency peak varies from ~875 to ~1085 Hz.
We detect none of the additional QPO peaks at higher frequencies predicted in
the photon bubble model (PBM), with best-case upper limits on the peaks' power
ratio of 0.025. We do detect, simultaneously with the kHz QPO, additional QPO
peaks near 45 and 90 Hz whose frequency increases with mass accretion rate. We
interpret these as first and second harmonics of the so-called
horizontal-branch oscillations well known from other Z sources and usually
interpreted in terms of the magnetospheric beat-frequency model (BFM). We
conclude that the magnetospheric BFM and the PBM are now unlikely to explain
the kHz QPO in Sco X-1. In order to succeed in doing so, any BFM involving the
neutron star spin (unseen in Sco X-1) will have to postulate at least one
additional unseen frequency, beating with the spin to produce one of the kHz
peaks.Comment: 6 pages including 3 figure
Discovery of KiloHertz Quasi-Periodic Oscillations in 4U 1735-44
We discovered a single kHz quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) near 1150 Hz in
the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer X-ray light curve of the low mass X-ray binary
and atoll source 4U 1735-44. The rms amplitude of this peak was 2-3%, and the
FWHM 6-40 Hz. There are indications that the kHz QPO frequency decreased from
1160 Hz to 1145 Hz when the count rate increased, which would be quite
different from what is observed in other atoll sources for which kHz QPOs have
been discovered. In the X-ray color-color diagram and hardness-intensity
diagram the source traced out the curved branch (the so-called banana branch)
which has been found by previous instruments. The kHz QPO was only detected
when the source was at the lowest count rates during our observations, i.e. on
the lower part of the banana branch. When 4U 1735-44 was at higher count rates,
i.e. on the upper part of the banana branch and at higher inferred mass
accretion rate with respect to that on the lower part of the banana branch, the
QPO was not detected.
Besides the kHz QPO we discovered a low frequency QPO with a frequency near
67 Hz, together with a complex broad peaked noise component below 30 Hz. This
67 Hz QPO may be related to the magnetospheric beat-frequency QPO, which is
observed on the horizontal branch of Z sources. This idea is supported by the
(peaked) noise found in both 4U 1735-44 and Z sources at frequencies just below
the QPO frequency.Comment: 9 pages, including 2 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
Discovery of an X-ray pulsar in the low-mass X-ray binary 2A 1822-371
We report the discovery of 0.59 s X-ray pulsations from the low-mass X-ray
binary, 5.57 hr dipping and eclipsing ADC source 2A 1822-371. Pulse arrival
time analysis indicates a circular orbit with e < 0.03 (95% confidence) and an
asini for the neutron star of 1.006(5) lightseconds, implying a mass function
of (2.03+-0.03) x 10^-2 M_sun. The barycentric pulse period was 0.59325(2) s in
1996.270 and 0.59308615(5) s in 1998.205, indicating an average spin up with
P_dot/P = (-1.52+-0.02) x 10^-4 yr^-1. For a magnetic field strength of ~1--5 x
10^12 G as derived from the X-ray spectrum the implied intrinsic X-ray
luminosity is ~2-4 x 10^37 erg s^-1. The pulse amplitude is low, but increases
steeply as a function of energy from a sinusoidal amplitude of 0.25% in 2-5.4
keV to ~3% above 20 keV. We discuss the constraints on the masses of the
companion star and the fact that several aspects of the energy spectrum are in
qualitative accordance with that of a strongly magnetised neutron star.Comment: 6 pages long, including 4 figures, uses emulateapj5, accepted for
ApJL, Replaced figure
X-Ray and UV Orbital Phase Dependence in LMC X-3
The black-hole binary LMC X-3 is known to be variable on time scales of days
to years. We investigate X-ray and ultraviolet variability in the system as a
function of the 1.7 day binary phase using a 6.4 day observation with the Rossi
X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) from December 1998. An abrupt 14% flux decrease,
lasting nearly an entire orbit, is followed by a return to previous flux
levels. This behavior occurs twice, at nearly the same binary phase, but it is
not present in consecutive orbits. When the X-ray flux is at lower intensity, a
periodic amplitude modulation of 7% is evident in data folded modulo the
orbital period. The higher intensity data show weaker correlation with phase.
This is the first report of X-ray variability at the orbital period of LMC X-3.
Archival RXTE observations of LMC X--3 during a high flux state in December
1996 show similar phase dependence. An ultraviolet light curve obtained with
the High Speed Photometer aboard the Hubble Space Telescope shows orbital
modulation consistent with that in the optical, caused by the ellipsoidal
variation of the spatially deformed companion.
The X-ray spectrum of LMC X-3 can be acceptably represented by a
phenomenological disk-black-body plus a power law. Changes in the spectrum of
LMC X-3 during our observations are compatible with earlier observations during
which variations in the 2-10 keV flux are tracked closely by the disk geometry
spectral model parameter.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, ApJ in pres
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