The X-Ray Spectral Variability of Mrk 766

Analysis results from ASCA and ROSAT observations of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 766 are reported. In the ASCA observation we observed rapid variability with a doubling time scale of 1000 seconds. A spectral variability event was observed in which the spectrum softened and hardened above and below ~1 keV, respectively, as the flux increased. The spectra could be modeled with 5 components: a power law, warm absorber, iron K(alpha) line and soft excess component flux. The spectral variability resulted from a highly significant change in the intrinsic photon law index from Gamma ~1.6 to ~2.0, an increase in the warm absorber ionization, and a marginally significant decrease in the soft component normalization. A ~100 eV equivalent width narrow iron K(alpha) line was detected in the high state spectrum. Spectral hardening during flux increases was observed in three ROSAT observations. The change in intrinsic photon index and disappearance of the soft excess component in the ASCA spectra can be explained as a transition from a first order pair reprocessed spectrum to a pair cascade brought about by a sudden increase in the injected electron Lorentz factor. The change in the ionization of the warm absorber, though model dependent, could correspond to the increase in flux at the oxygen edges resulting from the spectral index change. The ROSAT spectral variability can be interpreted by variable intensity hard power law and a relatively nonvarying soft component, possibly primary disk emission. These results are compared with those reported from other narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies.Comment: 29 pages using (AASTeX) aaspp4.sty and 18 Postscript figures. To appear in the September 1, 1996, issue of The Astrophysical Journa

Electrolyte jet machining for surface texturing of Inconel 718

Electrolyte jet machining is an emerging non-conventional machining process which is capable of selectively applying multi-scale surface textures. Surfaces processed in this way do not suffer from thermal damage and hence this technique is highly suited to finishing procedures in high value manufacturing across the aerospace and biomedical sectors. Furthermore, input variables can be modified dynamically to create functional graduation across component surfaces. In this study, the development and design of a custom-built EJM system is described, and the capability of the EJM platform to machine and create surface textures in Inconel 718, a widely used nickel based super alloy, is investigated. Through control of machine path programming and parameter variation, multi-scale surface textures are created which have the potential to enhance bonding with subsequent coating layers and also provide fluid dynamic advantage

Theory of tunneling spectroscopy of normal metal/ferromagnet/spin-triplet superconductor junctions

We study the tunneling conductance of a ballistic normal metal / ferromagnet / spin-triplet superconductor junction using the extended Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk formalism as a model for a $c$-axis oriented Au / SrRuO$_{3}$ / Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$ junction. We compare chiral $p$-wave (CPW) and helical $p$-wave (HPW) pair potentials, combined with ferromagnet magnetization directions parallel and perpendicular to the interface. For fixed $\theta_{M}$, where $\theta_{M}$ is a direction of magnetization in the ferromagnet measured from the $c$-axis, the tunneling conductance of CPW and HPW clearly show different voltage dependencies. It is found that the cases where the $d$-vector is perpendicular to the magnetization direction (CPW with $\theta_{M} = \pi/2$ and HPW with $\theta_{M} = 0$) are identical. The obtained results serve as a guide to determine the pairing symmetry of the spin-triplet superconductor Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures. There is also a supplementary (not uploaded

The variable OVIII Warm Absorber in MCG-6-30-15

We present the results of a 4 day ASCA observation of the Seyfert galaxy MCG-6-30-15, focussing on the nature of the X-ray absorption by the warm absorber, characterizd by the K-edges of the intermediately ionized oxygen, OVII and OVIII. We confirm that the column density of OVIII changes on a timescale of $\sim 10^4$~s when the X-ray continuum flux decreases. The significant anti-correlation of column density with continuum flux gives direct evidence that the warm absorber is photoionized by the X-ray continuum. From the timescale of the variation of the OVIII column density, we estimate that it originates from gas within a radius of about 10^{17}\cm of the central engine. In contrast, the depth of the OVII edge shows no response to the continuum flux, which indicates that it originates in gas at larger radii. Our results strongly suggest that there are two warm absorbing regions; one located near or within the Broad Line Region, the other associated with the outer molecular torus, scattering medium or Narrow Line Region.Comment: 8 pages (including figures) uuencoded gziped PS file. Submitted to Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japa

The X-ray Spectrum of the Rapid Burster using the Chandra HETGS

We present observations of the Rapid Burster (RB, also known as MXB 1730-335) using the Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer. The average interval between type II (accretion) bursts was about 40 s. There was one type I (thermonuclear flash) burst and about 20 "mini-bursts" which are probably type II bursts whose peak flux is 10-40% of the average peak flux of the other type II bursts. The time averaged spectra of the type II bursts are well fit by a blackbody with a temperature of kT = 1.6 keV, a radius of 8.9 km for a distance of 8.6 kpc, and an interstellar column density of 1.7e22 per sq. cm. No narrow emission or absorption lines were clearly detected. The 3 sigma upper limits to the equivalent widths of any features are < 10 eV in the 1.1-7.0 keV band and as small as 1.5 eV near 1.7 keV. We suggest that Comptonization destroys absorption features such as the resonance line of Fe XXVI.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in AJ (with minor changes and enhanced discussion of the instrument configuration

Design and tests of the hard X-ray polarimeter X-Calibur

X-ray polarimetry promises to give qualitatively new information about high-energy astrophysical sources, such as binary black hole systems, micro-quasars, active galactic nuclei, and gamma-ray bursts. We designed, built and tested a hard X-ray polarimeter X-Calibur to be used in the focal plane of the InFOCuS grazing incidence hard X-ray telescope. X-Calibur combines a low-Z Compton scatterer with a CZT detector assembly to measure the polarization of 10-80 keV X-rays making use of the fact that polarized photons Compton scatter preferentially perpendicular to the electric field orientation. X-Calibur achieves a high detection efficiency of order unity.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, conference proceedings: SPIE 2011 (San Diego

ASCA Observations of the Sgr B2 Cloud: An X-Ray Reflection Nebula

We present the ASCA results of imaging spectroscopy of the giant molecular cloud Sgr B2. The X-ray spectrum is found to be very peculiar; it exhibits a strong emission line at 6.4 keV, a low energy cutoff below about 4 keV and a pronounced edge-structure at 7.1 keV. The X-ray image is extended and its peak position is shifted from the core of the molecular cloud toward the Galactic center by about 1--2 arcminute. The X-ray spectrum and the morphology are well reproduced by a scenario that X-rays from an external source located in the Galactic center direction are scattered by the molecular cloud Sgr B2, and come into our line of sight. Thus Sgr B2 may be called an X-ray reflection nebula. Possible implications of the Galactic center activity related to this unique source are presented.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, AAS LaTeX, To be published in The Astrophysical Journa

The lamellar-to-isotropic transition in ternary amphiphilic systems

We study the dependence of the phase behavior of ternary amphiphilic systems on composition and temperature. Our analysis is based on a curvature elastic model of the surfactant film with sufficiently large spontaneous curvature and sufficiently negative saddle-splay modulus that the stable phases are the lamellar phase and a droplet microemulsion. In addition to the curvature energy, we consider the contributions to the free energy of the long-ranged van der Waals interaction and of the undulation modes. We find that for bending rigidities of order k_B T, the lamellar phase extends further and further into the water apex of the phase diagram as the phase inversion temperature is approached, in good agreement with experimental results.Comment: LaTeX2e, 11 pages with references and 2 eps figures included, submitted to Europhys. Let