785 research outputs found
Microwave-induced thermal escape in Josephson junctions
We investigate, by experiments and numerical simulations, thermal activation
processes of Josephson tunnel junctions in the presence of microwave radiation.
When the applied signal resonates with the Josephson plasma frequency
oscillations, the switching current may become multi-valued in a temperature
range far exceeding the classical to quantum crossover temperature. Plots of
the switching currents traced as a function of the applied signal frequency
show very good agreement with the functional forms expected from Josephson
plasma frequency dependencies on the bias current. Throughout, numerical
simulations of the corresponding thermally driven classical Josephson junction
model show very good agreement with the experimental data.Comment: 10 pages and 4 figure
Constraints on the Progenitor of SN 2010jl and Pre-Existing Hot Dust in its Surrounding Medium
A search for the progenitor of SN~2010jl, an unusually luminous core-collapse
supernova of Type~IIn, using pre-explosion {\it Hubble}/WFPC2 and {\it
Spitzer}/IRAC images of the region, yielded upper limits on the UV and
near-infrared (IR) fluxes from any candidate star. These upper limits constrain
the luminosity and effective temperature of the progenitor, the mass of any
preexisting dust in its surrounding circumstellar medium (CSM), and dust
proximity to the star. A {\it lower} limit on the CSM dust mass is required to
hide a luminous progenitor from detection by {\it Hubble}. {\it Upper} limits
on the CSM dust mass and constraints on its proximity to the star are set by
requiring that the absorbed and reradiated IR emission not exceed the IRAC
upper limits. Using the combined extinction-IR emission constraints we present
viable combinations, where and are the CSM dust mass and
its inner radius. These depend on the CSM outer radius, dust composition and
grain size, and the properties of the progenitor. The results constrain the
pre-supernova evolution of the progenitor, and the nature and origin of the
observed post-explosion IR emission from SN~2010jl. In particular, an
~Car-type progenitor will require at least 4~mag of visual extinction to
avoid detection by the {\it Hubble}. This can be achieved with dust masses
~\msun\ (less than the estimated 0.2-0.5~\msun\ around
~Car) which must be located at distances of ~cm from the
star to avoid detection by {\it Spitzer}.Comment: Accepted for publication in the ApJ. 14 pages 10 figures. The
complete figure set for Figure 10 (24 images) is available in the online
journa
Observations of Ultracool White Dwarfs
We present new spectroscopic and photometric measurements of the white dwarfs LHS 3250 and WD 0346+246. Along with F351-50, these white dwarfs are the coolest ones known, all with effective temperatures below 4000 K. Their membership in the Galactic halo population is discussed, and detailed comparisons of all three objects with new atmosphere models are presented. The new models consider the effects of mixed H/He atmospheres and indicate that WD 0346+246 and F351-50 have predominantly helium atmospheres with only traces of hydrogen. LHS 3250 may be a double degenerate whose average radiative temperature is between 2000 and 4000 K, but the new models fail to explain this object
Time-Varying Potassium in High-Resolution Spectra of the Type Ia Supernova 2014J
We present a time series of the highest resolution spectra yet published for
the nearby Type Ia supernova (SN) 2014J in M82. They were obtained at 11 epochs
over 33 days around peak brightness with the Levy Spectrograph (resolution
R~110,000) on the 2.4m Automated Planet Finder telescope at Lick Observatory.
We identify multiple Na I D and K I absorption features, as well as absorption
by Ca I H & K and several of the more common diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs).
We see no evolution in any component of Na I D, Ca I, or in the DIBs, but do
establish the dissipation/weakening of the two most blueshifted components of K
I. We present several potential physical explanations, finding the most
plausible to be photoionization of circumstellar material, and discuss the
implications of our results with respect to the progenitor scenario of SN
2014J.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables, submitted to Ap
Cosmological simulations using a static scalar-tensor theory
We present CDM -body cosmological simulations in the framework of
a static general scalar-tensor theory of gravity. Due to the influence of the
non-minimally coupled scalar field, the gravitational potential is modified by
a Yukawa type term, yielding a new structure formation dynamics. We present
some preliminary results and, in particular, we compute the density and
velocity profiles of the most massive group.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, to appear in Journal of Physics: Conference
Series: VII Mexican School on Gravitation and Mathematical Physics. 26
November to 1 December 2006, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexic
Evidence for Supernova Signatures in the Spectrum of the Late-time Bump of the Optical Afterglow of GRB 021211
We present photometric and spectroscopic observations of the gamma-ray burst
GRB 021211 obtained during the late stages of its afterglow. The light curve
shows a rebrightening occurring ~25 days after the GRB. The analysis of a VLT
spectrum obtained during the bump (27 days after the GRB) reveals a suggestive
resemblance with the spectrum of the prototypical type-Ic SN 1994I, obtained
about ~10 days past maximum light. Particularly we have measured a strong,
broad absorption feature at 3770 A, which we have identified with Ca II
blueshifted by ~14400 km/s, thus indicating that a supernova (SN) component is
indeed powering the `bump' in the afterglow decay. Assuming SN 1994I as a
template, the spectroscopic and photometric data together indicate that the SN
and GRB explosions were at most separated by a few days. Our results suggest
that GRBs might be associated also to standard type-Ic supernovae.Comment: 6 pages, 4 color figures. Accepted for publication in A&A Letters.
Fig. 4 does not appair in the A&A version due to space restrictions. Includes
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