2,472 research outputs found
A Striking Confluence Between Theory and Observations of High-Mass X-ray Binary Pulsars
We analyse the most powerful X-ray outbursts from neutron stars in ten
Magellanic high-mass X-ray binaries and three pulsating ultraluminous X-ray
sources. Most of the outbursts rise to which is about the level of
the Eddington luminosity, while the rest and more powerful outbursts also
appear to recognize that limit when their emissions are assumed to be
anisotropic and beamed toward our direction. We use the measurements of pulsar
spin periods and their derivatives to calculate the X-ray
luminosities in their faintest accreting ("propeller") states. In four
cases with unknown , we use the lowest observed X-ray luminosities,
which only adds to the heterogeneity of the sample. Then we calculate the
ratios and we obtain an outstanding confluence of theory and
observations from which we conclude that work done on both fronts is accurate
and the results are trustworthy: sources known to reside on the lowest
Magellanic propeller line are all located on/near that line, whereas other
sources jump higher and reach higher-lying propeller lines. These jumps can be
interpreted in only one way, higher-lying pulsars have stronger surface
magnetic fields in agreement with empirical results in which and
values were not used.Comment: Added LMC X-4 and commented on the cyclotron absorption line of SMC
X-2. 4 pages, 1 figure, 2 tables, submitted to MNRAS
The Great Pretenders Among the ULX Class
The recent discoveries of pulsed X-ray emission from three ultraluminous
X-ray (ULX) sources have finally enabled us to recognize a subclass within the
ULX class: the great pretenders, neutron stars (NSs) that appear to emit X-ray
radiation at isotropic luminosities ~erg~s~erg~s only because their emissions are strongly beamed toward
our direction and our sight lines are offset by only a few degrees from their
magnetic-dipole axes. The three known pretenders appear to be stronger emitters
than the presumed black holes of the ULX class, such as Holmberg II \& IX X-1,
IC10 X-1, and NGC300 X-1. For these three NSs, we have adopted a single
reasonable assumption, that their brightest observed outbursts unfold at the
Eddington rate, and we have calculated both their propeller states and their
surface magnetic-field magnitudes. We find that the results are not at all
different from those recently obtained for the Magellanic Be/X-ray pulsars: the
three NSs reveal modest magnetic fields of about 0.3-0.4~TG and beamed
propeller-line X-ray luminosities of ~erg~s,
substantially below the Eddington limit.Comment: To appear in Research in Astronomy and Astrophysic
Optical studies of two LMC X-ray transients : RX J0544.1-7100 and RX J0520.5-6932
We report observations which confirm the identities of the optical
counterpart to the transient sources RX J0544.1-7100 and RX J0520.5-6932. The
counterparts are suggested to be a B-type stars. Optical data from the
observations carried out at ESO and SAAO, together with results from the OGLE
data base, are presented. In addition, X-ray data from the RXTE all-sky monitor
are investigated for long term periodicities. A strong suggestion for a binary
period of 24.4d is seen in RX J0520.5-6932 from the OGLE data.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figure
Retrograde Accretion Discs in High-Mass Be/X-Ray Binaries
We have compiled a comprehensive library of all X-ray observations of Magellanic pulsars carried out by XMM-Newton, Chandra and RXTE in the period 1997-2014. In this work, we use the data from 53 high-mass Be/X-ray binaries in the Small Magellanic Cloud to demonstrate that the distribution of spin-period derivatives versus spin periods of spinning-down pulsars is not at all different from that of the accreting spinning-up pulsars. The inescapable conclusion is that the up and down samples were drawn from the same continuous parent population; therefore, Be/X-ray pulsars that are spinning down over periods spanning 18 yr are, in fact, accreting from retrograde discs. The presence of prograde and retrograde discs in roughly equal numbers supports a new evolutionary scenario for Be/X-ray pulsars in their spin period-period derivative diagram
Not an Oxymoron: Some X-Ray Binary Pulsars with Enormous Spin-Up Rates Reveal Weak Magnetic Fields
Three high-mass X-ray binaries have been discovered recently exhibiting enormous spin-up rates. Conventional accretion theory predicts extremely high-surface dipolar magnetic fields that we believe are unphysical. Instead, we propose quite the opposite scenario; some of these pulsars exhibit weak magnetic fields, so much so that their magnetospheres are crushed by the weight of inflowing matter. The enormous spin-up rate is achieved before inflowing matter reaches the pulsar's surface as the penetrating inner disc transfers its excess angular momentum to the receding magnetosphere, which, in turn, applies a powerful spin-up torque to the pulsar. This mechanism also works in reverse; it spins a pulsar down when the magnetosphere expands beyond corotation and finds itself rotating faster than the accretion disc, which then exerts a powerful retarding torque to the magnetic field and to the pulsar itself. The above scenaria cannot be accommodated within the context of neutron-star accretion processes occurring near spin equilibrium, thus they constitute a step towards a new theory of extreme (far from equilibrium) accretion phenomena
High Speed Visible Light Communication Using Blue GaN Laser Diodes
GaN-based laser diodes have been developed over the last 20 years making them desirable for many security and defence applications, in particular, free space laser communications. Unlike their LED counterparts, laser diodes are not limited by their carrier lifetime which makes them attractive for high speed communication, whether in free space, through fiber or underwater. Gigabit data transmission can be achieved in free space by modulating the visible light from the laser with a pseudo-random bit sequence (PRBS), with recent results approaching 5 Gbit/s error free data transmission. By exploiting the low-loss in the blue part of the spectrum through water, data transmission experiments have also been conducted to show rates of 2.5 Gbit/s underwater. Different water types have been tested to monitor the effect of scattering and to see how this affects the overall transmission rate and distance. This is of great interest for communication with unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) as the current method using acoustics is much slower and vulnerable to interception. These types of laser diodes can typically reach 50-100 mW of power which increases the length at which the data can be transmitted. This distance could be further improved by making use of high power laser arrays. Highly uniform GaN substrates with low defectivity allow individually addressable laser bars to be fabricated. This could ultimately increase optical power levels to 4 W for a 20-emitter array. Overall, the development of GaN laser diodes will play an important part in free space optical communications and will be vital in the advancement of security and defence applications
Hard X-ray lightcurves of High Mass X-ray binaries
Using the 9 years of continuous data now available from the Burst And
Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) aboard CGRO, we have measured orbital
periods and produced folded lightcurves for 8 High Mass X-ray Binaries (HMXB).
Given the length of the datasets, our determinations are based on many more
binary orbits than previous investigations. Thus our source detections have
high statistical significance and we are able to follow long-term trends in
X-ray output. In particular we focus on two systems: A0538-668 and EXO2030+375
both HMXBs exhibiting Type I outbursts.Comment: Accepted by MNRA
Target Suitability and the Crime Drop
The initial focus of Felson’s routine activity perspective was the crime increases of the 1960s and 1970s that were largely a function of inadvertent changes in everyday life (Cohen & Felson, 1979). The rise in crime was an unintended side effect of developments in technology, transportation, and domestic life that were widely welcomed. More money, more consumer goods, more labour-saving devices, more transport, and more employment opportunities for women, for example, all brought benefits to citizens, but they also created more crime opportunities and hence sustained increases in crime
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