5,189 research outputs found
The Wide-Angle Outflow of the Lensed z = 1.51 AGN HS 0810+2554
We present results from X-ray observations of the gravitationally lensed z =
1.51 AGN HS 0810+2554 performed with the Chandra X-ray Observatory and
XMM-Newton. Blueshifted absorption lines are detected in both observations at
rest-frame energies ranging between ~1-12 keV at > 99% confidence. The inferred
velocities of the outflowing components range between ~0.1c and ~0.4c. A strong
emission line at ~6.8 keV accompanied by a significant absorption line at ~7.8
keV is also detected in the Chandra observation. The presence of these lines is
a characteristic feature of a P-Cygni profile supporting the presence of an
expanding outflowing highly ionized iron absorber in this quasar. Modeling of
the P-Cygni profile constrains the covering factor of the wind to be > 0.6,
assuming disk shielding. A disk-reflection component is detected in the
XMM-Newton observation accompanied by blueshifted absorption lines. The
XMM-Newton observation constrains the inclination angle to be < 45 degrees at
90% confidence, assuming the hard excess is due to blurred reflection from the
accretion disk. The detection of an ultrafast and wide-angle wind in an AGN
with intrinsic narrow absorption lines (NALs) would suggest that quasar winds
may couple efficiently with the intergalactic medium and provide significant
feedback if ubiquitous in all NAL and BAL quasars. We estimate the mass-outflow
rate of the absorbers to lie in the range of 1.5 and 3.4 Msolar/yr for the two
observations. We find the fraction of kinetic to electromagnetic luminosity
released by HS 0810+2554 is large (epsilon = 9 (-6,+8)) suggesting that
magnetic driving is likely a significant contributor to the acceleration of
this outflow.Comment: 27 pages, 13 figures, Accepted for publication in Ap
Quasar outflow energetics from broad absorption line variability
Quasar outflows have long been recognized as potential contributors to the
co-evolution between supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and their host galaxies.
The role of outflows in AGN feedback processes can be better understood by
placing observational constraints on wind locations and kinetic energies. We
utilize broad absorption line (BAL) variability to investigate the properties
of a sample of 71 BAL quasars with PV broad absorption. The
presence of PV BALs indicates that other BALs like CIV
are saturated, such that variability in those lines favours clouds crossing the
line of sight. We use these constraints with measurements of BAL variability to
estimate outflow locations and energetics. Our data set consists of
multiple-epoch spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and MDM Observatory.
We detect significant (4) BAL variations from 10 quasars in our sample
over rest frame time-scales between < 0.2-3.8 yr. Our derived distances for the
10 variable outflows are nominally < 1-10 pc from the SMBH using the
transverse-motion scenario, and < 100-1000 pc from the central source using
ionization-change considerations. These distances, in combination with the
estimated high outflow column densities (i.e. > 10
cm), yield outflow kinetic luminosities between ~ 0.001-1 times the
bolometric luminosity of the quasar, indicating that many absorber energies
within our sample are viable for AGN feedback.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures, 4 tables, 1 supplementary figure, accepted to
MNRA
Weak magnetic fields in central stars of planetary nebulae?
It is not yet clear whether magnetic fields play an essential role in shaping
planetary nebulae (PNe), or whether stellar rotation alone and/or a close
binary companion can account for the variety of the observed nebular
morphologies. In a quest for empirical evidence verifying or disproving the
role of magnetic fields in shaping PNe, we follow up on previous attempts to
measure the magnetic field in a representative sample of PN central stars. We
obtained low-resolution polarimetric spectra with FORS 2 at VLT for a sample of
twelve bright central stars of PNe with different morphology, including two
round nebulae, seven elliptical nebulae, and three bipolar nebulae. Two targets
are Wolf-Rayet type central stars. For the majority of the observed central
stars, we do not find any significant evidence for the existence of surface
magnetic fields. However, our measurements may indicate the presence of weak
mean longitudinal magnetic fields of the order of 100 Gauss in the central star
of the young elliptical planetary nebula IC 418, as well as in the Wolf-Rayet
type central star of the bipolar nebula Hen2-113 and the weak emission line
central star of the elliptical nebula Hen2-131. A clear detection of a 250 G
mean longitudinal field is achieved for the A-type companion of the central
star of NGC 1514. Some of the central stars show a moderate night-to-night
spectrum variability, which may be the signature of a variable stellar wind
and/or rotational modulation due to magnetic features. We conclude that strong
magnetic fields of the order of kG are not widespread among PNe central stars.
Nevertheless, simple estimates based on a theoretical model of magnetized wind
bubbles suggest that even weak magnetic fields below the current detection
limit of the order of 100 G may well be sufficient to contribute to the shaping
of PNe throughout their evolution.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in A&A;
References updated, minor correction
Constraining FeLoBAL outflows from absorption line variability
FeLoBALs are a rare class of quasar outflows with low-ionization broad
absorption lines (BALs), large column densities, and potentially large kinetic
energies that might be important for `feedback' to galaxy evolution. In order
to probe the physical properties of these outflows, we conducted a
multiple-epoch, absorption line variability study of 12 FeLoBAL quasars
spanning a redshift range between 0.7 and 1.9 over rest frame time-scales of
approximately 10 d to 7.6 yr. We detect absorption line variability with
greater than 8 sigma confidence in 3 out of the 12 sources in our sample over
time-scales of 0.6 to 7.6 yr. Variable wavelength intervals are associated with
ground and excited state Fe II multiplets, the Mg II 2796, 2803 doublet, Mg I
2852, and excited state Ni II multiplets. The observed variability along with
evidence of saturation in the absorption lines favors transverse motions of gas
across the line of sight (LOS) as the preferred scenario, and allows us to
constrain the outflow distance from the supermassive black hole (SMBH) to be
less than 69, 7, and 60 pc for our three variable sources. In combination with
other studies, these results suggest that the outflowing gas in FeLoBAL quasars
resides on a range of scales and includes matter within tens of parsecs of the
central source.Comment: 21 pages, 6 figures, 2 supplementary figures (attached at the end of
the manuscript), accepted to Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical
Societ
Combined cerebellar and bilateral cervical posterior spinal artery stroke demonstrated on MRI
Combined cerebellar and spinal ischemic stroke is a rare, critical condition. We report a patient with combined cerebellar and bilateral posterolateral cervical spinal cord infarction due to bilateral stenosis of the vertebral arteries. MRI is the method of choice for imaging this condition; diffusion-weighted imaging of the spinal cord gives reliable results
Axions and saxions from the primordial supersymmetric plasma and extra radiation signatures
We calculate the rate for thermal production of axions and saxions via
scattering of quarks, gluons, squarks, and gluinos in the primordial
supersymmetric plasma. Systematic field theoretical methods such as hard
thermal loop resummation are applied to obtain a finite result in a
gauge-invariant way that is consistent to leading order in the strong gauge
coupling. We calculate the thermally produced yield and the decoupling
temperature for both axions and saxions. For the generic case in which saxion
decays into axions are possible, the emitted axions can constitute extra
radiation already prior to big bang nucleosynthesis and well thereafter. We
update associated limits imposed by recent studies of the primordial helium-4
abundance and by precision cosmology of the cosmic microwave background and
large scale structure. We show that the trend towards extra radiation seen in
those studies can be explained by late decays of thermal saxions into axions
and that upcoming Planck results will probe supersymmetric axion models with
unprecedented sensitivity.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures; v2: references added, minor clarifying
additions, matches published versio
A High-Velocity Narrow Absorption Line Outflow in the Quasar J212329.46-005052.9
We report on a variable high-velocity narrow absorption line outflow in the
redshift 2.3 quasar J2123-0050. Five distinct outflow systems are detected with
velocity shifts from -9710 to -14,050 km/s and CIV 1548,1551 line widths of
FWHM = 62-164 km/s. These data require five distinct outflow structures with
similar kinematics, physical conditions and characteristic sizes of order
0.01-0.02 pc. The most likely location is ~5 pc from the quasar. The
coordinated line variations in <0.63 yr (rest) are best explained by global
changes in the outflow ionization caused by changes in the quasar's ionizing
flux. The absence of strong X-ray absorption shows that radiative shielding is
not needed to maintain the moderate ionizations and therefore, apparently, it
is not needed to facilitate the radiative acceleration to high speeds. The
kinetic energy yield of this flow is at least two orders of magnitude too low
to be important for feedback to the host galaxy's evolution.Comment: 20 pages. In press with MNRA
On X-ray pulsations in beta Cephei-type variables
Beta Cephei-type variables are early B-type stars that are characterized by
oscillations observable in their optical light curves. At least one Beta
Cep-variable also shows periodic variability in X-rays. Here we study the X-ray
light curves in a sample of beta Cep-variables to investigate how common X-ray
pulsations are for this type of stars. We searched the Chandra and XMM-Newton
X-ray archives and selected stars that were observed by these telescopes for at
least three optical pulsational periods. We retrieved and analyzed the X-ray
data for kappa Sco, beta Cru, and alpha Vir. The X-ray light curves of these
objects were studied to test for their variability and periodicity. While there
is a weak indication for X-ray variability in beta Cru, we find no
statistically significant evidence of X-ray pulsations in any of our sample
stars. This might be due either to the insufficient data quality or to the
physical lack of modulations. New, more sensitive observations should settle
this question.Comment: accepted in A&
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