9,279 research outputs found
Low-Luminosity AGN as analogues of Galactic Black Holes in the low/hard state: Evidence from X-ray timing of NGC 4258
We present a broadband power spectral density function (PSD) measured from
extensive RXTE monitoring data of the low-luminosity AGN NGC 4258, which has an
accurate, maser-determined black hole mass of 3.9+/-0.1 * 10^7 solar masses. We
constrain the PSD break timescale to be greater than 4.5 d at >90% confidence,
which appears to rule out the possibility that NGC 4258 is an analogue of black
hole X-ray binaries (BHXRBs) in the high/soft state. In this sense, the PSD of
NGC 4258 is different to those of some more-luminous Seyferts, which appear
similar to the PSDs of high/soft state X-ray binaries. This result supports
previous analogies between LLAGN and X-ray binaries in the low/hard state based
on spectral energy distributions, indicating that the AGN/BHXRB analogy is
valid across a broad range of accretion rates.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters; 6
pages; 3 figure
The Energy-dependent X-ray Timing Characteristics of the Narrow Line Seyfert 1 Mkn 766
We present the energy-dependent power spectral density (PSD) and
cross-spectral properties of Mkn 766, obtained from combining data obtained
during an XMM-Newton observation spanning six revolutions in 2005 with data
obtained from an XMM-Newton long-look in 2001. The PSD shapes and rms-flux
relations are found to be consistent between the 2001 and 2005 observations,
suggesting the 2005 observation is simply a low-flux extension of the 2001
observation and permitting us to combine the two data sets. The resulting PSD
has the highest temporal frequency resolution for any AGN PSD measured to date.
Applying a broken power-law model yields break frequencies which increase in
temporal frequency with photon energy. Obtaining a good fit when assuming
energy-independent break frequencies requires the presence of a Lorentzian at
4.6+/-0.4 * 10^-4 Hz whose strength increases with photon energy, a behavior
seen in black hole X-ray binaries. The cross-spectral properties are measured;
temporal frequency-dependent soft-to-hard time lags are detected in this object
for the first time. Cross-spectral results are consistent with those for other
accreting black hole systems. The results are discussed in the context of
several variability models, including those based on inwardly-propagating
viscosity variations in the accretion disk.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal. 18 pages, 9
figures. Uses emulateapj5.st
X-ray vs. Optical Variations in the Seyfert 1 Nucleus NGC 3516: A Puzzling Disconnectedness
We present optical broadband (B and R) observations of the Seyfert 1 nucleus
NGC 3516, obtained at Wise Observatory from March 1997 to March 2002,
contemporaneously with X-ray 2-10 keV measurements with RXTE. With these data
we increase the temporal baseline of this dataset to 5 years, more than triple
to the coverage we have previously presented for this object. Analysis of the
new data does not confirm the 100-day lag of X-ray behind optical variations,
tentatively reported in our previous work. Indeed, excluding the first year's
data, which drive the previous result, there is no significant correlation at
any lag between the X-ray and optical bands. We also find no correlation at any
lag between optical flux and various X-ray hardness ratios. We conclude that
the close relation observed between the bands during the first year of our
program was either a fluke, or perhaps the result of the exceptionally bright
state of NGC 3516 in 1997, to which it has yet to return. Reviewing the results
of published joint X-ray and UV/optical Seyfert monitoring programs, we
speculate that there are at least two components or mechanisms contributing to
the X-ray continuum emission up to 10 keV: a soft component that is correlated
with UV/optical variations on timescales >1 day, and whose presence can be
detected when the source is observed at low enough energies (about 1 keV), is
unabsorbed, or is in a sufficiently bright phase; and a hard component whose
variations are uncorrelated with the UV/optical.Comment: 9 pages, AJ, in pres
Evidence for a Truncated Accretion Disc in the Low Luminosity Seyfert Galaxy, NGC 7213?
We present the broad-band 0.6-150 keV Suzaku and Swift BAT spectra of the low
luminosity Seyfert galaxy, NGC 7213. The time-averaged continuum emission is
well fitted by a single powerlaw of photon index Gamma = 1.75 and from
consideration of the Fermi flux limit we constrain the high energy cutoff to be
350 keV < E < 25 MeV. Line emission from both near-neutral iron K_alpha at 6.39
keV and highly ionised iron, from Fe_(xxv) and Fe_(xxvi), is strongly detected
in the Suzaku spectrum, further confirming the results of previous observations
with Chandra and XMM-Newton. We find the centroid energies for the Fe_(xxv) and
Fe_(xxvi) emission to be 6.60 keV and 6.95 keV respectively, with the latter
appearing to be resolved in the Suzaku spectrum. We show that the Fe_(xxv) and
Fe_(xxvi) emission can result from a highly photo-ionised plasma of column
density N_(H) ~ 3 x 10^(23) cm^(-2). A Compton reflection component, e.g.,
originating from an optically-thick accretion disc or a Compton-thick torus,
appears either very weak or absent in this AGN, subtending < 1 sr to the X-ray
source, consistent with previous findings. Indeed the absence of either neutral
or ionised Compton reflection coupled with the lack of any relativistic Fe K
signatures in the spectrum suggests that an inner, optically-thick accretion
disc is absent in this source. Instead, the accretion disc could be truncated
with the inner regions perhaps replaced by a Compton-thin Radiatively
Inefficient Accretion Flow. Thus, the Fe_(xxv) and Fe_(xxvi) emission could
both originate in ionised material perhaps at the transition region between the
hot, inner flow and the cold, truncated accretion disc on the order of 10^(3) -
10^(4) gravitational radii from the black hole. The origin for the unresolved
neutral Fe K_alpha emission is then likely to be further out, perhaps
originating in the optical BLR or a Compton-thin pc-scale torus.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication by MNRA
Collective behavior of stock price movements in an emerging market
To investigate the universality of the structure of interactions in different
markets, we analyze the cross-correlation matrix C of stock price fluctuations
in the National Stock Exchange (NSE) of India. We find that this emerging
market exhibits strong correlations in the movement of stock prices compared to
developed markets, such as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). This is shown to
be due to the dominant influence of a common market mode on the stock prices.
By comparison, interactions between related stocks, e.g., those belonging to
the same business sector, are much weaker. This lack of distinct sector
identity in emerging markets is explicitly shown by reconstructing the network
of mutually interacting stocks. Spectral analysis of C for NSE reveals that,
the few largest eigenvalues deviate from the bulk of the spectrum predicted by
random matrix theory, but they are far fewer in number compared to, e.g., NYSE.
We show this to be due to the relative weakness of intra-sector interactions
between stocks, compared to the market mode, by modeling stock price dynamics
with a two-factor model. Our results suggest that the emergence of an internal
structure comprising multiple groups of strongly coupled components is a
signature of market development.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figure
Portfolio Optimization and the Random Magnet Problem
Diversification of an investment into independently fluctuating assets
reduces its risk. In reality, movement of assets are are mutually correlated
and therefore knowledge of cross--correlations among asset price movements are
of great importance. Our results support the possibility that the problem of
finding an investment in stocks which exposes invested funds to a minimum level
of risk is analogous to the problem of finding the magnetization of a random
magnet. The interactions for this ``random magnet problem'' are given by the
cross-correlation matrix {\bf \sf C} of stock returns. We find that random
matrix theory allows us to make an estimate for {\bf \sf C} which outperforms
the standard estimate in terms of constructing an investment which carries a
minimum level of risk.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, revte
Optimal Investment in the Development of Oil and Gas Field
Let an oil and gas field consists of clusters in each of which an investor
can launch at most one project. During the implementation of a particular
project, all characteristics are known, including annual production volumes,
necessary investment volumes, and profit. The total amount of investments that
the investor spends on developing the field during the entire planning period
we know. It is required to determine which projects to implement in each
cluster so that, within the total amount of investments, the profit for the
entire planning period is maximum.
The problem under consideration is NP-hard. However, it is solved by dynamic
programming with pseudopolynomial time complexity. Nevertheless, in practice,
there are additional constraints that do not allow solving the problem with
acceptable accuracy at a reasonable time. Such restrictions, in particular, are
annual production volumes. In this paper, we considered only the upper
constraints that are dictated by the pipeline capacity. For the investment
optimization problem with such additional restrictions, we obtain qualitative
results, propose an approximate algorithm, and investigate its properties.
Based on the results of a numerical experiment, we conclude that the developed
algorithm builds a solution close (in terms of the objective function) to the
optimal one
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