960 research outputs found
On the observability of T Tauri accretion shocks in the X-ray band
Context. High resolution X-ray observations of classical T Tauri stars
(CTTSs) show a soft X-ray excess due to high density plasma (n_e=10^11-10^13
cm^-3). This emission has been attributed to shock-heated accreting material
impacting onto the stellar surface. Aims. We investigate the observability of
the shock-heated accreting material in the X-ray band as a function of the
accretion stream properties (velocity, density, and metal abundance) in the
case of plasma-beta<<1 in the post-shock zone. Methods. We use a 1-D
hydrodynamic model describing the impact of an accretion stream onto the
chromosphere, including the effects of radiative cooling, gravity and thermal
conduction. We explore the space of relevant parameters and synthesize from the
model results the X-ray emission in the [0.5-8.0] keV band and in the resonance
lines of O VII (21.60 Ang) and Ne IX (13.45 Ang), taking into account the
absorption from the chromosphere. Results. The accretion stream properties
influence the temperature and the stand-off height of the shocked slab and its
sinking in the chromosphere, determining the observability of the shocked
plasma. Our model predicts that X-ray observations preferentially detect
emission from low density and high velocity shocked accretion streams due to
the large absorption of dense post-shock plasma. In all the cases examined, the
post-shock zone exhibits quasi-periodic oscillations due to thermal
instabilities, but in the case of inhomogeneous streams and beta<<1, the shock
oscillations are hardly detectable. Conclusions. We suggest that, if accretion
streams are inhomogeneous, the selection effect introduced by the absorption on
observable plasma components may explain the discrepancy between the accretion
rate measured by optical and X-ray data as well as the different densities
measured using different He-like triplets in the X-ray band.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication on A&
Precision Electron-Beam Polarimetry using Compton Scattering at 1 GeV
We report on the highest precision yet achieved in the measurement of the
polarization of a low energy, (1 GeV), electron beam, accomplished
using a new polarimeter based on electron-photon scattering, in Hall~C at
Jefferson Lab. A number of technical innovations were necessary, including a
novel method for precise control of the laser polarization in a cavity and a
novel diamond micro-strip detector which was able to capture most of the
spectrum of scattered electrons. The data analysis technique exploited track
finding, the high granularity of the detector and its large acceptance. The
polarization of the A, ~GeV electron beam was measured with a
statistical precision of ~1\% per hour and a systematic uncertainty of
0.59\%. This exceeds the level of precision required by the \qweak experiment,
a measurement of the vector weak charge of the proton. Proposed future
low-energy experiments require polarization uncertainty ~0.4\%, and this
result represents an important demonstration of that possibility. This
measurement is also the first use of diamond detectors for particle tracking in
an experiment.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, published in PR
Quantitative Treatment of Decoherence
We outline different approaches to define and quantify decoherence. We argue
that a measure based on a properly defined norm of deviation of the density
matrix is appropriate for quantifying decoherence in quantum registers. For a
semiconductor double quantum dot qubit, evaluation of this measure is reviewed.
For a general class of decoherence processes, including those occurring in
semiconductor qubits, we argue that this measure is additive: It scales
linearly with the number of qubits.Comment: Revised version, 26 pages, in LaTeX, 3 EPS figure
Project overview and update on WEAVE: the next generation wide-field spectroscopy facility for the William Herschel Telescope
We present an overview of and status report on the WEAVE next-generation
spectroscopy facility for the William Herschel Telescope (WHT). WEAVE
principally targets optical ground-based follow up of upcoming ground-based
(LOFAR) and space-based (Gaia) surveys. WEAVE is a multi-object and multi-IFU
facility utilizing a new 2-degree prime focus field of view at the WHT, with a
buffered pick-and-place positioner system hosting 1000 multi-object (MOS)
fibres, 20 integral field units, or a single large IFU for each observation.
The fibres are fed to a single spectrograph, with a pair of 8k(spectral) x 6k
(spatial) pixel cameras, located within the WHT GHRIL enclosure on the
telescope Nasmyth platform, supporting observations at R~5000 over the full
370-1000nm wavelength range in a single exposure, or a high resolution mode
with limited coverage in each arm at R~20000. The project is now in the final
design and early procurement phase, with commissioning at the telescope
expected in 2017.Comment: 11 pages, 11 Figures, Summary of a presentation to Astronomical
Telescopes and Instrumentation 201
A novel comparison of Moller and Compton electron-beam polarimeters
We have performed a novel comparison between electron-beam polarimeters based on Moller and Compton scattering. A sequence of electron-beam polarization measurements were performed at low beam currents (\u3c 5 mu A) during the Qweakexperiment in Hall-Cat Jefferson Lab. These low current measurements were bracketed by the regular high current ( 180 mu A) operation of the Compton polarimeter. All measurements were found to be consistent within experimental uncertainties of 1% or less, demonstrating that electron polarization does not depend significantly on the beam current. This result lends confidence to the common practice of applying Moller measurements made at low beam currents to physics experiments performed at higher beam currents. The agreement between two polarimetry techniques based on independent physical processes sets an important benchmark for future precision asymmetry measurements that require sub-1% precision in polarimetry. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V
H.E.S.S. observations of gamma-ray bursts in 2003-2007
Very-high-energy (VHE; >~100 GeV) gamma-rays are expected from gamma-ray
bursts (GRBs) in some scenarios. Exploring this photon energy regime is
necessary for understanding the energetics and properties of GRBs. GRBs have
been one of the prime targets for the H.E.S.S. experiment, which makes use of
four Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) to detect VHE gamma-rays.
Dedicated observations of 32 GRB positions were made in the years 2003-2007 and
a search for VHE gamma-ray counterparts of these GRBs was made. Depending on
the visibility and observing conditions, the observations mostly start minutes
to hours after the burst and typically last two hours. Results from
observations of 22 GRB positions are presented and evidence of a VHE signal was
found neither in observations of any individual GRBs, nor from stacking data
from subsets of GRBs with higher expected VHE flux according to a
model-independent ranking scheme. Upper limits for the VHE gamma-ray flux from
the GRB positions were derived. For those GRBs with measured redshifts,
differential upper limits at the energy threshold after correcting for
absorption due to extra-galactic background light are also presented.Comment: 9 pages, 4 tables, 3 figure
Discovery of VHE gamma-rays from the high-frequency-peaked BL Lac object RGB J0152+017
Aims: The BL Lac object RGB J0152+017 (z=0.080) was predicted to be a very
high-energy (VHE; > 100 GeV) gamma-ray source, due to its high X-ray and radio
fluxes. Our aim is to understand the radiative processes by investigating the
observed emission and its production mechanism using the High Energy
Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) experiment. Methods: We report recent
observations of the BL Lac source RGB J0152+017 made in late October and
November 2007 with the H.E.S.S. array consisting of four imaging atmospheric
Cherenkov telescopes. Contemporaneous observations were made in X-rays by the
Swift and RXTE satellites, in the optical band with the ATOM telescope, and in
the radio band with the Nancay Radio Telescope. Results: A signal of 173
gamma-ray photons corresponding to a statistical significance of 6.6 sigma was
found in the data. The energy spectrum of the source can be described by a
powerlaw with a spectral index of 2.95+/-0.36stat+/-0.20syst. The integral flux
above 300 GeV corresponds to ~2% of the flux of the Crab nebula. The source
spectral energy distribution (SED) can be described using a two-component
non-thermal synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) leptonic model, except in the
optical band, which is dominated by a thermal host galaxy component. The
parameters that are found are very close to those found in similar SSC studies
in TeV blazars. Conclusions: RGB J0152+017 is discovered as a source of VHE
gamma-rays by H.E.S.S. The location of its synchrotron peak, as derived from
the SED in Swift data, allows clearly classification it as a
high-frequency-peaked BL Lac (HBL).Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A Letters (5 pages, 4 figures
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