6,607 research outputs found
Subpixel Spatial Resolution of the X-Ray Charge-Coupled Device Based on the Charge Cloud Shape
When an X-ray photon lands into a pixel (event pixel), the primary charge is
mainly collected into the event pixel. If the X-ray landing position is
sufficiently close to the pixel boundary, the primary charge spills over to the
adjacent pixel forming split events. We can easily understand that there are
three parameters coupled together; the X-ray landing position inside the pixel,
the X-ray event pattern and the primary charge cloud shape. We can determine
any one of them from the other two parameters. Since we know the charge cloud
shape using the multi-pitch mesh experiment, we can calculate the X-ray landing
position with subpixel resolution using the event pattern. We applied our
method to Ti-K X-rays for the charge-coupled device with m square
pixel. Once the primary charge splits into the adjacent pixel, we can determine
the X-ray landing position with subpixel resolution. Using three- or four-pixel
split events, we can determine the X-ray landing position with an accuracy of
less than m. For a two-pixel split event, we obtained a similar position
accuracy in the split direction with no improvement in the direction
perpendicular to it. We will discuss the type of CCD which can achieve the
subpixel resolution for the entire area of the CCD.Comment: 16pages, 5 figures. To appear in Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. March, 200
On the Nature of AX J2049.6+2939 and AX J2050.0+2914
AX J2049.6+2939 is a compact X-ray source in the vicinity of the southern
blow-up region of the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant (Miyata et al. 1998a). This
source was the brightest X-ray source inside the
Cygnus Loop observed during the ASCA survey project. The X-ray spectrum was
well fitted by a power-law function with a photon index of . Short-term timing analysis was performed and no coherent pulsation
was found. Follow-up observations with ASCA have revealed a large variation in
X-ray intensity by a factor of 50, whereas the spectral shape did not
change within the statistical uncertainties. In the second ASCA observation, we
found another X-ray source, AX J2050.0+2941, at the north east of AX
J2049.6+2939. During the three ASCA observations, the X-ray intensity of AX
J2050.0+2941 varied by a factor of 4. No coherent pulsations could be
found for AX J2050.0+2941.
We have performed optical photometric and spectroscopic observations in the
vicinity of AX J2049.6+2939 at the Kitt Peak National Observatory
(KPNO). As a result, all objects brighter than -band magnitude of 22 in
the error box can be identified with normal stars. Combined with the
X-ray results and the fact that there are no radio counterparts, AX
J2049.6+2939 is not likely to be either an ordinary rotation-powered pulsar
or an AGN. The nature of AX J2049.6+2939 is still unclear and further
observations over a wide energy band are strongly required.
As to AX J2050.0+2941, the long-term X-ray variability and the radio
counterpart suggests that it is an AGN.Comment: 23 pages, 4 figures, Accepted for publication by Astrophysical
Journa
Chandra Observations of the Northeastern Rim of the Cygnus Loop
We present results from spatially resolved spectral analyses of the
northeastern (NE) rim of the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant (SNR) based on two
Chandra observations. One pointing includes northern outermost
abundance-enhanced regions discovered by recent Suzaku observations, while the
other pointing is located on regions with "normal" abundances in the NE rim of
the Cygnus Loop. The superior spatial resolving power of Chandra allows us to
reveal that the abundance-enhanced region is concentrated in an about
200"-thickness region behind the shock front. We confirm absolute metal
abundances (i.e., relative to H) as well as abundance ratios between metals are
consistent with those of the solar values within a factor of about 2. Also, we
find that the emission measure in the region gradually decreases toward the
shock front. These features are in contrast with those of the ejecta fragments
around the Vela SNR, which leads us to believe that the abundance enhancements
are not likely due to metal-rich ejecta. We suggest that the origin of the
plasma in this region is the interstellar medium (ISM). In the "normal"
abundance regions, we confirm that abundances are depleted to the solar values
by a factor of about 5 that is not expected in the ISM around the Cygnus Loop.
Introduction of non-thermal emission in our model fitting can not naturally
resolve the abundance-depletion problem. The origin of the depletion still
remains as an open question.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figure
Nonthermal X-Ray Emission from G266.2-1.2 (RX J0852.0-4622)
The newly discovered supernova remnant G266.2-1.2 (RX J0852.0-4622), along
the line of sight to the Vela SNR, was observed with ASCA for 120 ks. We find
that the X-ray spectrum is featureless, and well described by a power law,
extending to three the class of shell-type SNRs dominated by nonthermal X-ray
emission. Although the presence of the Vela SNR compromises our ability to
accurately determine the column density, the GIS data appear to indicate
absorption considerably in excess of that for Vela itself, indicating that
G266.2-1.2 may be several times more distant. An unresolved central source may
be an associated neutron star, though difficulties with this interpretation
persist.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, uses aipproc.sty & epsfig.sty. To appear in
"Young Supernova Remnants" (11th Annual Astrophysics Conference in Maryland),
S. S. Holt & U. Hwang (eds), AIP, New York (2001
Chandra X-ray Observation of a Mature Cloud-Shock Interaction in the Bright Eastern Knot Region of Puppis A
We present Chandra X-ray images and spectra of the most prominent cloud-shock
interaction region in the Puppis A supernova remnant. The Bright Eastern Knot
(BEK) has two main morphological components: (1) a bright compact knot that
lies directly behind the apex of an indentation in the eastern X-ray boundary
and (2) lying 1' westward behind the shock, a curved vertical structure (bar)
that is separated from a smaller bright cloud (cap) by faint diffuse emission.
Based on hardness images and spectra, we identify the bar and cap as a single
shocked interstellar cloud. Its morphology strongly resembles the ``voided
sphere'' structures seen at late times in Klein et al.'s experimental
simulations of cloud-shock interactions, when the crushing of the cloud by
shear instabilities is well underway. We infer an interaction time of roughly 3
cloud-crushing timescales, which translates to 2000-4000 years, based on the
X-ray temperature, physical size, and estimated expansion of the shocked cloud.
This is the first X-ray identified example of a cloud-shock interaction in this
advanced phase. Closer to the shock front, the X-ray emission of the compact
knot in the eastern part of the BEK region implies a recent interaction with
relatively denser gas, some of which lies in front of the remnant. The complex
spatial relationship of the X-ray emission of the compact knot to optical [O
III] emission suggests that there are multiple cloud interactions occurring
along the line of sight.Comment: 22 pages LaTeX with multiple figures, to appear in Ap
The Radial Structure of the Cygnus Loop Supernova Remnant --- Possible evidence of a cavity explosion ---
We observed the North-East (NE) Limb toward the center region of the Cygnus
Loop with the ASCA Observatory. We found a radial variation of electron
temperature (kTe) and ionization timescale (log(\tau)) whereas no variation
could be found for the abundances of heavy elements. In this paper, we
re-analyzed the same data set and new observations with the latest calibration
files. Then we constructed the precise spatial variations of kTe, log(\tau),
and abundances of O, Ne, Mg, Si, and Fe over the field of view (FOV). We found
a spatial variation not only in kTe and in log(\tau) but also in most of heavy
elements. As described in Miyata et al. (1994), values of kTe increase and
those of log(\tau) decrease toward the inner region. We found that the
abundance of heavy elements increases toward the inner region. The radial
profiles of O, Ne, and Fe show clear jump structures at a radius of 0.9 Rs,
where Rs is the shock radius. Outside of 0.9 Rs, abundances of all elements are
constant. On the contrary, inside of 0.9 Rs, abundances of these elements are
20--30 % larger than those obtained outside of 0.9 Rs. The radial profile of
kTe also shows the jump structure at 0.9 Rs. This means that the hot and metal
rich plasma fills the volume inside of 0.9 Rs. We concluded that this jump
structure was the possible evidence for the pre-existing cavity produced by the
precursor. If the ejecta fills inside of 0.9 Rs, the total mass of the ejecta
was roughly 4\Msun. We then estimated the main-sequence mass to be roughly
15\Msun, which supports the massive star in origin of the Cygnus Loop supernova
remnant and the existence of a pre-existing cavity.Comment: 37 pages, 14 figures. Accepted for publication of Ap
Influence of Model Accuracy on Load and Resistance Factor
Risk and Reliability in Geotechnical Engineerin
Reflection Shocked Gas in the Cygnus Loop Supernova Remnant
We performed spectroscopic X-ray observations of the eastern and northern
regions of the Cygnus Loop with the ASCA observatory. The
X-ray surface brightness of these regions shows a complex structure in the
ROSAT all-sky survey image. We carried out a spatially-resolved analysis for
both regions and found that did not increase toward the center
region, but showed inhomogeneous structures. Such variation cannot be explained
by a blast wave model propagating into a homogeneous interstellar medium. We
thus investigated the interaction between a blast wave and an interstellar
cloud. Two major emission mechanisms are plausible: a cloud evaporation model
and a reflection shock model. In both regions, only a reflection shock model
qualitatively explains our results. Our results suggest the existence of a
large-scale interstellar cloud. We suppose that such a large-scale structure
would be produced by a precursor.Comment: 27 pages, 15 figures. Accepted for publication of ApJ. High
resolution and color figures are available at
http://wwwxray.ess.sci.osaka-u.ac.jp/~miyata/paper/cygloop_reflection.pd
Equivariant log concavity and representation stability
We expand upon the notion of equivariant log concavity, and make equivariant log concavity conjectures for Orlik--Solomon algebras of matroids, Cordovil algebras of oriented matroids, and Orlik--Terao algebras of hyperplane arrangements. In the case of the Coxeter arrangement for the Lie algebra , we exploit the theory of representation stability to give computer assisted proofs of these conjectures in low degree
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