1,336 research outputs found
Sharp lines in the absorption edge of EuTe and PbEuTe in high magnetic fields
The optical absorption spectra in the region of the \fd transition energies
of epitaxial layers of of EuTe and \PbEuTe, grown by molecular beam epitaxy,
were studied using circularly polarized light, in the Faraday configuration.
Under \sigmam polarization a sharp symmetric absorption line (full width at
half-maximum 0.041 eV) emerges at the low energy side of the band-edge
absorption, for magnetic fields intensities greater than 6 T. The absorption
line shows a huge red shift (35 meV/T) with increasing magnetic fields. The
peak position of the absorption line as a function of magnetic field is
dominated by the {\em d-f} exchange interaction of the excited electron and the
\Euion spins in the lattice. The {\em d-f} exchange interaction energy was
estimated to be eV. In \PbEuTe the same absorption line
is detected, but it is broader, due to alloy disorder, indicating that the
excitation is localized within a finite radius. From a comparison of the
absorption spectra in EuTe and \PbEuTe the characteristic radius of the
excitation is estimated to be \AA.Comment: Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter (2004, at press
Reentrant valence transition in EuO at high pressures: beyond the bond-valence model
The pressure-dependent relation between Eu valence and lattice structure in
model compound EuO is studied with synchrotron-based x-ray spectroscopic and
diffraction techniques. Contrary to expectation, a 7% volume collapse at
45 GPa is accompanied by a reentrant Eu valence transition into a
\emph{lower} valence state. In addition to highlighting the need for probing
both structure and electronic states directly when valence information is
sought in mixed-valent systems, the results also show that widely used
bond-valence methods fail to quantitatively describe the complex electronic
valence behavior of EuO under pressure.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Polarised infrared emission from X-ray binary jets
Near-infrared (NIR) and optical polarimetric observations of a selection of
X-ray binaries are presented. The targets were observed using the Very Large
Telescope and the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope. We detect a significant
level (3 sigma) of linear polarisation in four sources. The polarisation is
found to be intrinsic (at the > 3 sigma level) in two sources; GRO J1655-40 (~
4-7% in H and Ks-bands during an outburst) and Sco X-1 (~ 0.1-0.9% in H and K),
which is stronger at lower frequencies. This is likely to be the signature of
optically thin synchrotron emission from the collimated jets in these systems,
whose presence indicates a partially-ordered magnetic field is present at the
inner regions of the jets. In Sco X-1 the intrinsic polarisation is variable
(and sometimes absent) in the H and K-bands. In the J-band (i.e. at higher
frequencies) the polarisation is not significantly variable and is consistent
with an interstellar origin. The optical light from GX 339-4 is also polarised,
but at a level and position angle consistent with scattering by interstellar
dust. The other polarised source is SS 433, which has a low level (0.5-0.8%) of
J-band polarisation, likely due to local scattering. The NIR counterparts of
GRO J0422+32, XTE J1118+480, 4U 0614+09 and Aql X-1 (which were all in or near
quiescence) have a linear polarisation level of < 16% (3 sigma upper limit,
some are < 6%). We discuss how such observations may be used to constrain the
ordering of the magnetic field close to the base of the jet in such systems.Comment: Accepted to be published in MNRAS; 13 pages, 6 figure
Recovery of the X-Ray Transient QX Nor (=X1608-52) in Outburst and Quiescence
We present optical and near-IR observations of QX Nor, the counterpart to the
recurrent soft X-ray transient X1608-52, after its reappearance following the
X-ray outburst in February 1996. The object has been seen only once before,
during an X-ray outburst in 1977. Data from 3-5 months after the outburst show
the counterpart at a mean magnitude of R=20.2 and variable on timescales of
days. A comparison with identical observations in 1995 implies that the object
has brightened by at least 1.8 mag in R following the X-ray outburst. We also
detected QX Nor in the IR in both quiescence and outburst. A faint source is
visible in the J but not the R band in May 1995. These first observations in
the quiescent state yield magnitudes and colors consistent with optical
emission from a low mass companion in the binary system, as is true in other
soft X-ray transients.Comment: 10 pages including 4 figures and 2 tables; Uses AASTeX 4.0; Accepted
for publication in The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 485, August 20, 199
The Gibbs paradox, Black hole entropy and the thermodynamics of isolated horizons
This letter presents a new, solely thermodynamical argument for considering
the states of the quantum isolated horizon of a black hole as distinguishable.
We claim that only if the states are distinguishable, the thermodynamic entropy
is an extensive quantity and can be well-defined. To show this, we make a
comparison with a classical ideal gas system whose statistical description
makes only sense if an additional 1/N!-factor is included in the state counting
in order to cure the Gibbs paradox. The case of the statistical description of
a quantum isolated horizon is elaborated, to make the claim evident.Comment: 8 pages, closest to the published version; taken from the author's
diploma thesi
New Results for Two Optically Faint Low Mass X-Ray Binary Systems
We present optical photometry of the low mass X-ray binary systems GX 349+2
and Ser X-1. Extensive VRI photometry of the faint optical counterpart (V=18.4)
to GX 349+2 reveals a period of 22.5 +/- 0.1 h and half-amplitude 0.2 mag. This
result confirms and extends our previously reported 22 h period. No color
change is detected over the orbit, although the limits are modest. We also
report the discovery of two new variable stars in the field of GX 349+2,
including a probable W UMa system. Ser X-1 is one of the most intense
persistent X-ray burst sources known. It is also one of only three burst
systems for which simultaneous optical and X-ray bursts have been observed. The
faint blue optical counterpart MM Ser (B~19.2) has long been known to have a
companion 2.1" distant. Our images indicate that MM Ser is itself a further
superposition of two stars, separated by only 1". At the very least, the ratio
of inferred burst to quiescent optical flux is affected by the discovery of
this additional component. In the worst case, the wrong object may have
previously been assumed as the optical counterpart.Comment: 16 pages including 10 figures and 3 tables; Uses AASTeX 4.0; Accepted
for publication in The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 490, November 20, 199
Valence and magnetic ordering in intermediate valence compounds : TmSe versus SmB6
The intermediate valent systems TmSe and SmB6 have been investigated up to 16
and 18 GPa by ac microcalorimetry with a pressure (p) tuning realized in situ
at low temperature. For TmSe, the transition from an antiferromagnetic
insulator for p<3 GPa to an antiferromagnetic metal at higher pressure has been
confirmed. A drastic change in the p variation of the Neel temperature (Tn) is
observed at 3 GPa. In the metallic phase (p>3 GPa), Tn is found to increase
linearly with p. A similar linear p increase of Tn is observed for the
quasitrivalent compound TmS which is at ambiant pressure equivalent to TmSe at
p=7 GPa. In the case of SmB6 long range magnetism has been detected above p=8
GPa, i.e. at a pressure slightly higher than the pressure of the insulator to
metal transition. However a homogeneous magnetic phase occurs only above 10
GPa. The magnetic and electronic properties are related to the renormalization
of the 4f wavefunction either to the divalent or the trivalent configurations.
As observed in SmS, long range magnetism in SmB6 occurs already far below the
pressure where a trivalent Sm3+ state will be reached. It seems possible, to
describe roughly the physical properties of the intermediate valence
equilibrium by assuming formulas for the Kondo lattice temperature depending on
the valence configuration. Comparison is also made with the appearance of long
range magnetism in cerium and ytterbium heavy fermion compounds.Comment: 22 pages including figure
Structure and Colors of Diffuse Emission in the Spitzer Galactic First Look Survey
We investigate the density structure of the interstellar medium using new
high-resolution maps of the 8 micron, 24 micron, and 70 micron surface
brightness towards a molecular cloud in the Gum Nebula, made as part of the
Spitzer Space Telescope Galactic First Look Survey. The maps are correlated
with 100 micron images measured with IRAS. At 24 and 70 micron, the spatial
power spectrum of surface brightness follows a power law with spectral index
-3.5. At 24 micron, the power law behavior is remarkably consistent from the
0.2 degree size of our maps down to the 5 arcsecond spatial resolution. Thus,
the structure of the 24 micron emission is self-similar even at milliparsec
scales. The combined power spectrum produced from Spitzer 24 micron and IRAS 25
micron images is consistent with a change in the power law exponent from -2.6
to -3.5. The decrease may be due to the transition from a two-dimensional to
three-dimensional structure. Under this hypothesis, we estimate the thickness
of the emitting medium to be 0.3 pc.Comment: 13 Pages, 3 Figures, to be published in Astrophysical Journal
Supplement Series (Spitzer Special Issue), volume 154. Uses aastex v5.
Biogenesis of the mitochondrial phosphate carrier
The mitochondrial phosphate carrier (PiC) is a member of the family of inner-membrane carrier proteins which are generally synthesized without a cleavable presequence. Surprisingly, the cDNA sequences of bovine and rat PiC suggested the existence of an amino-terminal extension sequence in the precursor of PiC. By expressing PiC in vitro, we found that PiC is indeed synthesized as a larger precursor. This precursor was imported and proteolytically processed by mitochondria, whereby the correct amino-terminus of the mature protein was generated. Import of PiC showed the characteristics of mitochondrial protein uptake, such as dependence on ATP and a membrane potential and involvement of contact sites between mitochondrial outer and inner membranes. The precursor imported in vitro was correctly assembled into the functional form, demonstrating that the authentic import and assembly pathway of PiC was reconstituted when starting with the presequence-carrying precursor. These results are discussed in connection with the recently postulated role of PiC as an import receptor located in the outer membrane
BeppoSAX observation of the eclipsing dipping X-ray binary X1658-298
Results of a 2000 August 12-13 BeppoSAX observation of the 7.1 hr eclipsing,
dipping, bursting, transient, low-mass X-ray binary (LMXRB) X1658-298 are
presented. The spectrum outside of eclipses, dips and bursts can be modeled by
the combination of a soft disk-blackbody and a harder Comptonized component
with a small amount (1.3 10E21 atom/cm2) of low-energy absorption. In contrast,
an RXTE observation 18 months earlier during the same outburst, measured an
absorption of 5.0 10E22 atom/cm2. Such a change is consistent with a thinning
of the accretion disk as the outburst progresses. Structured residuals from the
best-fit spectral model are present which are tentatively identified with
Ne-K/Fe-L and Fe-K shell emission. The spectral changes during dips are complex
and may be modeled by a strong (~3 10E23 atom/cm2) increase in absorption of
the Comptonized component only, together with reductions in normalizations of
both spectral components. This behavior is in contrast to the ``complex
continuum'' model for X-ray dip sources, where the softer blackbody component
rapidly suffers strong absorption. It is however, similar to that found during
recent XMM-Newton observations of the eclipsing, dipping, LMXRB EXO0748-676.Comment: 11 pages. Accepted for publication in A&A
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