33,768 research outputs found
[CI], [CII] and CO emission lines as a probe for alpha variations at low and high redshifts
The offsets between the radial velocities of the rotational transitions of
carbon monoxide and the fine structure transitions of neutral and singly
ionized carbon are used to test the hypothetical variation of the fine
structure constant, alpha. From the analysis of the [CI] and [CII] fine
structure lines and low J rotational lines of 12CO and 13CO, emitted by the
dark cloud L1599B in the Milky Way disk, we find no evidence for fractional
changes in alpha at the level of || < 3*10^-7. For the
neighbour galaxy M33 a stringent limit on Delta alpha/alpha is set from
observations of three HII zones in [CII] and CO emission lines: || < 4*10^-7. Five systems over the redshift interval z = 5.7-6.4,
showing CO J=6-5, J=7-6 and [CII] emission, yield a limit on || < 1.3*10^-5. Thus, a combination of the [CI], [CII], and CO
emission lines turns out to be a powerful tool for probing the stability of the
fundamental physical constants over a wide range of redshifts not accessible to
optical spectral measurements.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, 5 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRA
Inductive and Electrostatic Acceleration in Relativistic Jet-Plasma Interactions
We report on the observation of rapid particle acceleration in numerical
simulations of relativistic jet-plasma interactions and discuss the underlying
mechanisms. The dynamics of a charge-neutral, narrow, electron-positron jet
propagating through an unmagnetized electron-ion plasma was investigated using
a three-dimensional, electromagnetic, particle-in-cell computer code. The
interaction excited magnetic filamentation as well as electrostatic plasma
instabilities. In some cases, the longitudinal electric fields generated
inductively and electrostatically reached the cold plasma wave-breaking limit,
and the longitudinal momentum of about half the positrons increased by 50% with
a maximum gain exceeding a factor of 2 during the simulation period. Particle
acceleration via these mechanisms occurred when the criteria for Weibel
instability were satisfied.Comment: Revised for Phys. Rev. Lett. Please see publised version for best
graphic
High-Energy emissions from the Pulsar/Be binary system PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213
PSR J2032+4127 is a radio-loud gamma-ray-emitting pulsar; it is orbiting
around a high-mass Be type star with a very long orbital period of 25-50years,
and is approaching periastron, which will occur in late 2017/early 2018. This
system comprises with a young pulsar and a Be type star, which is similar to
the so-called gamma-ray binary PSR~B1259-63/LS2883. It is expected therefore
that PSR J2032+4127 shows an enhancement of high-energy emission caused by the
interaction between the pulsar wind and Be wind/disk around periastron. Ho et
al. recently reported a rapid increase in the X-ray flux from this system. In
this paper, we also confirm a rapid increase in the X-ray flux along the orbit,
while the GeV flux shows no significant change. We discuss the high-energy
emissions from the shock caused by the pulsar wind and stellar wind interaction
and examine the properties of the pulsar wind in this binary system. We argue
that the rate of increase of the X-ray flux observed by Swift indicates (1) a
variation of the momentum ratio of the two-wind interaction region along the
orbit, or (2) an evolution of the magnetization parameter of the pulsar wind
with the radial distance from the pulsar. We also discuss the pulsar wind/Be
disk interaction at the periastron passage, and propose the possibility of
formation of an accretion disk around the pulsar. We model high-energy
emissions through the inverse-Compton scattering process of the
cold-relativistic pulsar wind off soft photons from the accretion disk.Comment: 18 pages, 23 figures, 1 Table, accepted for publication in Ap
The X-ray modulation of PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 during the Periastron Passage in 2017
We present the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory (Swift), Fermi Large Area
Telescope (Fermi-LAT), and Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) observations
of the gamma-ray binary PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213, of which the periastron
passage has just occurred in November 2017. In the Swift X-ray light curve, the
flux was steadily increasing before mid-October 2017, however, a sharp X-ray
dip on a weekly time-scale is seen during the periastron passage, followed by a
post-periastron X-ray flare lasting for ~20 days. We suggest that the X-ray dip
is caused by (i) an increase of the magnetization parameter at the shock, and
(ii) the suppression due to the Doppler boosting effect. The 20-day
post-periastron flare could be a consequence of the Be stellar disk passage by
the pulsar. An orbital GeV modulation is also expected in our model, however,
no significant variability is seen in the Fermi-LAT light curve. We suspect
that the GeV emission resulted from the interaction between the binary's
members is hidden behind the bright magnetospheric emission of the pulsar.
Pulsar gating technique would be useful to remove the magnetospheric emission
and recover the predicted GeV modulation, if an accurate radio timing solution
over the periastron passage is provided in the future.Comment: 6 pages, including 2 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap
Validation of the English and Chinese versions of the Quick-FLIC quality of life questionnaire.
A useful measure of quality of life should be easy and quick to complete. Recently, we reported the development and validation of a shortened Chinese version of the Functional Living Index-Cancer (FLIC), which we called the Quick-FLIC. In the present study of 327 English-speaking and 221 Chinese-speaking cancer patients, we validated the English version of the Quick-FLIC and further assessed the Chinese version. The 11 Quick-FLIC items were administered alongside the 11 remaining items of the full FLIC, but there appeared to be little context effect. Validity of the English version of the Quick-FLIC was attested by its strong correlation with two other measures of quality of life, and its ability to detect differences between patients with different performance status and treatment status (each P<0.001). Its internal consistency (alpha=0.86) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation=0.76) were also satisfactory. The measure was responsive to changes in performance status (P<0.001). The Chinese version showed similar characteristics. The Quick-FLIC behaved in ways that are highly comparable with the FLIC, even though the Quick-FLIC comprised only 11 items whereas the FLIC comprised 22. Further research is required to see whether the use of shorter instruments can improve data quality and response rates, but the fact that shorter instruments place less burden on the patients is itself inherently important
Screened Interaction and Self-Energy in an Infinitesimally Polarized Electron Gas via the Kukkonen-Overhauser Method
The screened electron-electron interaction and the
electron self-energy in an infinitesimally polarized electron gas are derived
by extending the approach of Kukkonen and Overhauser. Various quantities in the
expression for are identified in terms of the relevant
response functions of the electron gas. The self-energy is obtained from
by making use of the GW method which in this case
represents a consistent approximation. Contact with previous calculations is
made.Comment: 7 page
Tilting instability and other anomalies in the flux-lattice in some magnetic superconductors
The flux-line lattice in the compound , which has a tendency to
ferromagnetic order in the a-b plane is studied with external magnetic field
direction close to the c-axis. We show the existence of an instability where
the direction of flux-lines spontaneously tilts away from that of the applied
field near the onset of ferromagnetic order. The enhanced fluctuations in the
flux lattice and the square flux lattice recently observed are explained and
further experiments suggested.Comment: 12 pages, Latex file, no figur
- …