9,454 research outputs found
XMM-Newton observations of three poor clusters: Similarity in dark matter and entropy profiles down to low mass
(Abridged) We present an analysis of the mass and entropy profiles of three
poor clusters (A1991, A2717 and MKW9) observed with XMM-Newton. The clusters
have similar temperatures (kT=2.65, 2.53 and 2.58 keV), and similar redshifts
(0.04 < z < 0.06). We trace the surface brightness, temperature, entropy and
integrated mass profiles up to 0.5 (0.35 for MKW9) of the virial radius
(r_200). The integrated mass profiles are very similar in physical units and
are reasonably well fitted with the NFW mass model with concentration
parameters of c_200=4-6 and M_200=1.2-1.6 X 10^14 h_70^-1 \msun. The entropy
profiles are similar at large scale, but there is some scatter in the central
region (r<50 kpc). None of the clusters has an isentropic core. Including XMM
data on A1983 (kT=2.2 keV), and A1413 (kT = 6.5 keV), we discuss the structural
and scaling properties of cluster mass and entropy profiles. The scaled mass
profiles display <20% dispersion in the 0.05 - 0.5 r_200 radial range. The
c_200 parameters of these clusters, and other values from the literature, are
fully consistent with the c_200 - M_200 relation derived from simulations. The
dispersion in scaled entropy profiles is small, implying self-similarity down
to low mass (kT ~2 keV), and is reduced by 30-40% (to ~20%) if we use the
empirical relation S \propto T^0.65 instead of the standard self-similar
relation, S \propto T. The mean scaled profile is well fitted by a power law
for 0.05 < r_200 < 0.5, with a slope slightly lower than expected from pure
shock heating (\alpha = 0.94+/-0.14), and a normalisation at 0.1 r_200
consistent with previous studies. The gas history thus likely depends both on
gravitational processes and the interplay between cooling and various galaxy
feedback mechanisms.Comment: Final refereed version to appear in A&A. Minor changes. 15 pages, 12
figures (Figs 1 & 3 low res
Research in LMSS propagation
The Virginia Tech Satellite Communications Group has participated in the Land Mobile Satellite System (LMSS) program through JPL sponsorship since 1985. Involvement has mainly been in modeling and simulation of propagation characteristics and effects. Models developed to predict cummulative fade distributions for fading LMSS signals include LMSSMOD and the Simple Models which approximate LMSSMOD. Models to predict the mean and standard deviation of signal attenuation through roadside vegetation, namely the Average Path Model, were developed. In the area of simulation, efforts have centered around the development of a software simulator that uses data bases derived from experimental data to generate simulated data with arbitrary statistical behavior. This work has progressed to the development of an integrated analysis and simulation package, LIPS. The basic theory and results for the models and simulator have been previously documented in reports and papers. All LMSS activities are summarized and details of this year's efforts are given
Calibration of the galaxy cluster M_500-Y_X relation with XMM-Newton
The quantity Y_ X, the product of the X-ray temperature T_ X and gas mass M_
g, has recently been proposed as a robust low-scatter mass indicator for galaxy
clusters. Using precise measurements from XMM-Newton data of a sample of 10
relaxed nearby clusters, spanning a Y_ X range of 10^13 -10^15 M_sun keV, we
investigate the M_500-Y_ X relation. The M_500 - Y_ X data exhibit a power law
relation with slope alpha=0.548 \pm 0.027, close to the self-similar value
(3/5) and independent of the mass range considered. However, the normalisation
is \sim 20% below the prediction from numerical simulations including cooling
and galaxy feedback. We discuss two effects that could contribute to the
normalisation offset: an underestimate of the true mass due to the HE
assumption used in X-ray mass estimates, and an underestimate of the hot gas
mass fraction in the simulations. A comparison of the functional form and
scatter of the relations between various observables and the mass suggest that
Y_ X may indeed be a better mass proxy than T_ X or M_g,500.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Proximity-induced density-of-states oscillations in a superconductor/strong-ferromagnet system
We have measured the evolution of the tunneling density of states (DOS) in
superconductor/ferromagnet (S/F) bilayers with increasing F-layer thickness,
where F in our experiment is the strong ferromagnet Ni. As a function of
increasing Ni thickness, we detect multiple oscillations in the DOS at the
Fermi energy from differential conductance measurements. The features in the
DOS associated with the proximity effect change from normal to inverted twice
as the Ni thickness increases from 1 to 5 nm.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Oxidized basalts on the surface of Venus: Compositional implications of measured spectral properties
Venera Lander reflectance data are compared with high temperature spectra of the same basaltic materials. The dark, flat unoxidized basalts are still inconsistent with the Venera data in the near-infrared. Basaltic material with a ferric component, however, would satisfy both the increase in reflectance beyond 0.7 microns as well as the dark, relatively colorless character in the visible. Therefore, it is concluded that besaltic surfaces of Venus represented by these measurements either contain minerals with uncommon characteristics, or, more likely, are relatively oxidized
The hot gas content of fossil galaxy clusters
We investigate the properties of the hot gas in four fossil galaxy systems
detected at high significance in the Planck Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) survey.
XMM-Newton observations reveal overall temperatures of kT ~ 5-6 keV and yield
hydrostatic masses M500,HE > 3.5 x 10e14 Msun, confirming their nature as bona
fide massive clusters. We measure the thermodynamic properties of the hot gas
in X-rays (out to beyond R500 in three cases) and derive their individual
pressure profiles out to R ~ 2.5 R500 with the SZ data. We combine the X-ray
and SZ data to measure hydrostatic mass profiles and to examine the hot gas
content and its radial distribution. The average Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW)
concentration parameter, c500 = 3.2 +/- 0.4, is the same as that of relaxed
`normal' clusters. The gas mass fraction profiles exhibit striking variation in
the inner regions, but converge to approximately the cosmic baryon fraction
(corrected for depletion) at R500. Beyond R500 the gas mass fraction profiles
again diverge, which we interpret as being due to a difference in gas clumping
and/or a breakdown of hydrostatic equilibrium in the external regions. Overall
our observations point to considerable radial variation in the hot gas content
and in the gas clumping and/or hydrostatic equilibrium properties in these
fossil clusters, at odds with the interpretation of their being old, evolved
and undisturbed. At least some fossil objects appear to be dynamically young.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in A&
Optical and ROSAT X-ray observations of the dwarf nova OY Carinae in superoutburst and quiescence
We present ROSAT X-ray and optical light curves of the 1994 February
superoutburst of the eclipsing SU UMa dwarf nova OY Carinae. There is no
eclipse of the flux in the ROSAT HRI light curve. Contemporaneous `wide B' band
optical light curves show extensive superhump activity and dips at superhump
maximum. Eclipse mapping of these optical light curves reveals a disc with a
considerable physical flare, even three days into the superoutburst decline.
We include a later (1994 July) ROSAT PSPC observation of OY Car that allows
us to put constraints on the quiescent X-ray spectrum. We find that while there
is little to choose between OY Car and its fellow high inclination systems with
regard to the temperature of the emitting gas and the emission measure, we have
difficulties reconciling the column density found from our X-ray observation
with the column found in HST UV observations by Horne et al. (1994). The
obvious option is to invoke time variability.Comment: 16 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Manipulating Current-Induced Magnetization Switching
We summarize our recent findings on how current-driven magnetization
switching and magnetoresistance in nanofabricated magnetic multilayers are
affected by varying the spin-scattering properties of the non-magnetic spacers,
the relative orientations of the magnetic layers, and spin-dependent scattering
properties of the interfaces and the bulk of the magnetic layers. We show how
our data are explained in terms of current-dependent effective magnetic
temperature.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, submitted to MMM'04 proceeding
An XMM-Newton observation of the nova-like variable UX UMa: spatially and spectrally resolved two-component X-ray emission
In the optical and ultraviolet regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, UX
Ursae Majoris is a deeply eclipsing cataclysmic variable. However, no soft
X-ray eclipse was detected in ROSAT observations. We have obtained a 38 ksec
XMM-Newton observation to further constrain the origin of the X-rays. The
combination of spectral and timing information allows us to identify two
components in the X-ray emission of the system. The soft component, dominant
below photon energies of 2 keV, can be fitted with a multi-temperature plasma
model and is uneclipsed. The hard component, dominant above 3 keV, can be
fitted with a kT ~ 5 keV plasma model and appears to be deeply eclipsed. We
suggest that the most likely source of the hard X-ray emission in UX UMa, and
other systems in high mass transfer states, is the boundary layer.Comment: To appear in MNRAS Letter
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