XMM-Newton observations of SDSS J143030.22−-001115.1: an unusually flat spectrum AGN

We present XMM observations of the AGN SDSS 1430-0011. The low S/N spectrum of this source obtained in a snap shot Chandra observation showed an unusually flat continuum. With the follow up XMM observations we find that the source spectrum is complex; it either has an ionized absorber or a partially covering absorber. The underlying power-law is in the normal range observed for AGNs. The low luminosity of the source during Chandra observations can be understood in terms of variations in the absorber properties. The X-ray and optical properties of this source are such that it cannot be securely classified as either a narrow line Seyfert 1 or a broad line Seyfert 1 galaxy.Comment: Submitted to A

Radioactive Iron Rain: Transporting 60^{60}Fe in Supernova Dust to the Ocean Floor

Several searches have found evidence of $^{60}$Fe deposition, presumably from a near-Earth supernova (SN), with concentrations that vary in different locations on Earth. This paper examines various influences on the path of interstellar dust carrying $^{60}$Fe from a SN through the heliosphere, with the aim of estimating the final global distribution on the ocean floor. We study the influences of magnetic fields, angle of arrival, wind and ocean cycling of SN material on the concentrations at different locations. We find that the passage of SN material through the mesosphere/lower thermosphere (MLT) is the greatest influence on the final global distribution, with ocean cycling causing lesser alteration as the SN material sinks to the ocean floor. SN distance estimates in previous works that assumed a uniform distribution are a good approximation. Including the effects on surface distributions, we estimate a distance of $46^{+10}_{-6}$ pc for a $8-10 \ M_{\odot}$ SN progenitor. This is consistent with a SN occurring within the Tuc-Hor stellar group $\sim$2.8 Myr ago with SN material arriving on Earth $\sim$2.2 Myr ago. We note that the SN dust retains directional information to within $1^{\circ}$ through its arrival in the inner Solar System, so that SN debris deposition on inert bodies such as the Moon will be anisotropic, and thus could in principle be used to infer directional information. In particular, we predict that existing lunar samples should show measurable $^{60}$Fe differences.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures. Comments welcom

Astrophysical Shrapnel: Discriminating Among Near-Earth Stellar Explosion Sources of Live Radioactive Isotopes

We consider the production and deposition on Earth of isotopes with half-lives in the range 10$^{5}$ to 10$^{8}$ years that might provide signatures of nearby stellar explosions, extending previous analyses of Core-Collapse Supernovae (CCSNe) to include Electron-Capture Supernovae (ECSNe), Super-Asymptotic Giant Branch (SAGBs) stars, Thermonuclear/Type Ia Supernovae (TNSNe), and Kilonovae/Neutron Star Mergers (KNe). We revisit previous estimates of the $^{60}$Fe and $^{26}$Al signatures, and extend these estimates to include $^{244}$Pu and $^{53}$Mn. We discuss interpretations of the $^{60}$Fe signals in terrestrial and lunar reservoirs in terms of a nearby stellar ejection ~2.2 Myr ago, showing that (i) the $^{60}$Fe yield rules out the TNSN and KN interpretations, (ii) the $^{60}$Fe signals highly constrain a SAGB interpretation but do not completely them rule out, (iii) are consistent with a CCSN origin, and (iv) are highly compatible with an ECSN interpretation. Future measurements could resolve the radioisotope deposition over time, and we use the Sedov blast wave solution to illustrate possible time-resolved profiles. Measuring such profiles would independently probe the blast properties including distance, and would provide additional constraints the nature of the explosion.Comment: 38 pages, 6 figures. Comments welcom

Bell's Theorem from Moore's Theorem

It is shown that the restrictions of what can be inferred from classically-recorded observational outcomes that are imposed by the no-cloning theorem, the Kochen-Specker theorem and Bell's theorem also follow from restrictions on inferences from observations formulated within classical automata theory. Similarities between the assumptions underlying classical automata theory and those underlying universally-unitary quantum theory are discussed.Comment: 12 pages; to appear in Int. J. General System

Comparison of measured and calculated temperatures for a Mach 8 hypersonic wing test structure

Structural temperatures were measured on a hypersonic wing test structure during a heating test that simulated a Mach 8 thermal environment. Measured data are compared to design calculations and temperature predictions obtained from a finite-difference thermal analysis