102 research outputs found
A uniform model of the massive spinning particle in any dimension
The general model of an arbitrary spin massive particle in any dimensional
space-time is derived on the basis of Kirillov - Kostant - Souriau approach. It
is shown that the model allows consistent coupling to an arbitrary background
of electromagnetic and gravitational fields.Comment: Latex, revised version of hep-th/981100
The Circum-Galactic Environment of Bright IRAS Galaxies
This paper studies systematically, for the first time, the circumgalactic
environment of bright IRAS galaxies as defined by Soifer et al. (1989). While
the role of gravitational interaction for luminous and ultraluminous IRAS
galaxies has been well established by various studies, the situation is by far
more obscure in the IR luminosity range of the bright IRAS sample, 10^{10}Lsol
< Lfir < 10^{11} Lsol. To easily identify nearby companion galaxies, the bright
IRAS sample was restricted to 87 objects with redshift range 0.008 < z < 0.018
and galactic latitude > 30^{o}. A control sample, selected from the Center for
Astrophysics redshift survey catalogue, includes 90 objects matching the Bright
IRAS sample for distribution of isophotal diameter, redshift, and morphological
type. From a search of nearby companion galaxies within 250 Kpc on the
second-generation Digitized Sky Survey (DSS-II), we found that the
circumgalactic environment of the Bright IRAS galaxies contains more large
companions than the galaxies in the optically selected control sample, and is
similar to that of Seyfert 2 galaxies. We found a weak correlation over a wide
range of far IR luminosity (10^9 Lsol < Lfir < 10^{12.5}Lsol) between projected
separation and Lfir, which confirms a very close relationship between star
formation rate of a galaxy and the strength of gravitational perturbations. We
also find that the far IR colors depend on whether a source is isolated or
interacting. Finally, we discuss the intrinsic difference and evolution
expectations for the bright IRAS galaxies and the control sample, as well as
the relationship between starbursting and active galaxies.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figs, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in Ap
The Murmur of the Sleeping Black Hole: Detection of Nuclear Ultraviolet Variability in LINER Galaxies
LINER nuclei, which are present in many nearby galactic bulges, may be the
manifestation of low-rate or low-radiative-efficiency accretion onto
supermassive central black holes. However, it has been unclear whether the
compact UV nuclear sources present in many LINERs are clusters of massive
stars, rather than being directly related to the accretion process. We have
used HST to monitor the UV variability of a sample of 17 galaxies with LINER
nuclei and compact nuclear UV sources. Fifteen of the 17 galaxies were observed
more than once, with two to five epochs per galaxy, spanning up to a year. We
detect significant variability in most of the sample, with peak-to-peak
amplitudes from a few percent to 50%. In most cases, correlated variations are
seen in two independent bands (F250W and F330W). Comparison to previous UV
measurements indicates, for many objects, long-term variations by factors of a
few over decade timescales. Variability is detected in LINERs with and without
detected compact radio cores, in LINERs that have broad H-alpha wings detected
in their optical spectra (``LINER 1's''), and in those that do not (``LINER
2s''). This variability demonstrates the existence of a non-stellar component
in the UV continuum of all types, and sets a lower limit to the luminosity of
this component. We note a trend in the UV color (F250W/F330W) with spectral
type - LINER 1s tend to be bluer than LINER 2s. This trend may indicate a link
between the shape of the nonstellar continuum and the presence or the
visibility of a broad-line region. In one target, the post-starburst galaxy NGC
4736, we detect variability in a previously noted UV source that is offset by
2.5" (60 pc in projection) from the nucleus. This may be the nearest example of
a binary active nucleus, and of the process leading to black hole merging.Comment: accepted to Ap
The bremsstrahlung equation for the spin motion in LHC
The influence of the bremsstrahlung on the spin motion is expressed by the
equation which is the analogue and generalization of the
Bargmann-Michel-Telegdi equation. The new constant is involved in this
equation. This constant can be immediately determined by the experimental
measurement of the spin motion, or it follows from the classical limit of
quantum electrodynamics with radiative corrections.Comment: 9 page
Bargmann-Michel-Telegdi equation and one-particle relativistic approach
A reexamination of the semiclassical approach of the relativistic electron
indicates a possible variation of its helicity for electric and magnetic static
fields applied along its global motion due to zitterbewegung effects,
proportional to the anomalous part of the magnetic moment.Comment: 10 pages, LATEX2E, uses amsb
Examining the Seyfert - Starburst Connection with Arcsecond Resolution Radio Continuum Observations
We compare the arcsecond-scale circumnuclear radio continuum properties
between five Seyfert and five starburst galaxies, concentrating on the search
for any structures that could imply a spatial or causal connection between the
nuclear activity and a circumnuclear starburst ring. No evidence is found in
the radio emission for a link between the triggering or feeding of nuclear
activity and the properties of circumnuclear star formation. Conversely, there
is no clear evidence of nuclear outflows or jets triggering activity in the
circumnuclear rings of star formation. Interestingly, the difference in the
angle between the apparent orientation of the most elongated radio emission and
the orientation of the major axis of the galaxy is on average larger in
Seyferts than in starburst galaxies, and Seyferts appear to have a larger
physical size scale of the circumnuclear radio continuum emission. The
concentration, asymmetry, and clumpiness parameters of radio continuum emission
in Seyferts and starbursts are comparable, as are the radial profiles of radio
continuum and near-infrared line emission. The circumnuclear star formation and
supernova rates do not depend on the level of nuclear activity. The radio
emission usually traces the near-infrared Br-gamma and H2 1-0 S(1) line
emission on large spatial scales, but locally their distributions are
different, most likely because of the effects of varying local magnetic fields
and dust absorption and scattering.Comment: 21 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astronomical
Journa
Analysis of the Interaction Effects in the Southern Galaxy Pair Tol1238-364 and ESO381-G009
In the context of the connection among galaxy-galaxy interaction, starbursts
and nuclear activity, we present and discuss a quantitative morphological
analysis based on BVR images and a detailed spectroscopic investigation of two
interacting galaxies, the Seyfert 2 Tol1238-364 (IC 3639) and its companion
ESO381-G009, forming a triple system with ESO381-G006. Broad-band optical
photometry is complemented by Halpha imaging, which provides information about
the distribution of star forming regions across the galaxies. Long-slit
spectroscopic data obtained at different position angles of the slit are
employed to determine the physical conditions of circumnuclear and extranuclear
regions. A mixture of thermal and non-thermal ionizing radiation is found in
the surroundings of the nucleus of Tol1238-364 and the energy budget supports
the presence of a circumnuclear starburst.Several regions in both the galaxies
show anomalous line ratios: additional ionization by shock-heating and low
ionization of some extranuclear HII regions are suggested as possible
explanations. An analysis of the emission-line profiles reveals the presence of
a broad Halpha component in the nuclear region of Tol1238-364. Independent
estimates of the star formation rates (SFR) were obtained through
flux-calibrated Halpha-images and FIR emission in the four IRAS bands. Overall
SFR densities have been compared with the SFR densities derived from Halpha
emission in the individual regions of the galaxies sampled by long-slit
spectra. In both galaxies an enhancement of the star formation activity with
respect to isolated galaxies is revealed. The prevalence of starburst or
nuclear activity has been examined through FIR color indices. The interaction
scenario is discussed on the basis of the observed galaxy properties.Comment: Tentatively scheduled for publication in ApJS, v184 n2 October 2003
issue. A version with full resolution figures is available as unedited
preprint at http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/ApJ/future.htm
On the Origin of Broad Fe K alpha and Hi H alpha Lines in AGN
We examine the properties of the Fe emission lines that arise near 6.4 keV in
the ASCA spectra of AGN. Our emphasis is on the Seyfert 1 galaxies where broad
and apparently complex Fe K alpha emission is observed. We consider various
origins for the line but focus on the pros and cons for line emitting accretion
disk models. We develop a simple model of an illuminated disk capable of
producing both X-ray and optical lines from a disk. The model is able to
reproduce the observed Fe K alpha FWHM ratio as well as the radii of maximum
emissivity implied by the profile redshifts. The overall profile shapes however
do not fit well the predictions of our disk illumination model nor do we derive
always consistent disk inclinations for the two lines. We conclude that the
evidence for and against an accretion disk origin for the Fe K alpha emission
is equal at best. The bulk of the data requires a very disparate set of line
fits which shed little light on a coherent physical model. We briefly consider
alternatives to disk emission models and show that a simple bicone model can
reproduce the FE line profiles equally well.Comment: 29 pages, 6 tables, 6 figures. Submitted for publication in the
Astrophysical Journal part
Sex dependent risk factors for mortality after myocardial infarction : individual patient data meta-analysis
Background. Although a number of risk factors are known to predict mortality within the first years after myocardial infarction, little is known about interactions between risk factors, whereas these could contribute to accurate differentiation of patients with higher and lower risk for mortality. This study explored the effect of interactions of risk factors on all-cause mortality in patients with myocardial infarction based on individual patient data meta-analysis. Methods. Prospective data for 10,512 patients hospitalized for myocardial infarction were derived from 16 observational studies (MINDMAPS). Baseline measures included a broad set of risk factors for mortality such as age, sex, heart failure, diabetes, depression, and smoking. All two-way and three-way interactions of these risk factors were included in Lasso regression analyses to predict time-to-event related all-cause mortality. The effect of selected interactions was investigated with multilevel Cox regression models. Results. Lasso regression selected five two-way interactions, of which four included sex. The addition of these interactions to multilevel Cox models suggested differential risk patterns for males and females. Younger women (ag
Swift X-Ray Observations of Classical Novae. II. The Super Soft Source sample
The Swift GRB satellite is an excellent facility for studying novae. Its
rapid response time and sensitive X-ray detector provides an unparalleled
opportunity to investigate the previously poorly sampled evolution of novae in
the X-ray regime. This paper presents Swift observations of 52
Galactic/Magellanic Cloud novae. We included the XRT (0.3-10 keV) X-ray
instrument count rates and the UVOT (1700-8000 Angstroms) filter photometry.
Also included in the analysis are the publicly available pointed observations
of 10 additional novae the X-ray archives. This is the largest X-ray sample of
Galactic/Magellanic Cloud novae yet assembled and consists of 26 novae with
super soft X-ray emission, 19 from Swift observations. The data set shows that
the faster novae have an early hard X-ray phase that is usually missing in
slower novae. The Super Soft X-ray phase occurs earlier and does not last as
long in fast novae compared to slower novae. All the Swift novae with
sufficient observations show that novae are highly variable with rapid
variability and different periodicities. In the majority of cases, nuclear
burning ceases less than 3 years after the outburst begins. Previous
relationships, such as the nuclear burning duration vs. t_2 or the expansion
velocity of the eject and nuclear burning duration vs. the orbital period, are
shown to be poorly correlated with the full sample indicating that additional
factors beyond the white dwarf mass and binary separation play important roles
in the evolution of a nova outburst. Finally, we confirm two optical phenomena
that are correlated with strong, soft X-ray emission which can be used to
further increase the efficiency of X-ray campaigns.Comment: Accepted to ApJ Supplements. Full data for Table 2 and Figure 17
available in the electronic edition. New version of the previously posted
paper since the earlier version was all set in landscape mod
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