457 research outputs found
A new approach to evaluate gamma-ray measurements
Misunderstandings about the term random samples its implications may easily arise. Conditions under which the phases, obtained from arrival times, do not form a random sample and the dangers involved are discussed. Watson's U sup 2 test for uniformity is recommended for light curves with duty cycles larger than 10%. Under certain conditions, non-parametric density estimation may be used to determine estimates of the true light curve and its parameters
Limits on Pulsar Parameters for Pulsed detections with H.E.S.S
The non-detection of pulsed sub-TeV gamma-rays from EGRET pulsars proves that
the EGRET pulsed spectra of all gamma-ray pulsars should terminate at energies
below a few hundred GeV. The spectrum of a typical integrated pulse profile
predicted by the polar cap model resemble typically a hard component, followed
by a super exponential cutoff between 1 MeV (PSR B1509-58) and tens of GeV
(e.g. Crab, PSR B1951+32 etc). Using a topological trigger for the H.E.S.S.
Telescope System in the non-imaging mode, we show that H.E.S.S. should be able
to detect pulsed emission from PSR B1706-44 within a few hours if the cutoff
energy is above 30 GeV as suggested by EGRET observations. The recently
detected radio pulsar PSR J1837-0604 (pulsar period: 96 ms) associated with the
unidentified EGRET source GeV J1837-06010 should also be detectable within a
few hours if the source is pulsed and if its cutoff is similar to that of PSR
B1706-44. H.E.S.S. should even be able to image middle-aged, low-multiplicity
pulsars for which the mean photon energy is expected to be well above 10 GeV.
Such observations should provide important constraints on the final
evolutionary status of gamma-ray pulsars and millisecond pulsars in general.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, in Proc. 27th ICRC, Hamburg, 07-15 August 2001,
OG16
Prospects of observing pulsed radiation from gamma-ray pulsars with H.E.S.S
Observations and theoretical studies have demonstrated that the pulsed
spectra of all gamma-ray pulsars terminate at energies below a few hundred GeV.
In most cases we expect this cutoff energy E_o to be around 10 GeV. Only with
next generation ground-based gamma-ray telescopes, which are expected to have
non-zero trigger probabilities near 10 GeV, can we expect to detect pulsations.
The large gamma-ray fluxes below E_o, together with the associated sharp pulse
profiles, compensate for the lack of imaging capability near threshold. For
H.E.S.S. we find that the pulsed component of PSR B1706-44 should be detectable
near threshold, whereas the unidentified GeV EGRET sources should be detectable
if the superexponential cutoff energy is larger that approximately 30 GeV for
relatively hard pulsar photon spectra (~E^-1.5).Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, Proceedings of the Heidelberg International
Symposium on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronom
A Spectacular VHE Gamma-Ray Outburst from PKS 2155-304 in 2006
Since 2002 the VHE (>100 GeV) gamma-ray flux of the high-frequency peaked BL
Lac PKS 2155-304 has been monitored with the High Energy Stereoscopic System
(HESS). An extreme gamma-ray outburst was detected in the early hours of July
28, 2006 (MJD 53944). The average flux above 200 GeV observed during this
outburst is ~7 times the flux observed from the Crab Nebula above the same
threshold. Peak fluxes are measured with one-minute time scale resolution at
more than twice this average value. Variability is seen up to ~600 s in the
Fourier power spectrum, and well-resolved bursts varying on time scales of ~200
seconds are observed. There are no strong indications for spectral variability
within the data. Assuming the emission region has a size comparable to the
Schwarzschild radius of a ~10^9 solar mass black hole, Doppler factors greater
than 100 are required to accommodate the observed variability time scales.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; To appear in the Proceedings of the 30th ICRC
(Merida, Mexico
Impact of the Wiggler Coherent Synchrotron Radiation Impedance on the Beam Instability
Coherent Synchrotron Radiation (CSR) can play an important role by not only
increasing the energy spread and emittance of a beam, but also leading to a
potential instability. Previous studies of the CSR induced longitudinal
instability were carried out for the CSR impedance due to dipole magnets.
However, many storage rings include long wigglers where a large fraction of the
synchrotron radiation is emitted. This includes high-luminosity factories such
as DAPHNE, PEP-II, KEK-B, and CESR-C as well as the damping rings of future
linear colliders. In this paper, the instability due to the CSR impedance from
a wiggler is studied assuming a large wiggler parameter . The primary
consideration is a low frequency microwave-like instability, which arises near
the pipe cut-off frequency. Detailed results are presented on the growth rate
and threshold for the damping rings of several linear collider designs.
Finally, the optimization of the relative fraction of damping due to the
wiggler systems is discussed for the damping rings.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figure
Variation in Emission and Absorption Lines and Continuum Flux by Orbital Phase in Vela X-1
High resolution spectral studies were undertaken at orbital phases 0, 0.25
and 0.5 on the high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) Vela X-1 using archival Chandra
data. We present (a) the first detailed analysis of the multiple strong narrow
emission lines present in phase 0.5 (b) an analysis of the absorption of the
continuum in phase 0.5, and (c) the first detection of narrow emission and
absorption lines in phase 0.25. Multiple fluorescent and H-and He-like emission
lines in the band 1.6 - 20 Angstrom in eclipse are partially obscured at phase
0.25 by the X-ray continuum. The phase 0.25 spectrum displays 3 triplets, 2
with a blue-shifted resonance (r) line in absorption and the intercombination
(i) and forbidden (f) lines in emission, and shows in absorption other
blue-shifted lines seen in emission in eclipse. At phase 0.5 the soft X-ray
continuum diminishes revealing an "eclipse-like" spectrum, however line flux
values are around 13-fold those in eclipse. We conclude the narrow emission
lines in Vela X-1 become apparent when the continuum is blocked from line of
sight, either by eclipse or by scattering and/or absorption from a wake or
cloud. The H-and He-like lines arise in warm photoionised regions in the
stellar wind, while the fluorescent lines (including a Ni K alpha line) are
produced in cooler clumps of gas outside these regions. Absorption of the 5-13
Angstrom continuum at phase 0.5 may be caused by an accretion wake comprised of
dense stagnant photoionized plasma inside a Stromgren zone. Multiple
fluorescent emission lines may be a common feature of the supergiant category
of HMXBs.Comment: 29 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in the Astronomical
Journa
Stability Considerations for Final Focus Systems of Future Linear Colliders
The final focus systems for the future linear colliders need to focus beams to nm-range spot sizes at the collision point. The design spot size varies from several nm for 500 GeV to the one nm range for 3 TeV. In order to keep the beams in collision and to maintain the luminosity stringent stability optimization must be applied. We discuss different sources of beam perturbations and estimate the expected beamline stability based on previous experimental observations. Possible measures for beam stabilization are discussed and plans of further collaborative efforts are outlined
Concomitant HIV infection in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients is hard to recognise and should be tested for routinely in areas of high endemicity
Background. Over the past three decades much has changed in the treatment and outcomes of patients suffering concurrently from both multiple myeloma (MM) and HIV. While the prevalence of MM appears to be higher in HIV-positive individuals than in those who are uninfected, early recognition of patients suffering from both diseases is difficult and little information is available on their demographics and clinical presentation.Objective. To compare the presenting features of HIV-positive patients diagnosed with MM with those of HIV-negative patients.Methods. A single-centre, retrospective cohort study included 16 HIV-positive and 73 HIV-negative patients diagnosed with MM, in order to compare variables related to the clinical presentation of both conditions.Results. HIV-positive patients presented with MM at a significantly younger age, and had fewer osteolytic lesions, less renal impairment and lower neutrophil counts. Disease stage, gender, pathological fractures, bone marrow plasmacytosis, plasmacytomas and lymphocyte counts were comparable, emphasising the difficulty of identifying these patients. The HIV-positive patients had relatively high CD4 counts and a low prevalence of abnormal Freelite kappa/lambda ratios. All HIV-positive patients presented with paraproteins of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) type, implying a possible relationship between MM and an IgG response to HIV antigens.Conclusions. On the basis of our findings and literature on the treatment of both diseases, we suggest that HIV be tested for routinely in younger MM patients, especially in areas with a high prevalence of HIV. The integration of our results into the sparse knowledge on the role of HIV infection-related MM provides possible new insights into the interaction between these diseases.
First detection of a VHE gamma-ray spectral maximum from a Cosmic source: H.E.S.S. discovery of the Vela X nebula
The Vela supernova remnant (SNR) is a complex region containing a number of
sources of non-thermal radiation. The inner section of this SNR, within 2
degrees of the pulsar PSR B0833-45, has been observed by the H.E.S.S. gamma-ray
atmospheric Cherenkov detector in 2004 and 2005. A strong signal is seen from
an extended region to the south of the pulsar, within an integration region of
radius 0.8 deg. around the position (RA = 08h 35m 00s, dec = -45 deg. 36'
J2000.0). The excess coincides with a region of hard X-ray emission seen by the
ROSAT and ASCA satellites. The observed energy spectrum of the source between
550 GeV and 65 TeV is well fit by a power law function with photon index = 1.45
+/- 0.09(stat) +/- 0.2(sys) and an exponential cutoff at an energy of 13.8 +/-
2.3(stat) +/- 4.1(sys) TeV. The integral flux above 1 TeV is (1.28 +/- 0.17
(stat) +/- 0.38(sys)) x 10^{-11} cm^{-2} s^{-1}. This result is the first clear
measurement of a peak in the spectral energy distribution from a VHE gamma-ray
source, likely related to inverse Compton emission. A fit of an Inverse Compton
model to the H.E.S.S. spectral energy distribution gives a total energy in
non-thermal electrons of ~2 x 10^{45} erg between 5 TeV and 100 TeV, assuming a
distance of 290 parsec to the pulsar. The best fit electron power law index is
2.0, with a spectral break at 67 TeV.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysics letter
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