2,459 research outputs found
The Impact of Type Ia Supernova Ejecta on Binary Companions
We present adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) hydrodynamical simulations of the
interaction between Type Ia supernovae and their companion stars within the
context of the single-degenerate model. Results for 3D red-giant companions
without binary evolution agree with previous 2D results by Marietta et al. We
also consider evolved helium-star companions in 2D. For a range of helium-star
masses and initial binary separations, we examine the mass unbound by the
interaction and the kick velocity delivered to the companion star. We find that
unbound mass versus separation obeys a power law with index between -3.1 and
-4.0, consistent with previous results for hydrogen-rich companions. Kick
velocity also obeys a power-law relationship with binary separation, but the
slope differs from those found for hydrogen-rich companions. Assuming accretion
via Roche-lobe overflow, we find that the unbound helium mass is consistent
with observational limits. Ablation (shock heating) appears to be more
important in removing gas from helium-star companions than from hydrogen-rich
ones, though stripping (momentum transfer) dominates in both cases.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the conference
"Binary Star Evolution: Mass Loss, Accretion, and Mergers" at Mykonos,
Greece, June 22-25, 201
A mercuric detector system for X-ray astronomy. 2. Results from flight tests of a balloon borne instrument
To establish the expected sensitivity of a new hard X-ray telescope design, an experiment was conducted to measure the background counting rate at balloon altitudes (40 km) of mercuric iodide, a room temperature solid state X-ray detector. The prototype detector consisted of two thin mercuric iodide (HgI2) detectors surrounded by a large bismuth germanate (Bi4Ge3O12) scintillator operated in anticoincidence. The bismuth germanate shield vetoed most of the background counting rate induced by atmospheric gamma-rays, neutrons and cosmic rays. A balloon-borne gondola containing a prototype detector assembly was designed, constructed and flown twice in the spring of 1982 from Palestine, Texas. The second flight of this instrument established a differential background counting rate of 4.2 O.7 x 10-5 counts/sec cm keV over the energy range of 40 to 80 keV. This measurement was within 50% of the predicted value. The measured rate is approx 5 times lower than previously achieved in shielded NaI/CsI or Ge systems operating in the same energy range. The prediction was based on a Monte Carlo simulation of the detector assembly in the radiation environment at float altitude
Water Quality Project Evaluation A Handbook for Objectives-Based Evaluation of Water Quality Projects
PDF pages: 5
Previously Claimed(/Unclaimed) X-ray Emission Lines in High Resolution Afterglow Spectra
We review the significance determination for emission lines in the Chandra
HETGS spectrum for GRB020813, and we report on a search for additional lines in
high resolution Chandra spectra. No previously unclaimed features are found. We
also discuss the significance of lines sets reportedly discovered using XMM
data for GRB011211 and GRB030227. We find that these features are likely of
modest, though not negligible, significance.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figures, to appear in Santa Fe GRB Conference Proceedings,
200
Chandra Observations of the Optically Dark GRB030528
The X-ray-rich GRB030528 was detected by the HETE satellite and its
localization was rapidly disseminated. However, early optical observations
failed to detect a counterpart source. In a 2-epoch ToO observation with
Chandra, we discovered a fading X-ray source likely counterpart to GRB030528.
The source brightness was typical of X-ray afterglows observed at similar
epochs. Other observers detected an IR source at a location consistent with the
X-ray source. The X-ray spectrum is not consistent with a large absorbing
column.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figures, to appear in Santa Fe GRB Conference Proceedings,
200
Earliest detection of the optical afterglow of GRB 030329 and its variability
We report the earliest detection of an extremely bright optical afterglow of
the gamma-ray burst (GRB) 030329 using a 30cm-telescope at Tokyo Institute of
Technology (Tokyo, JAPAN). Our observation started 67 minutes after the burst,
and continued for succeeding two nights until the afterglow faded below the
sensitivity limit of the telescope (approximately 18 mag). Combining our data
with those reported in GCN Circulars, we find that the early afterglow light
curve of the first half day is described by a broken power-law (t^{- alpha})
function with indices alpha_{1} = 0.88 +/- 0.01 (0.047 < t < t_{b1} days),
alpha_{2} = 1.18 +/- 0.01 (t_{b1} < t < t_{b2} days), and alpha_{3} = 1.81 +/-
0.04 (t_{b2} < t < 1.2 days), where t_{b1} ~ 0.26 days and t_{b2} ~ 0.54 days,
respectively. The change of the power-law index at the first break at t ~ 0.26
days is consistent with that expected from a ``cooling-break'' when the cooling
frequency crossed the optical band. If the interpretation is correct, the decay
index before the cooling-break implies a uniform ISM environment.Comment: 13 pages, 1 table and 2 figures. Accepted to the Astrophysical
Journal Letter
Optical and X-ray Observations of the Afterglow to XRF030723
The X-ray-flash XRF030723 was detected by the HETE satellite and rapidly
disseminated, allowing for an optical transient to be detected ~1 day after the
burst. We discuss observations in the optical with Magellan, which confirmed
the fade of the optical transient. In a 2-epoch ToO observation with Chandra,
we discovered a fading X-ray source spatially coincident with the optical
transient. We present spectral fits to the X-ray data. We also discuss the
possibility that the source underwent a rebrightening in the X-rays, as was
observed in the optical. We find that the significance of a possible
rebrightening is very low (~1 sigma).Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, to appear in Santa Fe GRB Conference Proceedings,
200
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