1,538 research outputs found
Magnetically Accreting Isolated Old Neutron Stars
Previous work on the emission from isolated old neutron stars (IONS)
accreting the inter-stellar medium (ISM) focussed on gravitational capture -
Bondi accretion. We propose a new class of sources which accrete via magnetic
interaction with the ISM. While for the Bondi mechanism, the accretion rate
decreases with increasing NS velocity, in magnetic accretors (MAGACs="magics")
the accretion rate increases with increasing NS velocity. MAGACs will be
produced among high velocity (~> 100 km s-1) high magnetic field (B> 1e14 G)
radio pulsars - the ``magnetars'' - after they have evolved first through
magnetic dipole spin-down, followed by a ``propeller'' phase (when the object
sheds angular momentum on a timescale ~< 1e10 yr). The properties of MAGACS may
be summarized thus: dipole magnetic fields of B~>1e14 G; minimum velocities
relative to the ISM of >25-100 km s-1, depending on B, well below the median in
the observed radio-pulsar population; spin-periods of >days to years; accretion
luminosities of 1e28- 1e31 ergs s-1 ; and effective temperatures kT=0.3 - 2.5
keV if they accrete onto the magnetic polar cap. We find no examples of MAGACs
among previously observed source classes (anomalous X-ray pulsars,
soft-gamma-ray repeaters or known IONS). However, MAGACs may be more prevelant
in flux-limited X-ray catalogs than their gravitationally accreting
counterparts.Comment: ApJ, accepte
The shape of the Red Giant Branch Bump as a diagnostic of partial mixing processes in low-mass stars
We suggest to use the shape of the Red Giant Branch (RGB) Bump in metal-rich
globular clusters as a diagnostic of partial mixing processes between the base
of the convective envelope and the H-burning shell. The Bump located along the
differential luminosity function of cluster RGB stars is a key observable to
constrain the H-profile inside these structures. In fact, standard evolutionary
models that account for complete mixing in the convective unstable layers and
radiative equilibrium in the innermost regions do predict that the first
dredge-up lefts over a very sharp H-discontinuity at the bottom of the
convective region. Interestingly enough we found that both atomic diffusion and
a moderate convective overshooting at the base of the convective region
marginally affects the shape of the RGB Bump in the differential Luminosity
Function (LF). As a consequence, we performed several numerical experiments to
estimate whether plausible assumptions concerning the smoothing of the
H-discontinuity, due to the possible occurrence of extra-mixing below the
convective boundary, affects the shape of the RGB Bump. We found that the
difference between the shape of RGB Bump predicted by standard and by smoothed
models can be detected if the H-discontinuity is smoothed over an envelope
region whose thickness is equal or larger than 0.5 pressure scale heights.
Finally, we briefly discuss the comparison between theoretical predictions and
empirical data in metal-rich, reddening free Galactic Globular Clusters (GGCs)
to constrain the sharpness of the H-profile inside RGB stars.Comment: 15 pages, 8 postscript figures, ApJ in pres
Radiation in Lorentz violating electrodynamics
Synchrotron radiation is analyzed in the classical effective Lorentz
invariance violating model of Myers-Pospelov. Within the full far-field
approximation we compute the electric and magnetic fields, the angular
distribution of the power spectrum and the total emitted power in the m-th
harmonic, as well as the polarization. We find the appearance of rather
unexpected and large amplifying factors, which go together with the otherwise
negligible naive expansion parameter. This opens up the possibility of further
exploring Lorentz invariance violations by synchrotron radiation measurements
in astrophysical sources where these amplifying factors are important.Comment: Presented at the Second Mexican Meeting on Theoretical and
Experimental Physics, El Colegio Nacional, Mexico City, 6-10 September 200
No Confirmed New Isolated Neutron Stars In The SDSS Data Release 4
We report on follow-up observations of candidate X-ray bright, radio-quiet
isolated neutron stars (INSs) identified from correlations of the ROSAT All-Sky
Survey (RASS) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 4 in
Ag\"ueros et al. (2006). We obtained Chandra X-ray Telescope exposures for 13
candidates in order to pinpoint the source of X-ray emission in optically blank
RASS error circles. These observations eliminated 12 targets as good INS
candidates. We discuss subsequent observations of the remaining candidate with
the XMM-Newton X-ray Observatory, the Gemini North Observatory, and the Apache
Point Observatory. We identify this object as a likely extragalactic source
with an unusually high log(fX/fopt) ~ 2.4. We also use an updated version of
the population synthesis models of Popov et al. (2010) to estimate the number
of RASS-detected INSs in the SDSS Data Release 7 footprint. We find that these
models predict ~3-4 INSs in the 11,000 square deg imaged by SDSS, which is
consistent with the number of known INSs that fall within the survey footprint.
In addition, our analysis of the four new INS candidates identified by Turner
et al. (2010) in the SDSS footprint implies that they are unlikely to be
confirmed as INSs; together, these results suggest that new INSs are not likely
to be found from further correlations of the RASS and SDSS.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, 3 tables; accepted for publication in A
Identification of a Likely Radio Counterpart of the Rapid Burster
We have identified a likely radio counterpart to the low-mass X-ray binary
MXB 1730-335 (the Rapid Burster). The counterpart has shown 8.4 GHz radio
on/off behavior correlated with the X-ray on/off behavior as observed by the
RXTE/ASM during six VLA observations. The probability of an unrelated, randomly
varying background source duplicating this behavior is 1-3% depending on the
correlation time scale. The location of the radio source is RA 17h 33m 24.61s;
Dec -33d 23' 19.8" (J2000), +/- 0.1". We do not detect 8.4 GHz radio emission
coincident with type II (accretion-driven) X-ray bursts. The ratio of radio to
X-ray emission during such bursts is constrained to be below the ratio observed
during X-ray persistent emission at the 2.9-sigma level. Synchrotron bubble
models of the radio emission can provide a reasonable fit to the full data set,
collected over several outbursts, assuming that the radio evolution is the same
from outburst to outburst, but given the physical constraints the emission is
more likely to be due to ~hour-long radio flares such as have been observed
from the X-ray binary GRS 1915+105.Comment: 28 pages, 4 figures; accepted for publication in ApJ (no changes
Neutron rich matter, neutron stars, and their crusts
Neutron rich matter is at the heart of many fundamental questions in Nuclear
Physics and Astrophysics. What are the high density phases of QCD? Where did
the chemical elements come from? What is the structure of many compact and
energetic objects in the heavens, and what determines their electromagnetic,
neutrino, and gravitational-wave radiations? Moreover, neutron rich matter is
being studied with an extraordinary variety of new tools such as Facility for
Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) and the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave
Observatory (LIGO). We describe the Lead Radius Experiment (PREX) that is using
parity violation to measure the neutron radius in 208Pb. This has important
implications for neutron stars and their crusts. Using large scale molecular
dynamics, we model the formation of solids in both white dwarfs and neutron
stars. We find neutron star crust to be the strongest material known, some 10
billion times stronger than steel. It can support mountains on rotating neutron
stars large enough to generate detectable gravitational waves. Finally, we
describe a new equation of state for supernova and neutron star merger
simulations based on the Virial expansion at low densities, and large scale
relativistic mean field calculations.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, Plenary talk International Nuclear Physics
Conference 2010, Vancouver, C
X-ray Polarimetry: a new window on the high energy sky
Polarimetry is widely considered a powerful observational technique in X-ray
astronomy, useful to enhance our understanding of the emission mechanisms,
geometry and magnetic field arrangement of many compact objects. However, the
lack of suitable sensitive instrumentation in the X-ray energy band has been
the limiting factor for its development in the last three decades. Up to now,
polarization measurements have been made exclusively with Bragg diffraction at
45 degrees or Compton scattering at 90 degrees and the only unambiguous
detection of X-ray polarization has been obtained for one of the brightest
object in the X-ray sky, the Crab Nebula. Only recently, with the development
of a new class of high sensitivity imaging detectors, the possibility to
exploit the photoemission process to measure the photon polarization has become
a reality. We will report on the performance of an imaging X-ray polarimeter
based on photoelectric effect. The device derives the polarization information
from the track of the photoelectrons imaged by a finely subdivided Gas Pixel
Detector. It has a great sensitivity even with telescopes of modest area and
can perform simultaneously good imaging, moderate spectroscopy and high rate
timing. Being truly 2D it is non-dispersive and does not require any rotation.
This device is included in the scientific payload of many proposals of
satellite mission which have the potential to unveil polarimetry also in X-rays
in a few years.Comment: Accepted for publication by NIMA. Proceeding of the 1st International
Conference on "Frontiers in Diagnostic Technologies", November 25-27 2009,
Frascati (Italy). 11 pages, 4 figures, 1 table
The X-ray spectrum of a disk illuminated by ions
The X-ray spectrum from a cool disk embedded in an ion supported torus is
computed. The interaction of the hot ions with the disk increases the hard
X-ray luminosity of the system}. A surface layer of the disk is heated by the
protons from the torus. The Comptonized spectrum produced by this layer has a
shape that depends only weakly on the incident energy flux and the distance
from the accreting compact object. It consists of a `blue bump' of
unComptonized soft photons and a flat high energy tail, reminiscent of the
observed spectra. The hard tail becomes flatter as the thermalization depth in
the cool disk is increased. Further evidence for ion illumination are the Li
abundance in the secondaries of low mass X-ray binaries and the 450 keV lines
sometimes seen in black-hole transient spectra.Comment: 7p, to appear in Monthly Notice
The needle in the haystack - Where to look for more isolated cooling neutron stars
Context: Isolated cooling neutron stars with thermal X-ray emission remain
rarely detected objects despite many searches investigating the ROSAT data.
Aims: We simulate the population of close-by young cooling neutron stars to
explain the current observational results. Given the inhomogeneity of the
neutron star distribution on the sky it is particularly interesting to identify
promising sky regions with respect to on-going and future searches.
Methods: Applying a population synthesis model the inhomogeneity of the
progenitor distribution and the inhomogeneity of the X-ray absorbing
interstellar medium are considered for the first time. The total number of
observable neutron stars is derived with respect to ROSAT count rates. In
addition, we present sky maps of neutron star locations and discuss age and
distance distributions of the simulated neutron stars. Implications for future
searches are discussed.
Results: With our advanced model we can successfully explain the observed
logN - logS distribution of close-by neutron stars. Cooling neutron stars will
be most abundant in the directions of rich OB associations. New candidates are
expected to be identified behind the Gould Belt, in particular in the
Cygnus-Cepheus region. They are expected to be on average younger and then
hotter than the known population of isolated cooling neutron stars. In
addition, we propose to use data on runaway stars to search for more
radio-quiet cooling neutron stars.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures; added Erratum after bug in code was discovered,
updated results in Appendix, main conclusions do not chang
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