Rapidity and pt dependence of identified-particle elliptic flow at RHIC

Elliptic flow has been measured by the BRAHMS experiment as a function of transverse momentum and pseudorapidity for the Au+Au reaction at sqrt[s_{NN}] = 200 GeV. Identified-particle v2 (eta, pt) values were obtained with the two BRAHMS spectrometers at pseudorapidities eta approximately equal to 0, 1, and 3.4. The results show that the differential v2(eta, pt) values for a given particle type are essentially constant over the covered pseudorapidity range. It is suggested that the dominant cause of the observed fall-off of the integral v2 values going away from mid-rapidity is a corresponding softening of the particle spectra .Comment: 4 pages, 2figure, Quark Matter 2006 parallel session contributio

Passive Mode-Locking of Monolithic InGaAs/AlGaAs Double Quantum Well Lasers at 42GHz Repetition Rate

Pulse trains with a 42GHz repetition rate were generated by monolithic InGaAs/AlGaAs double quantum well lasers at a wavelength of 985 [angstroms]. The cavity was electrically divided into three regions, one providing gain and the other two providing saturable absorption. The optical modulation has a depth greater than 98% and full-width at half-maximum under 6ps, and bias conditions for sustained mode-locking are determined

Isothermal shocks in Abell 2199 and 2A 0335+096?

We report on a partially circular X-ray surface brightness discontinuity found at about 55 kpc from the centre of Abell 2199 with Chandra X-ray observatory observations. Unlike cold fronts found in other clusters, the feature shows no significant temperature change across it but has an apparent density jump. We therefore identify it as a weak isothermal shock associated with the central AGN and the inflation of its radio bubbles, as found in the Perseus cluster. We examine a similar feature at 40 kpc radius found by Mazzotta et al in 2A 0335+096, and conclude that it too may be an isothermal shock. The change in density if these are shocks implies a Mach number of ~1.5. If the isothermal nature of these features is confirmed by deeper observations, the implication is that such shocks are common in clusters of galaxies, and are an important mechanism for the transport of energy from a central supermassive black hole into the cluster core.Comment: 5 pages, accepted by MNRAS, includes minor changes suggested by refere

A deeper X-ray study of the core of the Perseus galaxy cluster: the power of sound waves and the distribution of metals and cosmic rays

We make a further study of the very deep Chandra observation of the X-ray brightest galaxy cluster, A426 in Perseus. We examine the radial distribution of energy flux inferred by the quasi-concentric ripples in surface brightness, assuming they are due to sound waves, and show that it is a significant fraction of the energy lost by radiative cooling within the inner 75-100 kpc, where the cooling time is 4-5 Gyr, respectively. The wave flux decreases outward with radius, consistent with energy being dissipated. Some newly discovered large ripples beyond 100 kpc, and a possible intact bubble at 170 kpc radius, may indicate a larger level of activity by the nucleus a few 100 Myr ago. The distribution of metals in the intracluster gas peaks at a radius of about 40 kpc and is significantly clumpy on scales of 5 kpc. The temperature distribution of the soft X-ray filaments and the hard X-ray emission component found within the inner 50 kpc are analysed in detail. The pressure due to the nonthermal electrons, responsible for a spectral component interpreted as inverse Compton emission, is high within 40 kpc of the centre and boosts the power in sound waves there; it drops steeply beyond 40 kpc. We find no thermal emission from the radio bubbles; in order for any thermal gas to have a filling factor within the bubbles exceeding 50 per cent, the temperature of that gas has to exceed 50 keV.Comment: Accepted by MNRAS. Now includes evidence for further ancient bubble at 170 kpc radius, and minor changes suggested by referee. A version with good quality figures is available from http://www-xray.ast.cam.ac.uk/papers/perdetail2.pd