12,325 research outputs found
On the Cause of Supra-Arcade Downflows in Solar Flares
A model of supra-arcade downflows (SADs), dark low density regions also known
as tadpoles that propagate sunward during solar flares, is presented. It is
argued that the regions of low density are flow channels carved by
sunward-directed outflow jets from reconnection. The solar corona is
stratified, so the flare site is populated by a lower density plasma than that
in the underlying arcade. As the jets penetrate the arcade, they carve out
regions of depleted plasma density which appear as SADs. The present
interpretation differs from previous models in that reconnection is localized
in space but not in time. Reconnection is continuous in time to explain why
SADs are not filled in from behind as they would if they were caused by
isolated descending flux tubes or the wakes behind them due to temporally
bursty reconnection. Reconnection is localized in space because outflow jets in
standard two-dimensional reconnection models expand in the normal (inflow)
direction with distance from the reconnection site, which would not produce
thin SADs as seen in observations. On the contrary, outflow jets in spatially
localized three-dimensional reconnection with an out-of-plane (guide) magnetic
field expand primarily in the out-of-plane direction and remain collimated in
the normal direction, which is consistent with observed SADs being thin.
Two-dimensional proof-of-principle simulations of reconnection with an
out-of-plane (guide) magnetic field confirm the creation of SAD-like depletion
regions and the necessity of density stratification. Three-dimensional
simulations confirm that localized reconnection remains collimated.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures, accepted to Astrophysical Journal Letters in
August, 2013. This version is the accepted versio
Deep Chandra and multicolor HST observations of the jets of 3C 371 and PKS 2201+044
This paper presents multiwavelength imaging and broad-band spectroscopy of
the relativistic jets in the two nearby radio galaxies 3C 371 and PKS 2201+044,
acquired with Chandra, HST, VLA, and Merlin. Radio polarization images are also
available. The two sources stand out as "intermediate'' between FRIs and FRIIs;
their cores are classified as BL Lacs, although broad and narrow optical
emission lines were detected at times. The multiwavelength images show jet
morphologies with the X-ray emission peaking closer to the nucleus than the
longer wavelengths. The jets are resolved at all wavelengths in a direction
perpendicular to the jet axis. The jets SEDs are consistent with a single
spectral component from radio to X-rays, interpreted as synchrotron emission.
The SEDs show a progressive softening from the inner to the outer regions of
the jet, indicating that the electron break energy moves to lower energies with
distance from the core. Overall, the X-ray and multiwavelength properties of
the jets of 3C 371 and PKS 2201+044 appear intermediate between those of FRIs
and FRIIs.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ; 28 pages (emulateapj5), 17 figure
A survey of extended radio jets with Chandra and HST
We present the results from an X-ray and optical survey of a sample of 17
radio jets in AGN performed with Chandra and HST. The sample was selected from
the radio and is unbiased toward detection at shorter wavelengths, but
preferentially it includes beamed sources. We find that X-ray emission is
common on kpc-scales, with over half radio jets exhibiting at least one X-ray
knot on the Chandra images. The distributions of the radio-to-X-ray and
radio-to-optical spectral indices for the detected jets are similar to the
limits for the non-detections,suggesting all bright radio jets have X-ray
counterparts which will be visible in longer observations. Comparing the radio
and X-ray morphologies shows that the majority of the X-ray jets have
structures that closely map the radio. Analysis of the SED of the jet knots
suggest the knots in which the X-ray and radio morphologies track each other
produce X-rays by IC scattering of the Cosmic Microwave Background. The
remaining knots produce X-rays by the synchrotron process. Spectral changes are
detected along the jets, with the ratio of the X-ray-to-radio and
optical-to-radio flux densities decreasing from the inner to the outer regions.
This suggests the presence of an additional contribution to the X-ray flux in
the jet's inner part, either from synchrotron or IC of the stellar light.
Alternatively, in a pure IC/CMB scenario, the plasma decelerates as it flows
from the inner to the outer regions. Finally, the X-ray spectral indices for
the brightest knots are flat, indicating that the bulk of the luminosity of the
jets is emitted at GeV energies, and raising the interesting possibility of
future detections with GLAST.Comment: 26 pages, 6 ps figures, 6 jpeg figures (1 replaced); accepted for
publication in Ap
The galactic magnetic field in the quasar 3C216
Multifrequency polarimetric observations made with the Very Long Baseline
Array of the quasar 3C216 reveal the presence of Faraday rotation measures
(RMs) in excess of 2000 rad/m**2 in the source rest frame, in the arc of
emission located at ~ 140 mas from the core. Rotation measures in the range
-300 - +300 rad/m**2 are detected in the inner 5 mas (~30 parsecs). while the
rotation measures near the core can be explained as due to a magnetic field in
the narrow line region, we favor the interpretation for the high RM in the arc
as due to a ``local'' Faraday screen, produced in a shock where the jet is
deflected by the interstellar medium of the host galaxy. Our results indicate
that a galacit magnetic field of the order of 50 microGauss on a scale greater
than 100 pc must be present in the galactic medium.Comment: 23 pages, 3 tables, 11 figures. To appear on The Astronomical
Journal, November 1999 Issu
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Dynamical control of the mesosphere by orographic and non-orographic gravity wave drag during the extended northern winters of 2006 and 2009
A version of the Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model (CMAM) that is nudged toward reanalysis data up to 1 hPa is used to examine the impacts of parameterized orographic and non-orographic gravity wave drag (OGWD and NGWD) on the zonal-mean circulation of the mesosphere during the extended northern winters of 2006 and 2009 when there were two large stratospheric sudden warmings. The simulations are compared to Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) observations of mesospheric temperature, carbon monoxide (CO) and derived zonal winds. The control simulation, which uses both OGWD and NGWD, is shown to be in good agreement with MLS. The impacts of OGWD and NGWD are assessed using simulations in which those sources of wave drag are removed. In the absence of OGWD the mesospheric zonal winds in the months preceding the warmings are too strong, causing increased mesospheric NGWD, which drives excessive downwelling, resulting in overly large lower mesospheric values of CO prior to the warming. NGWD is found to be most important following the warmings when the underlying westerlies are too weak to allow much vertical propagation of the orographic gravity waves to the mesosphere. NGWD is primarily responsible for driving the circulation that results in the descent of CO from the thermosphere following the warmings. Zonal mean mesospheric winds and temperatures in all simulations are shown to be strongly constrained by (i.e. slaved to) the stratosphere. Finally, it is demonstrated that the responses to OGWD and NGWD are non-additive due to their dependence and influence on the background winds and temperatures
The molecular genetic analysis of the expanding pachyonychia congenita case collection
BACKGROUND: Pachyonychia congenita (PC) is a rare autosomal dominant keratinizing disorder characterized by severe, painful, palmoplantar keratoderma and nail dystrophy, often accompanied by oral leucokeratosis, cysts and follicular keratosis. It is caused by mutations in one of five keratin genes: KRT6A, KRT6B, KRT6C, KRT16 or KRT17. OBJECTIVES: To identify mutations in 84 new families with a clinical diagnosis of PC, recruited by the International Pachyonychia Congenita Research Registry during the last few years. METHODS: Genomic DNA isolated from saliva or peripheral blood leucocytes was amplified using primers specific for the PC-associated keratin genes and polymerase chain reaction products were directly sequenced. RESULTS: Mutations were identified in 84 families in the PC-associated keratin genes, comprising 46 distinct keratin mutations. Fourteen were previously unreported mutations, bringing the total number of different keratin mutations associated with PC to 105. CONCLUSIONS: By identifying mutations in KRT6A, KRT6B, KRT6C, KRT16 or KRT17, this study has confirmed, at the molecular level, the clinical diagnosis of PC in these families
Chandra and HST observations of gamma-ray blazars: comparing jet emission at small and large scales
We present new Chandra and HST data for four gamma-ray blazars selected on
the basis of radio morphology with the aim of revealing X-ray and optical
emission from their jets at large scales. All the sources have been detected.
Spectral Energy Distributions of the large scale jets are obtained as well as
new X-ray spectra for the blazar cores. Modeling for each object the core
(sub-pc scale) and large-scale (>100 kpc) jet SEDs, we derive the properties of
the same jet at the two scales. The comparison of speeds and powers at
different scales supports a simple scenario for the dynamics and propagation of
high power relativistic jets.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap
Faraday rotation in the MOJAVE blazars: 3C 273 a case study
Radio polarimetric observations of Active Galactic Nuclei can reveal the
magnetic field structure in the parsec-scale jets of these sources. We have
observed the gamma-ray blazar 3C 273 as part of our multi-frequency survey with
the Very Long Baseline Array to study Faraday rotation in a large sample of
jets. Our observations re-confirm the transverse rotation measure gradient in
3C 273. For the first time the gradient is seen to cross zero which is further
indication for a helical magnetic field and spine-sheath structure in the jet.
We believe the difference to previous epochs is due to a different part of the
jet being illuminated in our observations.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures. To appear in the proceedings of "Beamed and
Unbeamed Gamma-rays from Galaxies", held in Muonio, Finland, April 11-15,
2011. Journal of Physics: Conference Serie
The Sub-parsec Scale Radio Properties of Southern Starburst Galaxies. I. Supernova Remnants, the Supernova Rate, and the Ionised Medium in the NGC 253 Starburst
Wide-field, very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of the
nearby starburst galaxy NGC 253, obtained with the Australian Long Baseline
Array (LBA), have produced a 2.3 GHz image with a maximum angular resolution of
15 mas (0.3 pc). Six sources were detected, all corresponding to sources
identified in higher frequency (>5 GHz) VLA images. One of the sources,
supernova remnant 5.48-43.3, is resolved into a shell-like structure
approximately 90 mas (1.7 pc) in diameter. From these data and data from the
literature, the spectra of 20 compact radio sources in NGC 253 were modelled
and found to be consistent with free-free absorbed power laws. Broadly, the
free-free opacity is highest toward the nucleus but varies significantly
throughout the nuclear region (tau_0 ~ 1->20), implying that the overall
structure of the ionised medium is clumpy. Of the 20 sources, nine have flat
intrinsic spectra associated with thermal radio emission and the remaining 11
have steep intrinsic spectra, associated with synchrotron emission from
supernova remnants. A supernova rate upper limit of 2.4 yr^-1 is determined for
the inner 320 pc region of the galaxy at the 95% confidence level, based on the
lack of detection of new sources in observations spanning almost 17 years and a
simple model for the evolution of supernova remnants. A supernova rate of >0.14
(v/10^4) yr^-1 is implied from estimates of supernova remnant source counts,
sizes and expansion rates, where v is the radial expansion velocity of the
supernova remnant in km s^-1. A star formation rate of 3.4 (v/10^4) <
SFR(M<=5Msun) < 59 Msun yr^-1 has been estimated directly from the supernova
rate limits and is of the same order of magnitude as rates determined from
integrated FIR and radio luminosities.Comment: Accepted by the Astronomical Journal. 34 pages, 6 figures; fixed
typos in assumed expansion velocit
Magnetic Fields in Quasar Cores II
Multi-frequency polarimetry with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA)
telescope has revealed absolute Faraday Rotation Measures (RMs) in excess of
1000 rad/m/m in the central regions of 7 out of 8 strong quasars studied (e.g.,
3C 273, 3C 279, 3C 395). Beyond a projected distance of ~20 pc, however, the
jets are found to have |RM| < 100 rad/m/m. Such sharp RM gradients cannot be
produced by cluster or galactic-scale magnetic fields, but rather must be the
result of magnetic fields organized over the central 1-100 pc. The RMs of the
sources studied to date and the polarization properties of BL Lacs, quasars and
galaxies are shown to be consistent so far with the predictions of unified
schemes. The direct detection of high RMs in these quasar cores can explain the
low fractional core polarizations usually observed in quasars at centimeter
wavelengths as the result of irregularities in the Faraday screen on scales
smaller than the telescope beam. Variability in the RM of the core is reported
for 3C 279 between observations taken 1.5 years apart, indicating that the
Faraday screen changes on that timescale, or that the projected superluminal
motion of the inner jet components samples a new location in the screen with
time. Either way, these changes in the Faraday screen may explain the dramatic
variability in core polarization properties displayed by quasars.Comment: Accepted to the ApJ. 27 pages, 9 figures including figure 6 in colo
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