An X-ray emitting black hole in a globular cluster

We present optical and X-ray data for the first object showing strong evidence for being a black hole in a globular cluster. We show the initial X-ray light curve and X-ray spectrum which led to the discovery that this is an extremely bright, highly variable source, and thus must be a black hole. We present the optical spectrum which unambiguously identifies the optical counterpart as a globular cluster, and which shows a strong, broad [O III] emission line, most likely coming from an outflow driven by the accreting source.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the proceedings of IAUS 246, "Dynamical Evolution of Dense Stellar Systems", ed. Vesperini, Giersz and Sill

States and transitions in black-hole binaries

With the availability of the large database of black-hole transients from the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer, the observed phenomenology has become very complex. The original classification of the properties of these systems in a series of static states sorted by mass accretion rate proved not to be able to encompass the new picture. I outline here a summary of the current situation and show that a coherent picture emerges when simple properties such as X-ray spectral hardness and fractional variability are considered. In particular, fast transition in the properties of the fast time variability appear to be crucial to describe the evolution of black-hole transients. Based on this picture, I present a state-classification which takes into account the observed transitions. I show that, in addition to transients systems, other black-hole binaries and Active Galactic Nuclei can be interpreted within this framework. The association between these states and the physics of the accretion flow around black holes will be possible only through modeling of the full time evolution of galactic transient systems.Comment: 30 pages, 11 figures, To appear in Belloni, T. (ed.): The Jet Paradigm - From Microquasars to Quasars, Lect. Notes Phys. 794 (2009

Multi-epoch spectroscopy of the globular cluster black hole in NGC 4472

We present a study of the X-ray spectral properties of the highly variable X-ray emitting black hole in a globular cluster in the elliptical galaxy NGC 4472. The X-ray Multiple Mirror-Newton (XMM-Newton) spectrum of the source in its bright epoch is well described by a multiple blackbody model with a characteristic temperature kTin ~ 0.2 keV. The spectrum of an archival Chandra observation of the source obtained 3.5 yr before the XMM data gives similar estimates for the blackbody parameters. We confirm that the fainter interval of the XMM-Newton observation has a spectrum that is consistent with the brighter epoch, except for an additional level of foreground absorption. We also consider other possible mechanisms for the variability. Based on the time-scale of the X-ray flux decline and the estimated size of the X-ray emission region, we argue that an eclipsing companion is highly unlikely. We find the most likely means of producing the absorption changes on the observed time-scale is through partial obscuration by a precessing warped accretion disc

Characterization of infrared chemical sensors modified with ZnO nanowires for the detection of volatile organic compounds

In this paper we describe the application and characterization of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires in an infrared (IR) chemical sensing system for the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Under suitable conditions, we grew ZnO nanowires on the surfaces of IR internal reflection elements (IREs) and obtained successful results for the detection of VOCs. ZnO nanowires offer a large surface area to effectively adsorb the examined species; the sensitivity of these IR sensing systems was increased by 3- to 15-fold after surface treatment with the ZnO nanowires. To explore the performance of this type of sensor, we correlated the morphologies of the ZnO nanowires grown on the surfaces of the IREs with the adsorption behavior observed during the sensing of the VOCs. To characterize the properties of the ZnO nanowires during the detection of VOCs having a range of functionalities, we classified the VOCs and examined their enrichment factors by comparing the IR signals detected in the presence and absence of the ZnO nanowires. Our results indicate that the ZnO nanowires exhibited better performance for the detection of aromatic-type VOCs than they did for non-aromatic compounds. For quantitative analyses, we examined several compounds for their responses toward varying quantities of injected VOCs. Our results indicate that the IREs treated with ZnO nanowires display acceptable linearity in their standard curves; the linear regression coefficients were higher than 0.995 for a range of volatile compounds

The formation and control of disinfection by-products using chlorine dioxide

In this study, chlorine dioxide (ClO2) was used as an alternative disinfectant with vanillic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and humic acid as the organic precursors in a natural aquatic environment. The primary disinfection by-products (DBPs) formed were trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). Under neutral conditions (pH=7) for vanillic acid, more total haloacetic acids (THAAs) than total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) were found, with a substantial increase during the later stages of the reaction. In the case of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, the amount of THAAs produced was minimal. Raising the concentration of ClO2 was not favorable far the control of THAAs in low concentrations of vanillic acid. ClO2 could reduce the total amount of TTHMs and THAAs for higher concentration of vanillic acid. It was found that the humic acid treatment dosage was not significant. Under alkaline conditions (pH=9), the control of TTHMs and THAAs for the treatment of vanillic acid was better and more economical, however, an appreciable amount of inorganic by-products were observed. Under the same alkaline condition, the control of THAA for the treatment of p-hydroxybenzoic acid was not beneficial and for the treatment of humic acid was not significant. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

A signature of the donor star in the extra-galactic X-ray binary LMCX-2

Two nights of phase-resolved medium-resolution Very Large Telescope spectroscopy of the extra-galactic low-mass X-ray binary LMCX-2 have revealed a 0.32 +/- 0.02 d spectroscopic period in the radial velocity curve of the He II lambda 4686 emission line that we interpret as the orbital period. However, similar to previous findings, this radial velocity curve shows a longer term variation that is most likely due to the presence of a precessing accretion disc in LMCX-2. This is strengthened by He II lambda 4686 Doppler maps that show a bright spot that is moving from night to night. Furthermore, we detect narrow emission lines in the Bowen region of LMCX-2, with a velocity of K-em = 351 +/- 28 km s(-1), that we tentatively interpret as coming from the irradiated side of the donor star. Since K-em must be smaller than K-2, this leads to the first upper limit on the mass function of LMCX-2 of f(M-1) >= 0.86 M-circle dot (95 per cent confidence), and the first constraints on its system parameters

Dye-doped Photorefractive Liquid Crystals for Dynamic and Storage Holographic Grating Formation and Spatial Light Modulation

The basic mechanisms of photo-induced space charge field formation, director axis re-orientation, and refractive index changes in fullerene C60- and dye-doped nematic liquid crystals films are presented. In particular, in aligned methyl-red-doped nematic liquid crystal film, we observe a nonlinear index change coefficient as high as 10 cm2/W, associated with purely optically induced liquid crystal director axis re-orientation. Experimental observations of dynamic and high-resolution storage holographic grating formation, two beam coupling with gain of nearly 3000 cm-1, optical limiting action at nanowatt cw laser power, and incoherent-coherent image conversion at μW/cm2 light intensity level are discussed