524 research outputs found
The VLA Low-frequency Sky Survey
The Very Large Array (VLA) Low-frequency Sky Survey (VLSS) has imaged 95% of
the 3*pi sr of sky north of declination = -30 degrees at a frequency of 74 MHz
(4 meter wavelength). The resolution is 80" (FWHM) throughout, and the typical
RMS noise level is ~0.1 Jy/beam. The typical point-source detection limit is
0.7 Jy/beam and so far nearly 70,000 sources have been catalogued. This survey
used the 74 MHz system added to the VLA in 1998. It required new imaging
algorithms to remove the large ionospheric distortions at this very low
frequency throughout the entire ~11.9 degree field of view. This paper
describes the observation and data reduction methods used for the VLSS and
presents the survey images and source catalog. All of the calibrated images and
the source catalog are available online (http://lwa.nrl.navy.mil/VLSS) for use
by the astronomical community.Comment: 53 pages, including 3 tables and 15 figures. Has been accepted for
publication in the Astronomical Journa
Four Extreme Relic Radio Sources in Clusters of Galaxies
(Abridged) We describe the results of the highest-resolution radio
observations yet made of four relic radio sources in the Abell clusters A13,
A85, A133 and A4038. Our VLA images at 1.4 GHz with 4" resolution show a
remarkable variety of fine structure in the form of spectacular arcs, wisps,
plumes and loops. Their integrated radio flux densities fall very rapidly with
frequency, with power-law slopes between 2.1 and 4.4 near 1.4 GHz The relics
possess linear polarization levels ranging between 2.3 % (A133) and 35 % (A85);
the higher polarization fractions imply a highly ordered magnetic field in the
fine structure and low differential Faraday rotation in the intervening cluster
gas. The optical identification of host galaxies remains problematic. In A85,
A133 and A4038 the travel times for the brightest cluster galaxies are
significantly longer than the modeled ages of the relics and nearby bright
ellipticals provide a better match. Excess X-ray emission in the 0.5 keV-to-2
keV band was found near the relics in A85 and A133. The surface brightness was
too high to be attributed to the inverse-Compton mechanism alone. We found
excellent fits to the broad-band radio spectra using the anisotropic (KGKP)
model of spectral ageing, and we have extended the model to include diffusion
of particles between regions of different field strength (the Murgia-JP, or
MJP, model). The steep radio spectra imply ages for the relics of ~ 10^8 yr, at
the start of which period their radio luminosities would have been ~ 10^25 W/Hz
at 1.4 GHz.Comment: 43 pages, 13 figures, AJ, Sep 2001 (accepted
Toward An Empirical Theory of Pulsar Emission. VII. On the Spectral Behavior of Conal Beam Radii and Emission Heights
In this paper we return to the old problem of conal component-pair widths and
profile dimensions. Observationally, we consider a set of 10 pulsars with
prominent conal component pairs, for which well measured profiles exist over
the largest frequency range now possible. Apart from some tendency to narrow at
high frequency, the conal components exhibit almost constant widths. We use all
three profile measures, the component separation as well as the outside
half-power and 10% widths, to determine conal beam radii, which are the focus
of our subsequent analysis. These radii at different frequencies are well
fitted by a relationship introduced by Thorsett (1991), but the resulting
parameters are highly correlated. Three different types of behavior are found:
one group of stars exhibits a continuous variation of beam radius which can be
extrapolated down to the stellar surface along the ``last open field lines''; a
second group exhibits beam radii which asymptotically approach a minimum high
frequency value that is 3--5 times larger; and a third set shows almost no
spectral change in beam radius at all. The first two behaviors are associated
with outer-cone component pairs; whereas the constant separation appears to
reflect inner-cone emission.Comment: 21 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Astrophysical
Journal, uses aaste
On the binary nature of 1RXS J162848.1-415241
We present spectroscopy of the optical counterpart to 1RXS J162848.1-41524,
also known as the microquasar candidate MCQC J162847-4152. All the data
indicate that this X-ray source is not a microquasar, and that it is a
single-lined chromospherically active binary system with a likely orbital
period of 4.9 days. Our analysis supports a K3IV spectral classification for
the star, which is dominant at optical wavelengths. The unseen binary component
is most likely a late-type (K7-M) dwarf or a white dwarf. Using the high
resolution spectra we have measured the K3 star's rotational broadening to be
vsini = 43 +/- 3 km/s and determined a lower limit to the binary mass ratio of
q(=M2/M1)>2.0. The high rotational broadening together with the strong CaII H &
K / Halpha emission and high-amplitude photometric variations indicate that the
evolved star is very chromospherically active and responsible for the
X-ray/radio emission.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Topical delivery of siRNA into skin using SPACE-peptide carriers
Short-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) offer a potential tool for the treatment of skin disorders. However, applications of siRNA for dermatological conditions are limited by their poor permeation across the stratum corneum of the skin and low penetration into the skin's viable cells. In this study, we report the use of SPACE-peptide in combination with a DOTAP-based ethosomal carrier system to enhance skin delivery of siRNA. A DOTAP-based SPACE Ethosomal System significantly enhanced siRNA penetration into porcine skin in vitro by 6.3 ± 1.7-fold (p < 0.01) with an approximately 10-fold (p < 0.01) increase in epidermis accumulation of siRNA compared to that from an aqueous solution. Penetration of siRNA was also enhanced at the cellular level. Internalization of SPACE-peptide occurred in a concentration dependent manner marked by a shift in intracellular distribution from punctate spots to diffused cytoplasmic staining at a peptide concentration of 10 mg/mL. In vitro delivery of GAPDH siRNA by SPACE peptide led to 83.3 ± 3.0% knockdown relative to the control. In vivo experiments performed using female BALB/C mice also confirmed the efficacy of DOTAP-SES in delivering GAPDH-siRNA into skin. Topical application of DOTAP-SES on mice skin resulted in 63.2% ± 7.7% of GAPDH knockdown, which was significantly higher than that from GAPDH-siRNA PBS (p < 0.05). DOTAP-SES formulation reported here may open new opportunities for cutaneous siRNA delivery
Radio Sources in Low-Luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei. I. VLA Detections of Compact, Flat-Spectrum Cores
We report a 0.2" resolution, 15 GHz survey of a sample of 48 low-luminosity
active galactic nuclei with the Very Large Array. Compact radio emission has
been detected in 57% (17 of 30) of LINERs and low-luminosity Seyferts, at least
15 of which have a flat to inverted radio spectrum (alpha > -0.3). The compact
radio cores are found in both type 1 (i.e. with broad Halpha) and type 2
(without broad Halpha) nuclei. The 2 cm radio power is significantly correlated
with the emission-line ([OI] lambda6300) luminosity. While the present
observations are consistent with the radio emission originating in star-forming
regions, higher resolution radio observations of 10 of the detected sources,
reported in a companion paper (Falcke et al. 2000), show that the cores are
very compact (= 10^8K) and
probably synchrotron self-absorbed, ruling out a starburst origin. Thus, our
results suggest that at least 50% of low-luminosity Seyferts and LINERs in the
sample are accretion powered, with the radio emission presumably coming from
jets or advection-dominated accretion flows. We have detected only 1 of 18
`transition' (i.e. LINER + HII) nuclei observed, indicating their radio cores
are significantly weaker than those of `pure' LINERs.Comment: To appear in the Astrophysical Journal, October 20, 200
Detecting sterile dark matter in space
Space-based instruments provide new and, in some cases, unique opportunities
to search for dark matter. In particular, if dark matter comprises sterile
neutrinos, the x ray detection of their decay line is the most promising
strategy for discovery. Sterile neutrinos with masses in the keV range could
solve several long-standing astrophysical puzzles, from supernova asymmetries
and the pulsar kicks to star formation, reionization, and baryogenesis. The
best current limits on sterile neutrinos come from Chandra and XMM-Newton.
Future advances can be achieved with a high-resolution x-ray spectrometry in
space.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, to appear in proceedings "From Quantum to Cosmos:
fundametal physics research in space", Washington, DC, May 22-24, 200
Radio Frequency Spectra of 388 Bright 74 MHz Sources
As a service to the community, we have compiled radio frequency spectra from
the literature for all sources within the VLA Low Frequency Sky Survey (VLSS)
that are brighter than 15 Jy at 74 MHz. Over 160 references were used to
maximize the amount of spectral data used in the compilation of the spectra,
while also taking care to determine the corrections needed to put the flux
densities from all reference on the same absolute flux density scale. With the
new VLSS data, we are able to vastly improve upon previous efforts to compile
spectra of bright radio sources to frequencies below 100 MHz because (1) the
VLSS flux densities are more reliable than those from some previous low
frequency surveys and (2) the VLSS covers a much larger area of the sky
(declination >-30 deg.) than many other low frequency surveys (e.g., the 8C
survey). In this paper, we discuss how the spectra were constructed and how
parameters quantifying the shapes of the spectra were derived. Both the spectra
and the shape parameters are made available here to assist in the calibration
of observations made with current and future low frequency radio facilities.Comment: Accepted to ApJ
Mixed Morphology Pairs as a Breeding Ground for Active Nuclei
Mixed morphology pairs offer a simplification of the interaction equation
that involves a gas-rich fast rotator paired with a gas-poor slow rotator. In
past low resolution IRAS studies it was assumed that the bulk of the far
infrared emission originated in the spiral component. However our ISO studies
revealed a surprising number of early-type components with significant IR
emission some of which turned out to show active nuclei. This motivated us to
look at the current statistics of active nuclei in mixed pairs using the
FIR-radio continuum correlation as a diagnostic. We find a clear excess of
early-type components with radio continuum emission and an active nucleus. We
suggest that they arise more often in mixed pairs via cross fueling of gas from
the spiral companion. This fuel is more efficiently channeled into the nucleus
of the slow rotating receptor. In a sample of 112 mixed-morphology pairs from
the Karachentsev catalog we find that about 25-30% of detected mixed pairs show
a displacement from the radio-FIR relation defined by normal star forming
galaxies. The latter objects show excess radio continuum emission while others
extend the relation to unusually high radio and FIR flux levels. Many of the
outliers/extreme emitters involve an early-type component with an active
nucleus. The paired E/S0 galaxies in the sample exhibit a significant excess
detection fraction and a marginal excess luminosity distribution compared to
isolated unpaired E/S0 galaxies.Comment: 3 figure
Radiative Efficiency and Content of Extragalactic Radio Sources: Toward a Universal Scaling Relation Between Jet Power and Radio Power
We present an analysis of the energetics and particle content of the lobes of
24 radio galaxies at the cores of cooling clusters. The radio lobes in these
systems have created visible cavities in the surrounding hot, X-ray-emitting
gas, which allow direct measurement of the mechanical jet power of radio
sources over six decades of radio luminosity, independently of the radio
properties themselves. Using these measurements, we examine the ratio between
radio power and total jet power (the radiative efficiency). We find that jet
(cavity) power increases with radio synchrotron power approximately as P_jet ~
(L_radio)^beta, where 0.35 < beta < 0.70 depending on the bandpass of
measurement and state of the source. However, the scatter about these relations
caused by variations in radiative efficiency spans more than four orders of
magnitude. After accounting for variations in synchrotron break frequency
(age), the scatter is reduced by ~ 50%, yielding the most accurate scaling
relation available between the lobe bolometric radio power and the jet (cavity)
power. We place limits on the magnetic field strengths and particle content of
the radio lobes using a variety of X-ray constraints. We find that the lobe
magnetic field strengths vary between a few to several tens of microgauss
depending on the age and dynamical state of the lobes. If the cavities are
maintained in pressure balance with their surroundings and are supported by
internal fields and particles in equipartition, the ratio of energy in
electrons to heavy particles (k) must vary widely from approximately unity to
4000, consistent with heavy (hadronic) jets.Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap
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