1,357 research outputs found
Scattering and Iron Fluorescence Revealed During Absorption Dips in Circinus X-1
We show that dramatic spectral evolution associated with dips occurring near
phase zero in RXTE observations of Cir X-1 is well-fit by variable and at times
heavy absorption (N_H > 10^24 cm^-2) of a bright component, plus an underlying
faint component which is not attenuated by the variable column and whose flux
is ~10% of that of the unabsorbed bright component. A prominent Fe emission
line at ~6.5 keV is evident during the dips. The absolute line flux outside the
dips is similar to that during the dips, indicating that the line is associated
with the faint component. These results are consistent with a model in which
the bright component is radiation received directly from a compact source while
the faint component may be attributed to scattered radiation. Our results are
also generally consistent with those of Brandt et al., who found that a
partial- covering model could explain ASCA spectra of a low-to-high transition
in Cir X-1. The relative brightness of the two components in our model requires
a column density of ~2*10^23 cm^-2 if the faint component is due to Thomson
scattering in material that mostly surrounds the source. We find that
illumination of such a scattering cloud by the observed direct component would
produce an Fe K-alpha fluorescence flux that is in rough agreement with the
flux of the observed emission line. We also conclude that if the scattering
medium is not highly ionized, our line of sight to the compact source does not
pass through it. Finally, we discuss simple pictures of the absorbers
responsible for the dips themselves.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal (23 pages,
including 11 figures
Spectral Evolution of Circinus X-1 Along its Orbit
We report on the spectral analysis of Circinus X-1 observed by the ASCA
satellite in March 1998 along one orbital period. The luminosity of the source
(in the 0.1-100 keV band) ranges from erg s at the
periastron (orbital phase 0.01) to erg s at orbital
phase 0.3. From the spectral analysis and the lightcurve we argue that Cir X-1
shows three states along the orbital evolution. The first state is at the
orbital phase interval 0.97-0.3: the luminosity becames super-Eddington and a
strong flaring activity is present. In this state a shock could form in the
inner region of the system due to the super-Eddington accretion rate, producing
an outflow of ionized matter whose observational signature could be the
prominent absorption edge at keV observed in the energy spectrum at
these phases. In the second state, corresponding to the orbital phase interval
between 0.3 and 0.7, the accretion rate is sub-Eddington and we observe a
weaker outflow, with smaller hydrogen column: the absorption edge is now at
keV with an optical depth a factor of 2.5 to 6 smaller. The third
state corresponds to the orbital phase interval 0.78-0.97. In this state the
best fit model to the spectrum requires the presence of a partial covering
component, indicating that the emission from the compact object is partially
absorbed by neutral matter, probably the atmosphere of the companion star
and/or the accreting matter from the companion.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figures. Accepted by Ap
Probing the Inflow/Out-flow and Accretion Disk of Cyg X-1 in the High State with HETG/Chandra
Cyg X-1 was observed in the high state at the conjunction orbital phase (0)
with HETG/Chandra. Strong and asymmetric absorption lines of highly ionized
species were detected, such as Fe XXV, Fe XXIV, Fe XXIII, Si XIV, S XVI, Ne X,
and etc. In the high state the profile of the absorption lines are composed of
an extended red wing and a less extended blue wing. The red wings of higher
ionized species are more extended than that of lower ionized species. The
detection of these lines provides a way to probe the properties of the flow
around the companion and the black hole in Cyg X-1 during the high state. A
broad emission feature around 6.5 keV was significantly detected from the both
spectra of HETG/Chandra and PCA/RXTE. This feature appears to be symmetric and
can be fitted with a Gaussian function rather than the Laor disk line model of
fluorescent Fe K line from an accretion disk. The implications of
these results on the structure of the accretion flow of Cyg X-1 in the high
state are discussed.Comment: 16 pages, 4 fiugres. accepted for publication in the v597 n2 ApJ
November 10, 2003 issu
Evolution of Hard X-Ray Spectra Along the Branches in Cir X-1
Using the data from the PCA and HEXTE on board the RXTE satellite, we
investigate the evolution of the 3-200 keV spectra of the peculiar low mass
X-ray binary (LMXB) Cir X-1 along the branches on its hardness-intensity
diagram (HID) from the vertical horizontal branch (VHB), through the horizontal
horizontal branch (HHB) and normal branch (NB), to the flaring branch (FB). We
detect a power-law hard component in the spectra. It is found that the derived
photon indices () of the power-law hard component are correlated with
the position on the HID. The power-law component dominates the X-ray emission
of Cir X-1 in the energy band higher than keV. The fluxes of the
power-law component are compared with those of the bremsstrahlung component in
the spectra. A possible origin of the power-law hard component is discussed.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, ApJ Letter accepte
On the Nature of the Bright Short-Period X-ray Source in the Circinus Galaxy Field
The spectrum and light curve of the bright X-ray source CG X-1 in the field
of the Circinus galaxy are re-examined. Previous analyses have concluded that
the source is an accreting black hole of about 50 solar masses although it was
noted that the light curve resembles that of an AM Her system. Here we show
that the short period and an assumed main sequence companion constrain the mass
of the companion to less than one solar mass. Further a possible eclipse seen
during one of the Chandra observations and a subsequent XMM-Newton observation
constrains the mass of the compact object to less than about 60 solar masses.
If such a system lies in the Circinus galaxy, then the accreting object must
either radiate anisotropically or strongly violate the Eddington limit. Even if
the emission is beamed, then the companion star which intercepts this flux
during eclipse will be driven out of thermal equilibrium and evaporate within
about 1000 years. We find that the observations cannot rule out an AM Her
system in the Milky Way and that such a system can account for the variations
seen in the light curve.Comment: 25 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journa
Emirati Pre-service Teacher Behaviors in Mathematics Classrooms
The purpose of this study was to investigate the teaching behaviors of Emirati pre-service teachers in mathematics classrooms. Using a validated ecobehavioral assessment tool, the Mainstream Code for Instructional Structure for Instructional Software (MS-CISSAR), the current study examined the teaching behaviors of nine pre-service teachers in general education Cycle 1 (elementary) public schools in Abu Dhabi. Results revealed the pre-service teachers taught mathematics using instructional groupings of whole class for 62% of the time and small group sessions for 22% of the time. Independent work time was assigned for only 8% of the mathematics class. The participants engaged students in discussion for 32% of the time and used other media such as a mathematics video and/or manipulatives for 31% of the time. Worksheets were assigned for only 16% of the time. The pre-service teachers spent 45% of class time talking or asking questions about academics and 15% of the time engaged in talk related to managing the classroom. Implications for teacher education and directions for future research are discussed. Keywords: Pre-service teachers, Mathematics, Ecobehavioral assessment, MS-CISSAR, Middle Eas
Precise Localization of the Soft Gamma Repeater SGR 1627-41 and the Anomalous X-ray Pulsar AXP 1E1841-045 with Chandra
We present precise localizations of AXP 1E1841-045 and SGR 1627-41 with
Chandra. We obtained new infrared observations of SGR 1627-41 and reanalyzed
archival observations of AXP 1E1841-045 in order to refine their positions and
search for infrared counterparts. A faint source is detected inside the error
circle of AXP 1E1841-045. In the case of SGR 1627-41, several sources are
located within the error radius of the X-ray position and we discuss the
likelihood of one of them being the counterpart. We compare the properties of
our candidates to those of other known AXP and SGR counterparts. We find that
the counterpart candidates for SGR 1627-41 and SGR 1806-20 would have to be
intrinsically much brighter than AXPs to have detectable counterparts with the
observational limits currently available for these sources. To confirm the
reported counterpart of SGR 1806-20, we obtained new IR observations during the
July 2003 burst activation of the source. No brightening of the suggested
counterpart is detected, implying that the counterpart of SGR 1806-20 remains
yet to be identified.Comment: 29 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Chandra Phase-Resolved Spectroscopy of the Crab Pulsar
We present the first phase-resolved study of the X-ray spectral properties of
the Crab Pulsar that covers all pulse phases. The superb angular resolution of
the Chandra X-ray Observatory enables distinguishing the pulsar from the
surrounding nebulosity, even at pulse minimum. Analysis of the pulse-averaged
spectrum measures interstellar X-ray extinction due primarily to photoelectric
absorption and secondarily to scattering by dust grains in the direction of the
Crab Nebula. We confirm previous findings that the line-of-sight to the Crab is
underabundant in oxygen, although more-so than recently measured. Using the
abundances and cross sections from Wilms, Allen & McCray (2000) we find [O/H] =
(3.33 +/-0.25) x 10**-4. Analysis of the spectrum as a function of pulse phase
measures the low-energy X-ray spectral index even at pulse minimum -- albeit
with large statistical uncertainty -- and we find marginal evidence for
variations of the spectral index. The data are also used to set a new (3-sigma)
upper limit to the temperature of the neutron star of log T(infinity) < 6.30.Comment: 20 Pages including 7 figures. Accepted for publication in the
Astrophysical Journa
Substitution effects on spin fluctuations in the spin-Peierls compound CuGeO_3
Using Raman scattering we studied the effect of substitutions on 1D spin
fluctuations in CuGeO_3 observed as a spinon continuum in frustration induced
exchange scattering. For temperatures below the spin-Peierls transition
(T_{SP}=14K) the intensity of this continuum at 120-500 cm^{-1} is
exponentially suppressed and transferred into a 3D two-magnon density of
states. Besides a spin-Peierls gap-induced mode at 30 cm^{-1} and additional
modes at 105 and 370 cm^{-1} are observed. Substitution of Zn on the Cu-site
and Si on the Ge-site of CuGeO_3 quenches easily the spin-Peierls state.
Consequently a suppression of the spin-Peierls gap observable below T_{SP}=14K
as well as a change of the temperature dependence of the spinon continuum are
observed. These effects are discussed in the context of a dimensional crossover
of this compound below T_{SP} and strong spin-lattice interaction.Comment: 9 pages, 2 eps figures include
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