398 research outputs found
Distribution of dust clouds around the central engine of NGC 1068
We studied the distribution of dust clouds around the central engine of NGC
1068 based on shifted-and-added 8.8 - 12.3 micron (MIR) multi-filter images and
3.0 - 3.9 micron (L-band) spectra obtained with the Subaru Telescope. In a
region of 100 pc (1.4") around the central peak, we successfully constructed
maps of color temperatures and emissivities of the MIR and L-band continua as
well as the 9.7 micron and 3.4 micron dust features with spatial resolutions of
26 pc (0.37") in the MIR and 22 pc (0.3") in the L-band. Our main results are:
1) color temperature of the MIR continuum scatters around the thermal
equilibrium temperature with the central engine as the heat source while that
of the L-band continuum is higher and independent upon distance from the
central engine; 2) the peak of the 9.7 micron silicate absorption feature is
shifted to a longer wavelength at some locations; 3) the ratio of the optical
depths of the dust features is different from the Galactic values and show
complicated spatial distribution; and 4) there is a pie shaped warm dust cloud
as an enhancement in the emissivity of the MIR continuum extending about 50 pc
to the north from the central engine. We speculate that material falls into the
central engine through this cloud.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication on Ap
correlations from the stopped reaction on He
We have investigated correlations of coincident pairs from the
stopped reaction on He, and clearly observed and
branches of the two-nucleon absorption process in the
invariant mass spectra. In addition, non-mesonic reaction channels, which
indicate possible exotic signals for the formation of strange multibaryon
states, have been identified.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Physical Review Letter
An Electron-Tracking Compton Telescope for a Survey of the Deep Universe by MeV gamma-rays
Photon imaging for MeV gammas has serious difficulties due to huge
backgrounds and unclearness in images, which are originated from incompleteness
in determining the physical parameters of Compton scattering in detection,
e.g., lack of the directional information of the recoil electrons. The recent
major mission/instrument in the MeV band, Compton Gamma Ray
Observatory/COMPTEL, which was Compton Camera (CC), detected mere
persistent sources. It is in stark contrast with 2000 sources in the GeV
band. Here we report the performance of an Electron-Tracking Compton Camera
(ETCC), and prove that it has a good potential to break through this stagnation
in MeV gamma-ray astronomy. The ETCC provides all the parameters of
Compton-scattering by measuring 3-D recoil electron tracks; then the Scatter
Plane Deviation (SPD) lost in CCs is recovered. The energy loss rate (dE/dx),
which CCs cannot measure, is also obtained, and is found to be indeed helpful
to reduce the background under conditions similar to space. Accordingly the
significance in gamma detection is improved severalfold. On the other hand, SPD
is essential to determine the point-spread function (PSF) quantitatively. The
SPD resolution is improved close to the theoretical limit for multiple
scattering of recoil electrons. With such a well-determined PSF, we demonstrate
for the first time that it is possible to provide reliable sensitivity in
Compton imaging without utilizing an optimization algorithm. As such, this
study highlights the fundamental weak-points of CCs. In contrast we demonstrate
the possibility of ETCC reaching the sensitivity below erg
cm s at 1 MeV.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures, Accepted to the Astrophysical Journa
Phorbol ester selectively stimulates the phospholipase D-mediated hydrolysis of phosphatidylethanolamine in multidrug-resistant MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cells
Large Silicon Abundance in Photodissociation Regions
We have made one-dimensional raster-scan observations of the rho Oph and
sigma Sco star-forming regions with two spectrometers (SWS and LWS) on board
the ISO. In the rho Oph region, [SiII] 35um, [OI] 63um, 146um, [CII] 158um, and
the H2 pure rotational transition lines S(0) to S(3) are detected, and the PDR
properties are derived as the radiation field scaled by the solar neighborhood
value G_0~30-500, the gas density n~250--2500 /cc, and the surface temperature
T~100-400 K. The ratio of [SiII] 35um to [OI] 146um indicates that silicon of
10--20% of the solar abundance must be in the gaseous form in the
photodissociation region (PDR), suggesting that efficient dust destruction is
undergoing even in the PDR and that part of silicon atoms may be contained in
volatile forms in dust grains. The [OI] 63um and [CII] 158um emissions are too
weak relative to [OI] 146um to be accounted for by standard PDR models. We
propose a simple model, in which overlapping PDR clouds along the line of sight
absorb the [OI] 63um and [CII] 158um emissions, and show that the proposed
model reproduces the observed line intensities fairly well. In the sigma Sco
region, we have detected 3 fine-structure lines, [OI] 63um, [NII] 122um, and
[CII] 158um, and derived that 30-80% of the [CII] emission comes from the
ionized gas. The upper limit of the [SiII] 35um is compatible with the solar
abundance relative to nitrogen and no useful constraint on the gaseous Si is
obtained for the sigma Sco region.Comment: 25 pages with 7 figures, accepted in Astrophysical Journa
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