292 research outputs found
Unveiling the central parsec region of an AGN: the Circinus nucleus in the near infrared with the VLT
VLT J- to M\p-band adaptive optics observations of the Circinus Galaxy on
parsec scales resolve a central bright Ks-band source with a FWHM size of 1.9
0.6 pc. This source is only visible at wavelengths longward of 1.6 m
and coincides in position with the peak of the [Si VII]~2.48 m coronal
line emission. With respect to the peak of the central optical emission, the
source is shifted by 0.15\arcsec (2.8 pc) to the south-east. Indeed, it
defines the vertex of a fairly collimated beam which extends for 10 pc,
and which is seen in both continuum light shortward of 1.6 m and in
H line emission. The source also lies at the center of a 19 pc
size [Si VII] ionization {\it bicone}.
Identifying this source as the nucleus of Circinus, its size is compatible
with a putative parsec-scale torus. Its spectral energy distribution,
characterized by a prominent narrow peak, is compatible with a dust temperature
of 300 K. Hotter dust within a 1 pc radius of the center is not detected. The
AGN luminosity required to heat this dust is in the range of X-ray luminosities
that have been measured toward the central source. This in turn supports the
existence of highly obscuring material, with column densities of
cm, that must be located within 1 pc of the core.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures; To appear in The Astrophysical Journa
Intercomparison of stratospheric chemistry models under polar vortex conditions
Several stratospheric chemistry modules from box, 2-D or 3-D models, have been intercompared. The intercomparison was focused on the ozone loss and associated reactive species under the conditions found in the cold, wintertime Arctic and Antarctic vortices. Comparisons of both gas phase and heterogeneous chemistry modules show excellent agreement between the models under constrained conditions for photolysis and the microphysics of polar stratospheric clouds. While the mean integral ozone loss ranges from 4-80% for different 30-50 days long air parcel trajectories, the mean scatter of model results around these values is only about +/-1.5%. In a case study, where the models employed their standard photolysis and microphysical schemes, the variation around the mean percentage ozone loss increases to about +/-7%. This increased scatter of model results is mainly due to the different treatment of the PSC microphysics and heterogeneous chemistry in the models, whereby the most unrealistic assumptions about PSC processes consequently lead to the least representative ozone chemistry. Furthermore, for this case study the model results for the ozone mixing ratios at different altitudes were compared with a measured ozone profile to investigate the extent to which models reproduce the stratospheric ozone losses. It was found that mainly in the height range of strong ozone depletion all models underestimate the ozone loss by about a factor of two. This finding corroborates earlier studies and implies a general deficiency in our understanding of the stratospheric ozone loss chemistry rather than a specific problem related to a particular model simulation
First measurement of the helicity asymmetry for in the resonance region
The first measurement of the helicity dependence of the photoproduction cross
section of single neutral pions off protons is reported for photon energies
from 600 to 2300\,MeV, covering nearly the full solid angle. The data are
compared to predictions from the SAID, MAID, and BnGa partial wave analyses.
Strikingly large differences between data and predictions are observed which
are traced to differences in the helicity amplitudes of well known and
established resonances. Precise values for the helicity amplitudes of several
resonances are reported
Single-Pion Production in pp Collisions at 0.95 GeV/c (II)
The single-pion production reactions , and
were measured at a beam momentum of 0.95 GeV/c (
400 MeV) using the short version of the COSY-TOF spectrometer. The central
calorimeter provided particle identification, energy determination and neutron
detection in addition to time-of-flight and angle measurements from other
detector parts. Thus all pion production channels were recorded with 1-4
overconstraints. Main emphasis is put on the presentation and discussion of the
channel, since the results on the other channels have already been
published previously. The total and differential cross sections obtained are
compared to theoretical calculations. In contrast to the channel we
find in the channel a strong influence of the excitation
already at this energy close to threshold. In particular we find a dependence in the pion angular distribution, typical for a
pure s-channel excitation and identical to that observed in the
channel. Since the latter is understood by a s-channel resonance in
the partial wave, we discuss an analogous scenario for the
channel
Infrared spectroscopy of NGC 1068: Probing the obscured ionizing AGN continuum
The ISO-SWS 2.5-45 um infrared spectroscopic observations of the nucleus of
the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1068 (see companion paper) are combined with a
compilation of UV to IR narrow emission line data to determine the spectral
energy distribution (SED) of the obscured extreme-UV continuum that
photoionizes the narrow line emitting gas in the active galactic nucleus. We
search a large grid of gas cloud models and SEDs for the combination that best
reproduces the observed line fluxes and NLR geometry. Our best fit model
reproduces the observed line fluxes to better than a factor of 2 on average and
is in general agreement with the observed NLR geometry. It has two gas
components that are consistent with a clumpy distribution of dense outflowing
gas in the center and a more extended distribution of less dense and more
clumpy gas farther out that has no net outflow. The best fit SED has a deep
trough at ~4 Ryd, which is consistent with an intrinsic Big Blue Bump that is
partially absorbed by ~6x10^19 cm^-2 of neutral hydrogen interior to the NLR.Comment: 15 pp, 4 figures, ApJ accepte
Experimental constraints on the -nucleus real potential
In a search for mesic states, the production of -mesons in
coincidence with forward going protons has been studied in photon induced
reactions on C for incident photon energies of 1250 - 3100 MeV. The
pairs from decays of bound or quasi-free -mesons have
been measured with the CBELSA/TAPS detector system in coincidence with protons
registered in the MiniTAPS forward array. Structures in the total energy
distribution of the pairs, which would indicate the population
and decay of bound B states, are not observed. The
cross section of 0.3 nb/MeV/sr observed in the bound state energy regime
between -100 and 0 MeV may be accounted for by yield leaking into the bound
state regime because of the large in-medium width of the -meson. A
comparison of the measured total energy distribution with calculations suggests
the real part of the B potential to be small and only
weakly attractive with 35(stat) 20(syst) MeV
in contrast to some theoretical predictions of attractive potentials with a
depth of 100 - 150 MeV.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figure
The polarization observables T, P, and H and their impact on multipoles
Data on the polarization observables T, P, and H for the reaction are reported. Compared to earlier data from other experiments, our
data are more precise and extend the covered range in energy and angle
substantially. The results were extracted from azimuthal asymmetries measured
using a transversely polarized target and linearly polarized photons. The data
were taken at the Bonn electron stretcher accelerator ELSA with the CBELSA/TAPS
detector. Within the Bonn-Gatchina partial wave analysis, the new polarization
data lead to a significant narrowing of the error band for the multipoles for
neutral-pion photoproduction
The N(1520) 3/2- helicity amplitudes from an energy-independent multipole analysis based on new polarization data on photoproduction of neutral pions
New data on the polarization observables T, P, and H for the reaction are reported. The results are extracted from azimuthal
asymmetries when a transversely polarized butanol target and a linearly
polarized photon beam are used. The data were taken at the Bonn electron
stretcher accelerator ELSA using the CBELSA/TAPS detector. These and earlier
data are used to perform a truncated energy-independent partial wave analysis
in sliced-energy bins. This energy-independent analysis is compared to the
results from energy-dependent partial wave analyses
On the Production of Pairs in pp Collisions at 0.8 GeV
Data accumulated recently for the exclusive measurement of the reaction at a beam energy of 0.793 GeV using the COSY-TOF
spectrometer have been analyzed with respect to possible events from the reaction channel. The latter is expected to be the only
production channel, which contains no major contributions from
resonance excitation close to threshold and hence should be a good testing
ground for chiral dynamics in the production process. No single event
has been found, which meets all conditions for being a candidate for the reaction. This gives an upper limit for the cross section of
0.16 b (90% C.L.), which is more than an order of magnitude smaller than
the cross sections of the other two-pion production channels at the same
incident energy
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