5,598 research outputs found
New Cataclysmic Variable 1RXS J073346.0+261933 in Gemini
In course of the search for the optical identifications associated with ROSAT
X-ray sources we have found a highly variable object with the very unusual
long-term behavior, color indices and high X-ray-to-optical flux ratio. We
report the archival photometric light curve from the Catalina Sky Survey,
optical spectroscopy from RTT150 and time-resolved photometry from
Astrotel-Caucasus telescope. The object appears to be the magnetic cataclysmic
variable (polar) with orbital period of P=3.20 hr.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures. Submitted to Astronomy Letter
X-raying the coronae of HD~155555
We present an analysis of the high-resolution Chandra observation of the
multiple system, HD 155555 (an RS CVn type binary system, HD 155555 AB, and its
spatially resolved low-mass companion HD 155555 C). This is an intriguing
system which shows properties of both an active pre-main sequence star and a
synchronised (main sequence) binary. We obtain the emission measure
distribution, temperature structures, plasma densities, and abundances of this
system and compare them with the coronal properties of other young/active
stars. HD 155555 AB and HD 155555 C produce copious X-ray emission with log Lx
of 30.54 and 29.30, respectively, in the 0.3-6.0 keV energy band. The light
curves of individual stars show variability on timescales of few minutes to
hours. We analyse the dispersed spectra and reconstruct the emission measure
distribution using spectral line analysis. The resulting elemental abundances
exhibit inverse first ionisation potential effect in both cases. An analysis of
He-like triplets yields a range of coronal electron densities ~10^10-10^13
cm-3. Since HD 155555 AB is classified both as an RS CVn and a PMS star, we
compare our results with those of other slightly older active main-sequence
stars and T Tauri stars, which indicates that the coronal properties of HD
155555 AB closely resemble that of an older RS CVn binary rather than a younger
PMS star. Our results also suggests that the properties of HD 155555 C is very
similar to those of other active M dwarfs.Comment: 17 pages, 23 figues, Accepted in Ap
QED calculation of the n=1 and n=2 energy levels in He-like ions
We perform ab initio QED calculations of energy levels for the and
states of He-like ions with the nuclear charge in the range -100.
The complete set of two-electron QED corrections is evaluated to all orders in
the parameter \aZ. Uncalculated contributions to energy levels come through
orders \alpha^3 (\aZ)^2, \alpha^2 (\aZ)^7, and higher. The calculation
presented is the first treatment for excited states of He-like ions complete
through order \alpha^2 (\aZ)^4. A significant improvement in accuracy of
theoretical predictions is achieved, especially in the high- region.Comment: 23 pages, 5 figure
Analog processing of signals from a CZT strip detector with orthogonal coplanar anodes
We present the requirements, design, and performance of an analog circuit for processing the non-collecting anode strip signals from a cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) strip detector with orthogonal coplanar anodes. Detector signal simulations and measurements with a prototype are used to define the range of signal characteristics as a function of location of the gamma interaction in the detector. The signals from the non- collecting anode strip electrodes are used to define two of the three spatial coordinates including the depth of interaction, the z dimension. Analog signal processing options are discussed. A circuit to process the signals from the non- collecting anode strips and extract from them the depth of interaction is described. The circuit employs a time-over- threshold (TOT) measurement. The performance of the detector prototype with a preliminary version of this circuit is presented, and future development work is outlined
Deposing the Cool Corona of KPD 0005+5106
The ROSAT PSPC pulse height spectrum of the peculiar He-rich hot white dwarf
KPD 0005+5106 provided a great surprise when first analysed by Fleming, Werner
& Barstow (1993). It defied the best non-LTE modelling attempts in terms of
photospheric emission from He-dominated atmospheres including C, N and O and
was instead interpreted as the first evidence for a coronal plasma around a
white dwarf. We show here that a recent high resolution Chandra LETGS spectrum
has more structure than expected from a thermal bremsstrahlung continuum and
lacks the narrow lines of H-like and He-like C expected from a coronal plasma.
Moreover, a coronal model requires a total luminosity more than two orders of
magnitude larger than that of the star itself. Instead, the observed 20-80 AA
flux is consistent with photospheric models containing trace amounts of heavier
elements such as Fe. The soft X-ray flux is highly sensitive to the adopted
metal abundance and provides a metal abundance diagnostic. The weak X-ray
emission at 1 keV announced by O'Dwyer et al (2003) instead cannot arise from
the photosphere and requires alternative explanations. We echo earlier
speculation that such emission arises in a shocked wind. Despite the presence
of UV-optical O VIII lines from transitions between levels n=7-10, no X-ray O
VIII Ly alpha flux is detected. We show that O VIII Lyman photons can be
trapped by resonant scattering within the emitting plasma and destroyed by
photoelectric absorption.Comment: 15 Pages, 4 figures. Accepted for the Astrophysical Journa
Chemical abundances and kinematics of barium stars
In this paper we present an homogeneous analysis of photospheric abundances
based on high-resolution spectroscopy of a sample of 182 barium stars and
candidates. We determined atmospheric parameters, spectroscopic distances,
stellar masses, ages, luminosities and scale height, radial velocities,
abundances of the Na, Al, -elements, iron-peak elements, and s-process
elements Y, Zr, La, Ce, and Nd. We employed the local-thermodynamic-equilibrium
model atmospheres of Kurucz and the spectral analysis code {\sc moog}. We found
that the metallicities, the temperatures and the surface gravities for barium
stars can not be represented by a single gaussian distribution. The abundances
of -elements and iron peak elements are similar to those of field giants
with the same metallicity. Sodium presents some degree of enrichment in more
evolved stars that could be attributed to the NeNa cycle. As expected, the
barium stars show overabundance of the elements created by the s-process. By
measuring the mean heavy-element abundance pattern as given by the ratio
[s/Fe], we found that the barium stars present several degrees of enrichment.
We also obtained the [hs/ls] ratio by measuring the photospheric abundances of
the Ba-peak and the Zr-peak elements. Our results indicated that the [s/Fe] and
the [hs/ls] ratios are strongly anti-correlated with the metallicity. Our
kinematical analysis showed that 90% of the barium stars belong to the thin
disk population. Based on their luminosities, none of the barium stars are
luminous enough to be an AGB star, nor to become self-enriched in the s-process
elements. Finally, we determined that the barium stars also follow an
age-metallicity relation.Comment: 30 pages, 26 figures, 18 tables, accepted for publication in MNRA
Nonrelativistic ionization energy for the helium ground state
The helium ground state nonrelativistic energy with 24 significant digits is
presented. The calculations are based on variational expansion with randomly
chosen exponents. This data can be used as a benchmark for other approaches for
many electron and/or three-body systems.Comment: 3 pages, 0 figure
- …