435 research outputs found
The Three Dimensional Structure of EUV Accretion Regions in AM Herculis Stars: Modeling of EUV Photometric and Spectroscopic Observations
We have developed a model of the high-energy accretion region for magnetic
cataclysmic variables and applied it to {\it Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer}
observations of 10 AM Herculis type systems. The major features of the EUV
light curves are well described by the model. The light curves exhibit a large
variety of features such as eclipses of the accretion region by the secondary
star and the accretion stream, and dips caused by material very close to the
accretion region. While all the observed features of the light curves are
highly dependent on viewing geometry, none of the light curves are consistent
with a flat, circular accretion spot whose lightcurve would vary solely from
projection effects. The accretion region immediately above the WD surface is a
source of EUV radiation caused by either a vertical extent to the accretion
spot, or Compton scattering off electrons in the accretion column, or, very
likely, both. Our model yields spot sizes averaging 0.06 R, or the WD surface area, and average spot heights of 0.023
R. Spectra extracted during broad dip phases are softer than spectra
during the out-of-dip phases. This spectral ratio measurement leads to the
conclusion that Compton scattering, some absorption by a warm absorber,
geometric effects, an asymmetric temperature structure in the accretion region
and an asymmetric density structure of the accretion columnare all important
components needed to fully explain the data. Spectra extracted at phases where
the accretion spot is hidden behind the limb of the WD, but with the accretion
column immediately above the spot still visible, show no evidence of emission
features characteristic of a hot plasma.Comment: 30 Pages, 11 Figure
Phase-resolved HST/STIS spectroscopy of the exposed white dwarf in the high-field polar AR UMa
Phase-resolved HST/STIS ultraviolet spectroscopy of the high-field polar AR
UMa confirms that the WD photospheric Ly alpha Zeeman features are formed in a
magnetic field of ~200 MG. In addition to the Ly alpha pi and sigma+
components, we detect the forbidden hydrogen 1s0->2s0 transition, which becomes
``enabled'' in the presence of both strong magnetic and electric fields. Our
attempt in fitting the overall optical+UV low state spectrum with single
temperature magnetic WD models remains rather unsatisfactory, indicating either
a shortcoming in the present models or a new physical process acting in AR UMa.
As a result, our estimate of the WD temperature remains somewhat uncertain,
Twd=20000+-5000K. We detect a broad emission bump centered at ~1445A and
present throughout the entire binary orbit, and a second bump near ~1650A,
which appears only near the inferior conjunction of the secondary star. These
are suggestive of low harmonic cyclotron emission produced by low-level
(M-dot~1e-13 Msun/yr) accretion onto both magnetic poles. However, there is no
evidence in the power spectrum of light variations for accretion in gas blobs.
The observed Ly alpha emission line shows a strong phase dependence with
maximum flux and redshift near orbital phase phi~0.3, strongly indicating an
origin on the trailing hemisphere of the secondary star. An additional Ly alpha
absorption feature with similar phasing as the Ly alpha emission, but a
\~700km/s blueshift could tentatively be ascribed to absorption of WD emission
in a moderately fast wind. We derive a column density of neutral hydrogen of
NH=(1.1+-1.0)1e18 cm**-2, the lowest of any known polar.Comment: 26 pages, 10 figures, AAS TeX 5.0, accepted for publication in the
Astrophysical Journa
Gross Spectral Differences between Bright and Dim Gamma-Ray Bursts
We find that dim gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are softer than bright GRBs, as
indicated on average by data from the Burst and Transient Source Experiment
(BATSE) on board the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. We show that this
correlation is statistically significant with respect to variations due to
random differences between GRBs. This effect is discernable using a variety of
methods and data sets, including public domain data. We analyze several types
of systematic errors and selection effects in the BATSE data and conclude that
the observed effect is not dominated by any of them. We therefore assert that
this dim/soft effect is a real property of GRBs. It is possible that this
correlation is a consequence of the time dilation detected by Norris et al.
(1994) and that this is additional evidence that burst sources are located at
cosmological distances.Comment: in press: The Astrophysical Journal (Letters), 15 pages of Plain TEX
version 3.0. Postscript text and figures available through RJN's Home Page
URL of http://enemy.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/rjn.htm
Spitzer Space Telescope observations of magnetic cataclysmic variables: possibilities for the presence of dust in polars
We present Spitzer Space Telescope photometry of six short-period polars, EF
Eri, V347 Pav, VV Pup, V834 Cen, GG Leo, and MR Ser. We have combined the
Spitzer Infrared Array Camera (3.6 -8.0 microns) data with the 2MASS J, H, K_s
photometry to construct the spectral energy distributions of these systems from
the near- to mid-IR (1.235 - 8 microns). We find that five out of the six
polars have flux densities in the mid-IR that are substantially in excess of
the values expected from the stellar components alone. We have modeled the
observed SEDs with a combination of contributions from the white dwarf,
secondary star, and either cyclotron emission or a cool, circumbinary dust disk
to fill in the long-wavelength excess. We find that a circumbinary dust disk is
the most likely cause of the 8 micron excess in all cases, but we have been
unable to rule out the specific (but unlikely) case of completely optically
thin cyclotron emission as the source of the observed 8 micron flux density.
While both model components can generate enough flux at 8 microns, neither dust
nor cyclotron emission alone can match the excess above the stellar components
at all wavelengths. A model combining both cyclotron and dust contributions,
possibly with some accretion-generated flux in the near-IR, is probably
required, but our observed SEDs are not sufficiently well-sampled to constrain
such a complicated model. If the 8 micron flux density is caused by the
presence of a circumbinary dust disk, then our estimates of the masses of these
disks are many orders of magnitude below the mass required to affect CV
evolution.Comment: 58 pages, 14 figures, ApJ accepte
Helium in superstrong magnetic fields
We investigate the helium atom embedded in a superstrong magnetic field
gamma=100-10000 au. All effects due to the finite nuclear mass for vanishing
pseudomomentum are taken into account. The influence and the magnitude of the
different finite mass effects are analyzed and discussed. Within our full
configuration interaction approach calculations are performed for the magnetic
quantum numbers M=0,-1,-2,-3, singlet and triplet states, as well as positive
and negative z parities. Up to six excited states for each symmetry are
studied. With increasing field strength the number of bound states decreases
rapidly and we remain with a comparatively small number of bound states for
gamma=10^4 au within the symmetries investigated here.Comment: 16 pages, including 14 eps figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Null Result in Gamma-Ray Burst Lensed Echo Search
We have searched for gravitational-lens induced echoes between gamma-ray
bursts (GRBs) in NASA's orbiting {\it Compton} Gamma Ray Observatory's Burst
and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) data. The search was conducted in two
phases. In the first phase we compared all GRBs in a brightness complete sample
of the first 260 GRBs with recorded angular positions having at least 5 \%
chance of being coincident from their combined positional error. In the second
phase, we compared all GRB light curves of the first 611 GRBs with recorded
angular positions having at least 55 \% chance of being coincident from their
combined positional error. No unambiguous gravitational lens candidate pairs
were found in either phase, although a ``library of close calls" was
accumulated for future reference. This result neither excludes nor
significantly constrains a cosmological origin for GRBs.Comment: in press: ApJ, Plain TeX, 14 pages, 17 figures (available by FAX
The Far-Ultraviolet Spectrum and Short Timescale Variability of AM Herculis from Observations with the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope
Using the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT), we have obtained 850-1850
angstrom spectra of the magnetic cataclysmic variable star AM Her in the high
state. These observations provide high time resolution spectra of AM Her in the
FUV and sample much of the orbital period of the system. The spectra are not
well-modelled in terms of simple white dwarf (WD) atmospheres, especially at
wavelengths shortward of Lyman alpha. The continuum flux changes by a factor of
2 near the Lyman limit as a function of orbital phase; the peak fluxes are
observed near magnetic phase 0.6 when the accreting pole of the WD is most
clearly visible. The spectrum of the hotspot can be modelled in terms of a 100
000 K WD atmosphere covering 2% of the WD surface. The high time resolution of
the HUT data allows an analysis of the short term variability and shows the UV
luminosity to change by as much as 50% on timescales as short as 10 s. This
rapid variability is shown to be inconsistent with the clumpy accretion model
proposed to account for the soft X-ray excess in polars. We see an increase in
narrow line emission during these flares when the heated face of the secondary
is in view. The He II narrow line flux is partially eclipsed at secondary
conjunction, implying that the inclination of the system is greater than 45
degrees. We also present results from models of the heated face of the
secondary. These models show that reprocessing on the face of the secondary
star of X-ray/EUV emission from the accretion region near the WD can account
for the intensities and kinematics of most of the narrow line components
observed.Comment: 19 pp., 12 fig., 3 tbl. To appear in The Astrophysical Journal. Also
available at http://greeley.pha.jhu.edu/papers/amherpp.ps.g
The pecular magnetic field morphology of the white dwarf WD 1953-011: evidence for a large-scale magnetic flux tube?
We present and interpret new spectropolarimetric observations of the magnetic
white dwarf WD 1953-011. Circular polarization and intensity spectra of the
H spectral line demonstrate the presence of two-component magnetic
field in the photosphere of this star. The geometry consists of a weak, large
scale component, and a strong, localized component. Analyzing the rotationally
modulated low-field component, we establish a rotation period days. Modeling the measured magnetic observables, we find that the
low-field component can be described by the superposition of a dipole and
quadrupole. According to the best-fit model, the inclination of the stellar
rotation axis with respect to the line of sight is , and
the angle between the rotation axis and the dipolar axis is . The dipole strength at the pole is about 180 kG, and the quadrupolar
strength is about 230 kG. These data suggest a fossil origin of the low-field
component. In contrast, the strong-field component exhibits a peculiar,
localized structure (``magnetic spot'') that confirms the conclusions of Maxted
and co-workers. The mean field modulus of the spot (
kG) together with its variable longitudinal magnetic field having a maximum of
about +400 kG make it difficult to describe it naturally as a high-order
component of the star's global poloidal field. Instead, we suggest that the
observed strong-field region has a geometry similar to a magnetic flux tube.Comment: 11 figure
The Palomar Testbed Interferometer Calibrator Catalog
The Palomar Testbed Interferometer (PTI) archive of observations between 1998
and 2005 is examined for objects appropriate for calibration of optical
long-baseline interferometer observations - stars that are predictably
point-like and single. Approximately 1,400 nights of data on 1,800 objects were
examined for this investigation. We compare those observations to an
intensively studied object that is a suitable calibrator, HD217014, and
statistically compare each candidate calibrator to that object by computing
both a Mahalanobis distance and a Principal Component Analysis. Our hypothesis
is that the frequency distribution of visibility data associated with
calibrator stars differs from non-calibrator stars such as binary stars.
Spectroscopic binaries resolved by PTI, objects known to be unsuitable for
calibrator use, are similarly tested to establish detection limits of this
approach. From this investigation, we find more than 350 observed stars
suitable for use as calibrators (with an additional being
rejected), corresponding to sky coverage for PTI. This approach
is noteworthy in that it rigorously establishes calibration sources through a
traceable, empirical methodology, leveraging the predictions of spectral energy
distribution modeling but also verifying it with the rich body of PTI's on-sky
observations.Comment: 100 pages, 7 figures, 7 tables; to appear in the May 2008ApJS, v176n
Interstellar Grains -- The 75th Anniversary
The year of 2005 marks the 75th anniversary since Trumpler (1930) provided
the first definitive proof of interstellar grains by demonstrating the
existence of general absorption and reddening of starlight in the galactic
plane. This article reviews our progressive understanding of the nature of
interstellar dust.Comment: invited review article for the "Light, Dust and Chemical Evolution"
conference (Gerace, Italy, 26--30 September 2004), edited by F. Borghese and
R. Saija, 2005, in pres
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