818 research outputs found
XTE J1739-302: An Unusual New X-ray Transient
A new x-ray transient, designated XTE J1739-302, was discovered with the
Proportional Counter Array (PCA) on the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) in
data from 12 August 1997. Although it was the brightest source in the Galactic
Center region while active (about 3.0 x 10^-9 ergs/cm2/s from 2 to 25 keV), it
was only observed on that one day; it was not detectable nine days earlier or
two days later. There is no known counterpart at other wavelengths, and its
proximity to the Galactic Center will make such an identification difficult due
to source confusion and extinction. The x-ray spectrum and intensity suggest a
giant outburst of a Be/neutron star binary, although no pulsations were
observed and the outburst was shorter than is usual from these systems.Comment: 11 pages incorporating 6 figures, AAStex; accepted for The
Astrophysical Journal, Part 2 (Letters
Long-Term X-ray Monitoring of 1E 1740.7-2942 and GRS 1758-258
We report on long-term observations of the Galactic-bulge black hole
candidates 1E 1740.7-2942 and GRS 1758-258 with the Rossi X-Ray Timing
Explorer. 1E 1740.7-2942 has been observed 77 times and GRS 1758-258 has been
observed 82 times over the past 1000 days. The flux of each object has varied
by no more than a factor of 2.5 during this period, and the indices of the
energy spectra have varied by no more than 0.4. The power spectra are similar
to other black-hole candidates: flat-topped noise, breaking to a power law.
Each object has exhibited a brightening that lasted for several months, and we
have a found a time lag between the photon power-law index and the count rate.
In both sources, the spectrum is softest during the decline from the
brightening. This behavior can be understood in the context of thin-disk and
advection-dominated accretion flows coexisting over a wide range of radii, with
the implication that both sources have low-mass companions and accrete via
Roche-lobe overflow.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa
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Plasma/particle interaction in subsonic argon/helium thermal plasma jets
Understanding the behavior of a particle and the interactions between a particle and the plasma surrounding it is important to the development and optimization of the plasma spray coating process. This is an experimental study of the interaction between a subsonic thermal plasma jet and injected nickel-aluminum particles. The velocity, temperature and composition of the gas flow field is mapped using an enthalpy probe/mass spectrometer system. The particle flow field is examined by simultaneously measuring the in-flight size, velocity, and temperature of individual particles. The complex interaction between the gas and particle flow fields is examined by combining the two sets of data. Particle and gas temperatures and velocities are compared in the vicinity of a nominal substrate standoff distance and axially along the median particle trajectory. The temperature and velocity difference is shown to vary substantially depending on the particle`s trajectory. By the time a particle on the median trajectory reaches the nominal substrate stand off of 63.5 mm it is transferring it`s heat and momentum to the plasma gas
Frustrated trimer chain model and Cu3Cl6(H2O)2 2H8C4SO2 in a magnetic field
Recent magnetization and susceptibility measurements on Cu3Cl6(H2O)2 2H8C4SO2
by Ishii et.al. [J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 69, 340 (2000)] have demonstrated the
existence of a spin gap. In order to explain the opening of a spin gap in this
copper-trimer system, Ishii et.al. have proposed a frustrated trimer chain
model. Since the exchange constants for this model have not yet been
determined, we develop a twelfth-order high-temperature series for the magnetic
susceptibility and fit it to the experimentally measured one. We find that some
of the coupling constants are likely to be ferromagnetic. The combination of
several arguments does not provide any evidence for a spin gap in the parameter
region with ferromagnetic coupling constants, but further results e.g. for the
magnetization process are in qualitative agreement with the experimental
observations.Comment: 9 pages REVTeX, 4 PostScript figures included using psfig.sty; for
series and supplementary material see http://www.tu-bs.de/~honecker/3mer/ or
http://www.itp.phys.ethz.ch/staff/laeuchli/3mer ; substantial reorganization
including shifting part of the discussion to WWW pages with "supplementary
material"; new appendix shows that antiferromagnetic J_i > 0 are not
compatible with the experimental data for the magnetic susceptibilit
Orbital and Super-Orbital Periods of 1E 1740.7-2942 and GRS 1758-258
Five years of Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) observations of the Galactic
black-hole candidates 1E 1740.7-2942 and GRS 1758-258 show a periodic
modulation with amplitude 3-4% in each source at 12.73 +/- 0.05 dy and 18.45
+/- 0.10 dy, respectively. We interpret the modulations as orbital, suggesting
that the objects have red-giant companions. Combining the RXTE data with
earlier data (Zhang, Harmon & Liang 1997) from the Burst and Transient Source
Experiment on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory, we find a long period or
quasi-period of about 600 dy in 1E 1740.7-2942, and a suggestion of a similar
600-dy period in GRS 1758-258. These timescales are longer than any yet found
for either precessing systems like Her X-1 and SS 433 or binaries like LMC X-3
and Cyg X-1 with more irregular long periods.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, accepted by The Astrophysical Journal Letter
Does the Blazar Gamma-Ray Spectrum Harden with Increasing Flux? Analysis of 9 Years of EGRET Data
The Energetic Gamma-Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) on the Compton Gamma-Ray
Observatory (CGRO) discovered gamma-ray emission from more than 67 blazars
during its 9 yr lifetime. We conducted an exhaustive search of the EGRET
archives and selected all the blazars that were observed multiple times and
were bright enough to enable a spectral analysis using standard power-law
models. The sample consists of 18 flat-spectrum radio quasars(FSRQs), 6
low-frequency peaked BL Lac objects (LBLs) and 2 high-frequency peaked BL Lac
objects (HBLs). We do not detect any clear pattern in the variation of spectral
index with flux. Some of the blazars do not show any statistical evidence for
spectral variability. The spectrum hardens with increasing flux in a few cases.
There is also evidence for a flux-hardness anticorrelation at low fluxes in
five blazars. The well-observed blazars (3C 279, 3C 273, PKS 0528+134, PKS
1622-297 PKS 0208-512) do not show any overall trend in the long-term spectral
dependence on flux, but the sample shows a mixture of hard and soft states. We
observed a previously unreported spectral hysteresis at weekly timescales in
all three FSRQs for which data from flares lasting for ~(3-4) weeks were
available. All three sources show a counterclockwise rotation, despite the
widely different flux profiles. We analyze the observed spectral behavior in
the context of various inverse Compton mechanisms believed to be responsible
for emission in the EGRET energy range. Our analysis uses the EGRET skymaps
that were regenerated to include the changes in performance during the mission
A Transition to the Soft State in GRS 1758-258
Near the end of 2001 February, the black-hole candidate (BHC) GRS 1758-258
made an abrupt transition from a standard hard (low) state to a soft state.
Unlike Cyg X-1 and other BHCs, whose luminosity increases during this
transition, GRS 1758-258 was dimmer after the transition. We present
observations with the Proportional Counter Array on the Rossi X-ray Timing
Explorer and interpret the phenomenon in the context of a ``dynamical'' soft
state model. Using this model we predicted that mass transfer from the
companion had ceased, and that the luminosity should decay on a timescale of a
few weeks. The most recent data support this prediction, being consistent with
a decay time of 34 dy. The current state is consistent with the ``off'' state
of GRS 1758-258 reported by GRANAT/Sigma in 1991-1992.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical
Journal Letters Accepted version has only minor changes, plus extra data
showing more of the deca
Presidential Popularity and Reputation
This paper reports on the results of an empirical study of relationships between the popularity of US presidents and economic variables. Traditionally, these relationships are based on the hypothesis that voters hold the incumbent President responsible for the economic situation. We derive an alternative specification of popularity, based on the hypothesis that political parties perform better on different issues. Empirical evidence turns out to be strongly in favour of our hypothesis. Our findings have important implications for studies on government behaviour in which it is assumed that one of the objectives of administrations is to maximise votes
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