45,620 research outputs found

    SDSS AGNs with X-ray Emission from ROSAT PSPC Pointed Observations

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    We present a sample of 1744 type 1 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS DR4) spectroscopic catalog with X-ray counterparts in the White-Giommi-Angelini Catalog (WGACAT) of ROSAT PSPC pointed observations. Of 1744 X-ray sources, 1410 (80.9%) are new AGN identifications. Of 4574 SDSS DR4 AGNs for which we found radio matches in the catalog of radio sources from the FIRST catalog, 224 turned up in our sample of SDSS X-ray AGNs. The sample objects are given in a catalog that contains optical and X-ray parameters along with radio emission parameters where available. We illustrate the content of our catalog and its potential for AGN science by providing statistical relationships for the catalog data. The potential of the morphological information is emphasized by confronting the statistics of optically resolved and unresolved AGNs. The immediate properties of the catalog objects include significant correlation of X-ray and optical fluxes, which is consistent with expectations. Also expected is the decrease of X-ray flux toward higher redshifts. The X-ray to optical flux ratio for the unresolved AGNs exhibits a decline toward higher redshifts, in agreement with previous results. The resolved AGNs, however, display the opposite trend. At a given optical brightness, X-ray fluxes of radio-quiet AGNs by a factor of 2. We caution, however, that because of the variety of selection effects present in both the WGACAT and the SDSS, the interpretation of any relationships based on our sample of X-ray AGNs requires a careful analysis of these effects.Comment: 34 pages, 18 figure

    A Novel FastICA Method for the Reference-based Contrast Functions

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    This paper deals with the efficient optimization problem of Cumulant-based contrast criteria in the Blind Source Separation (BSS) framework, in which sources are retrieved by maximizing the Kurtosis contrast function. Combined with the recently proposed reference-based contrast schemes, a new fast fixed-point (FastICA) algorithm is proposed for the case of linear and instantaneous mixture. Due to its quadratic dependence on the number of searched parameters, the main advantage of this new method consists in the significant decrement of computational speed, which is particularly striking with large number of samples. The method is essentially similar to the classical algorithm based on the Kurtosis contrast function, but differs in the fact that the reference-based idea is utilized. The validity of this new method was demonstrated by simulations

    Mapping warm molecular hydrogen with Spitzer's Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)

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    Photometric maps, obtained with Spitzer's Infrared Array Camera (IRAC), can provide a valuable probe of warm molecular hydrogen within the interstellar medium. IRAC maps of the supernova remnant IC443, extracted from the Spitzer archive, are strikingly similar to spectral line maps of the H2 pure rotational transitions that we obtained with the Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) instrument on Spitzer. IRS spectroscopy indicates that IRAC Bands 3 and 4 are indeed dominated by the H2 v=0-0 S(5) and S(7) transitions, respectively. Modeling of the H2 excitation suggests that Bands 1 and 2 are dominated by H2 v=1-0 O(5) and v=0-0 S(9). Large maps of the H2 emission in IC433, obtained with IRAC, show band ratios that are inconsistent with the presence of gas at a single temperature. The relative strengths of IRAC Bands 2, 3, and 4 are consistent with pure H2 emission from shocked material with a power-law distribution of gas temperatures. CO vibrational emissions do not contribute significantly to the observed Band 2 intensity. Assuming that the column density of H2 at temperatures T to T+dT is proportional to T raised to the power -b for temperatures up to 4000 K, we obtained a typical estimate of 4.5 for b. The power-law index, b, shows variations over the range 3 to 6 within the set of different sight-lines probed by the maps, with the majority of sight-lines showing b in the range 4 to 5. The observed power-law index is consistent with the predictions of simple models for paraboloidal bow shocks.Comment: 27 pages, including 11 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap

    Separator plugs for liquid helium

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    Work performed during Summer 1984 (from June to Sept. 30) in the area of porous media for use in low temperature applications is discussed. Recent applications are in the area of vapor - liquid phase separation, pumping based on the fountain effect and related subsystems. Areas of potential applications of the latter are outlined in supplementary work. Experimental data have been developed. The linear equations of the two-fluid model are inspected critically in the light of forced convection evidence reported recently. It is emphasized that the Darcy permeability is a unique throughput quantity in the porous media application areas whose use will permit meaningful comparisons of data not only in one lab but also within a group of labs doing porous plug studies

    The Demise of the Classical BLR in the Luminous Quasar PG1416-129

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    New observations of the broad-line quasar PG1416-129 reveal a large decline in its continuum luminosity over the past ten years. In response to the continuum change the ``classical'' broad component of Hbeta has almost completely disappeared (a x10 decrease in flux). In its place there remains a redshifted/redward asymmetric very broad emission line component. The significance of this change is multifold: (1) It confirms the existence of a distinct redshifted Very Broad Line Region (VBLR) component that persists after the demise of the broad component and that is frequently observed, along with the broad component, in radio-loud sources. (2) The smaller (x2) intensity change in the Hbeta very broad component supports the previously advanced idea that the VBLR is physically distinct and likely to arise in an optically thin region close to the central source. (3) The presence of a strong very broad component in the radio-quiet quasar PG1416-129 reinforces the notion that such ``population B'' quasars share similar spectroscopic (and hence geometrical and kinematical) properties to radio-loud sources. (4) AGN can show broad, very broad, or both line components simultaneously, making statistical comparisons of source profile widths difficult. (5) The interpretation, in reverberation studies, of the presence or lack of correlated response in broad line wings will be affected by this composite BLR/VBLR structure.Comment: accepted to Astrophys. J. Letters; 12 pages, 2 figures, 2 table
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