Far-Ultraviolet Observations of NGC 3516 using the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope

We observed the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 3516 twice during the flight of Astro-2 using the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope in March 1995. Simultaneous X-ray observations were performed with ASCA. Our far-ultraviolet spectra cover the spectral range 820-1840 A with a resolution of 2-4 A. No significant variations were found between the two observations. The total spectrum shows a red continuum, $f_\nu \sim \nu^{-1.89}$, with an observed flux of $\rm 2.2 \times 10^{-14}~erg~cm^{-2}~s^{-1}~\AA^{-1}$ at 1450 A, slightly above the historical mean. Intrinsic absorption in Lyman $\beta$ is visible as well as absorption from O~vi 1032,1038, N~v 1239,1243, Si~iv 1394,1403, and C~iv 1548,1551. The UV absorption lines are far weaker than is usual for NGC~3516, and also lie closer to the emission line redshift rather than showing the blueshift typical of these lines when they are strong. The neutral hydrogen absorption, however, is blueshifted by $400~\rm km~s^{-1}$ relative to the systemic velocity, and it is opaque at the Lyman limit. The sharpness of the cutoff indicates a low effective Doppler parameter, $b < \rm 20~km~s^{-1}$. For $b = \rm 10~km~s^{-1}$ the derived intrinsic column is $\rm 3.5 \times 10^{17}~cm^{-2}$. As in NGC~4151, a single warm absorber cannot produce the strong absorption visible over the wide range of observed ionization states. Matching both the UV and X-ray absorption simultaneously requires absorbers spanning a range of $10^3$ in both ionization parameter and column density.Comment: 18 pages, 4 PostScript figures, uses aaspp4.sty To appear in the August 20, 1996, issue of The Astrophysical Journa

Network of Earthquakes and Recurrences Therein

We quantify the correlation between earthquakes and use the same to distinguish between relevant causally connected earthquakes. Our correlation metric is a variation on the one introduced by Baiesi and Paczuski (2004). A network of earthquakes is constructed, which is time ordered and with links between the more correlated ones. Data pertaining to the California region has been used in the study. Recurrences to earthquakes are identified employing correlation thresholds to demarcate the most meaningful ones in each cluster. The distribution of recurrence lengths and recurrence times are analyzed subsequently to extract information about the complex dynamics. We find that the unimodal feature of recurrence lengths helps to associate typical rupture lengths with different magnitude earthquakes. The out-degree of the network shows a hub structure rooted on the large magnitude earthquakes. In-degree distribution is seen to be dependent on the density of events in the neighborhood. Power laws are also obtained with recurrence time distribution agreeing with the Omori law.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure

Far-UV Observations of NGC 4151 during the ORFEUS-SPAS II Mission

We observed the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 4151 on eleven occasions at 1-2 day intervals using the Berkeley spectrometer during the ORFEUS-SPAS II mission in 1996 November. The mean spectrum covers 912-1220 A at ~0.3 A resolution with a total exposure of 15,658 seconds. The mean flux at 1000 A was 4.7e-13 erg/cm^2/s/A. We identify the neutral hydrogen absorption with a number of components that correspond to the velocity distribution of \ion{H}{1} seen in our own Galaxy as well as features identified in the CIV 1549 absorption profile by Weymann et al. The main component of neutral hydrogen in NGC 4151 has a total column density of log N_HI = 18.7 +/- 1.5 cm^{-2} for a Doppler parameter b=250 +/- 50 km/s, and it covers 84 +/- 6% of the source. This is consistent with previous results obtained with the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope. Other intrinsic far-UV absorption features are not resolved, but the CIII* 1176 absorption line has a significantly higher blueshift relative to NGC 4151 than the CIII 977 resonance line. This implies that the highest velocity region of the outflowing gas has the highest density. Variations in the equivalent width of the CIII* 1176 absorption line anticorrelate with continuum variations on timescales of days. For an ionization timescale <1 day, we set an upper limit of 25 pc on the distance of the absorbing gas from the central source. The OVI 1034 and HeII 1085 emission lines also vary on timescales of 1-2 days, but their response to the continuum variations is complex. For some continuum variations they show no response, while for others the response is instantaneous to the limit of our sampling interval.Comment: 4 pages, 2 PostScript figures, uses emulateapj.sty, apjfonts.sty. To appear in the Astrophysical Journal (Letters) special issue for ORFEU

Experimental evidence of accelerated seismic release without critical failure in acoustic emissions of compressed nanoporous materials

The total energy of acoustic emission (AE) events in externally stressed materials diverges when approaching macroscopic failure. Numerical and conceptual models explain this accelerated seismic release (ASR) as the approach to a critical point that coincides with ultimate failure. Here, we report ASR during soft uniaxial compression of three silica-based (SiO$_2$) nanoporous materials. Instead of a singular critical point, the distribution of AE energies is stationary and variations in the activity rate are sufficient to explain the presence of multiple periods of ASR leading to distinct brittle failure events. We propose that critical failure is suppressed in the AE statistics by dissipation and transient hardening. Some of the critical exponents estimated from the experiments are compatible with mean field models, while others are still open to interpretation in terms of the solution of frictional and fracture avalanche models.Comment: preprint, Main article: 7 pages, 3 figures. Supplementary material included in \anc folder: 6 pages, 3 figure

The Very Highly Ionized Broad Absorption Line System of the QSO SBS1542+541

We have analyzed the broad absorption line system of the bright (V=16.5) high-redshift (z=2.361) QSO SBS1542+541 using UV spectra from the HST FOS along with optical data from the MMT and the Steward Observatory 2.3m telescope. These spectra give continuous wavelength coverage from 1200 to 8000 Angstroms, corresponding to 340 to 2480 Angstroms in the QSO rest frame. This object therefore offers a rare opportunity to study broad absorption lines in the rest-frame extreme UV. We find that the absorption system is dominated by very high-ionization species, including O VI, NeVIII, and SiXII. We also identify apparently saturated broad Lyman-series lines of order Ly-gamma and higher. There is strong evidence for partial occultation of the QSO emission source, particularly from the higher-order Lyman lines which indicate a covered fraction less than 0.2. Overall, the data suggest a correlation between a larger covered fraction and a higher state of ionization. We suggest that the different covered fractions can be explained by either a special line of sight through a disk-like geometry or by the existence of density fluctuations of a factor >2 in the BAL gas. Our photoionization models of the system indicate a large column density and high ionization state similar to that found in X-ray ``warm absorbers''.Comment: 31 pages, 13 figures, to be published in Ap

Ultraviolet Broad Absorption Features and the Spectral Energy Distribution of the QSO PG 1351+64

We present a moderate-resolution (~20 km/s) spectrum of the mini broad-absorption-line QSO PG1351+64 between 915-1180 A, obtained with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE). Additional spectra at longer wavelengths were also obtained with the HST and ground-based telescopes. Broad absorption is present on the blue wings of CIII 977, Ly-beta, OVI 1032,1038, Ly-alpha, NV 1238,1242, SiIV 1393,1402, and CIV 1548,1450. The absorption profile can be fitted with five components at velocities of ~ -780, -1049, -1629, -1833, and -3054 km/s with respect to the emission-line redshift of z = 0.088. All the absorption components cover a large fraction of the continuum source as well as the broad-line region. The OVI emission feature is very weak, and the OVI/Lyalpha flux ratio is 0.08, one of the lowest among low-redshift active galaxies and QSOs. The UV continuum shows a significant change in slope near 1050 A in the restframe. The steeper continuum shortward of the Lyman limit extrapolates well to the observed weak X-ray flux level. The absorbers' properties are similar to those of high-redshift broad absorption-line QSOs. The derived total column density of the UV absorbers is on the order of 10^21 cm^-2, unlikely to produce significant opacity above 1 keV in the X-ray. Unless there is a separate, high-ionization X-ray absorber, the QSO's weak X-ray flux may be intrinsic. The ionization level of the absorbing components is comparable to that anticipated in the broad-line region, therefore the absorbers may be related to broad-line clouds along the line of sight.Comment: 23 pages, Latex, 5 figure