1,021 research outputs found
Entwicklung von FEM-Programmpaketen im Staatlichen Forschungsinstitut fĂĽr Maschinenbau (SVUSS) Praha
 
Simulating the WFXT sky
We investigate the scientific impact of the Wide Field X-ray Telescope
mission. We present simulated images and spectra of X-ray sources as observed
from the three surveys planned for the nominal 5-year WFXT lifetime. The goal
of these simulations is to provide WFXT images of the extragalactic sky in
different energy bands based on accurate description of AGN populations, normal
and star forming galaxies, groups and clusters of galaxies. The images are
realized using a detailed PSF model, instrumental and physical
backgrounds/foregrounds, accurate model of the effective area and the related
vignetting effect. Thanks to this comprehensive modelization of the WFXT
properties, the simulated images can be used to evaluate the flux limits for
detection of point and extended sources, the effect of source confusion at very
faint fluxes, and in general the efficiency of detection algorithms. We also
simulate the spectra of the detected sources, in order to address specific
science topics which are unique to WFXT. Among them, we focus on the
characterization of the Intra Cluster Medium (ICM) of high-z clusters, and in
particular on the measurement of the redshift from the ICM spectrum in order to
build a cosmological sample of galaxy clusters. The end-to-end simulation
procedure presented here, is a valuable tool in optimizing the mission design.
Therefore, these simulations can be used to reliably characterize the WFXT
discovery space and to verify the connection between mission requirements and
scientific goals. Thanks to this effort, we can conclude on firm basis that an
X-ray mission optimized for surveys like WFXT is necessary to bring X-ray
astronomy at the level of the optical, IR, submm and radio wavebands as
foreseen in the coming decade.Comment: "Proceedings of "The Wide Field X-ray Telescope Workshop", held in
Bologna, Italy, Nov. 25-26 2009. To appear in Memorie della Societa
Astronomica Italiana 2010 (arXiv:1010.5889)
Evidence for Elevated X-ray Emission in Local Lyman Break Galaxy Analogs
In this paper, we study the relationship between the 2-10 keV X-ray
luminosity (L_X), assumed to originate from X-ray binaries (XRBs), and star
formation rate (SFR) in UV-selected z<0.1 Lyman break analogs (LBAs). We
present Chandra observations for four new GALEX-selected LBAs. Including
previously studied LBAs, Haro 11 and VV 114, we find that LBAs demonstrate
L_X/SFR ratios that are elevated by ~1.5sigma compared to local galaxies,
similar to the ratios found for stacked LBGs in the early Universe (z>2). We
show that these LBAs are unlikely to harbor AGN, based on their optical and
X-ray spectra and the spatial distribution of the X-rays in three spatially
extended cases. We expect that high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) dominate the
X-ray emission in these galaxies, based on their high specific SFRs
(sSFRs=SFR/M* > 10^{-9}/yr), which suggest the prevalence of young stellar
populations. Since both LBAs and LBGs have lower dust attenuations and
metallicities compared to similar samples of more typical local galaxies, we
investigate the effects of dust extinction and metallicity on the L_X/SFR for
the broader population of galaxies with high sSFRs (>10^{-10}/yr). The
estimated dust extinctions (corresponding to column densities of
N_H<10^{22}/cm^2) are expected to have insignificant effects on observed
L_X/SFR ratio for the majority of galaxy samples. We find that the observed
relationship between L_X/SFR and metallicity appears consistent with
theoretical expectations from X-ray binary population synthesis models.
Therefore, we conclude that lower metallicities, related to more luminous HMXBs
such as ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs), drive the elevated L_X/SFR observed
in our sample of z<0.1 LBAs. The relatively metal-poor, active mode of star
formation in LBAs and distant z>2 LBGs may yield higher total HMXB luminosity
than found in typical galaxies in the local Universe.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, Submitted to ApJ (references updated in v2
The X-ray Emission from the Nucleus of the Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy NGC 3226
We present the first high resolution X-ray image of the dwarf elliptical
galaxy NGC 3226. The data were obtained during an observation of the nearby
Seyfert Galaxy NGC 3227 using the Chandra X-ray Observatory. We detect a point
X-ray source spatially consistent with the optical nucleus of NGC 3226 and a
recently-detected, compact, flat-spectrum, radio source. The X-ray spectrum can
be measured up to ~10 keV and is consistent with a power law with a photon
index 1.7 <~ Gamma <~ 2.2, or thermal bremmstrahlung emission with 4 <~ kT <~
10 keV. In both cases the luminosity in the 2--10 keV band ~10^{40} h_{75}^{-1}
erg/s. We find marginal evidence that the nucleus varies within the
observation. These characteristics support evidence from other wavebands that
NGC 3226 harbors a low-luminosity, active nucleus. We also comment on two
previously-unknown, fainter X-ray sources <~ 15 arcsec from the nucleus of NGC
3226. Their proximity to the nucleus (with projected distances <~ 1.3/h_{75}
kpc) suggests both are within NGC 3226, and thus have luminosities (~few x
10^{38} -- few x 10^{39} erg/s) consistent with black-hole binary systems.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. Figures in colo
A First Estimate Of The X-Ray Binary Frequency As A Function Of Star Cluster Mass In A Single Galactic System
We use the previously-identified 15 infrared star-cluster counterparts to
X-ray point sources in the interacting galaxies NGC 4038/4039 (the Antennae) to
study the relationship between total cluster mass and X-ray binary number. This
significant population of X-Ray/IR associations allows us to perform, for the
first time, a statistical study of X-ray point sources and their environments.
We define a quantity, \eta, relating the fraction of X-ray sources per unit
mass as a function of cluster mass in the Antennae. We compute cluster mass by
fitting spectral evolutionary models to K_s luminosity. Considering that this
method depends on cluster age, we use four different age distributions to
explore the effects of cluster age on the value of \eta and find it varies by
less than a factor of four. We find a mean value of \eta for these different
distributions of \eta = 1.7 x 10^-8 M_\sun^-1 with \sigma_\eta = 1.2 x 10^-8
M_\sun^-1. Performing a \chi^2 test, we demonstrate \eta could exhibit a
positive slope, but that it depends on the assumed distribution in cluster
ages. While the estimated uncertainties in \eta are factors of a few, we
believe this is the first estimate made of this quantity to ``order of
magnitude'' accuracy. We also compare our findings to theoretical models of
open and globular cluster evolution, incorporating the X-ray binary fraction
per cluster.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, accepted by Ap
Specialized antigen-presenting cells. Splenic-dendritic cells and peritoneal-exudate cells induced by mycobacteria activate effector T cells that are resistant to suppression
We have tested the ability of several types of trinitrophenyl (TNP)-labeled Ia+ cells to induce contact hypersensitivity (CS) after intravenous injection. Most labeled cell types (spleen cells, splenic macrophages, various types of peritoneal-exudate cells) not only fail to induce CS after this type of inoculation but, rather, activate T suppressor cells leading to specific immunological tolerance. Occasionally, some of these immunizing cells managed to bypass the T suppressor system and induced CS. In these cases the response was short-lived and could be blocked by concomitant injection of trinitrobenzelsulphonic acid (TNBS), a potent inducer of T suppressor cells. In sharp contrast to these results, TNP-labeled splenic dendritic cells and TNP-labeled peritoneal-exudate cells induced by complete Freund\u27s adjuvant had the following distinctive features: (a) They were always able to sensitize when injected intravenously, and the degree of sensitization they produced was roughly equivalent to that achieved by cutaneous application of picryl chloride, the chemically reactive form of TNP. (b) The response they elicited was long lived (i.e., lasted for \u3e3 wk). (c) Their sensitizing capacity could not be blocked by the concomitant injection of TNBS. (d) They elicited a response that could be adoptively transferred to untreated, normal recipients. These results indicate that the type of cell that first presents antigen to the immune system plays an important, even essential, role in determining the strength and duration of the subsequent immune response. In particular, the results suggest that some special antigen-presenting cells can induce a response that is relatively resistant to host suppressor mechanisms. Evidence that they do so by activating contrasuppressor cells is discussed
A Naive Bayes Source Classifier for X-ray Sources
The Chandra Carina Complex Project (CCCP) provides a sensitive X-ray survey
of a nearby starburst region over >1 square degree in extent. Thousands of
faint X-ray sources are found, many concentrated into rich young stellar
clusters. However, significant contamination from unrelated Galactic and
extragalactic sources is present in the X-ray catalog. We describe the use of a
naive Bayes classifier to assign membership probabilities to individual
sources, based on source location, X-ray properties, and visual/infrared
properties. For the particular membership decision rule adopted, 75% of CCCP
sources are classified as members, 11% are classified as contaminants, and 14%
remain unclassified. The resulting sample of stars likely to be Carina members
is used in several other studies, which appear in a Special Issue of the ApJS
devoted to the CCCP.Comment: Accepted for the ApJS Special Issue on the Chandra Carina Complex
Project (CCCP), scheduled for publication in May 2011. All 16 CCCP Special
Issue papers are available at
http://cochise.astro.psu.edu/Carina_public/special_issue.html through 2011 at
least. 19 pages, 7 figure
A Catalog of Candidate Intermediate-luminosity X-ray Objects
ROSAT, and now Chandra, X-ray images allow studies of extranuclear X-ray
point sources in galaxies other than our own. X-ray observations of normal
galaxies with ROSAT and Chandra have revealed that off-nuclear, compact,
Intermediate-luminosity (Lx[2-10 keV] >= 1e39 erg/s) X-ray Objects (IXOs,
a.k.a. ULXs [Ultraluminous X-ray sources]) are quite common. Here we present a
catalog and finding charts for 87 IXOs in 54 galaxies, derived from all of the
ROSAT HRI imaging data for galaxies with cz <= 5000 km/s from the Third
Reference Catalog of Bright Galaxies (RC3). We have defined the cutoff Lx for
IXOs so that it is well above the Eddington luminosity of a 1.4 Msun black hole
(10^38.3 erg/s), so as not to confuse IXOs with ``normal'' black hole X-ray
binaries. This catalog is intended to provide a baseline for follow-up work
with Chandra and XMM, and with space- and ground-based survey work at
wavelengths other than X-ray. We demonstrate that elliptical galaxies with IXOs
have a larger number of IXOs per galaxy than non-elliptical galaxies with IXOs,
and note that they are not likely to be merely high-mass X-ray binaries with
beamed X-ray emission, as may be the case for IXOs in starburst galaxies.
Approximately half of the IXOs with multiple observations show X-ray
variability, and many (19) of the IXOs have faint optical counterparts in DSS
optical B-band images. Follow-up observations of these objects should be
helpful in identifying their nature.Comment: 29 pages, ApJS, accepted (catalog v2.0) (full resolution version of
paper and future releases of catalog at http://www.xassist.org/ixocat_hri
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