524 research outputs found
X-rays from Saturn: A study with XMM-Newton and Chandra over the years 2002-05
We present the results of the two most recent (2005) XMM-Newton observations
of Saturn together with the re-analysis of an earlier (2002) observation from
the XMM-Newton archive and of three Chandra observations in 2003 and 2004.
While the XMM-Newton telescope resolution does not enable us to resolve
spatially the contributions of the planet's disk and rings to the X-ray flux,
we can estimate their strengths and their evolution over the years from
spectral analysis, and compare them with those observed with Chandra. The
spectrum of the X-ray emission is well fitted by an optically thin coronal
model with an average temperature of 0.5 keV. The addition of a fluorescent
oxygen emission line at ~0.53 keV improves the fits significantly. In
accordance with earlier reports, we interpret the coronal component as emission
from the planetary disk, produced by the scattering of solar X-rays in Saturn's
upper atmosphere, and the line as originating from the Saturnian rings. The
strength of the disk X-ray emission is seen to decrease over the period 2002 -
2005, following the decay of solar activity towards the current minimum in the
solar cycle. By comparing the relative fluxes of the disk X-ray emission and
the oxygen line, we suggest that the line strength does not vary over the years
in the same fashion as the disk flux. We consider possible alternatives for the
origin of the line. The connection between solar activity and the strength of
Saturn's disk X-ray emission is investigated and compared with that of Jupiter.
We also discuss the apparent lack of X-ray aurorae on Saturn and conclude that
they are likely to lie below the sensitivity threshold of current Earth-bound
observatories. A similar comparison for Uranus and Neptune leads to the same
disappointing conclusion.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures; to be published in 'Astronomy and Astrophysics
Subsolar magnetopause and cusp positions: comparison of MHD and empirical models
We simulate temporal variations of the subsolar magnetopause and cusp positions using global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models and compare predictions with the corresponding empirical models. In the second part, we calculate X-ray images from the MHD simulations. Results of this work can be used in preparation to the forthcoming SMILE mission
XMM-Newton observations of the Seyfert 1 AGN H0557-385
We present XMM-Newton observations of the Seyfert 1 AGN H0557-385. We have
conducted a study into the warm absorber present in this source, and using
high-resolution RGS data we find that the absorption can be characterised by
two phases: a phase with log ionisation parameter xi of 0.50 (where xi is in
units of ergs cm/s) and a column of 0.2e21 cm^-2, and a phase with log xi of
1.62 and a column of 1.3e22 cm^-2. An iron K alpha line is detected. Neutral
absorption is also present in the source, and we discuss possible origins for
this. On the assumption that the ionised absorbers originate as an outflow from
the inner edge of the torus, we use a new method for finding the volume filling
factor. Both phases of H0557-385 have small volume filling factors (< 1%). We
also derive the volume filling factors for a sample of 23 AGN using this
assumption and for the absorbers with log xi > 0.7 we find reasonable agreement
with the filling factors obtained through the alternative method of equating
the momentum flow of the absorbers to the momentum loss of the radiation field.
By comparing the filling factors obtained by the two methods, we infer that
some absorbers with log xi < 0.7 occur at significantly larger distances from
the nucleus than the inner edge of the torus.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA
On the mass of the neutron star in V395 Car/2S 0921-630
We report high-resolution optical spectroscopy of the low-mass X-ray binary
V395 Car/2S 0921-630 obtained with the MIKE echelle spectrograph on the
Magellan-Clay telescope. Our spectra are obtained near superior conjunction of
the mass donor star and we exploit the absorption lines originating from the
back-side of the K-type object to accurately derive its rotational velocity.
Using K0-K1 III templates, we find vsini=32.9 +/- 0.8 km/s. We show that the
choice of template star and the assumed limb darkening coefficient has little
impact on the derived rotational velocity. This value is a significant revision
downwards compared to previously published values. We derive new system
parameter constraints in the light of our much lower rotational velocity. We
find M_1=1.44 +/- 0.10 Msun, M_2=0.35 +/- 0.03 Msun, and q=0.24 +/- 0.02 where
the errors have been estimated through a Monte-Carlo simulation. A possible
remaining systematic effect is the fact that we may be over-estimating the
orbital velocity of the mass donor due to irradiation effects. However, any
correction for this effect will only reduce the compact object mass further,
down to a minimum mass of M_1=1.05 +/- 0.08 Msun. There is thus strong evidence
that the compact object in this binary is a neutron star of rather typical mass
and that the previously reported mass values of 2-4Msun were too high due to an
over-estimate of the rotational broadening.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
Jupiter's X-ray aurorae
Affelia Wibisono and colleagues report on XMM-Newton and Juno observations of Jupiter's magnetosphere and polar aurorae. This won the Rishbeth Prize for best student talk at the MIST session, NAM 2019
Latest results on Jovian disk X-rays from XMM-Newton
We present the results of a spectral study of the soft X-ray emission
(0.2-2.5 keV) from low-latitude (`disk') regions of Jupiter. The data were
obtained during two observing campaigns with XMM-Newton in April and November
2003. While the level of the emission remained approximately the same between
April and the first half of the November observation, the second part of the
latter shows an enhancement by about 40% in the 0.2-2.5 keV flux. A very
similar, and apparently correlated increase, in time and scale, was observed in
the solar X-ray and EUV flux.
The months of October and November 2003 saw a period of particularly intense
solar activity, which appears reflected in the behaviour of the soft X-rays
from Jupiter's disk. The X-ray spectra, from the XMM-Newton EPIC CCD cameras,
are all well fitted by a coronal model with temperatures in the range 0.4-0.5
keV, with additional line emission from Mg XI (1.35 keV) and Si XIII (1.86
keV): these are characteristic lines of solar X-ray spectra at maximum activity
and during flares.
The XMM-Newton observations lend further support to the theory that Jupiter's
disk X-ray emission is controlled by the Sun, and may be produced in large part
by scattering, elastic and fluorescent, of solar X-rays in the upper atmosphere
of the planet.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in a special issue of
Planetary and Space Scienc
Advanced lightweight 316L stainless steel cellular lattice structures fabricated via selective laser melting
PublishedJournal ArticleThis paper investigates the manufacturability and performance of advanced and lightweight stainless steel cellular lattice structures fabricated via selective laser melting (SLM). A unique cell type called gyroid is designed to construct periodic lattice structures and utilise its curved cell surface as a self-supported feature which avoids the building of support structures and reduces material waste and production time. The gyroid cellular lattice structures with a wide range of volume fraction were made at different orientations, showing it can reduce the constraints in design for the SLM and provide flexibility in selecting optimal manufacturing parameters. The lattice structures with different volume fraction were well manufactured by the SLM process to exhibit a good geometric agreement with the original CAD models. The strut of the SLM-manufactured lattice structures represents a rough surface and its size is slightly higher than the designed value. When the lattice structure was positioned with half of its struts at an angle of 0° with respect to the building plane, which is considered as the worst building orientation for SLM, it was manufactured with well-defined struts and no defects or broken cells. The compression strength and modulus of the lattice structures increase with the increase in the volume fraction, and two equations based on Gibson-Ashby model have been established to predict their compression properties. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.This work has been supported by the TSB funded project is entitled âSAVING â Sustainable product development via design optimisation and AdditiVe manufacturINGâ and is a collaboration between the Simpleware Ltd., Delcam PLC, University of Exeter, 3T RPD, Crucible Industrial Design Ltd., EOS Electro Optical Systems Ltd. and Plunkett Associates Ltd. The characterization experiments in this study were supported by the founds of State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die & Mould Technology in Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China (Grant Nos. 2012-P02 and 2013-09). The authors thank Dr. Chang Hong and Dr. Wear Lesley for assistance with Micro-CT, SEM and optical microscope measurements
The XMM-Newton RGS spectrum of the high luminosity Seyfert 1 galaxy Markarian 509
We present a detailed analysis of the soft X-ray spectrum of the Seyfert 1
galaxy Markarian 509 taken with the XMM-Newton Reflection Grating Spectrometer.
An underlying power-law continuum and three warm absorber phases provide a good
fit to the data along with a number of broad and narrow emission lines. Our
three warm absorber phases each have different ionization parameters and column
densities. We identify a low ionization, log xi=0.89, high outflow velocity
phase producing an Fe M-shell UTA feature along with absorption from O VI and N
VI. There is an intermediate phase, log xi=2.14, showing absorption from H-like
carbon and nitrogen and He-like neon and oxygen. The third, high ionization,
log xi=3.26, low outflow velocity phase contains absorption from O VIII, Ne X
and highly ionized iron. All phases are blueshifted with respect to the
systemic velocity with flow velocities ranging from -60km/s to -510km/s. The
observed broad emission features have an RMS velocity of ~8000km/s for the C VI
and O VII lines.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures. To be published in Astronomy and Astrophysics
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Is the Relation Between the Solar Wind Dynamic Pressure and the Magnetopause Standoff Distance so Straightforward?
We present results of global magnetohydrodynamic simulations which reconsider the relationship between the solar wind dynamic pressure (Pd) and magnetopause standoff distance (RSUB). We simulate the magnetospheric response to increases in the dynamic pressure by varying separately the solar wind density or velocity for northward and southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). We obtain different values of the power law indices N in the relation RSUB- ÂŒPd- 1/N depending on which parameter, density, or velocity, has been varied and for which IMF orientation. The changes in the standoff distance are smaller (higher N) for a density increase for southward IMF and greater (smaller N) for a velocity increase. An enhancement of the solar wind velocity for a southward IMF increases the magnetopause reconnection rate and Region 1 current that move the magnetopause closer to the Earth than it appears in the case of density increase for the same dynamic pressure.Plain Language SummaryThe magnetopause is the boundary between the near- Earth space, which is governed by the magnetic field produced in the Earthâs core, and interplanetary space populated by the plasma emitted from the Sun called the solar wind. It is well known that the position of this boundary is defined by the balance of the pressures from both sides of the magnetopause and in a unique way depends on the velocity and density of the plasma in the interplanetary space. In this work, we reexamine the relationship between the magnetopause position and parameters of the solar wind by means of computer modeling. It is shown that the relationship between solar wind velocity and density and magnetopause position is more complex than originally thought. It is suggested that the pressure balance condition through the magnetopause depends on the continuing magnetic reconnection between the interplanetary and magnetospheric magnetic field lines and that the consequences of the reconnection change the relationship between the solar wind dynamic pressure and magnetopause boundary location.Key PointsWe reconsider the relation between the solar wind dynamic pressure and magnetopause standoff distanceThe magnetopause reacts differently to density, and velocity increases for the same dynamic pressureA new scaling law for magnetopause standoff distance is proposedPeer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154966/1/grl60461_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154966/2/grl60461.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154966/3/grl60461-sup-0001-Supporting_Information_SI-S01.pd
Optical and Infrared Light Curves of the Eclipsing X-ray Binary V395 Car = 2S 0921-630
We present results of optical and infrared photometric monitoring of the
eclipsing low-mass X-ray binary V395 Car (2S 0921-630). Our observations reveal
a clear, repeating orbital modulation with an amplitude of about one magnitude
in B, and V and a little less in J. Combining our data with archival
observations spanning about 20 years, we derive an updated ephemeris with
orbital period 9.0026+/-0.0001d. We attribute the modulation to a combination
of the changing aspect of the irradiated face of the companion star and
eclipses of the accretion disk around the neutron star. Both appear to be
necessary as a secondary eclipse of the companion star is clearly seen. We
model the B, V, and J lightcurves using a simple model of an accretion disk and
companion star and find a good fit is possible for binary inclinations of
82.2+/-1.0 degrees. We estimate the irradiating luminosity to be about 8x10^35
erg/s, in good agreement with X-ray constraints.Comment: 6 pages, accepted for publication in MNRA
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