A spatially resolved plerionic X-ray nebula around PSR B0540-69

We present a high resolution Chandra X-ray observation of PSR B0540-69, the Crab-like 50 msec pulsar in the Large Magellanic Cloud. We use phase-resolved imaging to decompose the extended X-ray emission, as expected of a synchrotron nebula, from the point-like emission of the pulsar. The image of the pulsed X-ray emission shows a well-defined point-spread function of the observation, while the resolved nebula has a morphology and size remarkably similar to the Crab nebula, including evidence for a jet-like feature from PSR B0540-69. The patchy outer shell, which most likely represents the expanding blast-wave of the supernova, is reminiscent of that seen in radio. Based on morphology, size, and energetics there can be little doubt that PSR B0540-69 is an analogous system to the Crab but located in our neighboring galaxy.Comment: 5 pages with 5 figures, LaTex, emulateapj.sty. Revision based on data corrected for instrumental artifacts; main result unchanged. This version to appear in the Astrophysical Journal Letter

Modeling SN 1996cr's X-ray lines at high-resolution: Sleuthing the ejecta/CSM geometry

SN 1996cr, located in the Circinus Galaxy (3.7 Mpc, z ~ 0.001) was non-detected in X-rays at ~ 1000 days yet brightened to ~ 4 x 10^{39} erg/s (0.5-8 keV) after 10 years (Bauer et al. 2008). A 1-D hydrodynamic model of the ejecta-CSM interaction produces good agreement with the measured X-ray light curves and spectra at multiple epochs. We conclude that the progenitor of SN 1996cr could have been a massive star, M > 30 M_solar, which went from an RSG to a brief W-R phase before exploding within its ~ 0.04 pc wind-blown shell (Dwarkadas et al. 2010). Further analysis of the deep Chandra HETG observations allows line-shape fitting of a handful of bright Si and Fe lines in the spectrum. The line shapes are well fit by axisymmetric emission models with an axis orientation ~ 55 degrees to our line-of-sight. In the deep 2009 epoch the higher ionization Fe XXVI emission is constrained to high lattitudes: the Occam-est way to get the Fe H-like emission coming from high latitude/polar regions is to have more CSM at/around the poles than at mid and lower lattitudes, along with a symmetric ejecta explosion/distribution. Similar CSM/ejecta characterization may be possible for other SNe and, with higher-throughput X-ray observations, for gamma-ray burst remnants as well.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures. To appear in the Proceedings of the Gamma Ray Bursts 2010 Conference, Annapolis, USA. Editors: McEnery, Racusin, Gehrel

ROSAT HRI Detection of the 16 ms Pulsar PSR J0537-6910 Inside SNR N157B

Based on a deep ROSAT HRI observation, we have detected a pulsed signal in the 0.1-2 keV band from PSR J0537-6910 --- the recently discovered pulsar associated with the supernova remnant N157B in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The measured pulse period 0.01611548182 ms (+- 0.02 ns), Epoch MJD 50540.5, gives a revised linear spin-down rate of $5.1271 \times 10^{-14} s s^{-1}$, slightly greater than the previously derived value. The narrow pulse shape (FWHM = 10% duty cycle) in the ROSAT band resembles those seen in both XTE and ASCA data (> 2 keV), but there is also marginal evidence for an interpulse. This ROSAT detection enables us to locate the pulsar at R.A., Dec (J2000) = $5^h37^m47^s.2, -69^\circ 10' 23''$. With its uncertainty $\sim 3''$, this position coincides with the centroid of a compact X-ray source. But the pulsed emission accounts for only about 10% of the source luminosity $\sim 2 \times 10^{36} ergs^{-1}$ in the 0.1-2 keV band. These results support our previous suggestions: (1) The pulsar is moving at a high velocity ($\sim 10^3 km/s$); (2) A bow shock, formed around the pulsar, is responsible for most of the X-ray emission from the source; (3) A collimated outflow from the bow shock region powers a pulsar wind nebula that accounts for an elongated non-thermal radio and X-ray feature to the northwest of the pulsar.Comment: 6 pages including 3 figures. To be published in ApJ

Constraints on the Redshift and Luminosity Distributions of Gamma Ray Bursts in an Einstein-de Sitter Universe

Two models of the gamma ray burst population, one with a standard candle luminosity and one with a power law luminosity distribution, are chi^2-fitted to the union of two data sets: the differential number versus peak flux distribution of BATSE's long duration bursts, and the time dilation and energy shifting versus peak flux information of pulse duration time dilation factors, interpulse duration time dilation factors, and peak energy shifting factors. The differential peak flux distribution is corrected for threshold effects at low peak fluxes and at short burst durations, and the pulse duration time dilation factors are also corrected for energy stretching and similar effects. Within an Einstein-de Sitter cosmology, we place strong bounds on the evolution of the bursts, and these bounds are incompatible with a homogeneous population, assuming a power law spectrum and no luminosity evolution. Additionally, under the implied conditions of moderate evolution, the 90% width of the observed luminosity distribution is shown to be < 10^2, which is less constrained than others have demonstrated it to be assuming no evolution. Finally, redshift considerations indicate that if the redshifts of BATSE's faintest bursts are to be compatible with that which is currently known for galaxies, a standard candle luminosity is unacceptable, and in the case of the power law luminosity distribution, a mean luminosity < 10^57 ph s^-1 is favored.Comment: Accepted to the Astrophysical Journal, 18 pages, LaTe

Nonperturbative contributions to the QCD pressure

We summarize the most important arguments why a perturbative description of finite-temperature QCD is unlikely to be possible and review various well-established approaches to deal with this problem. Then, using a recently proposed method, we investigate nonperturbative contributions to the QCD pressure and other observables (like energy, anomaly and bulk viscosity) obtained by imposing a functional cutoff at the Gribov horizon. Finally, we discuss how such contributions fit into the picture of consecutive effective theories, as proposed by Braaten and Nieto, and give an outline of the next steps necessary to improve this type of calculation.Comment: 15 pages, 13 figures, uses xcolor.sty; in v2 quality of some figures has been improved, discussion of other approaches has been extende

Evaluation of macrophyte control in 38 Florida lakes using triploid grass carp

Florida’s large number of shallow lakes, warm climate and long growing season have contributed to the development of excessive growths of aquatic macrophytes that have seriously interfered with many water use activities. The introduction of exotic aquatic macrophyte species such as hydrilla ( Hydrilla verticillata ) have added significantly to aquatic plant problems in Florida lakes. The use of grass carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella ) can be an effective and economical control for aquatic vegetation such as hydrilla. Early stocking rates (24 to 74 grass carp per hectare of lake area) resulted in grass carp consumption rates that vastly exceeded the growth rates of the aquatic plants and often resulted in the total loss of all submersed vegetation. This study looked at 38 Florida lakes that had been stocked with grass carp for 3 to 10 years with stocking rates ranging from < 1 to 59 grass carp per hectare of lake and 1 to 207 grass carp per hectare of vegetation to determine the long term effects of grass carp on aquatic macrophyte communities. The median PAC (percent area coverage) value of aquatic macrophytes for the study lakes after they were stocked with grass carp was 14% and the median PVI (percent volume infested) value of aquatic macrophytes was 2%. Only lakes stocked with less than 25 to 30 fish per hectare of vegetation tended to have higher than median PAC and PVI values. When grass carp are stocked at levels of > 25 to 30 fish per hectare of vegetation the complete control of aquatic vegetation can be achieved, with the exception of a few species of plants that grass carp have extreme difficulty consuming. If the management goal for a lake is to control some of the problem aquatic plants while maintaining a small population of predominately unpalatable aquatic plants, grass carp can be stocked at approximately 25 to 30 fish per hectare of vegetation

Vortex Lattice Inhomogeneity in Spatially Inhomogeneous Superfluids

A trapped degenerate Bose gas exhibits superfluidity with spatially nonuniform superfluid density. We show that the vortex distribution in such a highly inhomogeneous rotating superfluid is nevertheless nearly uniform. The inhomogeneity in vortex density, which diminishes in the rapid-rotation limit, is driven by the discrete way vortices impart angular momentum to the superfluid. This effect favors highest vortex density in regions where the superfluid density is most uniform (e.g., the center of a harmonically trapped gas). A striking consequence of this is that the boson velocity deviates from a rigid-body form exhibiting a radial-shear flow past the vortex lattice.Comment: 5 RevTeX pgs,2 figures, published versio