5,415 research outputs found
Echo-Mapping of Swift J1753.5-0127
We present two epochs of coordinated X-ray-optical timing observations of the
black hole candidate Swift J1753.5-0127 during its 2005 outburst. The first
epoch in July occurred at outburst peak. Two consecutive nights of observations
using the McDonald Observatory Argos camera with the Rossi X-ray Timing
Explorer show a consistent correlation with an immediate response and an
extended tail lasting ~5s. The properties of the variability and the
correlation are consistent with thermal reprocessing in an accretion disk. The
shortness of the lag suggests a short orbital period consistent with that
recently claimed. The second epoch in August used the VLT FORS2 HIT mode again
in conjunction with RXTE. Again a repeatable correlation is seen between two
independent subsets of the data. In this case, though, the cross-correlation
function has an unusual structure comprising a dip followed by a double-peak.
We suggest that this may be equivalent to the dip plus single peak structure
seen by Kanbach et al. (2001) in XTE J1118+480 and attributed there to
synchrotron emission; a similar structure was seen during later activity of
Swift J1753.5-0127 by Durant et al. (2008).Comment: 7 pages, accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal
Astronomical Societ
The Orbital Period of Scorpius X-1
The orbital period of Sco X-1 was first identified by Gottlieb et al. (1975).
While this has been confirmed on multiple occasions, this work, based on nearly
a century of photographic data, has remained the reference in defining the
system ephemeris ever since. It was, however, called into question when
Vanderlinde et al. (2003) claimed to find the one-year alias of the historical
period in RXTE/ASM data and suggested that this was the true period rather than
that of Gottlieb et al. (1975). We examine data from the All Sky Automated
Survey (ASAS) spanning 2001-2009. We confirm that the period of Gottlieb et al.
(1975) is in fact the correct one, at least in the optical, with the one-year
alias strongly rejected by these data. We also provide a modern time of minimum
light based on the ASAS data.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journa
Solvation dynamics in liquid water: III: energy fluxes and structural changes
In previous installments it has been shown how a detailed analysis of energy fluxes induced by electronic excitation of a solute can provide a quantitative understanding of the dominant molecular energy flow channels characterizing solvation—and in particular, hydration— relaxation dynamics. Here this work and power approach is complemented with a detailed characterization of the changes induced by such energy fluxes. We first examine the water solvent’s spatial and orientational distributions and the assorted energy fluxes in the various hydration shells of the solute to provide a molecular picture of the relaxation. The latter analysis is also used to address the issue of a possible “inverse snowball” effect, an ansatz concerning the time scales of the different hydration shells to reach equilibrium. We then establish a link between the instantaneous torque, exerted on the water solvent neighbors’ principal rotational axes immediately after excitation and the final energy transferred into those librational motions, which are the dominant short-time energy receptor.Postprint (author's final draft
Langevin Equation for the Rayleigh model with finite-ranged interactions
Both linear and nonlinear Langevin equations are derived directly from the
Liouville equation for an exactly solvable model consisting of a Brownian
particle of mass interacting with ideal gas molecules of mass via a
quadratic repulsive potential. Explicit microscopic expressions for all kinetic
coefficients appearing in these equations are presented. It is shown that the
range of applicability of the Langevin equation, as well as statistical
properties of random force, may depend not only on the mass ratio but
also by the parameter , involving the average number of molecules in
the interaction zone around the particle. For the case of a short-ranged
potential, when , analysis of the Langevin equations yields previously
obtained results for a hard-wall potential in which only binary collisions are
considered. For the finite-ranged potential, when multiple collisions are
important (), the model describes nontrivial dynamics on time scales
that are on the order of the collision time, a regime that is usually beyond
the scope of more phenomenological models.Comment: 21 pages, 1 figure. To appear in Phys. Rev.
The Structure Of The Accretion Disk In The ADC Source 4U 1822-371
The low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) 4U 1822-371 has an accretion disk corona (ADC) that scatters X-ray photons from the inner disk and neutron star out of the line of sight. It has a high orbital inclination and the secondary star eclipses the disk and ADC. We have obtained new time-resolved UV spectrograms and V- and I-band photometry of 4U 1822-371. The large quadratic term in our new optical eclipse ephemeris confirms that the system has an extremely high rate of mass transfer and mass accretion. The C IV lambda lambda = 1548 - 1550 angstrom emission line has a half width of similar to 4400 km/s, indicating a strong, high velocity wind is being driven off the accretion disk. Near the disk the wind is optically thick in UV, V, and J and the eclipse analysis shows that in V and J the optically thick wind extends nearly to the outer edge of the disk. The ADC must also extend vertically to a height equal to approximately half the disk radius.Astronom
Translational versus rotational energy flow in water solvation dynamics
Early molecular dynamics simulations discovered an important asymmetry in the speed of water solvation dynamics for charge extinction and charge creation for an immersed solute, a feature representing a first demonstration of the breakdown of linear response theory. The molecular level mechanism of this asymmetry is examined here via a novel energy flux theoretical approach coupled to geometric probes. The results identify the effect as arising from the translational motions of the solute-hydrating water molecules rather than their rotational/librational motions, even though the latter are more rapid and dominate the energy flow.Postprint (author's final draft
Fast Photometry of Quiescent Soft X-ray Transients with the Gemini-South Acquisition Camera
We present a compilation of high time-resolution photometric observations of
quiescent soft X-ray transients obtained with the acquisition camera of
Gemini-South. A0620-00 was observed with a short cycle time and high precision.
Superimposed on the ellipsoidal modulation we find several prominent flares
together with weaker continual variability. The flares seen sample shorter
timescale than those reported in previous observations, with rise times as low
as 30s or less; most flares show unresolved peaks. The power density spectrum
(PDS) of A0620-00 appears to exhibit band-limited noise closely resembling the
X-ray PDS of black hole candidates in their low states, but with the
low-frequency break at a lower frequency. X-ray Nova Mus 1991 shows much larger
amplitude flares than A0620-00 and if a break is present it is at a lower
frequency. X-ray Nova Vel 1993 shows very little flaring and is, like A0620-00,
dominated by the ellipsoidal modulation. We discuss the possible origins for
the flares. They are clearly associated with the accretion flow rather than an
active companion, but whether they originate in the outer disc, or are driven
by events in the inner region is not yet resolved. The similarities of the PDS
to those of low/hard state sources would support the latter interpretation, and
the low break frequency is as would be expected if this frequency approximately
scales with the size of an inner evaporated region. We also report the
discovery of a new variable star only 14arcsec from XN Mus 1991. This appears
to be a W UMa star, with an orbital period of about 6hrs.Comment: 11 pages, accepted for publication in MNRA
A continental rift model for the La Grande greenstone belt
Stratigraphic relationships and the geochemistry of volcanic rocks contrain the nature and timing of the tectonic and magmatic processes in the pre-deformational history of the La Grande greenstone belt in the Superior Province of north-central Quebec. The lowermost supracrustals in this belt are obscured by syntectonic granitoid intrusives. The supracrustal succession in the western part of the belt consists of a lower sequence of immature clastic sediments and mafic volcanoclastics, overlain by pillowed and massive basalts. Further east, along tectonic strike, a lower sequence of mafic volcanoclastics and immature clastic sediments is overlain by a thick sequence of pillowed and massive basalts, and resedimented coarse clastic sediments and banded iron formation. These are overlain by assive basaltic andesites, andesites and intermediate volcanoclastics intercalated with immature clastic sediments. In contrast, in the eastern part of the belt lenses of felsic volcanics and volcanoclastics occur at the base of the succession and pillowed and massive basalts are overlain by komatiites at the top. The La Grande greenstone belt can be explained as the product of continental rifting. The restricted occurence of komatiites, and eastwardly directed paleocurrents in clastic sediments in the central part of the belt are consistent with rifting commencing in the east and propagating westward with time. The increase in depth of emplacement and deposition with time of the lower three units in the central part of the belt reflects deposition in a subsiding basin. These supracrustal rocks are believed to represent the initial rift succession
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