Numerical simulation of the three-dimensional structure and dynamics of the non-magnetic solar chromosphere

Three-dimensional numerical simulations with CO5BOLD, a new radiation hydrodynamics code, result in a dynamic, thermally bifurcated model of the non-magnetic chromosphere of the quiet Sun. The 3-D model includes the middle and low chromosphere, the photosphere, and the top of the convection zone, where acoustic waves are excited by convective motions. While the waves propagate upwards, they steepen into shocks, dissipate, and deposit their mechanical energy as heat in the chromosphere. Our numerical simulations show for the first time a complex 3-D structure of the chromospheric layers, formed by the interaction of shock waves. Horizontal temperature cross-sections of the model chromosphere exhibit a network of hot filaments and enclosed cool regions. The horizontal pattern evolves on short time-scales of the order of typically 20 - 25 seconds, and has spatial scales comparable to those of the underlying granulation. The resulting thermal bifurcation, i.e., the co-existence of cold and hot regions, provides temperatures high enough to produce the observed chromospheric UV emission and -- at the same time -- temperatures cold enough to allow the formation of molecules (e.g., carbon monoxide). Our 3-D model corroborates the finding by Carlsson & Stein (1994) that the chromospheric temperature rise of semi-empirical models does not necessarily imply an increase in the average gas temperature but can be explained by the presence of substantial spatial and temporal temperature inhomogeneities.Comment: 18 pages, 13 figures, accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysics (30/10/03

4U 1907+09: a HMXB running away from the Galactic plane

We report the discovery of a bow shock around the high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) 4U 1907+09 using the Spitzer Space Telescope 24 $\mu$m data (after Vela X-1 the second example of bow shocks associated with HMXBs). The detection of the bow shock implies that 4U 1907+09 is moving through the space with a high (supersonic) peculiar velocity. To confirm the runaway nature of 4U 1907+09, we measured its proper motion, which for an adopted distance to the system of 4 kpc corresponds to a peculiar transverse velocity of $\simeq 160 \pm 115$ km/s, meaning that 4U 1907+09 is indeed a runaway system and supporting the general belief that most of HMXBs possess high space velocities. The direction of motion of 4U 1907+09 inferred from the proper motion measurement is consistent with the orientation of the symmetry axis of the bow shock, and shows that the HMXB is running away from the Galactic plane. We also present the Spitzer images of the bow shock around Vela X-1 (a system similar to 4U 1907+09) and compare it with the bow shock generated by 4U 1907+09.Comment: accepted for publication in A&

The solar photospheric abundance of zirconium

Zirconium (Zr), together with strontium and yttrium, is an important element in the understanding of the Galactic nucleosynthesis. In fact, the triad Sr-Y-Zr constitutes the first peak of s-process elements. Despite its general relevance not many studies of the solar abundance of Zr were conducted. We derive the zirconium abundance in the solar photosphere with the same CO5BOLD hydrodynamical model of the solar atmosphere that we previously used to investigate the abundances of C-N-O. We review the zirconium lines available in the observed solar spectra and select a sample of lines to determine the zirconium abundance, considering lines of neutral and singly ionised zirconium. We apply different line profile fitting strategies for a reliable analysis of Zr lines that are blended by lines of other elements. The abundance obtained from lines of neutral zirconium is very uncertain because these lines are commonly blended and weak in the solar spectrum. However, we believe that some lines of ionised zirconium are reliable abundance indicators. Restricting the set to Zr II lines, from the CO5BOLD 3D model atmosphere we derive A(Zr)=2.62+/-0.06, where the quoted error is the RMS line-to-line scatter.Comment: Accepted for publication on Astronomische Nachrichte

The Extended Chandra Deep Field-South Survey: Optical Spectroscopy of Faint X-ray Sources with the VLT and Keck

We present the results of a program to acquire high-quality optical spectra of X-ray sources detected in the Extended-Chandra Deep Field-South (E-CDF-S) and its central 2 Ms area. New spectroscopic redshifts, up to z = 4, are measured for 283 counterparts to Chandra sources with deep exposures (t ~ 2-9 hr per pointing) using multi-slit facilities on both VLT (VIMOS) and Keck (DEIMOS), thus bringing the total number of spectroscopically identified X-ray sources to over 500 in this survey field. Since our new spectroscopic identifications are mainly associated with X-ray sources in the shallower 250 ks coverage, we provide a comprehensive catalog of X-ray sources detected in the E-CDF-S including the optical and near-infrared counterparts, determined by a likelihood routine, and redshifts (both spectroscopic and photometric), that incorporate published spectroscopic catalogs, thus resulting in a final sample with a high fraction (80%) of X-ray sources having secure identifications. We demonstrate the remarkable coverage of the luminosity-redshift plane now accessible from our data while emphasizing the detection of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) that contribute to the faint end of the luminosity function (L_(0.5-8 keV) ~ 10^(43)-10^(44) erg s^(–1)) at 1.5 ≲ z ≲ 3 including those with and without broad emission lines. Our redshift catalog includes 17 type-2 QSOs at 1 ≲ z ≲ 3.5 that significantly increases such samples (2×). Based on our deepest (9 hr) VLT/VIMOS observation, we identify "elusive" optically faint galaxies (R_(mag) ~ 25) at z ~ 2-3 based upon the detection of interstellar absorption lines (e.g., O II+Si IV, C II], C IV); we highlight one such case, an absorption-line galaxy at z = 3.208 having no obvious signs of an AGN in its optical spectrum. In addition, we determine accurate distances to eight galaxy groups with extended X-ray emission detected both by Chandra and XMM-Newton. Finally, we measure the physical extent of known large-scale structures (z ~ 0.7) evident in the CDF-S. While a thick sheet (a radial size of 67.7 Mpc) at z ~ 0.67 extends over the full field, the z ~ 0.73 structure is thin (18.8 Mpc) and filamentary as traced by both AGNs and galaxy groups. In the Appendix, we provide spectroscopic redshifts for 49 counterparts to fainter X-ray sources detected only in the 1 and 2 Ms catalogs, and 48 Very Large Array radio sources not detected in X-rays

Annual report 2006 // Institute of Safety Research

[no abstract available

Annual report 2006 // Institute of Safety Research

[no abstract available

proceedings of a workshop held at Göttingen September 27 - 29, 2006

An international workshop entitled: Modern Solar Facilities - Advanced Solar Science was held in Göttingen from September 27 until September 29, 2006. The workshop, which was attended by 88 participants from 24 different countries, gave a broad overview of the current state of solar research, with emphasis on modern telescopes and techniques, advanced observational methods and results, and on modern theoretical methods of modelling, computation, and data reduction in solar physics. This book collects written versions of contributions that were presented at the workshop as invited or contributed talks, and as poster contributions.Vom 27. bis 29. September 2006 fand in Göttingen ein internationaler Workshop zum Thema: Modern Solar Facilities - Advanced Solar Science statt, der von 88 Teilnehmern aus 24 verschiedenen Ländern besucht wurde und der einen breiten Überblick über den gegenwärtigen Stand der sonnenphysikalischen Forschung gab, unter Betonung moderner Teleskope und Techniken, fortschrittlicher Beobachtungsmethoden und Ergebnisse, sowie zu modernen theoretischen Verfahren der Modellierung, Berechnung und Datenreduktion in der Sonnenphysik. Dieser Band fasst die schriftlichen Versionen von Beiträgen zusammen, die auf der Konferenz als eingeladene oder angemeldete Vorträge, sowie als Posterbeiträge präsentiert worden sind.conferenc

Formation and evolution of planetary nebulae

We present an investigation of the dynamical evolution of a dusty stellar wind envelope from the upper AGB into a planetary nebulae. Due to the large dynamical effects caused by the ionizing radiation field and the fast wind of the central star, it is impossible to deduce the AGB mass loss history from the planetary's density and velocity distribution. A halo, however, still contains information on the AGB mass loss history. The direct comparison between the hydrodynamical properties of the model and its synthetic emission line spectrum allows a physical interpretation of observed Doppler-split emission lines. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: RR 7310(99-30) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman