1,064 research outputs found
A Search for Very Active Stars in the Galaxy
We report the first results of a systematic search near the plane of the
Galaxy for the so called very active stars (VAS), which are characterized by a
hard X-ray spectrum and activity in the radio domain. Candidates with hard
X-ray binary-like spectra have been selected from the Bright ROSAT Source
Catalogue in the Zone of Avoidance () and were tentatively
identified in GB6/PMM/NVSS radio surveys. Most of them were observed with the
ATCA and VLA. Precise radio coordinates have led to unambiguous optical
identification for 60 candidates, and a sub-sample of five of themhas been
observed with the VLT. Also some discovery and confirmatory spectra were
obtained with the AAT (4-m) and BTA (6-m). Spectroscopy with moderate
dispersion, made with the FORS1 spectrograph of the VLT has revealed two
stellar objects (one of them, VASC J1628-41, is definitivelya binary VAS), one
new AGN and two featureless spectrum sources. One of these objects, VASC
J1353-66, shows a marginal evidence of proper motion, which, if confirmed,
would imply the discovery of a new type of galactic source.Comment: to appear in A&A, 7 figure
Diffuse radio sources in the cluster of galaxies Abell 548b
We report extensive VLA and ATCA observations of the two diffuse radio
sources in the cluster of galaxies Abell 548b, which confirm their
classification as relics. The two relics (named A and B) show similar flux
density, extent, shape, polarization and spectral index and are located at
projected distances of about 430 and 500 kpc from the cluster center, on the
same side of the cluster's X-ray peak. On the basis of spectral indices of
discrete radio sources embedded within the diffuse features, we have attempted
to distinguish emission peaks of the diffuse sources from unrelated sources. We
have found that both relics, in particular the B-relic, show possible fine
structure, when observed at high resolution. Another diffuse source (named C)
is detected close in projection to the cluster center. High-resolution images
show that it contains two discrete radio sources and a diffuse component, which
might be a candidate for a small relic source. The nature and properties of the
diffuse radio sources are discussed. We conclude that they are likely related
to the merger activity in the cluster.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 11 pages, 7 figures. Some figures
are degraded to reduce their size. A version with high resolution images is
available at http://www.ira.inaf.it/~lferetti/OUTGOING/papA548b.ps.g
Inhibiting the Thermal Gelation of Copolymer Stabilized Nonaqueous Dispersions and the Synthesis of Full Color PMMA Particles
Polymeric particle dispersions have numerous potential applications; currently one of the most relevant is their use as inks in electrophoretic displays. These colloidal particles are synthesized from the appropriate monomer using nonaqueous dispersion (NAD) polymerization in a nonpolar solvent, which requires a stabilizer to control particle size and morphology. We have previously reported the facile synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate)-block-poly(octadecyl acrylate) (PMMA-b-PODA) by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), and its use in the NAD polymerization of MMA in hexane/dodecane solvent mixtures. Here we report the synthesis of monodisperse PMMA particles in dodecane following a standard âindustrialâ procedure using these PMMA-b-PODA stabilizers. However, it was observed that the particle suspensions solidified when they were left at temperatures below ?18 °C yet redispersed upon being heated. Differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic light scattering, and rheological studies demonstrated that this thermoresponsive behavior was due to a liquidâgel transition occurring at 17.5 °C as a consequence of the upper critical solution temperature of PODA in dodecane being traversed. Consequently, new copolymers were synthesized by ATRP with an ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA) co-monomer incorporated into the lyophilic (dodecane compatible) block. Dispersions stabilized by these PMMA-b-P(ODA-co-EHA) polymers with high EHA contents exhibited lower gelation temperatures because of the greater solvent compatibility with dodecane. The use of a PMMA65-b-(ODA10-co-EHA45) copolymer stabilizer (with the highest EHA content) gave PMMA dispersions that showed no gelation down to 4 °C and monodisperse cross-linked PMMA particles containing organic dyes (cyan, magenta, red, and black) giving colored particles across the size range of approximately 100â1300 nm
ATPMN: accurate positions and flux densities at 5 and 8 GHz for 8,385 sources from the PMN survey
We present a source catalogue of 9,040 radio sources resulting from
high-resolution observations of 8,385 PMN sources with the Australia Telescope
Compact Array. The catalogue lists flux density and structural measurements at
4.8 and 8.6 GHz, derived from observations of all PMN sources in the
declination range -87 deg < delta < -38.5 deg (exclusive of galactic latitudes
|b| 70 mJy (50 mJy south of delta = -73
deg). We assess the quality of the data, which was gathered in 1992-1994,
describe the population of catalogued sources, and compare it to samples from
complementary catalogues. In particular we find 127 radio sources with probable
association with gamma-ray sources observed by the orbiting Fermi Large Area
Telescope.Comment: 20 pages, 21 figure
Using the Rosat Catalogue to find Counterparts for Unidentified Objects in the 1st Fermi/LAT Catalogue
There are a total of 1451 gamma-ray emitting objects in the Fermi Large Area
Telescope First Source Catalogue. The point source location accuracy of
typically a few arcminutes has allowed the counterparts for many of these
sources to be found at other wavelengths, but even so there are 630 which are
described as having no plausible counterpart at 80% confidence. In order to
help identify the unknown objects, we have cross-correlated the positions of
these sources with the Rosat All Sky Survey Bright Source Catalogue. In this
way, for Fermi sources which have a possible counterpart in soft X-rays, we can
use the, much smaller, Rosat error box to search for identifications. We find a
strong correlation between the two samples and calculate that there are about
60 sources with a Rosat counterpart. Using the Rosat error boxes we provide
tentative associations for half of them, demonstrate that the majority of these
are either blazars or blazar candidates and give evidence that most belong to
the BL Lac class. Given that they are X-ray selected and most are high
synchrotron peaked objects, which indicates the presence of high energy
electrons, these sources are also good candidates for TeV emission, and
therefore good probes of the extragalactic background light.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure; Accepted for publication in MNRA
Copper(0)-mediated radical polymerisation in a self-generating biphasic system
Herein, we demonstrate the synthesis of well-defined poly(n-alkyl acrylate)s via copper(0)-mediated radical polymerisation in a self-generating biphasic system. During the polymerisation of n-butyl acrylate in DMSO, the polymer phase separates to yield a polymer-rich layer with very low copper content (ICP-MS analysis: 0.016 wt%). The poly(n-butyl acrylate) has been characterized by a range of techniques, including GPC, NMR and MALDI-TOF, to confirm both the controlled character of the polymerisation and the end group fidelity. Moreover, we have successfully chain extended poly(n-butyl acrylate) in this biphasic system several times with n-butyl acrylate to high conversion without intermediate purification steps. A range of other alkyl acrylates have been investigated and the control over the polymerisation is lost as the hydrophobicity of the polymer increases due to the increase in alkyl chain length indicating that it is important for the monomer to be soluble in the polar solvent
A Radio Survey of Seven Southern X-ray Luminous Clusters of Galaxies
The Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) has been used at 1.38 and 2.38
GHz to survey seven southern Abell clusters of galaxies with high X-ray
luminosities: A2746, A2837, A3126, A3216, A3230, A3827 and A3836. The clusters
have also been surveyed at 0.843 GHz with the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis
Telescope (MOST). We have listed a complete 1.38-GHz sample of 149 radio
sources within the Abell circles centred on their X-ray centroids. We compare
their identification fractions, emitted 1.38-GHz and optical powers, radio
spectral indices and radial variation in projected source density with those of
the radio-selected samples of Slee et al. (1998). We compare our fractional
radio luminosity function with that of the radio-selected samples of Ledlow and
Owen (1996) and Slee et al. (1998). Three significant differences are noted
between X-ray and radio-selected samples of clusters; (1) the X-ray sample has
an excess of flat-spectrum radio sources; (2) the fractional radio luminosity
function for the FR I sources in the X-ray selected sample is much steeper,
implying that fewer of their cluster galaxies become hosts for the stronger FR
I radio galaxies; (3) a complete absence of FR II radio galaxies in the X-ray
selected sample. The average excess projected density of radio sources near our
cluster centres is approx. 5 times the background source density.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures, plus 6 figures to be published online only;
accepted to appear in MNRA
On the binary nature of 1RXS J162848.1-415241
We present spectroscopy of the optical counterpart to 1RXS J162848.1-41524,
also known as the microquasar candidate MCQC J162847-4152. All the data
indicate that this X-ray source is not a microquasar, and that it is a
single-lined chromospherically active binary system with a likely orbital
period of 4.9 days. Our analysis supports a K3IV spectral classification for
the star, which is dominant at optical wavelengths. The unseen binary component
is most likely a late-type (K7-M) dwarf or a white dwarf. Using the high
resolution spectra we have measured the K3 star's rotational broadening to be
vsini = 43 +/- 3 km/s and determined a lower limit to the binary mass ratio of
q(=M2/M1)>2.0. The high rotational broadening together with the strong CaII H &
K / Halpha emission and high-amplitude photometric variations indicate that the
evolved star is very chromospherically active and responsible for the
X-ray/radio emission.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
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