Continuum Component Research Articles

Mechanism of two types of Na emission observed in sonoluminescence

The sonoluminescence (SL) spectrum of Na atoms revealed that the Na line consists of two components, one of which is a broadened component (broad component) which is shifted from the original D lines, and the other is an unshifted narrow component (narrow component). We spatially separated the continuum, broad, and narrow components by capturing SL images using different optical filters. We also temporally separated these components by measuring SL pulses using respective band-pass filters. The SL image distribution and the timing of the SL pulses were different between the broad and narrow components. The results suggested that the broad and narrow components of Na emission are generated from different bubble populations. The dependences of SL spectra on ultrasonic frequency and dissolved rare gas (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe) were also investigated. It is concluded that the broad component and a blue satellite peak at 558 nm originate from van der Waals molecules composed of Na and rare-gas atoms. The narrow component was predicted to occur under temperature conditions at bubble collapse higher than that for the broad component.

THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE STRONGEST GALACTIC METHANOL MASER

The high-mass star-forming site G009.62+00.20E hosts the 6.7 GHz methanol maser source with the greatest flux density in the Galaxy which has been flaring periodically over the last ten years. We performed high-resolution astrometric measurements of the CH3OH, H2O, and OH maser emission and 7 mm continuum in the region. The radio continuum emission was resolved in two sources separated by 1300 AU. The CH3OH maser cloudlets are distributed along two north-south ridges of emission to the east and west of the strongest radio continuum component. This component likely pinpoints a massive young stellar object which heats up its dusty envelope, providing a constant IR pumping for the Class II CH3OH maser transitions. We suggest that the periodic maser activity may be accounted for by an independent, pulsating, IR radiation field provided by a bloated protostar in the vicinity of the brightest masers. We also report about the discovery of an elliptical distribution of CH3OH maser emission in the region of periodic variability.

THE LICK AGN MONITORING PROJECT 2011: SPECTROSCOPIC CAMPAIGN AND EMISSION-LINE LIGHT CURVES

In the Spring of 2011 we carried out a 2.5 month reverberation mapping campaign using the 3 m Shane telescope at Lick Observatory, monitoring 15 low-redshift Seyfert 1 galaxies. This paper describes the observations, reductions and measurements, and data products from the spectroscopic campaign. The reduced spectra were fitted with a multicomponent model in order to isolate the contributions of various continuum and emission-line components. We present light curves of broad emission lines and the AGN continuum, and measurements of the broad H-beta line widths in mean and root-mean square (rms) spectra. For the most highly variable AGNs we also measured broad H-beta line widths and velocity centroids from the nightly spectra. In four AGNs exhibiting the highest variability amplitudes, we detect anticorrelations between broad H-beta width and luminosity, demonstrating that the broad-line region "breathes" on short timescales of days to weeks in response to continuum variations. We also find that broad H-beta velocity centroids can undergo substantial changes in response to continuum variations; in NGC 4593 the broad H-beta velocity shifted by ~250 km/s over a one-month duration. This reverberation-induced velocity shift effect is likely to contribute a significant source of confusion noise to binary black hole searches that use multi-epoch quasar spectroscopy to detect binary orbital motion. We also present results from simulations that examine biases that can occur in measurement of broad-line widths from rms spectra due to the contributions of continuum variations and photon-counting noise.

Local Group dSph radio survey with ATCA – II. Non-thermal diffuse emission

Our closest neighbours, the Local Group dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxies, are extremely quiescent and dim objects, where thermal and non-thermal diffuse emissions lack, so far, of detection. In order to possibly study the dSph interstellar medium, deep observations are required. They could reveal non-thermal emissions associated with the very low level of star formation, or to particle dark matter annihilating or decaying in the dSph halo. In this work, we employ radio observations of six dSphs, conducted with the Australia Telescope Compact Array in the frequency band 1.1–3.1 GHz, to test the presence of a diffuse component over typical scales of few arcmin and at an rms sensitivity below 0.05 mJy beam−1. We observed the dSph fields with both a compact array and long baselines. Short spacings led to a synthesized beam of about 1 arcmin and were used for the extended emission search. The high-resolution data mapped background sources, which in turn were subtracted in the short-baseline maps, to reduce their confusion limit. We found no significant detection of a diffuse radio continuum component. After a detailed discussion on the modelling of the cosmic ray (CR) electron distribution and on the dSph magnetic properties, we present bounds on several physical quantities related to the dSphs, such that the total radio flux, the angular shape of the radio emissivity, the equipartition magnetic field, and the injection and equilibrium distributions of CR electrons. Finally, we discuss the connection to far-infrared and X-ray observations.

NuSTAR detection of a cyclotron line in the supergiant fast X-ray transient IGR J17544−2619

We present NuSTAR spectral and timing studies of the Supergiant Fast X-ray Transient (SFXT) IGR J17544-2619. The spectrum is well-described by a ~1 keV blackbody and a hard continuum component, as expected from an accreting X-ray pulsar. We detect a cyclotron line at 17 keV, confirming that the compact object in IGR J17544-2619 is indeed a neutron star. This is the first measurement of the magnetic field in a SFXT. The inferred magnetic field strength, B = (1.45 +/- 0.03) * 10^12 G * (1+z) is typical of neutron stars in X-ray binaries, and rules out a magnetar nature for the compact object. We do not find any significant pulsations in the source on time scales of 1-2000 s.

Quantifying Sampling Noise and Parametric Uncertainty in Atomistic-to-Continuum Simulations Using Surrogate Models

We present a methodology to assess the predictive fidelity of multiscale simulations by incorporating uncertainty in the information exchanged between the components of an atomistic-to-continuum simulation. We account for both the uncertainty due to finite sampling in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and the uncertainty in the physical parameters of the model. Using Bayesian inference, we represent the expensive atomistic component by a surrogate model that relates the long-term output of the atomistic simulation to its uncertain inputs. We then present algorithms to solve for the variables exchanged across the atomistic-continuum interface in terms of polynomial chaos expansions (PCEs). We consider a simple Couette flow where velocities are exchanged between the atomistic and continuum components, while accounting for uncertainty in the atomistic model parameters and the continuum boundary conditions. Results show convergence of the coupling algorithm at a reasonable number of iterations. The uncertainty in the obtained variables significantly depends on the amount of data sampled from the MD simulations and on the width of the time averaging window used in the MD simulations.

G192.8-1.1: A CANDIDATE OF AN EVOLVED THERMAL COMPOSITE SUPERNOVA REMNANT REIGNITED BY NEARBY MASSIVE STARS

G192.8-1.1 has been known as one of the faintest supernova remnants (SNRs) in the Galax until the radio continuum of G192.8-1.1 is proved to be thermal by Gao et al. (2011). Yet, the nature of G192.8-1.1 has not been fully investigated. Here, we report the possible discovery of faint non-thermal radio continuum components with a spectral index <TEX>${\alpha}{\sim}0.56(S_{\nu}{\propto}{\nu}^{-{\alpha}})$</TEX> around G192.8-1.1, while of the radio continuum emission is thermal. Also, our Arecibo <TEX>$H_I$</TEX> data reveal an <TEX>$H_I$</TEX> shell, expanding with an expansion velocity of <TEX>$20-60km\;s^{-1}$</TEX>, that has an excellent morphological correlation with the radio continuum emission. The estimated physical parameters of the <TEX>$H_I$</TEX> shell and the possible association of non-thermal radio continuum emission with it suggest G192.8-1.1 to be an~0.3 Myr-old SNR. However, the presence of thermal radio continuum implies the presence of early-type stars in the same region. One possibility is that a massive star is ionizing the interior of an old SNR. If it is the case, the electron distribution assumed by the centrally-peaked surface brightness of thermal emission implies that G192.8-1.1 is a "thermal-composite" SNR, rather than a typical shell-type SNR, where the central hot gas that used to be bright in X-rays has cooled down. Therefore, we propose that G192.8-1.1 is an old evolved thermal-composite SNR showing recurring emission in the radio continuum due to a nearby massive star. The infrared image supports that the <TEX>$H_I$</TEX> shell of G192.8-1.1 is currently encountering a nearby star forming region that possibly contains an early type star(s).

THENuSTARVIEW OF NEARBY COMPTON-THICK ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI: THE CASES OF NGC 424, NGC 1320, AND IC 2560

We present X-ray spectral analyses for three Seyfert 2 active galactic nuclei, NGC 424, NGC 1320, and IC 2560, observed by NuSTAR in the 3-79 keV band. The high quality hard X-ray spectra allow detailed modeling of the Compton reflection component for the first time in these sources. Using quasi-simultaneous NuSTAR and Swift/XRT data, as well as archival XMM-Newton data, we find that all three nuclei are obscured by Compton-thick material with column densities in excess of ~5 x $10^{24}$ cm$^{-2}$, and that their X-ray spectra above 3 keV are dominated by reflection of the intrinsic continuum on Compton-thick material. Due to the very high obscuration, absorbed intrinsic continuum components are not formally required by the data in any of the sources. We constrain the intrinsic photon indices and the column density of the reflecting medium through the shape of the reflection spectra. Using archival multi-wavelength data we recover the intrinsic X-ray luminosities consistent with the broadband spectral energy distributions. Our results are consistent with the reflecting medium being an edge-on clumpy torus with a relatively large global covering factor and overall reflection efficiency of the order of 1%. Given the unambiguous confirmation of the Compton-thick nature of the sources, we investigate whether similar sources are likely to be missed by commonly used selection criteria for Compton-thick AGN, and explore the possibility of finding their high-redshift counterparts.

Quark structure of theX(3872)andχb(3P)resonances

We discuss the nature of the $\chi_b(3P)$ and $X(3872)$ mesons: Are the $\chi_b(3P)$'s standard $b \bar b$ mesons or $b \bar b$ states with a significative continuum component? Is the $X(3872)$ a $c \bar c$ state with continuum coupling effects or a meson-meson molecule? To do that, we compare quark model and unquenched quark model results for the mass barycenter and splittings of the $\chi_b(3P)$ multiplet. Future and more precise experimental results will discriminate between the two interpretations. In the case of the $X(3872)$, we interpret it a $c \bar c$ core plus higher Fock components due to the coupling to the meson-meson continuum, thus we think that it is compatible with the meson $\chi_{c1}(2P)$, with $J^{PC} = 1^{++}$. The $J^{PC} = 1^{++}$ quantum numbers are in agreement with the experimental results found by the LHCb collaboration. In our view, the $X(3872)$'s mass is lower than the quark model's predictions because of self energy shifts. We also provide an estimation of the open charm/bottom strong decay modes of the $X(3872)$ and $\chi_b(3P)$ mesons, such as $X(3872) \rightarrow D \bar D^*$ and $\chi_{b2}(3P) \rightarrow B \bar B$, and radiative transitions.

BLACK HOLE MASS ESTIMATES AND EMISSION-LINE PROPERTIES OF A SAMPLE OF REDSHIFTz&gt; 6.5 QUASARS

We present the analysis of optical and near-infrared spectra of the only four $z>6.5$ quasars known to date, discovered in the UKIDSS-LAS and VISTA-VIKING surveys. Our data-set consists of new VLT/X-Shooter and Magellan/FIRE observations. These are the best optical/NIR spectroscopic data that are likely to be obtained for the $z>6.5$ sample using current $6$ - $10$ m facilities. We estimate the black hole mass, the Eddington ratio, and the SiIV/CIV, CIII]/CIV, and FeII/MgII emission-line flux ratios. We perform spectral modeling using a procedure that allows us to derive a probability distribution for the continuum components and to obtain the quasar properties weighted upon the underlying distribution of continuum models. The $z>6.5$ quasars show the same emission properties as their counterparts at lower redshifts. The $z>6.5$ quasars host black holes with masses of $\sim 10^9$ M$_{\odot}$ that are accreting close to the Eddington luminosity ($\langle{\rm log} (L_{\rm Bol}/L_{\rm Edd})\rangle= -0.4\pm0.2$), in agreement with what has been observed for a sample of $4.0<z<6.5$ quasars. By comparing the SiIV/CIV and CIII]/CIV flux ratios with the results obtained from luminosity-matched samples at $z\sim6$ and $2\leq z\leq4.5$, we find no evidence of evolution of the line ratios with cosmic time. We compare the measured FeII/MgII flux ratios with those obtained for a sample of $4.0<z<6.4$ sources. The two samples are analyzed using a consistent procedure. There is no evidence that the FeII/MgII flux ratio evolves between $z=7$ and $z=4$. Under the assumption that the FeII/MgII traces the Fe/Mg abundance ratio, this implies the presence of major episodes of chemical enrichment in the quasar hosts in the first $\sim0.8$ Gyr after the Big Bang.

THE BROAD-BAND X-RAY SPECTRUM OF IC 4329A FROM A JOINTNuSTAR/SUZAKUOBSERVATION

We have obtained a deep, simultaneous observation of the bright, nearby Seyfert galaxy IC 4329A with Suzaku and NuSTAR. Through a detailed spectral analysis, we are able to robustly separate the continuum, absorption and distant reflection components in the spectrum. The absorbing column is found to be modest at $N_H = 6 \times 10^{21}$ cm$^2$, and does not introduce any significant curvature in the Fe K band. We are able to place a strong constraint on the presence of a broadened Fe K{\alpha} line: $E = 6.46^{+0.08}_{-0.07}$ keV rest frame with ${\sigma} = 0.33^{+0.08}_{-0.07}$ keV and $EW = 34^{+8}_{-7}$ eV, though we are not able to constrain any of the parameters of a relativistic reflection model. These results highlight the range in broad Fe K{\alpha} line strengths observed in nearby, bright AGN (roughly an order of magnitude), and imply a corresponding range in the physical properties of the inner accretion disk in these sources. We have also updated our previously reported measurement of the high-energy cutoff of the hard X-ray emission using both observatories rather than just NuSTAR alone: $E_{cut} = 186 \pm 14$ keV. This high-energy cutoff acts as a proxy for the temperature of the coronal electron plasma, enabling us to further separate this parameter from the optical depth of the plasma and to update our results for these parameters as well. We derive $kT = 50^{+6}_{-3}$ keV with ${\tau} = 2.34^{+0.16}_{-0.11}$ using a spherical geometry, $kT = 61 \pm 1$ keV with ${\tau} = 0.68 \pm 0.02$ for a slab geometry, with both having an equivalent goodness-of-fit.

Darth Fader: Analysing galaxy spectra at low signal-to-noise

AbstractSpectroscopic redshift surveys are an incredibly valuable tool in cosmology, allowing us to trace the distribution of galaxies as a function of distance and, thus, trace the evolution of structure formation in the Universe. However, estimating the redshifts from spectra with low signal-to-noise is difficult, and such data are often either discarded or require human classification of spectral lines to obtain the galaxy redshift. Darth Fader offers an automated method for estimating the redshifts of galaxies in the low signal-to-noise regime. Using a sophisticated, wavelet-based technique, galaxy spectra can be separated into continuum, line and noise components, and the lines can then be cross-correlated with template spectra in order to estimate the redshifts. Cross-matching of the identified lines then allows for a cleaning of the resulting catalogue, effectively removing the vast majority of erroneous redshift estimates and resulting in a highly pure, highly accurate redshift catalogue. Darth Fader allows us to effectively use low signal-to-noise galaxy spectra, and dramatically reduces the number of human hours required to do this, allowing spectroscopic surveys to probe deeper into the formation history of the Universe.

Bound to continuum absorption coefficient for spherical and conical quantum dots

In this paper, the effects of the incident light polarization on the bound to continuum absorption coefficient of both spherical and conical quantum dots have been investigated. The study is based on the effective mass theory and the non equilibrium Green’s function formalism. For the bound to continuum component of the absorption coefficient, both of in-plane and perpendicular polarization effects have been studied for different sizes of conical and spherical quantum dots. Generally, the behavior of conical and spherical quantum dots are similar in case of perpendicular polarization, but their behaviors are different in the case of in-plane polarization.

DECONVOLVING X-RAY SPECTRAL VARIABILITY COMPONENTS IN THE SEYFERT 1.5 NGC 3227

We present the variability analysis of a 100 ks XMM-Newton observation of the Seyfert 1.5 active galaxy NGC 3227. The observation found NGC 3227 in a period where its hard power-law component displayed remarkably little long-term variability. This lucky event allows us to observe clearly a soft spectral component undergoing a large-amplitude but slow flux variation. Using combined spectral and timing analysis we isolate two independent variable continuum components and characterize their behavior as a function of timescale. Rapid and coherent variations throughout the 0.2-10 keV band reveal a spectrally hard (photon index ~ 1.7-1.8) power law, dominating the observed variability on timescales of 30 ks and shorter. Another component produces coherent fluctuations in 0.2-2 keV range and is much softer (photon index ~ 3); it dominates the observed variability on timescales greater than 30 ks. Both components are viewed through the same absorbers identified in the time-averaged spectrum. The combined spectral and timing analysis breaks the degeneracy between models for the soft excess: it is consistent with a power-law or thermal Comptonized component, but not with a blackbody or an ionized reflection component. We demonstrate that the rapid variability in NGC 3227 is intrinsic to continuum-emitting components and is not an effect of variable absorption.

The long-term evolution of the X-ray pulsar XTE J1814-338: A receding jet contribution to the quiescent optical emission?

We present a study of the quiescent optical counterpart of the Accreting Millisecond X-ray Pulsar XTE J1814-338, carrying out multiband (BVR) orbital phase-resolved photometry using the ESO VLT/FORS2. The optical light curves are consistent with a sinusoidal variability modulated with the orbital period, showing evidence for a strongly irradiated companion star, in agreement with previous findings. The observed colours cannot be accounted for by the companion star alone, suggesting the presence of an accretion disc during quiescence. The system is fainter in all analysed bands compared to previous observations. The R band light curve displays a possible phase offset with respect to the B and V band. Through a combined fit of the multi-band light curves we derive constraints on the companion star and disc fluxes, on the system distance and on the companion star mass. The irradiation luminosity required to account for the observed day-side temperature of the companion star is consistent with the spin-down luminosity of a millisecond radio pulsar. The flux decrease and spectral evolution of the quiescent optical emission observed comparing our data with previous observations, collected over 5 years, cannot be well explained with the contribution of an irradiated companion star and an accretion disc alone. The progressive flux decrease as the system gets bluer could be due to a continuum component evolving towards a lower, bluer spectrum. While most of the continuum component is likely due to the disc, we do not expect it to become bluer in quiescence. Hence we hypothesize that an additional component, such as synchrotron emission from a jet was contributing significantly in the earlier data obtained during quiescence and then progressively fading or moving its break frequency toward longer wavelengths.

A long XMM–Newton observation of an extreme narrow-line Seyfert 1: PG 1244+026

We explore the origin of the strong soft X-ray excess in Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxies using spectral-timing information from a 120ks {\it XMM-Newton} observation of PG 1244+026. Spectral fitting alone cannot distinguish between a true additional soft X-ray continuum component and strongly relativistically smeared reflection, but both models also require a separate soft blackbody component. This is most likely intrinsic emission from the disc extending into the lowest energy X-ray bandpass. The {\it RMS} spectra on short timescales (200-5000s) contain both (non-disk) soft excess and power law emission. However, the spectrum of the variability on these timescales correlated with the 4-10 keV lightcurve contains only the power law. Together these show that there is fast variability of the soft excess which is independent of the 4-10 keV variability. This is inconsistent with a single reflection component making the soft X-ray excess as this necessarily produces correlated variability in the 4-10 keV bandpass. Instead, the {\it RMS} and covariance spectra are consistent with an additional cool Comptonisation component which does not contribute to the spectrum above 2 keV.

Quasi-bound states and Fano effect in T-shaped graphene nanoribbons

We study the quasi-bound state and the transport properties in the T-shaped graphene nanoribbon consisting of a metallic armchair-edge ribbon connected to a zigzag-edge sidearm. We systematically study the condition under which there are quasi-bound states in the system for a wide range of the system size. It is found that when the width of the sidearm is about half of the width of the armchair graphene nanoribbon, there is a quasi-bound state trapped at the intersection of the T-shaped structure. The quasi-bound states are truly localized in the sidearm but have small continuum components in the armchair graphene nanoribbons. The quasi-bound states have strong effect on the transport between the armchair leads through the Fano effect, but do not affect the transport between the armchair lead and the sidearm.

Atomic photoionization in a changing plasma environment

We present a detailed theoretical study on the photoionization of one- and two-electron atoms subject to an external changing plasma environment based on the Debye-H\"uckel model. Specifically, by examining the migration of the bound excited states into the continuum in the presence of plasma, our investigation has led to resonancelike photoionization structures immediately above the ionization thresholds for H, H${}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, and He atoms. For He, unlike the usual Fano-Beutler resonances due to the configuration mixing between the doubly excited components and the single ionization channel with different ${\ensuremath{\ell}}_{1}{\ensuremath{\ell}}_{2}$ angular momenta combinations in the final-state wave function, these plasma-induced resonancelike structures result from the mixing of the quasibound and continuum components of the same ${\ensuremath{\ell}}_{1}{\ensuremath{\ell}}_{2}$ combination in the final-state function. With a number of specific examples, we show that the general features of these spectra could be linked directly to the overlap at small $r$ between the effective wave functions of the outgoing ionized electron and the atomic electron in its initial states.

TIME-RESOLVED PROPERTIES AND GLOBAL TRENDS IN dMe FLARES FROM SIMULTANEOUS PHOTOMETRY AND SPECTRA

We present a homogeneous survey of line and continuum emission from near-ultraviolet (NUV) to optical wavelengths during twenty M dwarf flares with simultaneous, high cadence photometry and spectra. These data were obtained to study the white-light continuum components at bluer and redder wavelengths than the Balmer jump. Our goals were to break the degeneracy between emission mechanisms that have been fit to broadband colors of flares and to provide constraints for radiative-hydrodynamic (RHD) flare models that seek to reproduce the white-light flare emission. The main results from the continuum analysis are the following: 1) the detection of Balmer continuum (in emission) that is present during all flares and with a wide range of relative contributions to the continuum flux at bluer wavelengths than the Balmer jump; 2) a blue continuum at flare maximum that is linearly decreasing with wavelength from \lambda = 4000-4800\AA, matched by the spectral shape of hot, blackbody emission with typical temperatures of T_{BB}~9000-14,000 K; 3) a redder continuum apparent at wavelengths longer than H\beta\ (\lambda > 4900\AA) which becomes relatively more important to the energy budget during the late gradual phase. We calculate Balmer jump flux ratios and compare to RHD model spectra. The model ratios are too large and the blue-optical (\lambda = 4000-4800\AA) slopes are too red in both the impulsive and gradual decay phases of all twenty flares. This discrepancy implies that further work is needed to understand the heating at high column mass during dMe flares. (Abridged)

Polarization dependence of absorption by bound electrons in self-assembled quantum dots

In this paper, the effects of the incident light polarization on the bound to continuum linear absorption coefficient of quantum dot devices have been investigated. The study is based on the effective mass theory and the Non Equilibrium Green's Function formalism. For the bound to continuum component of the absorption coefficient, both of in-plane and perpendicular polarization effects are studied for different sizes of conical quantum dots. Generally, decreasing the dot's dimensions results in an increase of the in-plane polarized light absorption and in moving the absorption peak towards longer wavelengths. On the other hand, decreasing the dot's dimensions results in a decrease of the perpendicularly polarized light absorption coefficient and in moving the absorption peak towards longer wavelengths.