Hot Blackbody Research Articles

A new method to calculate the threshold temperature of a perfect blackbody to protect cornea and lens in the range of 780-3,000 nm.

Exposure to IR-A and IR-B radiation, in the wavelength region of 780 nm to 3,000 nm, may lead to the development of cataractogenesis. Estimation of the exposure levels is the first step in controlling adverse health effects. In the present study, the irradiance of a hot blackbody emitter is replaced by its temperature in the exposure limit values for cornea and lens in the range of 780-3,000 nm. This paper explains the development and implementation of a computer code to predict a temperature, defined as Threshold Temperature, which satisfies the exposure limits already proposed by the ICNIRP. To this end, first an infinite series was created for the calculation of spectral radiance by integration with Planck's law. For calculation of irradiance, the initial terms of this infinite series were selected, and integration was performed in the wavelength region of 780 nm to 3,000 nm. Finally, using a computer code, an unknown source temperature that can emit the same irradiance was found. Exposure duration, source area, and observer distance from the hot source were entered as input data in this proposed code. Consequently, it is possible only by measurement of a Planckian emitter temperature and taking into account the distance from source and exposure time for an observer to decide whether the exposure to IR radiation in the range of 780 to 3,000 nm is permissible or not. It seems that the substitution of irradiance by the source temperature is an easier and more convenient way for hygienists to evaluate IR exposures.

SUPERLUMINOUS SUPERNOVAE AS STANDARDIZABLE CANDLES AND HIGH-REDSHIFT DISTANCE PROBES

We investigate the use of type Ic Super Luminous Supernovae as standardizable candles and distance indicators. Their appeal as cosmological probes stems from their remarkable peak luminosities, hot blackbody temperatures and bright restframe ultraviolet emission. We present a sample of sixteen published SLSN, from redshifts 0.1 to 1.2 and calculate accurate K-corrections to determine uniform magnitudes in two synthetic rest-frame filters with central wavelengths at 400nm and 520nm. At 400nm, we find a low scatter in their uncorrected, raw mean magnitudes with M(400)=-21.70 for the full sample of sixteen objects. We investigate the correlation between their decline rates and peak magnitude and find that the brighter events appear to decline more slowly. We define a $\Delta M(30)$ decay relation. This correlates peak magnitude and decline over 30 days and can reduce the scatter to 0.25. We further show that M(400) appears to have a strong colour dependence. Using this colour rate decay relation, a low scatter of between 0.19 and 0.26 can be found depending on sample selection. However we caution that only eight to ten objects currently have enough data to test this colour rate decline relation. We conclude that SLSN Ic are promising distance indicators at high redshift in regimes beyond those possible with SNe Ia. Although the empirical relationships are encouraging, the unknown progenitor systems and how they may evolve with redshift are of some concern. The two major measurement uncertainties are the limited numbers of low redshift objects to test these relationships and internal dust extinction in the host galaxies.

PHASE-RESOLVED X-RAY SPECTRA OF MAGNETARS AND THE CORONAL OUTFLOW MODEL

We test a model recently proposed for the persistent hard X-ray emission from magnetars. In the model, hard X-rays are produced by a decelerating electron-positron flow in the closed magnetosphere. The flow decelerates as it radiates its energy away via resonant scattering of soft X-rays, then it reaches the top of the magnetic loop and annihilates there. We test the model against observations of three magnetars: 4U 0142+61, 1RXS J1708-4009, and 1E 1841-045. We find that the model successfully fits the observed phase-resolved spectra. We derive constraints on the angle between the rotational and magnetic axes of the neutron star, the object inclination to the line of sight, and the size of the active twisted region filled with the plasma flow. Using the fit of the hard X-ray component of the magnetar spectrum, we revisit the remaining soft X-ray component. We find that it can be explained by a modified two-temperature blackbody model. The hotter blackbody is consistent with a hot spot covering 1-10% of the neutron star surface. Such a hot spot is expected at the base of the magnetospheric e+- outflow, as some particles created in the e+- discharge flow back and bombard the stellar surface.

Revisiting SW J2000.6+3210: a persistent Be X-ray pulsar?

We present a detailed timing and spectral analysis of the Be X-ray binary SWJ2000.6+3210 discovered by the BAT Galactic plane survey. Two Suzaku observations of the source made at six months interval, reveal pulsations at ~ 890s for both observations with a much weaker pulse fraction in the second one. Pulsations are clearly seen in the energy band of 0.3-10 keV of XIS for both observations and at high energies up to 40 keV for the second observation. The broad band X-ray spectrum is consistent with a powerlaw and high energy cutoff model along with a hot blackbody component. No change in spectral parameters is detected between the observations. We have also analyzed several short observations of the source with Swift/XRT and detected only a few percent variation in flux around a mean value of 3:5 *10^{-11} erg cm^{-2} s^{-1}. The results indicates that SWJ2000.6+3210 is a member of persistent Be X-ray binaries which have the same broad characteristics as this source.

XMM-Newtonobservation of the persistent Be/NS X-ray binary pulsar RX J0440.9+4431

Many X-ray accreting pulsars have a soft excess below 10 keV. This feature has been detected also in faint sources and at low luminosity levels, suggesting that it is an ubiquitous phenomenon. In the case of the high luminosity pulsars (Lx > 10^36 erg/s), the fit of this component with thermal emission models usually provides low temperatures (kT < 0.5 keV) and large emission regions (R > a few hundred km); for this reason, it is referred to as a `soft' excess. On the other hand, we recently found that in persistent, low-luminosity (Lx ~ 10^34 erg/s) and long-period (P > 100 s) Be accreting pulsars the observed excess can be modeled with a rather hot (kT > 1 keV) blackbody component of small area (R < 0.5 km), which can be interpreted as emission from the NS polar caps. In this paper we present the results of a recent XMM-Newton observation of the Galactic Be pulsar RX J0440.9+4431, which is a poorly studied member of this class of sources. We have found a best-fit period P = 204.96(+/-0.02) s, which implies an average pulsar spin-down during the last 13 years, with dP/dt ~ 6x10^(-9) s/s. The estimated source luminosity is Lx ~ 8x10^(34) erg/s: this value is higher by a factor < 10 compared to those obtained in the first source observations, but almost two orders of magnitude lower than those measured during a few outbursts detected in the latest years. The source spectrum can be described with a power law plus blackbody model, with kTbb = 1.34(+/-0.04) keV and Rbb = 273(+/-16) m, suggesting a polar-cap origin of this component. Our results support the classification of RX J0440.9+4431 as a persistent Be/NS pulsar, and confirm that the hot blackbody spectral component is a common property of this class of sources.

Early results from ChanPLaNS: Mystery of hard X-ray emitting CSPNe

AbstractWe are presently using the Chandra X-ray Observatory to conduct the first systematic X-ray survey of planetary nebulae (PNe) in the solar neighborhood. The Chandra Planetary Nebula Survey (ChanPlaNS) is a 570 ks Chandra Cycle 12 Large Program targeting 21 high-excitation PNe within ~1.5 kpc of Earth. When complete, this survey will provide a suite of new X-ray diagnostics that will inform the study of late stellar evolution, binary star astrophysics, and wind interactions. Among the early results of ChanPlaNS (when combined with archival Chandra data) is a surprisingly high detection rate of relatively hard X-ray emission from CSPNe. Specifically, X-ray point sources are clearly detected in roughly half of the ~30 high-excitation PNe observed thus far by Chandra, and all but one of these X-ray-emitting CSPNe display evidence for a hard (few MK) component in their Chandra spectra. Only the central star of the Dumbbell appears to display “pure” hot blackbody emission from a ~200 kK hot white dwarf photosphere in the X-ray band. Potential explanations for the“excess” hard X-ray emission detected from the other CSPNe include late-type companions (heretofore undetected, in most cases) whose coronae have been rejuvenated by recent interactions with the mass-losing WD progenitor, non-LTE effects in hot white dwarf photospheres, self-shocking variable winds from the central star, and slow (re-)accretion of previously ejected red giant envelope mass.

The near-infrared broad emission line region of active galactic nuclei - II. The 1-μm continuum

We use quasi-simultaneous near-infrared (near-IR) and optical spectroscopy from four observing runs to study the continuum around 1 micron in 23 well-known broad-emission line active galactic nuclei (AGN). We show that, after correcting the optical spectra for host galaxy light, the AGN continuum around this wavelength can be approximated by the sum of mainly two emission components, a hot dust blackbody and an accretion disc. The accretion disc spectrum appears to dominate the flux at ~1 micron, which allows us to derive a relation for estimating AGN black hole masses based on the near-IR virial product. This result also means that a near-IR reverberation programme can determine the AGN state independent of simultaneous optical spectroscopy. On average we derive hot dust blackbody temperatures of ~1400 K, a value close to the sublimation temperature of silicate dust grains, and relatively low hot dust covering factors of ~7%. Our preliminary variability studies indicate that in most sources the hot dust emission responds to changes in the accretion disc flux with the expected time lag, however, a few sources show a behaviour that can be attributed to dust destruction.

Ly$\mathsf{\alpha}$ emitters in the GOODS-S field

<i>Context. <i/>The Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey (GOODS) has provided us with one of the deepest multi-wavelength views of the distant universe. The combination of multi-band photometry and optical spectroscopy has resulted in the identification of sources whose redshifts extend to values in excess of six. Amongst these distant sources are Ly<i>α<i/> emitters whose nature must be deduced by clearly identifying the different components that contribute to the measured SED.<i>Aims. <i/>From a sample of Ly<i>α<i/> emitters in the GOODS-S field with uncontaminated photometry and optical (red) spectroscopy, we select a spatially compact object at a redshift of 5.563 (Ly<i>α<i/>) that shows a second emission line, identified as ] 1486 Å. The SED is modelled in a way that accounts for both the ] line emission and the photometry in a self-consistent way. <i>Methods. <i/>The photoionization code CLOUDY is used to calculate a range of nebular models as a function of stellar ionizing source temperature, ionization parameter, density and nebular metallicity. We compare the theoretical and observed magnitudes and search for the model parameters that also reproduce the observed ] luminosity and equivalent width.<i>Results. <i/>A nebular model with a hot blackbody ionizing source of around 100 kK and a nebular metallicity of ~5% of solar is able to fit the observed SED and, in particular, explain the large apparent Balmer break which is inferred from the pure stellar population model fitting conventionally applied to multi-band photometric observations. In our model, an apparent spectral break is produced by strong [] 4959, 5007 Å emission falling in one of the IR bands (IRAC1 in this case). A lower limit on the total baryonic mass of a model of this type is <i>3.2<i/> . <i>Conclusions. <i/>It is argued that objects with Ly<i>α<i/> emission at high redshift that show an apparent Balmer break may have their SED dominated by nebular emission and so could possibly be identified with very young starbursting galaxies rather than massive evolved stellar populations. Detailed studies of these emission nebulæ with large telescopes will provide a unique insight into very early chemical evolution.

DETECTION OF THE CENTRAL STAR OF THE PLANETARY NEBULA NGC 6302

NGC 6302 is one of the highest ionization planetary nebulae known and shows emission from species with ionization potential >300eV. The temperature of the central star must be >200,000K to photoionize the nebula, and has been suggested to be up to ~ 400,000K. On account of the dense dust and molecular disc, the central star has not convincingly been directly imaged until now. NGC 6302 was imaged in six narrow band filters by Wide Field Camera 3 on HST as part of the Servicing Mission 4 Early Release Observations. The central star is directly detected for the first time, and is situated at the nebula centre on the foreground side of the tilted equatorial disc. The magnitudes of the central star have been reliably measured in two filters(F469N and F673N). Assuming a hot black body, the reddening has been measured from the (4688-6766\AA) colour and a value of c=3.1, A_v=6.6 mag determined. A G-K main sequence binary companion can be excluded. The position of the star on the HR diagram suggests a fairly massive PN central star of about 0.64,M_sun close to the white dwarf cooling track. A fit to the evolutionary tracks for (T,L,t)=(200,000K, 2000L_sun, 2200yr), where t is the nebular age, is obtained; however the luminosity and temperature remain uncertain. The model tracks predict that the star is rapidly evolving, and fading at a rate of almost 1 % per year. Future observations could test this prediction.

Pulsed thermal emission from the accreting pulsar XMMU J054134.7-682550

Aims. Soft X-ray excesses have been detected in several Be/X-ray binaries and interpreted as the signature of hard X-ray reprocessing in the inner accretion disk. The system XMMU J054134.7-682550, located in the LMC, featured a giant Type II outburst in August 2007. The geometry of this system can be understood by studying the response of the soft excess emission to the hard X-ray pulses. Methods. We have analyzed series of simultaneous observations obtained with XMM-Newton/EPIC-MOS and RXTE/PCA in order to derive spectral and temporal characteristics of the system, before, during and after the giant outburst. Spectral fits were performed and a timing analysis has been carried out. Spectral variability, spin period evolution and energy dependent pulse shapes are analysed. Results. The outburst (LX = 3 × 10 38 erg/s ≈ LEDD) spectrum could be modeled successfully using a cutoff powerlaw, a cold disk emission, a hot blackbody, and a cyclotron absorption line. The magnetic field and magnetospheric radius could be constrained. The thickness of the inner accretion disk is broadened to a width of 75 km. The hot blackbody component features sinusoidal modulations indicating that the bulk of the hard X-ray emission is emitted preferentially along the magnetic equator. The spin period of the pulsar decreased very significantly during the outburst. This is consistent with a variety of neutron star equations of state and indicates a very high accretion rate.

Using superlattice ordering to reduce the band gap of random (In,Ga)As/InP alloys to a target value via the inverse band structure approach

Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) devices are intended to absorb photons from hot blackbody radiating objects, often requiring semiconductor absorbers with band gap of $\ensuremath{\simeq}0.6\text{ }\text{eV}$. The random ${\text{In}}_{x}{\text{Ga}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}\text{As}$ alloy lattice matched $({x}_{\text{In}}=0.53)$ to a (001) InP substrate has a low-temperature band gap of 0.8 eV, about 0.2 eV too high for a TPV absorber. Bringing the band gap down by raising the In concentration induces strain with the substrate, leading to a two-dimensional $(2\text{D})\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\text{three}$-dimensional (3D) morphological transition occurring before band gaps suitable for TPV applications are achieved. We use the inverse band structure approach, based on a genetic algorithm and empirical pseudopotential calculations, to search for lattice-matched InAs/GaAs multiple-repeat unit structures with individual layer thicknesses lower than the critical thickness for a $2\text{D}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}3\text{D}$ transition. Despite the fact that quantum confinement usually increases band gaps, we find a quantum superlattice structure with the required reduced gap (and a significant optical transition) that matches all target requirements. This is explained by the predominance of (potential-energy) level anticrossing effects over (kinetic) quantum confinement effects.

A close look at the very heart of NGC7469

We observed the central regions of the well-known LIRG / Seyfert 1.2 galaxy NGC 7469 with adaptive optics, performing K band long-slit spectroscopic observations with NaCo at VLT. We concentrate here on the inner 100 pc, focusing on the structure of the NLR. The study of the continuum as well as of the molecular and ionized hydrogen emission lines shows some unexpected properties that raise several questions that we consider as different pieces of a unique puzzle. The most striking result of our study is the detection of broad ionized hydrogen emission over a 45pc radius around the central source with a symmetric behaviour with respect to the central core. We also detect molecular hydrogen in the innermost part of this Seyfert nuclei. The continuum emission corresponds to a very hot black body. We interpret all those facts as due to some Thomson scattering by electrons of the NLR. The temperature evolution is in good agreement with this interpretation and the electron density we derive is compatible with densities found in NLRs of typical AGNs.

1RXS J173021.5-055933: a cataclysmic variable with a fast-spinning magnetic white dwarf

Aims. We present the first X-ray observations with the XMM-Newton and INTEGRAL satellites of the recently discovered cataclysmic variable 1RXS J173021.5-055933, together with simultaneous UV and coordinated optical photometry aiming at characterising its broad-band temporal and spectral properties and classifying this system as a magnetic one. Methods. We performed a timing analysis of the X-ray, UV, and optical light curves to identify and to study the energy dependence of the fast 128 s pulsation over a wide energy range. X-ray spectral analysis in the broad 0.2−100 keV X-ray range was performed to characterise the peculiar emission properties of this source. Results. We find that the X-ray light curve is dominated by the spin period of the accreting white dwarf in contrast to the far-UV range, which turns out to be unmodulated at a 3σ level. Near-UV and optical pulses are instead detected at twice the spin frequency. We identify the contributions from two accreting poles that imply a moderately inclined dipole field allowing, one pole to dominate at energies at least up to 10 keV, and a secondary that instead is negligible above 5 keV. X-ray spectral analysis reveals the presence of multiple emission components consisting of optically thin plasma with temperatures ranging from 0.17 keV to 60 keV and a hot blackbody at ∼90 eV. The spectrum is also strongly affected by peculiar absorption components consisting of two high-density (∼3 × 10 21 cm −2 and 2 × 10 23 cm −2 ) intervening columns, plus a warm absorber. The last is detected from an OVII absorption edge at 0.74 keV, which suggests that photoionization of pre-shock material is also occurring in this system. Conclusions. The observed properties indicate that the accretor in 1RXS J173021.5-055933 is a white dwarf with a likely weak magnetic field, thus confirming this cataclysmic variable as an intermediate polar (IP) with one of the most extreme spin-to-orbit period ratios. This system also joins the small group of IPs showing a soft X-ray reprocessed component, suggesting that this characteristics is not uncommon in these systems.

Phase‐resolved Spectroscopy of the Vela Pulsar withXMM‐Newton

The ~104 yr old Vela Pulsar represents the bridge between the young Crab-like and the middle-aged rotation-powered pulsars. Its multiwavelength behavior is due to the superposition of different spectral components. We take advantage of the unprecedented harvest of photons collected by XMM-Newton to assess the Vela Pulsar spectral shape and to study the pulsar spectrum as a function of its rotational phase. As for the middle-aged pulsars Geminga, PSR B0656+14, and PSR B1055-52 (the ``Three Musketeers''), the phase-integrated spectrum of Vela is well described by a three-component model, consisting of two blackbodies (Tbb = [1.06 ± 0.03] × 106 K, Rbb = 5.1 km, TBB = 2.16 × 106 K, RBB = 0.73 km) plus a power law (γ = 2.2). The relative contributions of the three components are seen to vary as a function of the pulsar rotational phase. The two blackbodies have a shallow ~7%-9% modulation. The cooler blackbody, possibly related to the bulk of the neutron star surface, has a complex modulation, with two peaks per period, separated by ~0.35 in phase, the radio pulse occurring exactly in between. The hotter blackbody, possibly originating from a hot polar region, has a nearly sinusoidal modulation, with a single, broad maximum aligned with the second peak of the cooler blackbody, trailing the radio pulse by ~0.15 in phase. The nonthermal component, magnetospheric in origin, is present only during 20% of the pulsar phase and appears to be opposite to the radio pulse. XMM-Newton phase-resolved spectroscopy unveils the link between the thermally emitting surface of the neutron star and its charge-filled magnetosphere, probing emission geometry as a function of the pulsar rotation. This is a fundamental piece of information for future three-dimensional modeling of the pulsar magnetosphere.

A Refined Ephemeris and Phase‐resolved X‐Ray Spectroscopy of the Geminga Pulsar

We present a refined, phase-connected, postglitch ephemeris for the Geminga pulsar that is a good fit to all the postglitch data from EGRET, ASCA, and XMM-Newton. We also present the results of phase-resolved spectroscopy of two XMM-Newton X-ray observations of the Geminga pulsar obtained in 2002 and 2004. An investigation is made into a previously claimed existence of a small hot spot on the neutron star surface. We conclude that that interpretation was more likely an artifact of an overly restrictive assumption used to fit the phase-resolved spectra: namely, that the spectral index of the nonthermal component is constant. When we allow the spectral index to vary as a function of rotation phase, we find systematic variations in spectral index, and such fits do not require an additional hot blackbody component.

AnXMM-Newtonview of M101 - I. The luminous X-ray source population

We present the first results of an XMM–Newton EPIC observation of the luminous X-ray source population in the face-on supergiant spiral galaxy M101. We have studied the spectral and temporal properties of the 14 most luminous sources, all of which have intrinsic X-ray luminosities exceeding the Eddington limit for a 1.4-M⊙ neutron star, with a subset in the ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) regime (LX≥ 1039 erg s−1). Eleven sources show evidence of short-term variability, and most vary by a factor of ∼2–4 over a baseline of 11–24 yr, providing strong evidence that these sources are accreting X-ray binary (XRB) systems. Our results demonstrate that these sources are a heterogeneous population, showing a variety of spectral shapes. Interestingly, there is no apparent spectral distinction between those sources above and below the ULX luminosity threshold. Nine sources are well fitted with either simple absorbed disc blackbody or power-law models. However, in three of the four sources best fitted with power-law models, we cannot exclude the disc blackbody fits and therefore conclude that, coupled with their high luminosities, eight out of nine single-component sources are possibly high-state XRBs. The nuclear source (XMM-10) has the only unambiguous power-law spectrum (Γ∼ 2.3), which may be evidence for the presence of a low-luminosity active galactic nucleus (LLAGN). The remaining five sources require at least two-component spectral fits, with an underlying hard component that can be modelled by a power-law continuum or, in three cases, a hot disc blackbody (Tin = 0.9–1.5 keV), plus a soft component modelled as a cool blackbody/disc blackbody/thermal plasma. We have compared the spectral shapes of nine sources covered by both this observation and an archival 100-ks Chandra observation of M101; eight show behaviour typical of Galactic XRBs (i.e. softening with increasing luminosity), the only exception being a transient source (XMM-2) which shows little change in spectral hardness despite a factor of ∼30 increase in luminosity. We find no definitive spectral signatures to indicate that these sources contain neutron star primaries, and conclude that they are likely to be stellar-mass black hole XRBs (BHXBs), with black hole masses of ∼2–23 M⊙ if accreting at the Eddington limit.

Extensive entropy bounds

It is shown that, for systems in which the entropy is an extensive function of the energy and volume, the Bekenstein and the holographic entropy bounds predict new results. More explicitly, the Bekenstein entropy bound leads to the entropy of thermal radiation (the Unruh-Wald bound) and the spherical entropy bound implies the ``causal entropy bound.'' Surprisingly, the first bound shows a close relationship between black hole physics and the Stephan-Boltzmann law (for the energy and entropy flux densities of the radiation emitted by a hot blackbody). Furthermore, we find that the number of different species of massless fields is bounded by $\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{4}.$

A Study of the Type II-Plateau Supernova 1999[CLC]gi[/CLC] and the Distance to its Host Galaxy, NGC 3184

We present optical spectra and photometry sampling the first six months after discovery of supernova (SN) 1999gi in NGC 3184. SN 1999gi is shown to be a Type II-plateau event with a photometric plateau lasting until about 100 days after discovery. The reddening values resulting from five independent techniques are all consistent with an upper bound of E(B-V) < 0.45 mag established by comparing the early-time color of SN 1999gi with that of an infinitely hot blackbody, and yield a probable reddening of E(B-V) = 0.21 +/- 0.09 mag. Using the expanding photosphere method (EPM), we derive a distance to SN 1999gi of 11.1^{+2.0}_{-1.8} Mpc and an explosion date of 1999 December 5.8^{+3.0}_{-3.1}, or 4.1^{+3.0}_{-3.1} days prior to discovery. This distance is consistent with a recent Tully-Fisher distance derived to NGC 3184 (D ~ 11.59 Mpc), but is somewhat closer than the Cepheid distances derived to two galaxies that have generally been assumed to be members of a small group containing NGC 3184 (NGC 3319, D = 13.30 +/- 0.55 Mpc, and NGC 3198, D = 13.80 +/- 0.51 Mpc). We reconsider the upper mass limit (9^{+3}_{-2} M_{sun}) recently placed on the progenitor star of SN 1999gi by Smartt et al. (2001, 2002) in light of these results. Following the same procedures, but using the new data presented here, we arrive at a less restrictive upper mass limit of 15^{+5}_{-3} M_{sun} for the progenitor. The increased upper limit results mainly from the larger distance derived through the EPM than was assumed by the Smartt et al. analyses, which relied on less precise (and less recent) distance measurements to NGC 3184.

Early‐Time Infrared Spectra of the Type Ia Supernova 2000cx

We present 0.8 to 2.5 μm spectra of the Type Ia supernova 2000cx from 8 and 7 days before maximum light. The spectra consist of a continuum that closely follows that of a hot blackbody (25,000 K) upon which is superposed a small number of absorption and emission features. The most prominent absorption is due to the Mg II multiplet at 1.0926 μm (rest frame); the strongest emission feature is at ~1.25 μm and is probably due to Fe III. The broad Si II feature at ~1.65 μm, if present, is very weak. There is no evidence of the He I singlet at 2.0581 μm. Velocities in the Mg II feature extend to beyond 20,000 km s -1, indicating that carbon burning reached the outermost layers of the progenitor, and providing support for the delayed detonation models. The blackbody shape of the continuum beyond 0.9 μm is used to provide a limit on the in situ reddening of E(B-V) ≤ 0.1 mag. Given the probable uniformity of the early-time spectra of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), this technique should be applicable to other SNe Ia. Multicolor light curves reported by other observers indicate that SN 2000cx was overluminous, suggesting a higher than usual production of 56Ni. This can account for the hotter than normal continuum and the generally higher excitation of the line features.

Spontaneous evolution of rydberg atoms into an ultracold plasma

We have observed the spontaneous evolution of a dense sample of Rydberg atoms into an ultracold plasma, in spite of the fact that each of the atoms may initially be bound by up to 100 cm(-1). When the atoms are initially bound by 70 cm(-1), this evolution occurs when most of the atoms are translationally cold, <1 mK, but a small fraction, approximately 1%, is at room temperature. Ionizing collisions between hot and cold Rydberg atoms and blackbody photoionization produce an essentially stationary cloud of cold ions, which traps electrons produced later. The trapped electrons rapidly collisionally ionize the remaining cold Rydberg atoms to form a cold plasma.