Optical Spectral Lines Research Articles

Synthesizing gas-filled anti-resonant hollow-core fiber Raman lines enables access to the molecular fingerprint region

The synthesis of multiple narrow optical spectral lines, precisely and independently tuned across the near- to mid-infrared region, is a pivotal research area that enables selective and real-time detection of trace gas species within complex gas mixtures. However, existing methods for developing such light sources suffer from limited flexibility and very low pulse energy, particularly in the mid-infrared domain. Here, we introduce a concept that is based on the combination of an appropriate design of near-infrared fiber laser pump and cascaded configuration of gas-filled anti-resonant hollow-core fiber technology. This concept enables the synthesis of multiple independently tunable spectral lines, with >1 μJ high pulse energies and a few nanoseconds pulse width in the near- and mid-infrared regions. The number and wavelengths of the generated spectral lines can be dynamically reconfigured. A proof-of-concept laser beam synthesized of two narrow spectral lines at 3.99 µm and 4.25 µm wavelengths is demonstrated and combined with photoacoustic modality for real-time SO2 and CO2 detection. The proposed concept also constitutes a promising way for infrared multispectral microscopic imaging.

The comparison of an optical and X-ray counterpart of subparsec supermassive binary black holes

In this paper, we study and compare the optical and X-ray counterparts of subparsec supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs). With that aim, we simulated the profiles of optical spectral lines emitted from the broad line region (BLR) as well as X-ray spectral lines emitted from the relativistic accretion disks around both black holes and compared them with each other. The obtained results showed that SMBHBs could cause a specific, but different variability of the lines from the optical part and Fe Kα line, leaving potentially detectable imprints in their profiles. Since these imprints depend on the orbital phase of the system, they could be used for reconstructing the Keplerian orbits of the components in the observed SMBHBs. Moreover, such signatures in the optical and X-ray line profiles of the observed SMBHBs could be used as a tool for the detection of these objects as well as for studying their properties.

MALS discovery of a rare H I 21 cm absorber at z ∼ 1.35: Origin of the absorbing gas in powerful active galactic nuclei

We report a new, rare detection of H I 21 cm absorption associated with a quasar (only six quasars are known at 1 < z < 2) toward J2339−5523 at zem = 1.3531, discovered through the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey (MALS). The absorption profile is broad (∼400 km s−1 ), and the peak is redshifted by ∼200 km s−1 from zem. Interestingly, optical/far-UV spectra of the quasar from the Magellan-MIKE/HST-COS spectrographs do not show any absorption features associated with the 21 cm absorption, despite the coincident presence of the optical quasar and the radio core inferred from a flat-spectrum component with a flux density of ∼65 mJy at high frequencies (> 5 GHz). The simplest explanation would be that no large H I column (N(H I) > 1017 cm−2) is present toward the radio core and the optical active galactic nucleus. Based on the joint optical and radio analysis of a heterogeneous sample of 16 quasars (zmedian = 0.7) and 19 radio galaxies (zmedian = 0.4) with H I 21 cm absorption detection and matched in 1.4 GHz luminosity (L1.4 GHz), a consistent picture emerges according to which quasars primarily trace the gas in the inner circumnuclear disk and cocoon created by the interaction of the jet with interstellar medium. They (i.e., quasars) exhibit a L1.4 GHz – ΔVnull correlation and a frequent mismatch of the radio and optical spectral lines. The radio galaxies show no such correlation and likely trace the gas from the cocoon and the galaxy-wide interstellar medium outside the photoionization cone. The analysis presented here demonstrates the potential of radio spectroscopic observations to reveal the origin of the absorbing gas associated with active galactic nuclei that may be missed in optical observations.

EMU/GAMA: Radio detected galaxies are more obscured than optically selected galaxies

Abstract We demonstrate the importance of radio selection in probing heavily obscured galaxy populations. We combine Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU) Early Science data in the Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA) G23 field with the GAMA data, providing optical photometry and spectral line measurements, together withWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) infrared (IR) photometry, providing IR luminosities and colours. We investigate the degree of obscuration in star forming galaxies, based on the Balmer decrement (BD), and explore how this trend varies, over a redshift range of 0 < z < 0.345. We demonstrate that the radio detected population has on average higher levels of obscuration than the parent optical sample, arising through missing the lowest BD and lowest mass galaxies, which are also the lower star formation rate (SFR) and metallicity systems. We discuss possible explanations for this result, including speculation around whether it might arise from steeper stellar initial mass functions in low mass, low SFR galaxies.

O Corona, where art thou? eROSITA’s view of UV-optical-IR variability-selected massive black holes in low-mass galaxies

Finding massive black holes (MBHs, MBH ≈ 104–107 M⊙) in the nuclei of low-mass galaxies $\left( {{M_*}\mathop {\mathop < \limits_ }\limits_ {{10}^{10}}{M_ \odot }} \right)$ is crucial to constrain seeding and growth of black holes over cosmic time, but it is particularly challenging due to their low accretion luminosities. Variability selection via long-term photometric ultraviolet, optical, or infrared (UVOIR) light curves has proved effective and identifies lower-Eddington ratios compared to broad and narrow optical spectral lines searches. In the inefficient accretion regime, X-ray and radio searches are effective, but they have been limited to small samples. Therefore, differences between selection techniques have remained uncertain. Here, we present the first large systematic investigation of the X-ray properties of a sample of known MBH candidates in dwarf galaxies. We extracted X-ray photometry and spectra of a sample of ~200 UVOIR variability-selected MBHs and significantly detected 17 of them in the deepest available SRG/eROSITA image, of which four are newly discovered X-ray sources and two are new secure MBHs. This implies that tens to hundreds of LSST MBHs will have SRG/eROSITA counterparts, depending on the seeding model adopted. Surprisingly, the stacked X-ray images of the many non-detected MBHs are incompatible with standard disk-corona relations, typical of active galactic nuclei, inferred from both the optical and radio fluxes. They are instead compatible with the X-ray emission predicted for normal galaxies. After careful consideration of potential biases, we identified that this X-ray weakness needs a physical origin. A possibility is that a canonical X-ray corona might be lacking in the majority of this population of UVOIR-variability selected low-mass galaxies or that unusual accretion modes and spectral energy distributions are in place for MBHs in dwarf galaxies. This result reveals the potential for severe biases in occupation fractions derived from data from only one waveband combined with SEDs and scaling relations of more massive black holes and galaxies.

A versatile classification tool for galactic activity using optical and infrared colors

Context.The overwhelming majority of diagnostic tools for galactic activity are focused mainly on the classes of active galaxies. Passive or dormant galaxies are often excluded from these diagnostics, which usually employ emission-line features (e.g., forbidden emission lines). Thus, most of them focus on specific types of activity or only on one activity class, for example active galactic nucleus (AGN) galaxiesAims.In this work we used infrared and optical colors to build an all-inclusive galactic activity diagnostic tool that can discriminate between star-forming, AGN, low-ionization nuclear emission-line region, composite, and passive galaxies, and which can be used in local and low-redshift galaxies.Methods.We used the random forest algorithm to define a new activity diagnostic tool. As the ground truth for the training of the algorithm, we considered galaxies that have been classified based on their optical spectral lines. We explored classification criteria based on infrared colors from the first three WISE bands (bands 1, 2, and 3) supplemented with optical colors from theu, g, andrSDSS bands. From them, we sought the combination with the minimum number of colors that provides optimal results. Furthermore, to mitigate biases related to aperture effects, we introduced a new WISE photometric scheme that combines apertures of different sizes.Results.Using machine learning methods, we developed a diagnostic tool that accommodates both active and passive galaxies under one unified classification scheme using just three colors. We find that the combination ofW1-W2, W2-W3, and g-r colors offers a good performance, while the broad availability of these colors for a large number of galaxies ensures it can be applied to large galaxy samples. The overall accuracy is ~81%, and the achieved completeness for each class is ~81% for star-forming, ~56% for AGN, ~68% for LINER, ~65% for composite, and ~85% for passive galaxies.Conclusions.Our diagnostic represents a significant improvement over existing infrared diagnostics because it includes all types of active galaxies, as well as passive galaxies, extending their application to the local Universe. The inclusion of the optical colors improves its ability to identify low-luminosity AGN galaxies, which are generally confused with star-forming galaxies, and helps us identify cases of starbursts with extreme mid-infrared colors that mimic obscured AGN galaxies, a well-known problem for most infrared diagnostics.

Search strategies for supermassive stars in young clusters and application to nearby galaxies

Context. Supermassive stars (SMSs) with masses M ≳ 103 − 104 M⊙ formed by runaway collisions in young, massive, and dense star clusters have been invoked as a possible solution to the problem of the presence of multiple stellar populations and peculiar abundance patterns observed in globular clusters (GCs). However, no such objects have been observed so far. Aims. We aim to develop observational strategies to search for SMSs hosted within young massive clusters (thought to be the precursors of GCs) using both photometric and spectroscopic observations. Such strategies could be applicable in a relatively general fashion. Methods. We used theoretical predictions of the spectra of SMSs and SMS-hosting clusters, together with predictions from standard simple stellar populations to examine their impact on color–color diagrams and on individual optical spectral lines (primarily hydrogen emission and absorption lines). As a first step, we applied our search strategies to a sample of about 3000 young star clusters (YSCs) from two nearby galaxies with multiband observations from the HST and optical integral-field spectroscopy obtained with MUSE on the Very Large Telescope. Results. We focus on models for SMSs with large radii (corresponding to Teff ≲ 7000 K), which predict strong Balmer breaks, and construct proper color–color diagrams to select the corresponding SMS-hosting cluster candidates. We show that the spectrophotometric properties of these latter are similar to those of normal clusters with ages of a few hundred million years. However, the cluster SEDs show signs of composite stellar populations due to the presence of nebular lines (Hα and others). Examining the photometry, overall SEDs, and the spectra of approximately 100 clusters with strong Balmer breaks, we find several objects with peculiar SEDs, the presence of emission lines, or other peculiar signatures. After careful inspection of the available data, we do not find good candidates of SMS-hosting clusters. In most cases, the composite spectra can be explained by multiple clusters or H II regions inside the aperture covered by the spectra, by contamination from a planetary nebula or diffuse gas, or by improper background subtraction. Furthermore, most of our candidate clusters are too faint to host SMSs. Conclusions. We demonstrate a strategy to search for SMSs by applying it to a sample of YSCs in two nearby galaxies. Our method can be applied to larger samples and also extended to higher redshifts with existing and upcoming telescopes, and therefore should provide an important test for GC-formation scenarios invoking such extreme stars.

Self-absorption effects of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy under different gases and gas pressures

The self-absorption effect is one of the main factors affecting the quantitative analysis accuracy of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. In this paper, the self-absorption effects of laser-induced 7050 Al alloy plasma under different pressures in air, Ar, and N2 have been studied. Compared with air and N2, Ar significantly enhances the spectral signal. Furthermore, the spectral self-absorption coefficient is calculated to quantify the degree of self-absorption, and the influences of gas species and gas pressure on self-absorption are analyzed. In addition, it is found that the spectral intensity fluctuates with the change of pressure of three gases. It can also be seen that the fluctuation of spectral intensity with pressure is eliminated after correcting, which indicates that the self-absorption leads to the fluctuation of spectral intensity under different pressures. The analysis shows that the evolution of optical thin spectral lines with pressure in different gases is mainly determined by the gas properties and the competition between plasma confinement and Rayleigh–Taylor instability.

Stable terahertz wave dissemination over underground fiber network with optical phase correction

We report a phase-stabilized photonic terahertz wave distribution over an urban underground fiber network. The optical carriers of the terahertz signal are generated by filtering out optical spectral lines of an optical frequency comb (OFC). The phase fluctuation due to the optical carriers separation link and fiber link is compensated by an optical phase actuation network, which employs a high-precision voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) in the phase-locked loop to drive the acousto-optic frequency shifter (AOFS) for fast phase correction We demonstrated the stabilized transfer of a 1000.04 GHz terahertz signal over a 42 km urban telecom fiber link, and achieved residual phase noise of -37 dBc/Hz at 1 Hz offset frequency, and the long-term frequency stability at 4000 s averaging time reaches 2 × 10−16. The factors that cause the performance limitations of the photonic terahertz wave distribution system are further analyzed.

Diagnosing FU Ori-like Sources: The Parameter Space of Viscously Heated Disks in the Optical and Near-infrared

FU Ori-type objects (FUors) are decades-long outbursts of accretion onto young stars that are strong enough to viscously heat disks so that the disk outshines the central star. We construct models for FUor objects by calculating emission components from a steady-state viscous accretion disk, a passively-heated dusty disk, magnetospheric accretion columns, and the stellar photosphere. We explore the parameter space of the accretion rate and stellar mass M * to investigate implications on the optical and near-infrared spectral energy distribution and spectral lines. The models are validated by fitting to multiwavelength photometry of three confirmed FUor objects, FU Ori, V883 Ori, and HBC 722, and then comparing the predicted spectra to the observed optical and infrared spectra. The brightness ratio between the viscous disk and the stellar photosphere, η, provides an important guide for identifying viscous accretion disks, with η = 1 (“transition line”) and η = 5 (“sufficient dominance line”) marking turning points in diagnostics, evaluated here in the near-infrared. These turning points indicate the emergence and complete development of FUor-characteristic strong CO absorption, weak metallic absorption, the triangular spectral continuum shape in the H band, and location in color–magnitude diagrams. Lower M * and higher imply larger η; for M * = 0.3 M ⊙, η = 1 corresponds to yr−1 and η = 5 to yr−1. The “sufficient dominance line” also coincides with the expected accretion rate where accreting material directly reaches the star. We discuss implications of the models on extinction diagnostics, FUor brightening timescales, viscous disks during initial protostellar growth, and eruptive young stellar objects associated with FUors.

BASS. XXIV. The BASS DR2 Spectroscopic Line Measurements and AGN Demographics

We present the second catalog and data release of optical spectral line measurements and active galactic nucleus (AGN) demographics of the BAT AGN Spectroscopic Survey, which focuses on the Swift-BAT hard X-ray detected AGNs. We use spectra from dedicated campaigns and publicly available archives to investigate spectral properties of most of the AGNs listed in the 70 month Swift-BAT all-sky catalog; specifically, 743 of the 746 unbeamed and unlensed AGNs (99.6%). We find a good correspondence between the optical emission line widths and the hydrogen column density distributions using the X-ray spectra, with a clear dichotomy of AGN types for N H = 1022 cm−2. Based on optical emission-line diagnostics, we show that 48%–75% of BAT AGNs are classified as Seyfert, depending on the choice of emission lines used in the diagnostics. The fraction of objects with upper limits on line emission varies from 6% to 20%. Roughly 4% of the BAT AGNs have lines too weak to be placed on the most commonly used diagnostic diagram, [O iii]λ5007/Hβ versus [N ii]λ6584/Hα, despite the high signal-to-noise ratio of their spectra. This value increases to 35% in the [O iii]λ5007/[O ii]λ3727 diagram, owing to difficulties in line detection. Compared to optically selected narrow-line AGNs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, the BAT narrow-line AGNs have a higher rate of reddening/extinction, with Hα/Hβ > 5 (∼36%), indicating that hard X-ray selection more effectively detects obscured AGNs from the underlying AGN population. Finally, we present a subpopulation of AGNs that feature complex broad lines (34%, 250/743) or double-peaked narrow emission lines (2%, 17/743).

High-resolution laser resonances of antiprotonic helium in superfluid 4He

When atoms are placed into liquids, their optical spectral lines corresponding to the electronic transitions are greatly broadened compared to those of single, isolated atoms. This linewidth increase can often reach a factor of more than a million, obscuring spectroscopic structures and preventing high-resolution spectroscopy, even when superfluid helium, which is the most transparent, cold and chemically inert liquid, is used as the host material1–6. Here we show that when an exotic helium atom with a constituent antiproton7–9 is embedded into superfluid helium, its visible-wavelength spectral line retains a sub-gigahertz linewidth. An abrupt reduction in the linewidth of the antiprotonic laser resonance was observed when the liquid surrounding the atom transitioned into the superfluid phase. This resolved the hyperfine structure arising from the spin–spin interaction between the electron and antiproton with a relative spectral resolution of two parts in 106, even though the antiprotonic helium resided in a dense matrix of normal matter atoms. The electron shell of the antiprotonic atom retains a small radius of approximately 40 picometres during the laser excitation7. This implies that other helium atoms containing antinuclei, as well as negatively charged mesons and hyperons that include strange quarks formed in superfluid helium, may be studied by laser spectroscopy with a high spectral resolution, enabling the determination of the particle masses9. The sharp spectral lines may enable the detection of cosmic-ray antiprotons10,11 or searches for antideuterons12 that come to rest in liquid helium targets.

The onset of jets in classical novae

ABSTRACT We present two further classical novae, V906 Car and V5668 Sgr, which show jets and accretion disc spectral signatures in their H α complexes throughout the first 1000 d following their eruptions. From extensive densely time-sampled spectroscopy, we measure the appearance of the first high-velocity absorption component in V906 Car, and the duration of the commencement of the main H α emission. We constrain the time taken for V5668 Sgr to transition to the nebular phase using [N ii] 6584 Å. We find these timings to be consistent with the jet and accretion disc model for explaining optical spectral line profile changes in classical novae, and discuss the implications of this model for enrichment of the interstellar medium.

Classifying Single Stars and Spectroscopic Binaries Using Optical Stellar Templates

Abstract Stellar spectral classification is a fundamental tool of modern astronomy, providing insight into physical characteristics such as effective temperature, surface gravity, and metallicity. Accurate and fast spectral typing is an integral need for large all-sky spectroscopic surveys like the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope. Here, we present the next version of PyHammer, a stellar spectral classification software that uses optical spectral templates and spectral line index measurements. PyHammer v2.0 extends the classification power to include dwarf carbon stars, DA white dwarf stars, and also double-lined spectroscopic binaries (SB2). This release also includes a new empirical library of luminosity-normalized spectra that can be used to flux calibrate observed spectra or to create synthetic SB2 spectra. We have generated physically reasonable SB2 combinations as templates, adding the ability to spectrally type SB2s to PyHammer. We test classification success rates on SB2 spectra, generated from the SDSS, across a wide range of spectral types and signal-to-noise ratios. Within the defined range of pairings described, more than 95% of SB2s are correctly classified.

Laser Resonance Chromatography of Superheavy Elements.

Optical spectroscopy constitutes the historical path to accumulate basic knowledge on the atom and its structure. Former work based on fluorescence and resonance ionization spectroscopy enabled identifying optical spectral lines up to element 102, nobelium. The new challenges faced in this research field are the refractory nature of the heavier elements and the decreasing production yields. A new concept of ion-mobility-assisted laser spectroscopy is proposed to overcome the sensitivity limits of atomic structure investigations persisting in the region of the superheavy elements. The concept offers capabilities of both broadband-level searches and high-resolution hyperfine spectroscopy of synthetic elements beyond nobelium.

Devices with Whispering Gallery Mode Optical Resonators: Current State of Research and Prospects for their Application in Time and Frequency Metrology

The development of highly stable, narrow-band laser sources and oscillators producing sets of equidistant narrow optical spectral lines (so-called optical frequency combs) constitutes one of the most urgent tasks in the metrological support of time and frequency measurements. These devices are necessary for the transmission of frequency reference signals, as well as for use in mobile sources of time and frequency reference signals in optical and microwave spectral ranges. Such devices are also used in precision, ultra-high resolution spectroscopy. A promising direction for the development of highly stable, narrow-band lasers and generation of optical frequency combs (OFCs) is the use of miniature whispering gallery mode (WGM) optical resonators. Recently, the properties of such resonators have been actively studied along with technologies for their production. This article presents a review of the current state of research into the use of WGM optical resonators in time and frequency metrology. The types, advantages, and disadvantages of WGM resonators, as well as methods for generating various signals, specifically microwave signals, are described. Examples of existing laboratory setups used by Russian and foreign scientific groups are given. The authors examine prospects for the further use of WGM resonators.

Discovery of a 30-degree-long ultraviolet arc in Ursa Major

Our view of the interstellar medium of the Milky Way and the universe beyond is affected by the structure of the local environment in the solar neighborhood. We present the discovery of a 30-degree-long arc of ultraviolet emission with a thickness of only a few arcminutes: the Ursa Major arc. This consists of several arclets seen in the near- and far-ultraviolet bands of the GALEX satellite. A two degree section of the arc was first detected in the Hα optical spectral line in 1997; additional sections were seen in the optical by the team of amateur astronomers included in this work. This direction of the sky is known for very low hydrogen column density and dust extinction; many deep fields for extragalactic and cosmological investigations lie in this direction. Diffuse ultraviolet and optical interstellar emission are often attributed to scattering of light by interstellar dust. The lack of correlation between the Ursa Major arc and thermal dust emission observed with the Planck satellite, however, suggests that other emission mechanisms must be at play. We discuss the origin of the Ursa Major arc as the result of an interstellar shock in the solar neighborhood.

A census of coronal mass ejections on solar-like stars

ABSTRACT Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) may have major importance for planetary and stellar evolution. Stellar CME parameters, such as mass and velocity, have yet not been determined statistically. So far only a handful of stellar CMEs has been detected mainly on dMe stars using spectroscopic observations. We therefore aim for a statistical determination of CMEs of solar-like stars by using spectroscopic data from the ESO phase 3 and Polarbase archives. To identify stellar CMEs, we use the Doppler signal in optical spectral lines being a signature of erupting filaments that are closely correlated to CMEs. We investigate more than 3700 h of on-source time of in total 425 dF-dK stars. We find no signatures of CMEs and only few flares. To explain this low level of activity, we derive upper limits for the non-detections of CMEs and compare those with empirically modelled CME rates. To explain the low number of detected flares, we adapt a flare power law derived from EUV data to the H α regime, yielding more realistic results for H α observations. In addition, we examine the detectability of flares from the stars by extracting Sun-as-a-star H α light curves. The extrapolated maximum numbers of observable CMEs are below the observationally determined upper limits, which indicates that the on-source times were mostly too short to detect stellar CMEs in H α. We conclude that these non-detections are related to observational biases in conjunction with a low level of activity of the investigated dF-dK stars.

State of the art and perspectives of the devices with the optical WGM resonators in time and frequency metrology

One of the most important tasks in the metrological support of time and frequency measurements is a development of an extremely stable narrow-bandwidth laser sources and oscillators of the sets of the equidistant narrow optical spectral lines (the so-called “optical combs”). These devices are necessary for the transmission of the reference frequency signals and for use as part of mobile sources of time and frequency reference signals in optical and microwave spectral ranges. They are also required for precision ultra-high resolution spectroscopy. A promising direction for the creation of highly stable narrow-band lasers and optical combs is the use of miniature optical whispering gallery modes resonators. Recently, research has been actively performed on the properties and manufacturing techniques of such resonators, as well as devices using them. The article provides a review of current research into applications of optical whispering gallery mode resonators in time and frequency metrology. Main advantages and disadvantages of such devices and prospects for their further use are discussed. The authors review in detail some examples of existing laboratory setups of Russian and foreign scientific groups.

Soft and hard X-ray dips in the light curves of γ Cassiopeiae

ABSTRACT The available six archival XMM–Newton observations of the anomalous X-ray emitter γ Cas (B0.5 IVe) have been surveyed for the presence of soft X-ray ‘dips’ in X-ray light curves. In addition to discovering such events in the soft band (≤2 keV), we show that sometimes they are accompanied by minor, nearly simultaneous dips in the hard X-ray band. Herein, we investigate how these occurrences can be understood in the ‘magnetic star–disc interaction’ hypothesis proposed in the literature to explain the hard, variable X-ray emission of this Be star. In this scenario, the soft X-ray dips are interpreted as transits by comparatively dense, soft X-ray-absorbing blobs that move across the lines of sight to the surface of the Be star. We find that these blobs have similar properties as the ‘cloudlets’ responsible for migrating subfeatures in UV and optical spectral lines and therefore may be part of a common distribution of co-rotating occulters. The frequencies, amplitudes, and longevities of these dips vary widely. Additionally, the most recent spectra from 2014 July suggest that the ‘warm’ (kT ≈ 0.6–4 keV) plasma sources responsible for some of the soft flux are much more widely spread over the Be star’s surface than the hot plasma sites that dominate the flux at all X-ray energies. We finally call attention to a sudden drop in all X-ray energies of the 2014 light curve of γ Cas and a similar sudden drop in a light curve of the ‘analog’ HD 110432. We speculate that these could be related to appearances of particularly strong soft X-ray dips several hours earlier.