18351437
Search for the Optical Counterparts of Southern Anomalous X-Ray Pulsars and Radio-Quiet Neutron Stars in Young Supernova Remnants
We report on our search for the optical counterparts of the Southern Hemisphere anomalous X-ray pulsar 1E1048.1-5937 and the radio-quiet neutron stars in supernova remnants Puppis A, RCW 103, and PKS 1209-52. The observations were carried out with the new MIT/CfA MagIC camera on the Magellan-I 6.5 m telescope in Chile. We present deep multiband optical images of the X-ray error circles for each of these targets and discuss the resulting candidates and limits.
14349816
The Near-infrared Counterpart to the Anomalous X-ray Pulsar 1e 1048.1−5937
We report our discovery of the likely near-infrared counter part to the anomalous X-ray pulsar (AXP) 1E 1048.1−5937, using observations from the 6.5 m Baade (Magellan I) te lescope in Chile. We derived a precise position for the X-ray source using archival data from t heChandra X-Ray Observatory. Since this position is inconsistent with a position reported earlier from XMM-Newton, we conservatively considered eight optical and near-infrared sources within both error circles as cand id te counterparts, although we also show that the XMM-Newton observation likely suffered from attitude reconstruction problems. Two of the infrared objects have unusual colors, and one of these has colors consistent with t hose of the identified counterparts of two other AXPs. The latter object is the only source detected within the Chandra error circle, and we identify it as the counterpart to 1E 1048.1 −5937. This is the first AXP counterpart detected in multiple i nfrared bands, with magnitudes J=21.7(3),H=20.8(3), andK=19.4(3). There is marginal evidence for spectral flattenin g at longer wavelengths. Subject headings: pulsars: individual (1E 1048.1 −5937) — stars: neutron
119069538
Search for gamma-ray emission from four accreting millisecond pulsars with Fermi/LAT
We report our search for -ray emission in the energy range from 100 MeV to 300 GeV from four Accreting Millisecond Pulsars (AMPs), SAX J1808.4 3658, IGR J00291+5934, XTE J1814 338, and XTE J0929 314. The data are from four-year observations carried out by Large Area Telescope (LAT) onboard the Fermi -ray Space Telescope. The AMPs were not detected, and their -ray luminosity upper limits we obtain are 5.1 × 10 33 ergs s −1 for SAX J1808.4 3658, 2.1 × 10 33 ergs s −1 for IGR J00291+5934, 1.2 × 10 34 ergs s −1 for XTE J1814 338, and 2.2 × 10 33 ergs s −1 for XTE J0929 314. We compare our results with -ray irradiation luminosities required for producing optical modulations seen from the companions in the AMPs, which has been suggested by Takata et al. (2012), and our upper limits have excluded -ray emission as the heating source in these systems except XTE J0929 314, the upper limit of which is not deep enough. Our results also do not support the model proposed by Takata et al. (2012) that relatively strong -ray emission could arise from the outer gap of a high-mass neutron star controlled by the photon-photon pair-creation for the AMPs. Two AMPs, SAX J1808.4 3658 and IGR J00291+5934, have the measurements of their spin-down rates, and we derive the upper limits of their -ray conversion efficiencies, which are 57% and 3%, respectively. We discuss the implications to the AMP systems by comparing the efficiency upper limit values with that of 20 -ray millisecond pulsars (MSP) detected by Fermi and the newly discovered transitional MSP binary J1023+0038. Subject headings: pulsars: general – stars: neutron – binaries: close – gamma rays: stars
54896614
Galois conjugates of topological phases
Galois conjugation relates unitary conformal field theories and topological quantum field theories (TQFTs) to their nonunitary counterparts. Here we investigate Galois conjugates of quantum double models, such as the Levin-Wen model. While these Galois-conjugated Hamiltonians are typically non-Hermitian, we find that their ground-state wave functions still obey a generalized version of the usual code property (local operators do not act on the ground-state manifold) and hence enjoy a generalized topological protection. The key question addressed in this paper is whether such nonunitary topological phases can also appear as the ground states of Hermitian Hamiltonians. Specific attempts at constructing Hermitian Hamiltonians with these ground states lead to a loss of the code property and topological protection of the degenerate ground states. Beyond this, we rigorously prove that no local change of basis can transform the ground states of the Galois-conjugated doubled Fibonacci theory into the ground states of a topological model whose Hermitian Hamiltonian satisfies Lieb-Robinson bounds. These include all gapped local or quasilocal Hamiltonians. A similar statement holds for many other nonunitary TQFTs. One consequence is that these nonunitary TQFTs do not describe physical realizations of topological phases. In particular, this implies that the ``Gaffnian'' wave function can not be the ground state of a gapped fractional quantum Hall state.
15172685
SEARCH FOR MID-INFRARED FLUX VARIATIONS FROM THE ANOMALOUS X-RAY PULSAR 4U 0142+61
We report on our Spitzer observations of the anomalous X-ray pulsar 4U 0142+61, made following a large X-ray burst that occurred on 2007 February 7. To search for mid-infrared flux variations, four imaging observations were carried out at 4.5 and 8.0 μm with the Infrared Array Camera from February 14 to 21. No significant flux variations were detected, and the average fluxes were 32.1 ± 2.0 μJy at 4.5 μm and 59.8 ± 8.5 μJy at 8.0 μm, consistent with those obtained in 2005. The nondetection of variability is interesting in light of reported rapid variability from this source in the near-infrared but consistent with the fact that the source already went back to its quiescent state before our observations began, as indicated by contemporaneous X-ray observations. In order to understand the origin of the near-infrared variability, frequent, simultaneous multiwavelength observations are needed.
17015371
Analysis of the X(1576) as a tetraquark state with the QCD sum rules
In this letter, we take the point of view that the X(1576) be tetraquark state which consists of a scalar-diquark and an anti-scalar-diquark in relative P -wave, and calculate its mass in the framework of the QCD sum rules approach. The numerical value of the mass mX = (1.66±0.14)GeV is consistent with the experimental data, there may be some tetraquark component in the vector meson X(1576). PACS numbers: 12.38.Lg; 12.39.Mk
13852548
Optical/Infrared Observations of the Anomalous X-Ray Pulsar 1E 1048.1-5937 During Its 2007 X-Ray Flare
We report on optical and infrared observations of the anomalous X-ray pulsar (AXP) 1E 1048.1–5937 made during its ongoing X-ray flare that started in 2007 March. We detected the source in the optical I and near-infrared Ks bands in two ground-based observations and obtained deep flux upper limits from four observations, including one with the Spitzer Space Telescope at 4.5 and 8.0 μm. The detections indicate that the source was approximately 1.3-1.6 mag brighter than in 2003-2006, when it was at the tail of a previous similar X-ray flare. Similar related flux variations have been seen in two other AXPs during their X-ray outbursts, suggesting common behavior for large X-ray flux variation events in AXPs. The Spitzer flux limits are sufficiently deep that we can exclude mid-infrared emission similar to that from the AXP 4U 0142+61, which has been interpreted as arising from a dust disk around the AXP. The optical/near-infrared emission from 1E 1048.1–5937 probably has a magnetospheric origin. The similarity in the flux spectra of 1E 1048.1–5937 and 4U 0142+61 challenges the dust disk model proposed for the latter.
118873737
Laminar plasma dynamos
A new kind of dynamo utilizing flowing laboratory plasmas has been identified. The conversion of plasma kinetic energy to magnetic energy is verified numerically by kinematic dynamo simulations for magnetic Reynolds numbers above 210. As opposed to intrinsically-turbulent liquid-sodium dynamos, the proposed plasma dynamo corresponds to laminar flow topology. Modest plasma parameters (1–20 eV temperatures, 1019–1020 m−3 densities in 0.3–1.0 m scale-lengths driven by velocities on the order of the Alfven critical ionization velocity) self-consistently satisfy the conditions needed for the magnetic field amplication. Growth rates for plasma dynamos are obtained numerically with different geometry and magnetic Reynolds numbers. Magnetic-field-free coaxial plasma guns can be used to sustain the plasma flow and the dynamo.