18804785
Spitzer Imaging of nearby ULIRGs and their Progeny: Fine-Structure Elliptical Galaxies
We present results from two mid-infrared imaging programs of ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) and fine-structure elliptical galaxies. The former are known to nearly all be recent mergers between two gas-rich spiral galaxies, while the latter are also believed to be even more aged merger remnants. An examination of these two classes of objects, which may represent different stages of the same putative merger sequence, should reveal similarities in the distribution of their stellar populations and dust content consistent with that expected for time-evolution of the merger. The data reveal for the first time extended dust emission in the ULIRG galaxy bodies and along their tidal features. However, contrary to expectation, we find that the vast majority of the fine-structure elliptical galaxies lack such structured emission. This likely results from the optical selection of the elliptical sample, resulting in a population that reflects the IR-activity (or lack thereof) of optically selected interacting galaxies. Alternately, this may reflect an evolutionary process in the distribution of the dust content of the galaxy bodies.
119266949
MULTIBAND STUDIES OF THE OPTICAL PERIODIC MODULATION IN THE X-RAY BINARY SAX J1808.4–3658 DURING ITS QUIESCENCE AND 2008 OUTBURST
We report on time-resolved optical imaging of the X-ray binary SAX J1808.4-3658 during its quiescent state and 2008 outburst. The binary, containing an accretion-powered millisecond pulsar, has a large sinusoidal-like modulation in its quiescent optical emission. We employ a Markov chain Monte Carlo technique to fit our multi-band light curve data in quiescence with an irradiated star model, and derive a tight constraint of 50(-5)(+6) deg on the inclination angle i of the binary system. The pulsar and its companion are constrained to have masses of 0.97(-0.22)(+0.31) M-circle dot and 0.04(-0.01)(+0.02) M-circle dot (both 1 sigma ranges), respectively. The dependence of these results on the measurements of the companion's projected radial velocity is discussed. We also find that the accretion disk had nearly constant optical fluxes over a similar to 500 day period in the quiescent state our data covered, but started brightening 1.5 months before the 2008 outburst. Variations in modulation during the outburst were detected in our four observations made 7-12 days after the start of the outburst, and a sinusoidal-like modulation with 0.2 mag amplitude changed to have a smaller amplitude of 0.1 mag. The modulation variations are discussed. We estimate the albedo of the companion during its quiescence and the outburst, which was approximately 0 and 0.8 (for isotropic emission), respectively. This large difference probably provides additional evidence that the neutron star in the binary turns on as a radio pulsar in quiescence.
119397253
Evidence for superdeformation in Dy-149,Dy-150: Onset of the collapse of the Z=66 deformed shell closure?
An experiment has been performed to search for superdeformed (SD) states in Dy-149,Dy-150. While no evidence for discrete superdeformed states has been observed, a superdeformed ridge with a separation of Delta E-gamma=52 keV with a total intensity of 1.8+/-0.5% that of Dy-150 has been observed. An upper limit of 0.8% (0.9%), of the intensity of Dy-150 (Dy-149), is placed for observation of the most intense discrete line states. The relative weakness in the SD population is suggested to be due to a rapid decrease in the depth of the superdeformed minimum, as one moves away from doubly magic Dy-152.
119922132
Transport beam line for ultraslow monoenergetic antiprotons
A beam line for the transportation of slow antiprotons from a multiring electrode trap to an experimental chamber is described. The beam line is equipped with a three-stage differential pumping system in order to maintain a pressure lower than 1×10−12 Torr in the trap region while simultaneously having a pressure of around 1×10−6 Torr in the chamber. Tests have shown that 105 positive ions per trapping cycle were successfully extracted at 250 eV from the trap positioned in a superconducting solenoid. The ions were then further transported through three small apertures to the target area located 3.5 m downstream of the trap. Results from the first delivery of a 250 eV antiproton beam are described.
14918025
Water abundance in molecular cloud cores
We present Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS) observations of the 110 → 101 transition of ortho-H2O at 557 GHz toward 12 molecular cloud cores. The water emission was detected in NGC 7538, ρ Oph A, NGC 2024, CRL 2591, W3, W3OH, Mon R2, and W33 and was not detected in TMC-1, L134N, and B335. We also present a small map of the H2O emission in S140. Observations of the H218O line were obtained toward S140 and NGC 7538, but no emission was detected. The abundance of ortho-H2O relative to H2 in the giant molecular cloud cores was found to vary between 6 × 10-10 and 1 × 10-8. Five of the cloud cores in our sample have previous H2O detections; however, in all cases the emission is thought to arise from hot cores with small angular extents. The H2O abundance estimated for the hot core gas is at least 100 times larger than in the gas probed by SWAS. The most stringent upper limit on the ortho-H2O abundance in dark clouds is provided in TMC-1, where the 3 σ upper limit on the ortho-H2O fractional abundance is 7 × 10-8.
119232297
Subaru Constraint on Circular Polarization in I-Band Emission from the Magnetar 4U 0142+61
We present the first imaging circular polarimetry of the anomalous X-ray pulsar (AXP) 4U 0142+61 at optical wavelengths. The AXP is the only magnetar that has been well studied at optical and infrared wavelengths, and is known to have a complicated broad-band spectrum over the wavelength range. The optical polarimetric observation was carried out with the 8.2-m Subaru telescope at the I-band. From the observation, the degree of circular polarization, V, was measured to be V = 1.1 +/- 2.0%, or vertical bar V vertical bar <= 4.3% (90% confidence). The relatively large uncertainty was due to the faintness of the source (I = 23.4-24.0). Considering the currently suggested models for optical emission from magnetars, our result is not sufficiently conclusive to discriminate the models. We suggest that because linear polarization is expected to be strong in the models, linear polarimetry of this magnetar should be conducted.
14854718
Measurement and Its Mathematical Scale
It is argued that every measurement is made in a certain scale. The scale in which present measuments are made is called present scale which gives present knowledge. Quantities at the limits to present measurement may be observables in other scales. Cantor's series of infinites is used to describe scales of measurement. Continuum Hypothesis and Schroedinger Cat are discussed.
119180657
THE STRUCTURE OF ACTIVE MERGER REMNANT NGC 6240 FROM IRAC OBSERVATIONS
NGC 6240 is a rare object in the local universe: an active merger remnant viewed at the point of merging where two active galactic nuclei are visible. We present IRAC data of this object, providing high-sensitivity maps of the stellar and PAH distribution in this complicated system. We use photometry to analyze the variation in these distributions with radius and provide an SED in the four IRAC bands: 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, and 8 μm. We fit the radial profiles of the 3.6 μm band to r1/4 and exponential profiles to evaluate the structure of the remnant. Finally, we compare the IRAC images with multiwavelength data and examine how outflows in the X-ray, Hα, and CO correlate with 8 μm emission. The results support the general picture of NGC 6240 as a system experiencing a major merger and transitioning from a disk galaxy to a spheroid. The sensitivity of IRAC to low surface brightness mid-infrared features provides detailed information on the extended distributions of stars and dust in this rare system.
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.
119272903
Analysis of the vertexes $\Omega_Q^* \Omega_Q\phi$ and radiative decays $\Omega_Q^* \to \Omega_Q \gamma$
In this article, we study the vertexes $\Omega_Q^*\Omega_Q \phi$ with the light-cone QCD sum rules, then assume the vector meson dominance of the intermediate $\phi(1020)$, and calculate the radiative decays $\Omega_Q^*\to \Omega_Q \gamma$.
119548246
Subarcsecond Resolution Mid-Infrared Observations of Super Star Clusters in the Antennae (NGC 4038/4039)*
We present ground-based subarcsecond mid-infrared imaging and spectroscopy of young super star clusters in the overlap region of the merging galaxies NGC 4038/4039 (the Antennae) obtained with the VLT Imager and Spectrometer for mid-InfraRed (VISIR). With its unprecedented spatial resolution, VISIR begins for the first time to resolve the H II/photodissociation region complexes around the star-forming regions. In the N-band spectra of two young star clusters, unexpectedly low polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission is observed, compared to what is seen with the Infrared Space Observatory and with the Spitzer Space Telescope. We conclude that a large fraction of the PAH emission cannot be directly associated with the super star clusters but originates from an extended region of at least 215 pc radius around the clusters. In the distribution of [Ne II] 12.81 μm emission, a highly obscured cluster is discovered that does not have an optical or near-infrared counterpart.