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.
7625841
Topological Hamiltonian as an exact tool for topological invariants.
We propose the concept of 'topological Hamiltonian' for topological insulators and superconductors in interacting systems. The eigenvalues of the topological Hamiltonian are significantly different from the physical energy spectra, but we show that the topological Hamiltonian contains the information of gapless surface states, therefore it is an exact tool for topological invariants.
925818
Topological order parameters for interacting topological insulators.
We propose a topological order parameter for interacting topological insulators, expressed in terms of the full Green's functions of the interacting system. We show that it is exactly quantized for a time-reversal invariant topological insulator, and it can be experimentally measured through the topological magneto-electric effect. This topological order parameter can be applied to both interacting and disordered systems, and used for determining their phase diagrams.
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.
119282064
Topological field theory and thermal responses of interacting topological superconductors
We investigate the three-dimensional, time-reversal invariant topological superconductors with generic interaction by their response to external fields. The first description is a gravitational topological field theory, which gives a $Z_2$ classification of topological superconductors, and predicts a half-quantized thermal Hall effect on the surface. The second description introduces an s-wave proximity pairing field on the surface, and the associated topological defects give an integer $Z$ classification of the topological superconductors.
119270278
Strongly correlated topological superconductors and topological phase transitions via Green's function
We propose several topological order parameters expressed in terms of Green's function at zero frequency for topological superconductors, which generalizes the previous work for interacting insulators. The coefficient in topological field theory is expressed in terms of zero frequency Green's function. We also study topological phase transition beyond noninteracting limit in this zero frequency Green's function approach.
54015576
Analysis of the Radiative Decays Among the Charmonium States
In this article, we study the radiative decays among the charmonium states with the heavy quark effective theory, and make predictions for the ratios among the radiative decay widths of an special multiplet to another multiplet. The predictions can be confronted with the experimental data in the future and put additional constraints in identifying the X, Y, Z charmonium-like mesons.
3131664
ANOMALOUS SILICATE DUST EMISSION IN THE TYPE 1 LINER NUCLEUS OF M81
We report the detection and successful modeling of the unusual 9.7 μm Si-O stretching silicate emission feature in the type 1 (i.e., face-on) LINER nucleus of M81. Using the Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) instrument on Spitzer, we determine the feature in the central 230 pc of M81 to be in strong emission, with a peak at ~10.5 μm. This feature is strikingly different in character from the absorption feature of the galactic interstellar medium, and from the silicate absorption or weak emission features typical of galaxies with active star formation. We successfully model the high signal-to-noise ratio IRS spectra with porous silicate dust using laboratory-acquired mineral spectra. We find that the most probable fit uses micron-sized, porous grains of amorphous silicate and amorphous carbon. In addition to silicate dust, there is weak polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission present (particularly at 11.3 μm, arising from the C-H out-of-plane bending vibration of relatively large PAHs of ~500-1000 C atoms) whose character reflects the low-excitation active galactic nucleus environment, with some evidence that small PAHs of ~100-200 C atoms (responsible for the 7.7 μm C-C stretching band) in the immediate vicinity of the nucleus have been preferentially destroyed. Analysis of the infrared fine structure lines confirms the LINER character of the M81 nucleus. Four of the infrared H_2 rotational lines are detected and fit to an excitation temperature of T ~ 800 K. Spectral maps of the central 230 pc in the [Ne II] 12.8 μm line, the H_2 17 μm line, and the 11.3 μm PAH C-H bending feature reveal arc- or spiral-like structures extending from the core. We also report on epochal photometric and spectroscopic observations of M81, whose nuclear intensity varies in time across the spectrum due to what is thought to be inefficient, sub-Eddington accretion onto its central black hole. We find that, contrary to the implications of earlier photometry, the nucleus has not varied over a period of two years at these infrared wavelengths to a precision of about 1%.
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.
118521941
Relativistic quantum effects of Dirac particles simulated by ultracold atoms
Quantum simulation is a powerful tool to study a variety of problems in physics, ranging from high-energy physics to condensed-matter physics. In this article, we review the recent theoretical and experimental progress in quantum simulation of Dirac equation with tunable parameters by using ultracold neutral atoms trapped in optical lattices or subject to light-induced synthetic gauge fields. The effective theories for the quasiparticles become relativistic under certain conditions in these systems, making them ideal platforms for studying the exotic relativistic effects. We focus on the realization of one, two, and three dimensional Dirac equations as well as the detection of some relativistic effects, including particularly the well-known Zitterbewegung effect and Klein tunneling. The realization of quantum anomalous Hall effects is also briefly discussed.
17446595
Deep Mid-Infrared Observations of Lyman Break Galaxies
As part of the in-orbit checkout activities for the Spitzer Space Telescope, the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) team carried out a deep observation (average integration time ~8 hr) of a field surrounding the bright QSO HS 1700+6416. This field contains several hundred z ~ 3 Lyman break galaxy (LBG) candidates, and we report here on their mid-infrared properties, including the IRAC detection rate, flux densities, and colors, and the results of fitting population synthesis models to the optical, near-infrared, and IRAC magnitudes. The results of the model fitting show that previous optical/near-infrared studies of LBGs were not missing large, hidden old stellar populations. The LBG candidates' properties are consistent with those of massive star-forming galaxies at z ~ 3. Other IRAC sources in the same field have similar properties, so IRAC selection may prove to be a promising method of finding additional high-redshift galaxies.