Abstract
PSR J0740+6620 has a gravitational mass of 2.08 ± 0.07
M
⊙
, which is the highest reliably determined mass of any neutron star. As a result, a measurement of its radius will provide unique ...insight into the properties of neutron star core matter at high densities. Here we report a radius measurement based on fits of rotating hot spot patterns to Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) and X-ray Multi-Mirror (XMM-Newton) X-ray observations. We find that the equatorial circumferential radius of PSR J0740+6620 is
13.7
−
1.5
+
2.6
km (68%). We apply our measurement, combined with the previous NICER mass and radius measurement of PSR J0030+0451, the masses of two other ∼2
M
⊙
pulsars, and the tidal deformability constraints from two gravitational wave events, to three different frameworks for equation-of-state modeling, and find consistent results at ∼1.5–5 times nuclear saturation density. For a given framework, when all measurements are included, the radius of a 1.4
M
⊙
neutron star is known to ±4% (68% credibility) and the radius of a 2.08
M
⊙
neutron star is known to ±5%. The full radius range that spans the ±1
σ
credible intervals of all the radius estimates in the three frameworks is 12.45 ± 0.65 km for a 1.4
M
⊙
neutron star and 12.35 ± 0.75 km for a 2.08
M
⊙
neutron star.
Neutron stars are not only of astrophysical interest, but are also of great interest to nuclear physicists because their attributes can be used to determine the properties of the dense matter in ...their cores. One of the most informative approaches for determining the equation of state (EoS) of this dense matter is to measure both a star's equatorial circumferential radius Re and its gravitational mass M. Here we report estimates of the mass and radius of the isolated 205.53 Hz millisecond pulsar PSR J0030+0451 obtained using a Bayesian inference approach to analyze its energy-dependent thermal X-ray waveform, which was observed using the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER). This approach is thought to be less subject to systematic errors than other approaches for estimating neutron star radii. We explored a variety of emission patterns on the stellar surface. Our best-fit model has three oval, uniform-temperature emitting spots and provides an excellent description of the pulse waveform observed using NICER. The radius and mass estimates given by this model are km and (68%). The independent analysis reported in the companion paper by Riley et al. explores different emitting spot models, but finds spot shapes and locations and estimates of Re and M that are consistent with those found in this work. We show that our measurements of Re and M for PSR J0030+0451 improve the astrophysical constraints on the EoS of cold, catalyzed matter above nuclear saturation density.
XL-Calibur is a hard X-ray (15-80 keV) polarimetry mission operating from a stabilised balloon-borne platform in the stratosphere. It builds on heritage from the X-Calibur mission, which observed the ...accreting neutron star GX 301 - 2 from Antarctica, between December 29th 2018 and January 1st 2019. The XL-Calibur design incorporates an X-ray mirror, which focusses X-rays onto a polarimeter comprising a beryllium rod surrounded by Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) detectors. The polarimeter is housed in an anticoincidence shield to mitigate background from particles present in the stratosphere. The mirror and polarimeter-shield assembly are mounted at opposite ends of a 12 m long lightweight truss, which is pointed with arcsecond precision by WASP – the Wallops Arc Second Pointer. The XL-Calibur mission will achieve a substantially improved sensitivity over X-Calibur by using a larger effective area X-ray mirror, reducing background through thinner CZT detectors, and improved anticoincidence shielding. When observing a 1 Crab source for tdaydays, the Minimum Detectable Polarisation (at 99% confidence level) is ∼2%·tday−1/2. The energy resolution at 40 keV is ∼5.9 keV. The aim of this paper is to describe the design and performance of the XL-Caliburmission, as well as the foreseen science programme.
Abstract
The synchrotron light source with the electron energy of 1.2 GeV is operated by Aichi Synchrotron Radiation Centre (AichiSR) in Aichi prefecture, Japan. The light has been offered to ...industrial and academic users since March 2013 in the top-up operation mode to maintain a constant current of 300 mA. This facility was established by Aichi prefecture, universities, and industries with support of government. Major purpose of the light source is to support research and development activities of industries and academia mostly in the area, which is the heart land of manufacturing of Japan. This paper describes evolution of the beamlines and recent research results and their impact to the society.
The Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) on the International Space Station (ISS) observed strong photospheric expansion of the neutron star in 4U 1820-30 during a Type I X-ray burst. A ...thermonuclear helium flash in the star's envelope powered a burst that reached the Eddington limit. Radiation pressure pushed the photosphere out to ∼200 km, while the blackbody temperature dropped to 0.45 keV. Previous observations of similar bursts were performed with instruments that are sensitive only above 3 keV, and the burst signal was weak at low temperatures. NICER's 0.2-12 keV passband enables the first complete detailed observation of strong expansion bursts. The strong expansion lasted only 0.6 s, and was followed by moderate expansion with a 20 km apparent radius, before the photosphere finally settled back down at 3 s after the burst onset. In addition to thermal emission from the neutron star, the NICER spectra reveal a second component that is well fit by optically thick Comptonization. During the strong expansion, this component is six times brighter than prior to the burst, and it accounts for 71% of the flux. In the moderate expansion phase, the Comptonization flux drops, while the thermal component brightens, and the total flux remains constant at the Eddington limit. We speculate that the thermal emission is reprocessed in the accretion environment to form the Comptonization component, and that changes in the covering fraction of the star explain the evolution of the relative contributions to the total flux.
The accretion-powered X-ray pulsar GX 301−2 was observed with the balloon-borne X-Calibur hard X-ray polarimeter during late 2018 December, with contiguous observations by the Neutron star Interior ...Composition Explorer Mission (NICER) X-ray telescope, the Swift X-ray Telescope and Burst Alert Telescope, and the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor spanning several months. The observations detected the pulsar in a rare apastron flaring state coinciding with a significant spin up of the pulsar discovered with the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor. The X-Calibur, NICER, and Swift observations reveal a pulse profile strongly dominated by one main peak, and the NICER and Swift data show strong variation of the profile from pulse to pulse. The X-Calibur observations constrain for the first time the linear polarization of the 15-35 keV emission from a highly magnetized accreting neutron star, indicating a polarization degree of % (90% confidence limit) averaged over all pulse phases. We discuss the spin up and the X-ray spectral and polarimetric results in the context of theoretical predictions. We conclude with a discussion of the scientific potential of future observations of highly magnetized neutron stars with the more sensitive follow-up mission XL-Calibur.
The operating stability of the solid electrolyte component is one of paramount importance in the design of all-solid-state Li ion batteries. In this work, we investigated the origin of capacity ...fading during the charge process of an air-isolated Li ion battery with a garnet Li6.625La3Zr1.625Ta0.375O12 (LLZrTaO) solid electrolyte, a Li metal anode, and a LiFePO4 + carbon (LFP + C) active cathode material. Cyclic voltammetry measurements of the fabricated Li/LLZrTaO/(LLZrTaO + C) and Li/LLZrTaO/Al cells revealed a rise and an absence, respectively, of oxidation current which points to the garnet oxide electrolyte being decomposed via a reaction with carbon. XRD patterns of the solid electrolyte at post-charging showed no detectable impurity phases, suggesting that the decomposition product(s) is (are) likely made up of light elements. Based on first-principles calculations, the decomposition route may involve the formation of defective garnet by Li removal, oxygen release, and formation of products such as Li2CO3 and possibly of CO2; formation of the latter product is facilitated at elevated operating temperatures. Among the evaluated base garnet compounds (Li5+xLa3M2O12, with M: Nb Ta for x = 0 and M: Zr, Ti, Hf for x = 2), Li7La3Hf2O12 is predicted to be the most stable against Li2CO3 formation. A strong correlation has been determined between stability at charging and the electronegativity of the M cation, that is, the smaller the M electronegativity, the more stable is the garnet compound against carbon reactions.
The 22 Month Swift-BAT All-Sky Hard X-ray Survey Tueller, J; Baumgartner, W. H; Markwardt, C. B ...
The Astrophysical journal. Supplement series,
02/2010, Letnik:
186, Številka:
2
Journal Article
X-Calibur is a balloon-borne telescope that measures the polarization of high-energy X-rays in the 15-50 keV energy range. The instrument makes use of the fact that X-rays scatter preferentially ...perpendicular to the polarization direction. A beryllium scattering element surrounded by pixellated CZT detectors is located at the focal point of the InFOC mu S hard X-ray mirror. The instrument was launched for a long-duration balloon (LDB) flight from McMurdo (Antarctica) on December 29, 2018, and obtained the first constraints of the hard X-ray polarization of an accretion-powered pulsar. Here, we describe the characterization and calibration of the instrument on the ground and its performance during the flight, as well as simulations of particle backgrounds and a comparison to measured rates. The pointing system and polarimeter achieved the excellent projected performance. The energy detection threshold for the anticoincidence system was found to be higher than expected and it exhibited unanticipated dead time. Both issues will be remedied for future flights. Overall, the mission performance was nominal, and results will inform the design of the follow-up mission XL-Calibur, which is scheduled to be launched in summer 2022.
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