We present a detailed analysis of XMM-Newton EPIC-pn data for the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 4593. We discuss the X-ray spectral properties of this source, as well as its variations with time. The 0.5-10 ...keV spectrum shows significant complexity beyond a simple power-law form, with clear evidence existing for a "soft excess," as well as absorption by highly ionized plasma (a warm absorber) within the central engine of this active galactic nucleus. We show that the soft excess is best described as originating from thermal Comptonization by plasma that is appreciably cooler than the primary X-ray-emitting plasma; we find that the form of the soft excess cannot be reproduced adequately by reflection from an ionized accretion disk. The only measurable deviation from the power-law continuum in the hard spectrum comes from the presence of cold and ionized fluorescent iron K alpha emission lines at 6.4 and 6.97 keV, respectively. While constraints on the ionized iron line are weak, the cold line is found to be narrow at CCD resolution with a flux that does not track the temporal changes in the underlying continuum, implying an origin in the outer radii of the accretion disk or the putative molecular torus of Seyfert unification schemes. The X-ray continuum itself varies on all accessible timescales. We detect a similar to 230 s time lag between soft and hard EPIC-pn bands that, if interpreted as scattering timescales within a Comptonizing disk corona, can be used to constrain the physical size of the primary X-ray source to a characteristic length scale of similar to 2r sub(g). Taken together, the small implied coronal size and the large implied iron-line emitting region indicate a departure from the current picture of a "typical" AGN geometry.
Meteor and fireball observations are key to the derivation of both the inventory and physical characterization of small solar system bodies orbiting in the vicinity of the Earth. For several decades, ...observation of these phenomena has only been possible via ground-based instruments. The proposed JEM-EUSO mission has the potential to become the first operational space-based platform to share this capability. In comparison to the observation of extremely energetic cosmic ray events, which is the primary objective of JEM-EUSO, meteor phenomena are very slow, since their typical speeds are of the order of a few tens of km/sec (whereas cosmic rays travel at light speed). The observing strategy developed to detect meteors may also be applied to the detection of nuclearites, which have higher velocities, a wider range of possible trajectories, but move well below the speed of light and can therefore be considered as slow events for JEM-EUSO. The possible detection of nuclearites greatly enhances the scientific rationale behind the JEM-EUSO mission.
Context. Electron cyclotron resonant scattering features (CRSFs) are observed as absorption-like lines in the spectra of X-ray pulsars. A significant fraction of the computing time for Monte Carlo ...simulations of these quantum mechanical features is spent on the calculation of the mean free path for each individual photon before scattering, since it involves a complex numerical integration over the scattering cross section and the (thermal) velocity distribution of the scattering electrons. Aims. We aim to numerically calculate interpolation tables which can be used in CRSF simulations to sample the mean free path of the scattering photon and the momentum of the scattering electron. The tables also contain all the information required for sampling the scattering electron’s final spin. Methods. The tables were calculated using an adaptive Simpson integration scheme. The energy and angle grids were refined until a prescribed accuracy is reached. The tables are used by our simulation code to produce artificial CRSF spectra. The electron momenta sampled during these simulations were analyzed and justified using theoretically determined boundaries. Results. We present a complete set of tables suited for mean free path calculations of Monte Carlo simulations of the cyclotron scattering process for conditions expected in typical X-ray pulsar accretion columns (0.01 ≤ B/Bcrit ≤ 0.12, where Bcrit = 4.413 × 1013 G, and 3 keV ≤ kBT ≤ 15 keV). The sampling of the tables is chosen such that the results have an estimated relative error of at most 1/15 for all points in the grid. The tables are available online (see link in footnote, page 1).
The EUSO-Balloon pathfinder Allard, D.; Andreev, V.; Asano, K. ...
Experimental astronomy,
11/2015, Letnik:
40, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
EUSO-Balloon
is a pathfinder for JEM-EUSO, the Extreme Universe Space Observatory which is to be hosted on-board the International Space Station. As JEM-EUSO is designed to observe Ultra-High Energy ...Cosmic Rays (UHECR)-induced Extensive Air Showers (EAS) by detecting their ultraviolet light tracks “from above”,
EUSO-Balloon
is a nadir-pointing UV telescope too. With its Fresnel Optics and Photo-Detector Module, the instrument monitors a 50 km
2
ground surface area in a wavelength band of 290–430 nm, collecting series of images at a rate of 400,000 frames/sec. The objectives of the balloon demonstrator are threefold: a) perform a full end-to-end test of a JEM-EUSO prototype consisting of all the main subsystems of the space experiment, b) measure the effective terrestrial UV background, with a spatial and temporal resolution relevant for JEM-EUSO. c) detect tracks of ultraviolet light from near space for the first time. The latter is a milestone in the development of UHECR science, paving the way for any future space-based UHECR observatory. On August 25, 2014,
EUSO-Balloon
was launched from Timmins Stratospheric Balloon Base (Ontario, Canada) by the balloon division of the French Space Agency CNES. From a float altitude of 38 km, the instrument operated during the entire astronomical night, observing UV-light from a variety of ground-covers and from hundreds of simulated EASs, produced by flashers and a laser during a two-hour helicopter under-flight.
The ANTARES telescope is well-suited for detecting astrophysical transient neutrino sources as it can observe a full hemisphere of the sky at all times with a high duty cycle. The background due to ...atmospheric particles can be drastically reduced, and the point-source sensitivity improved, by selecting a narrow time window around possible neutrino production periods. Blazars, being radio-loud active galactic nuclei with their jets pointing almost directly towards the observer, are particularly attractive potential neutrino point sources, since they are among the most likely sources of the very high-energy cosmic rays. Neutrinos and gamma rays may be produced in hadronic interactions with the surrounding medium. Moreover, blazars generally show high time variability in their light curves at different wavelengths and on various time scales. This paper presents a time-dependent analysis applied to a selection of flaring gamma-ray blazars observed by the FERMI/LAT experiment and by TeV Cherenkov telescopes using five years of ANTARES data taken from 2008 to 2012. The results are compatible with fluctuations of the background. Upper limits on the neutrino fluence have been produced and compared to the measured gamma-ray spectral energy distribution.
Skeletal muscle sodium channel (Nav1.4) expression in border zone myocardium increases action potential upstroke velocity in depolarized isolated tissue. Because resting membrane potential in the ...1-week canine infarct is reduced, we hypothesized that conduction velocity (CV) is greater in Nav1.4 dogs compared with in control dogs.
The purpose of this study was to measure CV in the infarct border zone border in dogs with and without Nav1.4 expression.
Adenovirus was injected in the infarct border zone in 34 dogs. The adenovirus incorporated the Nav1.4- and a green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene (Nav1.4 group, n = 16) or only GFP (n = 18). After 1 week, upstroke velocity and CV were measured by sequential microelectrode recordings at 4 and 7 mM K(+) in superfused epicardial slabs. High-density in vivo epicardial activation mapping was performed in a subgroup (8 Nav1.4, 6 GFP) at three to four locations in the border zone. Microscopy and antibody staining confirmed GFP or Nav1.4 expression.
Infarct sizes were similar between groups (30.6% +/- 3% of left ventricle mass, mean +/- standard error of the mean). Longitudinal CV was greater in Nav1.4 than in GFP sites (58.5 +/- 1.8 vs. 53.3 +/- 1.2 cm/s, 20 and 15 sites, respectively; P <.05). Transverse CV was not different between the groups. In tissue slabs, dV/dt(max) was higher and CV was greater in Nav1.4 than in control at 7 mM K(+) (P <.05). Immunohistochemical Nav1.4 staining was seen at the longitudinal ends of the myocytes.
Nav1.4 channels in myocardium surviving 1 week infarction increases longitudinal but not transverse CV, consistent with the increased dV/dt(max) and with the cellular localization of Nav1.4.
Cherenkov light induced by radioactive decay products is one of the major sources of background light for deep-sea neutrino telescopes such as ANTARES. These decays are at the same time a powerful ...calibration source. Using data collected by the ANTARES neutrino telescope from mid 2008 to 2017, the time evolution of the photon detection efficiency of optical modules is studied. A modest loss of only 20% in 9 years is observed. The relative time calibration between adjacent modules is derived as well.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Cellular electrical coupling is essential for normal propagation of the cardiac action potential, whereas reduced electrical coupling is associated with arrhythmias. Known cellular uncoupling agents ...have severe side effects on membrane ionic currents. We investigated the effect of carbenoxolone on cellular electrical coupling, membrane ionic currents, and atrial and ventricular conduction.
In isolated rabbit left ventricular and right atrial myocytes, carbenoxolone (50 micromol/l) had no effect on action potential characteristics. Calcium, potassium, and sodium currents remained unchanged. Dual current clamp experiments on poorly coupled cell pairs revealed a 21+/-3% decrease in coupling conductance by carbenoxolone (mean+/-S.E.M., n=4, p<0.05). High-density activation mapping was performed in intact rabbit atrium and ventricle during Langendorff perfusion of the heart. The amplitude of the Laplacian of the electrograms, a measure of coupling current in intact hearts, decreased from 1.45+/-0.66 to 0.75+/-0.51 microA/mm(3) (mean+/-SD, n=32, p<0.05) after 15 min of carbenoxolone. Carbenoxolone reversibly decreased longitudinal and transversal conduction velocity from 66+/-15 to 49+/-16 cm/s and from 50+/-14 to 35+/-15 cm/s in ventricle, respectively (mean+/-SD, n=5, both p<0.05). In atrium, longitudinal and transversal conduction velocity decreased from 80+/-29 to 60+/-16 cm/s and from 49+/-10 to 38+/-10 cm/s (mean+/-SD, n=8, both p<0.05).
Carbenoxolone-induced uncoupling causes atrial and ventricular conduction slowing without affecting cardiac membrane currents. Activation delay is larger in poorly coupled cells.
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