Active galactic nuclei, which are powered by long-term accretion onto central supermassive black holes, produce relativistic jets with lifetimes of at least one million years, and the observation of ...the birth of such a jet is therefore unlikely. Transient accretion onto a supermassive black hole, for example through the tidal disruption of a stray star, thus offers a rare opportunity to study the birth of a relativistic jet. On 25 March 2011, an unusual transient source (Swift J164449.3+573451) was found, potentially representing such an accretion event. Here we report observations spanning centimetre to millimetre wavelengths and covering the first month of evolution of a luminous radio transient associated with Swift J164449.3+573451. The radio transient coincides with the nucleus of an inactive galaxy. We conclude that we are seeing a newly formed relativistic outflow, launched by transient accretion onto a million-solar-mass black hole. A relativistic outflow is not predicted in this situation, but we show that the tidal disruption of a star naturally explains the observed high-energy properties and radio luminosity and the inferred rate of such events. The weaker beaming in the radio-frequency spectrum relative to γ-rays or X-rays suggests that radio searches may uncover similar events out to redshifts of z ≈ 6.
On board hydrogen production out of hydrocarbons (reforming) for fuel cells feed is subject to problems when used with traditional catalysts. High device weight, a relatively long transient time and ...poisoning problems make the integration onboard a vehicle complex. In response to these challenges, hydrocarbons reforming processes assisted by non-thermal plasmas for hydrogen production have been implemented over recent years. This paper aims to provide an overview of the setting up, feasibility and efficiency of the existing technologies here investigated. This state-of-the-art technology review explains the key characteristics of plasma reforming through various original approaches. The performances of some of the systems are then compared against each other and discussed.
Abstract
We present simultaneous radio through sub-mm observations of the black hole X-ray binary (BHXB) V404 Cygni during the most active phase of its June 2015 outburst. Our 4 h long set of ...overlapping observations with the Very Large Array, the Sub-millimeter Array and the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (SCUBA-2) covers eight different frequency bands (including the first detection of a BHXB jet at 666 GHz/450 μm), providing an unprecedented multifrequency view of the extraordinary flaring activity seen during this period of the outburst. In particular, we detect multiple rapidly evolving flares, which reach Jy-level fluxes across all of our frequency bands. With this rich data set, we performed detailed MCMC modelling of the repeated flaring events. Our custom model adapts the van der Laan synchrotron bubble model to include twin bi-polar ejections, propagating away from the black hole at bulk relativistic velocities, along a jet axis that is inclined to the line of sight. The emission predicted by our model accounts for projection effects, relativistic beaming and the geometric time delay between the approaching and receding ejecta in each ejection event. We find that a total of eight bi-polar, discrete jet ejection events can reproduce the emission that we observe in all of our frequency bands remarkably well. With our best-fitting model, we provide detailed probes of jet speed, structure, energetics and geometry. Our analysis demonstrates the paramount importance of the mm/sub-mm bands, which offer a unique, more detailed view of the jet than can be provided by radio frequencies alone.
Context. Though Arp 220 is the closest and by far the most studied ULIRG, a discussion is still ongoing on the main power source driving its huge infrared luminosity. Aims. To study the molecular ...composition of Arp 220 in order to find chemical fingerprints associated with the main heating mechanisms within its nuclear region. Methods. We present the first aperture synthesis unbiased spectral line survey toward an extragalactic object. The survey covered the 40 GHz frequency range between 202 and 242 GHz of the 1.3 mm atmospheric window. Results. We find that 80% of the observed band shows molecular emission, with 73 features identified from 15 molecular species and 6 isotopologues. The 13C isotopic substitutions of HC3N and transitions from H$_2^{18}$ 18 2 O, 29SiO, and CH2CO are detected for the first time outside the Galaxy. No hydrogen recombination lines have been detected in the 40 GHz window covered. The emission feature at the transition frequency of H31α line is identified to be an HC3N molecular line, challenging the previous detections reported at this frequency. Within the broad observed band, we estimate that 28% of the total measured flux is due to the molecular line contribution, with CO only contributing 9% to the overall flux. We present maps of the CO emission at a resolution of 2.9′′ × 1.9′′ which, though not enough to resolve the two nuclei, recover all the single-dish flux. The 40 GHz spectral scan has been modelled assuming LTE conditions and abundances are derived for all identified species. Conclusions. The chemical composition of Arp 220 shows no clear evidence of an AGN impact on the molecular emission but seems indicative of a purely starburst-heated ISM. The overabundance of H2S and the low isotopic ratios observed suggest a chemically enriched environment by consecutive bursts of star formation, with an ongoing burst at an early evolutionary stage. The large abundance of water (~10-5), derived from the isotopologue H$^{18}_2$ 18 2 O, as well as the vibrationally excited emission from HC3N and CH3CN are claimed to be evidence of massive star forming regions within Arp 220. Moreover, the observations put strong constraints on the compactness of the starburst event in Arp 220. We estimate that such emission would require ~2−8 × 106 hot cores, similar to those found in the Sgr B2 region in the Galactic center, concentrated within the central 700 pc of Arp 220.
We present millimetre (Submillimeter Array) and submillimetre (SCUBA-2) continuum observations of the peculiar star KIC 8462852 which displayed several deep and aperiodic dips in brightness during ...the Kepler mission. Our observations are approximately confusion-limited at 850 μm and are the deepest millimetre and submillimetre photometry of the star that has yet been carried out. No significant emission is detected towards KIC 8462852. We determine upper limits for dust between a few 10−6 M⊕ and 10−3 M⊕ for regions identified as the most likely to host occluding dust clumps and a total overall dust budget of <7.7 M⊕ within a radius of 200 au. Such low limits for the inner system make the catastrophic planetary disruption hypothesis unlikely. Integrating over the Kepler light curve we determine that at least 10−9 M⊕ of dust is required to cause the observed Q16 dip. This is consistent with the currently most favoured cometary breakup hypothesis, but nevertheless implies the complete breakup of ∼30 Comet 1/P Halley type objects. Finally, in the wide SCUBA-2 field of view we identify another candidate debris disc system that is potentially the largest yet discovered.
ABSTRACT
We present SMA observations at resolutions from 0.35 to 3 arcsec of a sample of 34 candidate high redshift dusty star forming galaxies (DSFGs). These sources were selected from the HerMES ...Herschel survey catalogues to have SEDs rising from 250 to 350 to 500 μm, a population termed 500-risers. We detect counterparts to 24 of these sources, with four having two counterparts. We conclude that the remaining ten sources that lack detected counterparts are likely to have three or more associated sources which blend together to produce the observed Herschel source. We examine the role of lensing, which is predicted to dominate the brightest (F500 > 60 mJy) half of our sample. We find that while lensing plays a role, at least 35 per cent of the bright sources are likely to be multiple sources rather than the result of lensing. At fainter fluxes we find a blending rate comparable to, or greater than, the predicted 40 per cent. We determine far-IR luminosities and star formation rates for the non-multiple sources in our sample and conclude that, in the absence of strong lensing, our 500-risers are very luminous systems with LFIR > 1013 L⊙ and star formation rates >1000 M⊙ yr−1.
ABSTRACT
We present Submillimeter Common User Bolometer Array 2 (SCUBA-2) and Submillimeter Array (SMA) follow-up observations of four candidate high-redshift dusty star-forming galaxies, selected as ...sources with rising spectral energy distributions in the 250, 350, and 500 μm Herschel SPIRE bands. Previous SMA observations showed no counterparts to these sources, but in our deeper sub-mm observations we detect counterparts to all four 500 μm risers, with three resolving into multiple systems. For these three multiple systems, the SMA 345 GHz (≈870 μm) observations recover $123 \pm 73{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$, $60 \pm 15{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$, and $19 \pm 4{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of the integrated 850 μm flux density from SCUBA-2, indicating that there may be additional sources below our SMA detection limit making up a dense, protocluster core. The fourth 500 μm riser was observed at a lower frequency and so we cannot make a similar comparison. We estimate photometric redshifts based on FIR/sub-mm colours, finding that three fourths likely lie at z ≥ 2. This fits with the interpretation that the 500 μm riser selection criterion selects both intrinsically red, individual galaxies at z > 4, and multiple systems at more moderate redshifts, artificially reddened by the effects of blending. We use the SCUBA-2 850 μm maps to investigate the environments of these 500 μm risers. By constructing cumulative number counts and estimating photometric redshifts for surrounding SCUBA-2 detections, we find that one of our 500 μm risers could plausibly reside in a z ≥ 2 protocluster. We infer that bright 500 μm risers with faint 850 μm flux densities are typically multiple systems at z ≥ 2 that may reside in overdensities of bright sub-mm galaxies.
We have modeled sudden hydrogen expansion from a cryogenic pressure vessel. This model considers real gas equations of state, single and two-phase flow, and the specific “vessel within vessel” ...geometry of cryogenic vessels. The model can solve sudden hydrogen expansion for initial pressures up to 1210 bar and for initial temperatures ranging from 27 to 400 K. For practical reasons, our study focuses on hydrogen release from 345 bar, with temperatures between 62 K and 300 K. The pressure vessel internal volume is 151 L. The results indicate that cryogenic pressure vessels may offer a safety advantage with respect to compressed hydrogen vessels because i) the vacuum jacket protects the pressure vessel from environmental damage, ii) hydrogen, when released, discharges first into an intermediate chamber before reaching the outside environment, and iii) working temperature is typically much lower and thus the hydrogen has less energy. Results indicate that key expansion parameters such as pressure, rate of energy release, and thrust are all considerably lower for a cryogenic vessel within vessel geometry as compared to ambient temperature compressed gas vessels. Future work will focus on taking advantage of these favorable conditions to attempt fail-safe cryogenic vessel designs that do not harm people or property even after catastrophic failure of the inner pressure vessel.
► We model sudden hydrogen expansion from cryogenic pressure vessels (62 K, 345 bar). ► A jacketed vessel releases half the power of a single vessel at same conditions. ► Power and energy drop by factor 30 and 100 for a cryogenic vs. 300 K, 345 bar tank.
We report the redshift of an unlensed, highly obscured submillimetre galaxy (SMG), HS1700.850.1, the brightest SMG (S
850 μm = 19.1 mJy) detected in the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope/Submillimetre ...Common-user Bolometer Array-2 (JCMT/SCUBA-2) Baryonic Structure Survey, based on the detection of its 12CO line emission. Using the Institute Radio Astronomie Millimetrique Plateau de Bure Interferometer with 3.6 GHz band width, we serendipitously detect an emission line at 150.6 GHz. From a search over 14.5 GHz in the 3- and 2-mm atmospheric windows, we confirm the identification of this line as 12CO(5–4) at z = 2.816, meaning that it does not reside in the z ∼ 2.30 proto-cluster in this field. Measurement of the 870 μm source size (<0.85 arcsec) from the Sub-Millimetre Array (SMA) confirms a compact emission in a S
870 μm = 14.5 mJy, L
IR ∼ 1013 L⊙ component, suggesting an Eddington-limited starburst. We use the double-peaked 12CO line profile measurements along with the SMA size constraints to study the gas dynamics of a HyLIRG, estimating the gas and dynamical masses of HS1700.850.1. While HS1700.850.1 is one of the most extreme galaxies known in the Universe, we find that it occupies a relative void in the Lyman-Break Galaxy distribution in this field. Comparison with other extreme objects at similar epochs (HyLIRG Quasars), and cosmological simulations, suggests such an anti-bias of bright SMGs could be relatively common, with the brightest SMGs rarely occupying the most overdense regions at z = 2–4.
We present large-area maps of the CO J = 3-2 emission obtained at the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope for four spiral galaxies in the Virgo Cluster. We combine these data with published CO J = 1-0, 24 ...mm, and Ha images to measure the CO line ratios, molecular gas masses, and instantaneous gas depletion times. For three galaxies in our sample (NGC 4254, NGC 4321, and NGC 4569), we obtain molecular gas masses of 7 X 108 - 3 X 109 M and disk-averaged instantaneous gas depletion times of 1.1-1.7 Gyr. We argue that the CO J = 3-2 line is a better tracer of the dense star-forming molecular gas than the CO J = 1-0 line, as it shows a better correlation with the star formation rate surface density both within and between galaxies. NGC 4254 appears to have a larger star formation efficiency (smaller gas depletion time), perhaps because it is on its first passage through the Virgo Cluster. NGC 4569 shows a large-scale gradient in the gas properties traced by the CO J = 3-2/J = 1-0 line ratio, which suggests that its interaction with the intracluster medium is affecting the dense star-forming portion of the interstellar medium directly. The fourth galaxy in our sample, NGC 4579, has weak CO J = 3-2 emission despite having bright 24 mm emission; however, much of the central luminosity in this galaxy may be due to the presence of a central active galactic nucleus.