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At least 145 records · Page 8

Documentation for the machine-readable version of the thirteen color photometry of 1380 bright stars

The magnetic tape version of the catalogue of thirteen-color photometry of 1380 bright stars, containing data on the 13 color medium narrow band photometric system is described. Observations of essentially all stars brighter than fifth visual magnitude north of delta = -20 deg and brighter than fourth visual magnitude south of delta = -20 deg are included. It is intended to enable users to read and process the tape without the common difficulties and uncertainties.

Warren, W. H., Jr.↗

Magnetic shaping of planetary nebulae and other stellar wind bubbles

As in the case of the solar wind, the magnetic field in the wind from a magnetized, rotating star becomes increasingly toroidal with distance from the star. The strength of the magnetic field can be characterized by sigma, the ratio of toroidal magnetic energy density to kinetic energy density in the equatorial plane of the wind. A fast wind shocks against the external medium and creates a bubble whose volume is dominated by shocked gas. The toroidal magnetic field increases in the shocked bubble and can dominate the thermal pressure. Because of the low velocities in the bubble, hydrostatic equilibrium is a good approximation and allows the calculation of the thermal and magnetic pressure in the bubble, as in the model of Begelman and Li (1992) for the Crab Nebula. The structure, which is axisymmetric and extended in the polar direction, depends on two parameters: sigma nu(sub w)/w(sub 0), where nu(sub w) is the wind velocity and w(sub 0) is the shell velocity in the polar direction, and lambda = nu(sub a)/w(sub 0), where nu(sub a) is the velocity of the slow wind. For small values of lambda, there is a cusp in the shell in the equatorial plane, i.e., there is an equatorial ring. For larger values of lambda, the maximum of the surface density moves away from the equator i.e., a double ring structure. Our models should apply to planetary nebulae, if their central stars are sufficiently magnetized; the calculated shapes do resemble the observed shapes of planetaries. In all cases, our model predicts that X-ray emission from the bubble is concentrated toward the polar axis. Finally, we briefly discuss the asymmetry of the Crab Nebula and 3C 58.

Chevalier, Roger A.↗

[Nucleosynthesis, Rotation and Magnetism in Accreting Neutron Stars]

This is my final report on the NASA ATP grant on nucleosynthesis, rotation and magnetism in accreting neutron stars (NAG5-8658). In my last two reports, I summarized the science that I have accomplished, which covered a large range of topics. For this report, I want to point out the graduate students that were partially supported on this grant and where they are now. Andrew Cumming is an Assistant Professor of Physics at McGill University, Greg Ushomirsky is a researcher at MIT s Lincoln Laboratories, Dean Townsley is a postdoctoral researcher at Univ. of Chicago, Chris Deloye is a postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University. The other two students, Phil Chang and Tony Piro, are still at UCSB and will be completing their PhD s in Summer 05 and Summer 06.

Bildsten, Lars↗

Accretion at a magnetic pole of a neutron star

As accreted material falls to the surface of a magnetized neutron star like Cen X-3 or Her X-1, it is arrested by radiation pressure in such a manner that a hot, dense mound of nearly stationary gas protrudes above each magnetic pole. Energy released above the mound diffuses out as moderately hard X rays; but that released within the mound emerges as soft X rays from the whole surface of the neutron star.

Davidson, K.↗

New measurements of photospheric magnetic fields in late-type stars and emerging trends

The magnetic fields of late-type stars are measured using the method of Saar et al. (1986). The method includes radiative transfer effects and compensation for line blending; the photospheric magnetic field parameters are derived by comparing observed and theoretical line profiles using an LTE code that includes line saturation and full Zeeman pattern. The preliminary mean active region magnetic field strengths (B) and surface area coverages for 20 stars are discussed. It is observed that there is a trend of increasing B towards the cooler dwarfs stars, and the linear correlation between B and the equipartition value of the magnetic field strength suggests that the photospheric gas pressure determines the photospheric magnetic field strengths. A tendency toward larger filling factors at larger stellar angular velocities is also detected.

Saar, S. H.↗

On the ultraviolet energy distributions and the temperatures of peculiar B and A stars

Color temperatures have been estimated by comparing ultraviolet observations of HgMn and magnetic Ap stars with those of normal stars. Ultraviolet data from the OAO-2, ANS, TD-1, and IUE satellites generally give similar results. The values for the normal stars were derived from comparison of fluxes predicted by solar-composition fully line-blanketed model atmospheres with optical region spectrophotometry. The ultraviolet temperatures of the HgMn stars cover a narrower temperature range than do their optical region values. Magnetic Ap stars with similar optical region temperatures can show substantial differences in their ultraviolet color temperatures. This may result from magnetic field configuration and abundance differences.

Adelman, S. J.↗

The sun in time

Various papers on solar science are presented. The optics considered include: variability of solar irradiance, sunspot number, solar diameter, and solar wind properties; theory of luminosity and radius variations; standard solar models; the sun and the IMF; variations of cosmic-ray flux with time; accelerated particles in solar flares; solar cosmic ray fluxes during the last 10 million yrs; solar neutrinos and solar history; time variations of Be-10 and solar activity; solar and terrestrial components of the atmospheric C-14 variation spectrum; solar flare heavy-ion tracks in extraterrestrial objects. Also addressed are: the faint young sun problem; atmospheric responses to solar irradiation; quaternary glaciations; solar-terrestrial relationships in recent sea sediments; magnetic history of the sun; pre- and main-sequence evolution of solar activity; magnetic activity in pre-main-sequence stars; classical T Tauri stars; relict magnetism of meteorites; luminosity variability of solar-type stars; evolution of angular momentum in solar-mass stars; time evolution of magnetic fields on solarlike stars.

Sonett, Charles P.↗

Hard X-ray spectra of neutron stars and black hole candidates

The hard X-ray behavior of several X-ray binary systems containing a neutron star or a black hole candidate is analyzed in an attempt to determine the specific signature of these categories of compact objects. Limiting the consideration to two subclasses of neutron stars, Atoll sources and non-pulsating Z sources, it appears that only the Atoll sources have a spectral behavior similar to black holes. It is proposed that Atoll sources are weakly magnetized neutron stars, whereas Z sources are small radius moderate magnetized neutron stars. Large magnetic fields funnel the accreting matter, thus preventing spherical accretion and free fall if the neutron star radius is smaller than the last stable accreting orbit. Weak magnetic fields do not have this effect, and blackbody soft photons from the stellar surface are upscattered on the relativistic infalling matter, leading to excess hard X-rays. This excess is visible in two of the observed Atoll sources and in the spectrum of a black hole candidate. In the case of a Z source, a lack of photons was remarked, providing a possible signature to distinguish between these classes of objects.

Durouchoux, P.↗

Photospheric imaging of the RS CVn system HR 1099

Spectropolarimetric, spectroscopic, and photometric observations of the RS CVn binary system HR 1099 = V711 Tau (K1IV+G5V) were made from Oct. 1988 to Jan. 1991. From Doppler imaging of the unpolarized spectra and the corresponding data, two maximum entropy images of the temperature distribution of the active K1 subgiant at epochs 1988.9 and 1990.9 were derived. Zeeman-Doppler imaging of the circularly polarized spectra has led to the first magnetic maps of a star other than the sun. The fragmentary observations made at epoch 1989.6 suggest that the star's magnetic field lines were emerging radially and/or poloidally from an equatorial warm region at that time, quite likely one of these reconstructed in the 1988.9 temperature image.

Donati, J.-F.↗

Timing and Flux Evolution of the Galactic Center Magnetar SGR J1745-2900

We present the X-ray timing and spectral evolution of the Galactic Center magnetar SGR J1745-2900 (SGR*) for the first 4 months post-discovery using data obtained with the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and Swift observatories. Our timing analysis reveals a large increase in the magnetar spin-down rate by a factor of 2.6 plus or minus 0.07 over our data span. We further show that the change in spin evolution was likely coincident with a bright X-ray burst observed in 2013 June by Swift, and if so, there was no accompanying discontinuity in the frequency. We find that the source 3 to 10 kiloelectronvolt flux has declined monotonically by a factor of approximately 2 over an 80-day period post-outburst accompanied by an approximately 20 percent decrease in the source's blackbody temperature, although there is evidence for both flux and kiloteslas having leveled off. We argue that the torque variations are likely to be magnetospheric in nature and will dominate over any dynamical signatures of orbital motion around Sgr A*.

Stars: magnetic field↗

Radiatively driven winds from magnetic, fast-rotating stars - Wolf-Rayet stars?

An analytical procedure is developed to solve the MHD equations for a stellar wind in the strong-magnetic-field, optically thick limit for hot stars. The slow-mode, Alfven, and fast-mode critical points are modified by the radiation terms in the force equation but in a manner that can be easily treated. Once the velocities and distances are known at the critical points, the streamline constants are determined in a straight-forward manner. This shows the structure of the wind with a relatively simple numerical scheme. The magnetic field and a radiation parameter specify the terminal wind velocity. High rotation rates and a modified slow-mode critical point close to the stellar surface determine the high mass-loss rates. Wolf-Rayet stars are modeled with 1000-G fields but require stellar rotational velocities approaching breakup values. The physical conditions that correspond to Wolf-Rayet models are so rare that another mechanism must be operating in these winds.

Nerney, Steven↗

Magnetic moments and angular momenta of stars and planets

Using published data on magnetic fields, radii, masses, and rotation, we have compiled a data set of magnetic moments mu and angular momenta L for stars and planets. In our subsample of hotter stars (classes A, B, and O), there are 171 objects. In the subsample of cooler stars (classes F, G, K, and M), there are 54 objects. We include 33 white dwarfs, of which 19 are in cataclysmic variables. The pulsar subsample contains 32 pulsars in binaries and 429 isolated pulsars. Som subsamples exhibit significant empirical correlations between log mu and log L. For the hot and cool stars, the correlations are positive. However, the hot-star correlation is significantly shallower than for the cool stars. In the solar system subsample, the correlation has essentially the same slope as for the cool stars, although the magnetic moments are two to three orders of magnitude smaller for the solar system objects at a given L value. For isolated white dwarfs, the correlations are weak or absent. Pulsars and white dwarfs in close binaries show strong negative correlations: the results are quantitatively consistent with magnetically enforced synchronism with the orbital period. When we consider the centers of gravity of the different subsamples of objects, a significant positive correlation appears between log mu and log L.

Arge, C. N.↗

A magnetic study of spotted UV Ceti flare stars and related late-type dwarfs

A multichannel photoelectric Zeeman analyzer has been used to investigate the magnetic nature of the spotted UV Ceti flare stars. Magnetic observations were obtained on a sample of 19 program objects, of which 5 were currently spotted dKe-dMe stars, 7 were normal dK-dM stars, 7 were UV Ceti flare stars, and 1 was a possible post-T Tauri star. Contrary to most previously published observations and theoretical expectations, no magnetic fields were detected on any of these objects from either the absorption lines or the H-alpha emission line down to an observational uncertainty level of 100-160 gauss (standard deviation).

Vogt, S. S.↗

Radiatively driven winds from magnetic, fast-rotating stars

An analytical procedure is developed to solve the magnetohydrodynamic equations for the stellar wind problem in the strong-magnetic field, optically thick limit for hot stars. The slow-mode, Alfven, and fast-mode critical points are modified by the radiation terms in the force equation but in a manner that can be treated relatively easily. Once the velocities at the critical points and the distances to the points are known, the streamline constants are determined in a straight-forward manner. This allows the structure of the wind to be elucidated without recourse to complicated computational schemes.

Nerney, S.↗

Observations of magnetic fields on late-type stars

The 'Robinson' method for measuring magnetic fields on solarand late-type stars is reviewed. The results of such measurements for a sample of 29 G and K main-sequence stars are presented. The area covering-factors of magnetic regions are greater in the K dwarfs than in the G dwarfs, but no spectral-type dependence is found for the field strengths, contrary to expectations of some flux-tube models. The dependence of Ca II H and K emission on magnetic fields and T(eff) is consistent with theoretical expections for 'slow-mode' mhd wave-generation rates, but inconsistent with those of other mhd modes. Coronal soft X-ray fluxes correlate well with the magnetic fields, and it is argued that Alfven waves are the likely energy-transport mechanism. Surface magnetic fluxes vary with rotation as V(0.5-1.0 rot) depending on spectral type.

Marcy, G. W.↗

Multipolar magnetic fields in neutron stars

The small periods and period derivatives of millisecond pulsars permit interesting upper bounds to be placed on the strength of multipole components in their magnetic fields if the loss of rotational energy may be approximated by vacuum electromagnetic radiation formulas. The surface field strength of millisecond pulsars may be as high as about 10 to the 12th G if the dominant multipole component is l not less than 3. Significant multipole moments may help explain the unusual pulse morphology of millisecond pulsars. If the magnetic fields in gamma-ray burst sources (old neutron stars?) have the same evolutionary history as in millisecond pulsars, the about 10 to the 12th G local fields observed in several gamma-ray bursts must be due to multipole moments with l not less than 3.

Krolik, Julian H.↗