We report the result of simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of the TeV blazar Mrk 421 during February - March 2003. We observed Mrk 421 using the Pachmarhi Array of Cerenkov Telescopes （PACT） of Tata Institut...We report the result of simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of the TeV blazar Mrk 421 during February - March 2003. We observed Mrk 421 using the Pachmarhi Array of Cerenkov Telescopes （PACT） of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research at Pachmarhi, India. Other simultaneous data were taken from the literature and public data archives. We have analyzed the high quality X-ray （2-20 keV） observations from the NASA Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer （RXTE）. We obtained a possible correlated variability between X-ray and J band （1.25 μ） near infrared （NIR） wavelength. This is the first case of X-ray and NIR correlated variability in Mrk 421 or any high energy peaked （HBL） blazar. The correlated variability reported here indicates a similar origin for the NIR and X-ray emissions. The emission is not affected much by the environment of the surrounding medium of the central engine of Mrk 421. The observations are consistent with the shock-in-jet model for the emissions.展开更多
We carry out a re-analysis of the photometric data in Rclc bands which were taken during the Nainital Microlensing Survey from 1998 to 2002 with the aim to detect gravitational microlensing events in the direction of ...We carry out a re-analysis of the photometric data in Rclc bands which were taken during the Nainital Microlensing Survey from 1998 to 2002 with the aim to detect gravitational microlensing events in the direction of M31. Here, we do photometric analysis of a faint W UMa binary CSS_JO04259.3＋410629 identified in the target field. The orbital period of this star is found to be 0.266402±0.000018 d. The photometric mass ratio, q, is found to be 0.28±0.01. The photometric light curves are investigated using the Wilson-Devinney （WD） code and absolute parameters are determined using empirical relations which provide masses and radii of the binary as M1 = 1.19±0.09M⊙, M2 = 0.33±0.02M⊙ and R1 = 1.02±0.04R⊙, R2 = 0.58±0.08Re respectively based on Rc band data. Quite similar values are found by analyzing/c band data. From the photometric light curve examination, the star is understood to be a low mass-ratio overcontact binary of A-subtype with a high fill-out factor of about 47%. The binary system is found to be located approximately at a distance of 2.64±0.03 kpc having a separation of 2.01 ±0.05 Re between the two components.展开更多
We present photometric analysis of the two W UMa type binaries identified in the field of distant open star cluster NGC 6866. Although these systems, namely ID487 and ID494, were reported by Joshi et al., a detailed s...We present photometric analysis of the two W UMa type binaries identified in the field of distant open star cluster NGC 6866. Although these systems, namely ID487 and ID494, were reported by Joshi et al., a detailed study of these stars has not been carried out before. The orbital periods of these stars are found to be 0.415110±0.000001 day and 0.366709±0.000004 day, respectively. Based on the photometric and infrared colors, we find their respective spectral types to be K0 and K3. The photometric light vari- ations of both stars show the O＇Connell effect which can be explained by employing a dark spot on the secondary components. The V and I band light curves are analyzed using the Wilson-Devinney （WD） code and relations given by Gazeas which yield radii and masses for the binary components of star ID487 of R1 = 1.24 ± 0.01R,R2 = 1.11 4- 0.02Re, and M1 = 1.24 ± 0.02Me, M2 = 0.96 ±0.05Me and for star ID494 of R1 = 1.22 ± 0.02Re, R2 = 0.81 4- 0.01 Re, and M1 = 1.20 4- 0.06 Me, M2 = 0.47 4- 0.01 Me.展开更多
Using long-term optical, ultraviolet(UV) and X-ray data, we present a study of a classical T Tauri star CV Cha. The V-band light curve obtained from the All Sky Automated Survey(ASAS) shows short as well as long-term ...Using long-term optical, ultraviolet(UV) and X-ray data, we present a study of a classical T Tauri star CV Cha. The V-band light curve obtained from the All Sky Automated Survey(ASAS) shows short as well as long-term variability. The short-term variability could be due to rotational modulation of CV Cha. We derive the rotational period of 3.714 ± 0.001 d for CV Cha. UV light curves obtained from Swift also show the variations. X-ray light curves from XMM-Newton and Swift do not show any significant short as well as long-term variability. However, the light curve from Chandra appears to be variable, which could be due to the emergence of flaring activities. X-ray spectra from all observations are explained well by the single temperature plasma of 0.95 keV with X-ray luminosity of 1030.4erg s-1in the 0.5–7.5 keV energy band. It appears that variability in optical and UV bands could be due to the presence of both hot and cool spots on the surface, while X-ray emission is dominated by magnetic processes.展开更多
We present and analyze the variability of three Seyfert galaxies on intra-day timescales. We have analyzed in a uniform manner the 38 longest(> 30 ks) observations made for NGC 4051, MCG-06–30–15 and NGC 4151 by ...We present and analyze the variability of three Seyfert galaxies on intra-day timescales. We have analyzed in a uniform manner the 38 longest(> 30 ks) observations made for NGC 4051, MCG-06–30–15 and NGC 4151 by XMM-Newton between 2000 and 2015. The nuclei were quite active during essentially all of these observations and the overall X-ray fluxes(0.3–10 keV) varied by an order of magnitude. Most of the observations do appear to show characteristic timescales, estimated through their auto-correlation functions, ranging between ~2.9 ks and ~45.3 ks. The hard(2–10 keV) and soft(0.3–2.0 keV) bands are very well correlated but consideration of their hardness ratios shows that the sources typically soften during flares. We also provide new estimates of the central black hole masses for these three AGNs that support the hypothesis that Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxies have relatively small central black holes.展开更多
Using astrometric techniques developed by Anderson et al., we determine proper motions （PMs） in the ~ 14.60 × 16.53 arcmin^2 area of the kinematically ＂thick-disk＂ globular cluster M 12. The cluster＇s proxim...Using astrometric techniques developed by Anderson et al., we determine proper motions （PMs） in the ~ 14.60 × 16.53 arcmin^2 area of the kinematically ＂thick-disk＂ globular cluster M 12. The cluster＇s proximity and sparse nature makes it a suitable target for ground-based telescopes. Archive images with time gap of ~ 11.1 years were observed with the wide-field imager （WFI） mosaic cam-era mounted on the ESO 2.2m telescope. The median value of PM error in both components is 0.7masyr^-1 for the stars having V ≤ 20mag. PMs are used to determine membership probabil-ities and to separate field stars from the cluster sample. In electronic form, a membership catalog of 3725 stars with precise coordinates, PMs and BVRI photometry is being provided. One of the possible applications of the catalog is demonstrated by gathering the membership information of the variable stars, blue stragglers and X-ray sources reported earlier in the cluster＇s region.展开更多
In this article,we compare the properties of two coronal mass ejections(CMEs)that show similar source region characteristics but different evolutionary behaviors in the later phases.We discuss the two events in terms ...In this article,we compare the properties of two coronal mass ejections(CMEs)that show similar source region characteristics but different evolutionary behaviors in the later phases.We discuss the two events in terms of their near-Sun characteristics,interplanetary evolution and geoeffectiveness.We carefully analyzed the initiation and propagation parameters of these events to establish the precise CMEinterplanetary CME(ICME)connection and their near-Earth consequences.The first event is associated with poor geomagnetic storm disturbance index(Dst≈-20 n T)while the second event is associated with an intense geomagnetic storm of DST≈-119 n T.The configuration of the sunspots in the active regions and their evolution are observed by Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager(HMI).For source region imaging,we rely on data obtained from Atmospheric Imaging Assembly(AIA)on board Solar Dynamics Observatory(SDO)and Hαfiltergrams from the Solar Tower Telescope at Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences(ARIES).For both the CMEs,flux rope eruptions from the source region triggered flares of similar intensities(≈M1).At the solar source region of the eruptions,we observed a circular ribbon flare(CRF)for both cases,suggesting fan-spine magnetic configuration in the active region corona.The multi-channel SDO observations confirm that the eruptive flares and subsequent CMEs were intimately related to the filament eruption.Within the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronograph(LASCO)field of view(FOV)the two CMEs propagated with linear speeds of 671 and 631 km s-1,respectively.These CMEs were tracked up to the Earth by Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory(STEREO)instruments.We find that the source region evolution of CMEs,guided by the large-scale coronal magnetic field configuration,along with near-Sun propagation characteristics,such as CME-CME interactions,played important roles in deciding the evolution of CMEs in the interplanetary medium and subsequently their geoeffectiveness.展开更多
In this paper, we study the age and spatial distributions of Cepheids in the Small Magellanic Cloud （SMC） as a function of their ages using data from the OGLE III photometric catalogue. A period - age relation deriv...In this paper, we study the age and spatial distributions of Cepheids in the Small Magellanic Cloud （SMC） as a function of their ages using data from the OGLE III photometric catalogue. A period - age relation derived for Classical Cepheids in the Large Magellanic Cloud （LMC） has been used to find the ages of Cepheids. The age distribution of the SMC Classical Cepheids is found to have a peak at log（Age） ： 8.40 ± 0.10 which suggests that a major star formation event might have occurred in the SMC about 250 4- 50 Myr ago. It is believed that this star forming burst had been triggered by close interactions of the SMC with the LMC and/or the Milky Way. A comparison of the observed spatial distributions of the Cepheids and open star clusters has also been carried out to study the star formation scenario in the SMC.展开更多
The magnetic fields and dynamical processes in the solar polar regions play a crucial role in the solar magnetic cycle and in supplying mass and energy to the fast solar wind,ultimately being vital in controlling sola...The magnetic fields and dynamical processes in the solar polar regions play a crucial role in the solar magnetic cycle and in supplying mass and energy to the fast solar wind,ultimately being vital in controlling solar activities and driving space weather.Despite numerous efforts to explore these regions,to date no imaging observations of the Sun's poles have been achieved from vantage points out of the ecliptic plane,leaving their behavior and evolution poorly understood.This observation gap has left three top-level scientific questions unanswered:How does the solar dynamo work and drive the solar magnetic cycle?What drives the fast solar wind?How do space weather processes globally originate from the Sun and propagate throughout the solar system?The Solar Polarorbit Observatory(SPO)mission,a solar polar exploration spacecraft,is proposed to address these three unanswered scientific questions by imaging the Sun's poles from high heliolatitudes.In order to achieve its scientific goals,SPO will carry six remote-sensing and four in-situ instruments to measure the vector magnetic fields and Doppler velocity fields in the photosphere,to observe the Sun in the extreme ultraviolet,X-ray,and radio wavelengths,to image the corona and the heliosphere up to 45 R_(s),and to perform in-situ detection of magnetic fields,and low-and high-energy particles in the solar wind.The SPO mission is capable of providing critical vector magnetic fields and Doppler velocities of the polar regions to advance our understanding of the origin of the solar magnetic cycle,providing unprecedented imaging observations of the solar poles alongside in-situ measurements of charged particles and magnetic fields from high heliolatitudes to unveil the mass and energy supply that drive the fast solar wind,and providing observational constraints for improving our ability to model and predict the three-dimensional(3D)structures and propagation of space weather events.展开更多
Giant flares(GFs)are unusual bursts from soft gamma-ray repeaters(SGRs)that release an enormous amount of energy in a fraction of a second.The afterglow emission of these SGR-GFs or GF candidates is a highly beneficia...Giant flares(GFs)are unusual bursts from soft gamma-ray repeaters(SGRs)that release an enormous amount of energy in a fraction of a second.The afterglow emission of these SGR-GFs or GF candidates is a highly beneficial means of discerning their composition,relativistic speed and emission mechanisms.GRB 200415A is a recent GF candidate observed in a direction coincident with the nearby Sculptor galaxy at 3.5 Mpc.In this work,we searched for transient gamma-ray emission in past observations by Fermi-LAT in the direction of GRB 200415A.These observations confirm that GRB 200415A is observed as a transient GeV source only once.A pure pair-plasma fireball cannot provide the required energy for the interpretation of GeV afterglow emission and a baryonic poor outflow is additionally needed to explain the afterglow emission.A baryonic rich outflow is also viable,as it can explain the variability and observed quasi-thermal spectrum of the prompt emission if dissipation is happening below the photosphere via internal shocks.Using the peak energy(Ep)of the time-resolved prompt emission spectra and their fluxes(Fp),we found a correlation between Ep and Fp or isotropic luminosity Liso for GRB 200415A.This supports the intrinsic nature of Ep-Liso correlation found in SGRs-GFs,hence favoring a baryonic poor outflow.Our results also indicate a different mechanism at work during the initial spike,and that the evolution of the prompt emission spectral properties in this outflow would be intrinsically due to the injection process.展开更多
In this work,we study the magnetic field morphology of selected star-forming clouds spread over the galactic latitude(b)range−10°to 10°.The polarimetric observations of clouds CB24,CB27 and CB188 are conduct...In this work,we study the magnetic field morphology of selected star-forming clouds spread over the galactic latitude(b)range−10°to 10°.The polarimetric observations of clouds CB24,CB27 and CB188 are conducted to study the magnetic field geometry of those clouds using the 104 cm Sampurnanand Telescope(ST)located at ARIES,Manora Peak,Nainital,India.These observations are combined with those of 14 further low latitude clouds available in the literature.Most of these clouds are located within a distance range 140–500 pc except for CB3(∼2500 pc),CB34(∼1500 pc),CB39(∼1500 pc)and CB60(∼1500 pc).Analyzing the polarimetric data of 17 clouds,we find that the alignment between the envelope magnetic field(θ^(env)_(B))and galactic plane(GP)(θGP)of the low-latitude clouds varies with their galactic longitudes(l).We observe a strong correlation between the longitude(l)and the offset(θ_(off)=|θ^(env)_(B)-θ_(GP))which shows that θ^(env)_(B) is parallel to the GP when the clouds are situated in the region 115°<l<250°.However,θ^(env)_(B) has its own local deflection irrespective of the orientation of θGP when the clouds are at l<100°and l>250°.To check the consistency of our results,the stellar polarization data available in the Heiles catalog are overlaid on the DSS image of the clouds having mean polarization vector of field stars.The results are almost consistent with the Heiles data.A systematic discussion is presented in the paper.The effect of turbulence in the cloud is also studied which may play an important role in causing the misalignment phenomenon observed between θ^(env)_(B) and θ_(GP).We have used Herschel(Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.)SPIRE 500μm and SCUBA 850μm dust continuum emission maps in our work to understand the density structure of the clouds.展开更多
Giant gaseous layers(termed“superdisks”)have been hypothesized in the past to account for the strip-like radio emission gap(or straight-edged central brightness depression)observed between twin radio lobes,in over a...Giant gaseous layers(termed“superdisks”)have been hypothesized in the past to account for the strip-like radio emission gap(or straight-edged central brightness depression)observed between twin radio lobes,in over a dozen relatively nearby powerful Fanaroff-Riley Class II radio galaxies.They could also provide a plausible alternative explanation for a range of observations.Although a number of explanations have been proposed for the origin of the superdisks,little is known about their material content.Some X-ray observations of superdisk candidates indicate the presence of hot gas,but a cool dusty medium also seems to be common.If they are entirely or partly composed of neutral gas,then it may be directly detectable and we report here a first attempt to detect/image any neutral hydrogen gas present in the superdisks that are inferred to be present in four nearby radio galaxies.We have not found a positive H I signal in any of the four sources,resulting in tight upper limits on the H I number density in the postulated superdisks,estimated directly from the central rms noise values of the final radio continuum subtracted image.The estimated ranges of the upper limit on neutral hydrogen number density and column density are 10^-4-10^-3 atoms per cm3 and 10^19-10^20 atoms per cm^2,respectively.No positive H I signal is detected even after combining all the four available H I images(with inverse variance weighting).This clearly rules out an H I dominated superdisk as a viable model to explain these structures,however,the possibility of a superdisk being composed of warm/hot gas still remains open.展开更多
We present observations of the active M-dwarf binary AT Mic(dM4.5e+dM4.5e)obtained with the orbital observatory Astro Sat.During 20 ks of observations,in the far-ultraviolet(130-180 nm)and soft X-ray(0.3-7 keV)spectra...We present observations of the active M-dwarf binary AT Mic(dM4.5e+dM4.5e)obtained with the orbital observatory Astro Sat.During 20 ks of observations,in the far-ultraviolet(130-180 nm)and soft X-ray(0.3-7 keV)spectral ranges,we detected both quiescent emission and at least five flares on different components of the binary.The X-ray flares were typically longer than and delayed(by 5-6 minutes)with respect to their ultraviolet counterparts,in agreement with the Neupert effect.Using X-ray spectral fits,we estimated the parameters of the emitting plasma.The results indicate the presence of a hot multi-thermal corona with average temperatures in the range of~7-15 MK and emission measure of~(2.9-4.5)×10^(52)cm^(-3);both the temperature and the emission measure increased during the flares.The estimated abundance of heavy elements in the corona of AT Mic is considerably lower than at the Sun(~0.18-0.34 of the solar photospheric value);the coronal abundance increased during the flares due to chromospheric evaporation.The detected flares had the energies of~10^(31)-10^(32)erg;the energy-duration relations indicate the presence of magnetic fields stronger than in typical solar flares.展开更多
We present results from our Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope(GMRT)HⅠ,Himalayan Chandra Telescope(HCT)Hα,1 m Sampurnanand Telescope(ST)and 1.3 m Devasthal Fast Optical Telescope(DFOT)deep optical observations of the N...We present results from our Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope(GMRT)HⅠ,Himalayan Chandra Telescope(HCT)Hα,1 m Sampurnanand Telescope(ST)and 1.3 m Devasthal Fast Optical Telescope(DFOT)deep optical observations of the NGC 7805/6(Arp 112)system to test KUG 2359+311’s tidal dwarf galaxy(TDG)candidacy and explore the properties of the interacting system.Our GMRT HⅠmap shows no HⅠdetection associated with KUG 2359+311,nor any HⅠtail or bridge-like structure connecting KUG 2359+311 to the NGC 7805/6 system.Our HCT Hαimage,on the other hand,displays strong detections in KUG 2359+311,with net SFR0.035±0.009 M_(⊙)yr^(-1).The Hαdata constrain the redshift of KUG 2359+311 to 0.00≤z≤0.043,compared to the redshift of NGC 7806 of0.015.TDGs detected to date have all been HⅠrich,and displayed HⅠ,ionised gas and stellar tidal debris trails(bridges or tails)linking them to their parent systems.However,neither our HⅠdata nor our optical imaging,while three magnitudes deeper than SDSS,reveals a tidal trail connecting KUG 2359+311 to NGC 7805/6.Lack of HⅠ,presence of an old stellar population,ongoing star formation and reasonably high SFR compared to normal dwarf galaxies suggest that KUG 2359+311 may not be an Arp 112 TDG.It is most likely a case of a regular gas-rich dwarf galaxy undergoing a morphological transformation after having lost its entire gas content to an interaction with the Arp 112 system.Redshift and metallicity from future spectroscopic observations of KUG 2359+311 would help clarify the nature of this enigmatic structure.展开更多
Black carbon（BC） particles play a unique and important role in earth’s climate system.BC was measured（in-situ） in the central part of the Indo-Gangetic Plains（IGP） at Varanasi,which is a highly populated and po...Black carbon（BC） particles play a unique and important role in earth’s climate system.BC was measured（in-situ） in the central part of the Indo-Gangetic Plains（IGP） at Varanasi,which is a highly populated and polluted region due to its topography and extensive emission sources.The annual mean BC mass concentration was 8.92 ± 7.0 μg m-3,with 34%of samples exceeding the average value.Seasonally,BC was highest during the post-monsoon and winter periods（approximately 18 μg m-3） and lower in the premonsoon/monsoon seasons（approximately 6 μg m-3）.The highest frequency（approximately 46%） observed for BC mass was in the interval from 5 to 10 μg m-3.However,during the post-monsoon season,the most common values（approximately 23%） were between 20 and 25 μg m-3.The nighttime concentrations of BC were approximately twice as much as the daytime values because of lower boundary layer heights at nighttime.The Angstrom exponent was significantly positively correlated（0.55） with ground-level BC concentrations,indicating the impact of BC on the columnar aerosol properties.The estimated mean absorption Angstrom exponent was 1.02 ± 0.08 μg m-3,indicating that the major source of BC was from fossil fuel combustion.Significant negative correlations between BC mass and meteorological parameters indicate a pronounced effect of atmospheric dynamics on the BC mass in this region.The highest mean BC mass concentration（18.1 ± 6.9 μg m-3） as a function of wind speed was under calm wind conditions（38%of the time）.展开更多
Gamma-ray bursts(GRBs) are divided into two classes according to their durations.We investigate if the softness of bursts plays a role in the conventional classification of the objects.We employ the BATSE(Burst and Tr...Gamma-ray bursts(GRBs) are divided into two classes according to their durations.We investigate if the softness of bursts plays a role in the conventional classification of the objects.We employ the BATSE(Burst and Transient Source Experiment) catalog and analyze the duration distributions of different groups of GRBs associated with distinct softness.Our analysis reveals that the conventional classification of GRBs with the duration of bursts is influenced by the softness of the objects.There exists a bimodality in the duration distribution of GRBs for each group of bursts and the time position of the dip in the bimodality histogram shifts with the softness parameter.Our findings suggest that the conventional classification scheme should be modified by separating the two well-known populations in different softness groups,which would be more reasonable than doing so with a single sample.According to the relation between the dip position and the softness parameter,we get an empirical function that can roughly set apart the short-hard and long-soft bursts:SP =(0.100 ± 0.028) T-(0.85 0.18) 90,± where SP is the softness parameter adopted in this paper.展开更多
As one of the most spectacular energy release events in the solar system,solar flares are generally powered by magnetic reconnection in the solar corona.As a result of the re-arrangement of magnetic field topology aft...As one of the most spectacular energy release events in the solar system,solar flares are generally powered by magnetic reconnection in the solar corona.As a result of the re-arrangement of magnetic field topology after the reconnection process,a series of new looplike magnetic structures are often formed and are known as flare loops.A hot diffuse region,consisting of around 5–10 MK plasma,is also observed above the loops and is called a supra-arcade fan.Often,dark,tadpole-like structures are seen to descend through the bright supra-arcade fans.It remains unclear what role these so-called supra-arcade downflows(SADs)play in heating the flaring coronal plasma.Here we show a unique flare observation,where many SADs collide with the flare loops and strongly heat the loops to a temperature of 10–20 MK.Several of these interactions generate clear signatures of quasi-periodic enhancement in the full-Sun-integrated soft X-ray emission,providing an alternative interpretation for quasi-periodic pulsations that are commonly observed during solar and stellar flares.展开更多
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants 10573005 and 10125313)
文摘We report the result of simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of the TeV blazar Mrk 421 during February - March 2003. We observed Mrk 421 using the Pachmarhi Array of Cerenkov Telescopes （PACT） of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research at Pachmarhi, India. Other simultaneous data were taken from the literature and public data archives. We have analyzed the high quality X-ray （2-20 keV） observations from the NASA Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer （RXTE）. We obtained a possible correlated variability between X-ray and J band （1.25 μ） near infrared （NIR） wavelength. This is the first case of X-ray and NIR correlated variability in Mrk 421 or any high energy peaked （HBL） blazar. The correlated variability reported here indicates a similar origin for the NIR and X-ray emissions. The emission is not affected much by the environment of the surrounding medium of the central engine of Mrk 421. The observations are consistent with the shock-in-jet model for the emissions.
基金financial support from the project DST/INT/SA/P-02financial support from the project UGC-BSR research Start-Up Grant Sanctioned vide UGC Order No. F. 30-108/2015(BSR) of UGC
文摘We carry out a re-analysis of the photometric data in Rclc bands which were taken during the Nainital Microlensing Survey from 1998 to 2002 with the aim to detect gravitational microlensing events in the direction of M31. Here, we do photometric analysis of a faint W UMa binary CSS_JO04259.3＋410629 identified in the target field. The orbital period of this star is found to be 0.266402±0.000018 d. The photometric mass ratio, q, is found to be 0.28±0.01. The photometric light curves are investigated using the Wilson-Devinney （WD） code and absolute parameters are determined using empirical relations which provide masses and radii of the binary as M1 = 1.19±0.09M⊙, M2 = 0.33±0.02M⊙ and R1 = 1.02±0.04R⊙, R2 = 0.58±0.08Re respectively based on Rc band data. Quite similar values are found by analyzing/c band data. From the photometric light curve examination, the star is understood to be a low mass-ratio overcontact binary of A-subtype with a high fill-out factor of about 47%. The binary system is found to be located approximately at a distance of 2.64±0.03 kpc having a separation of 2.01 ±0.05 Re between the two components.
基金financial support from the project DST/INT/SA/P-02RJ acknowledges the financial support from the project UGC-BSR research Start-Up Grant Sanctioned vide UGC Order No.F.30-108/2015(BSR)of UGC,under which part of the work has been carried out
文摘We present photometric analysis of the two W UMa type binaries identified in the field of distant open star cluster NGC 6866. Although these systems, namely ID487 and ID494, were reported by Joshi et al., a detailed study of these stars has not been carried out before. The orbital periods of these stars are found to be 0.415110±0.000001 day and 0.366709±0.000004 day, respectively. Based on the photometric and infrared colors, we find their respective spectral types to be K0 and K3. The photometric light vari- ations of both stars show the O＇Connell effect which can be explained by employing a dark spot on the secondary components. The V and I band light curves are analyzed using the Wilson-Devinney （WD） code and relations given by Gazeas which yield radii and masses for the binary components of star ID487 of R1 = 1.24 ± 0.01R,R2 = 1.11 4- 0.02Re, and M1 = 1.24 ± 0.02Me, M2 = 0.96 ±0.05Me and for star ID494 of R1 = 1.22 ± 0.02Re, R2 = 0.81 4- 0.01 Re, and M1 = 1.20 4- 0.06 Me, M2 = 0.47 4- 0.01 Me.
基金the Italian CNAA and MURST (COFIN) grantsthe DST-RFBR project INT/RUS/RFBR/P271BRICS grant number DST/IMRCD/BRICS/PilotCall1/ProFCheap/2017(G) for part of the present work
文摘Using long-term optical, ultraviolet(UV) and X-ray data, we present a study of a classical T Tauri star CV Cha. The V-band light curve obtained from the All Sky Automated Survey(ASAS) shows short as well as long-term variability. The short-term variability could be due to rotational modulation of CV Cha. We derive the rotational period of 3.714 ± 0.001 d for CV Cha. UV light curves obtained from Swift also show the variations. X-ray light curves from XMM-Newton and Swift do not show any significant short as well as long-term variability. However, the light curve from Chandra appears to be variable, which could be due to the emergence of flaring activities. X-ray spectra from all observations are explained well by the single temperature plasma of 0.95 keV with X-ray luminosity of 1030.4erg s-1in the 0.5–7.5 keV energy band. It appears that variability in optical and UV bands could be due to the presence of both hot and cool spots on the surface, while X-ray emission is dominated by magnetic processes.
基金funded by ESA Member States and NASAsupport from the China Scholarship Council (CSC, Grant 2016GXZR89)+2 种基金supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) President’s International Fellowship Initiative (PIFI, Grant 2016VMB073)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11873073, 11473054 and U1531245)by the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (14ZR 1447100)
文摘We present and analyze the variability of three Seyfert galaxies on intra-day timescales. We have analyzed in a uniform manner the 38 longest(> 30 ks) observations made for NGC 4051, MCG-06–30–15 and NGC 4151 by XMM-Newton between 2000 and 2015. The nuclei were quite active during essentially all of these observations and the overall X-ray fluxes(0.3–10 keV) varied by an order of magnitude. Most of the observations do appear to show characteristic timescales, estimated through their auto-correlation functions, ranging between ~2.9 ks and ~45.3 ks. The hard(2–10 keV) and soft(0.3–2.0 keV) bands are very well correlated but consideration of their hardness ratios shows that the sources typically soften during flares. We also provide new estimates of the central black hole masses for these three AGNs that support the hypothesis that Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxies have relatively small central black holes.
基金supported by grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology(MOST),Taiwan(MOST Nos.103-2112M-007-020-MY3,104-2811-M-007-024,105-2811-M007-038,105-2119-M-007-029-MY3,106-2112-M-007006-MY3 and 106-2811-M-007-051)
文摘Using astrometric techniques developed by Anderson et al., we determine proper motions （PMs） in the ~ 14.60 × 16.53 arcmin^2 area of the kinematically ＂thick-disk＂ globular cluster M 12. The cluster＇s proximity and sparse nature makes it a suitable target for ground-based telescopes. Archive images with time gap of ~ 11.1 years were observed with the wide-field imager （WFI） mosaic cam-era mounted on the ESO 2.2m telescope. The median value of PM error in both components is 0.7masyr^-1 for the stars having V ≤ 20mag. PMs are used to determine membership probabil-ities and to separate field stars from the cluster sample. In electronic form, a membership catalog of 3725 stars with precise coordinates, PMs and BVRI photometry is being provided. One of the possible applications of the catalog is demonstrated by gathering the membership information of the variable stars, blue stragglers and X-ray sources reported earlier in the cluster＇s region.
文摘In this article,we compare the properties of two coronal mass ejections(CMEs)that show similar source region characteristics but different evolutionary behaviors in the later phases.We discuss the two events in terms of their near-Sun characteristics,interplanetary evolution and geoeffectiveness.We carefully analyzed the initiation and propagation parameters of these events to establish the precise CMEinterplanetary CME(ICME)connection and their near-Earth consequences.The first event is associated with poor geomagnetic storm disturbance index(Dst≈-20 n T)while the second event is associated with an intense geomagnetic storm of DST≈-119 n T.The configuration of the sunspots in the active regions and their evolution are observed by Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager(HMI).For source region imaging,we rely on data obtained from Atmospheric Imaging Assembly(AIA)on board Solar Dynamics Observatory(SDO)and Hαfiltergrams from the Solar Tower Telescope at Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences(ARIES).For both the CMEs,flux rope eruptions from the source region triggered flares of similar intensities(≈M1).At the solar source region of the eruptions,we observed a circular ribbon flare(CRF)for both cases,suggesting fan-spine magnetic configuration in the active region corona.The multi-channel SDO observations confirm that the eruptive flares and subsequent CMEs were intimately related to the filament eruption.Within the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronograph(LASCO)field of view(FOV)the two CMEs propagated with linear speeds of 671 and 631 km s-1,respectively.These CMEs were tracked up to the Earth by Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory(STEREO)instruments.We find that the source region evolution of CMEs,guided by the large-scale coronal magnetic field configuration,along with near-Sun propagation characteristics,such as CME-CME interactions,played important roles in deciding the evolution of CMEs in the interplanetary medium and subsequently their geoeffectiveness.
基金Indian Academy of Sciences(IASc),Bangalore for the financial assistance provided through the IAS-SRFP 2014the grant received under the Indo-Russian project INT/RUS/RFBR/P-219 funded by Department of Science and Technology,New Delhi
文摘In this paper, we study the age and spatial distributions of Cepheids in the Small Magellanic Cloud （SMC） as a function of their ages using data from the OGLE III photometric catalogue. A period - age relation derived for Classical Cepheids in the Large Magellanic Cloud （LMC） has been used to find the ages of Cepheids. The age distribution of the SMC Classical Cepheids is found to have a peak at log（Age） ： 8.40 ± 0.10 which suggests that a major star formation event might have occurred in the SMC about 250 4- 50 Myr ago. It is believed that this star forming burst had been triggered by close interactions of the SMC with the LMC and/or the Milky Way. A comparison of the observed spatial distributions of the Cepheids and open star clusters has also been carried out to study the star formation scenario in the SMC.
文摘The magnetic fields and dynamical processes in the solar polar regions play a crucial role in the solar magnetic cycle and in supplying mass and energy to the fast solar wind,ultimately being vital in controlling solar activities and driving space weather.Despite numerous efforts to explore these regions,to date no imaging observations of the Sun's poles have been achieved from vantage points out of the ecliptic plane,leaving their behavior and evolution poorly understood.This observation gap has left three top-level scientific questions unanswered:How does the solar dynamo work and drive the solar magnetic cycle?What drives the fast solar wind?How do space weather processes globally originate from the Sun and propagate throughout the solar system?The Solar Polarorbit Observatory(SPO)mission,a solar polar exploration spacecraft,is proposed to address these three unanswered scientific questions by imaging the Sun's poles from high heliolatitudes.In order to achieve its scientific goals,SPO will carry six remote-sensing and four in-situ instruments to measure the vector magnetic fields and Doppler velocity fields in the photosphere,to observe the Sun in the extreme ultraviolet,X-ray,and radio wavelengths,to image the corona and the heliosphere up to 45 R_(s),and to perform in-situ detection of magnetic fields,and low-and high-energy particles in the solar wind.The SPO mission is capable of providing critical vector magnetic fields and Doppler velocities of the polar regions to advance our understanding of the origin of the solar magnetic cycle,providing unprecedented imaging observations of the solar poles alongside in-situ measurements of charged particles and magnetic fields from high heliolatitudes to unveil the mass and energy supply that drive the fast solar wind,and providing observational constraints for improving our ability to model and predict the three-dimensional(3D)structures and propagation of space weather events.
基金support by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(14380035)supported by National Key Research and Development Programs of China(2018YFA0404204)+3 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11833003,U1838105 and U1831135)the Program for Innovative Talents,Entrepreneur in Jiangsuthe Strategic Priority Research Program on Space Science,the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDB23040400)BRICS grant DST/IMRCD/BRICS/PilotCall1/ProFCheap/2017(G)for the financial support。
文摘Giant flares(GFs)are unusual bursts from soft gamma-ray repeaters(SGRs)that release an enormous amount of energy in a fraction of a second.The afterglow emission of these SGR-GFs or GF candidates is a highly beneficial means of discerning their composition,relativistic speed and emission mechanisms.GRB 200415A is a recent GF candidate observed in a direction coincident with the nearby Sculptor galaxy at 3.5 Mpc.In this work,we searched for transient gamma-ray emission in past observations by Fermi-LAT in the direction of GRB 200415A.These observations confirm that GRB 200415A is observed as a transient GeV source only once.A pure pair-plasma fireball cannot provide the required energy for the interpretation of GeV afterglow emission and a baryonic poor outflow is additionally needed to explain the afterglow emission.A baryonic rich outflow is also viable,as it can explain the variability and observed quasi-thermal spectrum of the prompt emission if dissipation is happening below the photosphere via internal shocks.Using the peak energy(Ep)of the time-resolved prompt emission spectra and their fluxes(Fp),we found a correlation between Ep and Fp or isotropic luminosity Liso for GRB 200415A.This supports the intrinsic nature of Ep-Liso correlation found in SGRs-GFs,hence favoring a baryonic poor outflow.Our results also indicate a different mechanism at work during the initial spike,and that the evolution of the prompt emission spectral properties in this outflow would be intrinsically due to the injection process.
基金funding agency Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India for providing the DST INSPIRE fellowship (IF 170830)。
文摘In this work,we study the magnetic field morphology of selected star-forming clouds spread over the galactic latitude(b)range−10°to 10°.The polarimetric observations of clouds CB24,CB27 and CB188 are conducted to study the magnetic field geometry of those clouds using the 104 cm Sampurnanand Telescope(ST)located at ARIES,Manora Peak,Nainital,India.These observations are combined with those of 14 further low latitude clouds available in the literature.Most of these clouds are located within a distance range 140–500 pc except for CB3(∼2500 pc),CB34(∼1500 pc),CB39(∼1500 pc)and CB60(∼1500 pc).Analyzing the polarimetric data of 17 clouds,we find that the alignment between the envelope magnetic field(θ^(env)_(B))and galactic plane(GP)(θGP)of the low-latitude clouds varies with their galactic longitudes(l).We observe a strong correlation between the longitude(l)and the offset(θ_(off)=|θ^(env)_(B)-θ_(GP))which shows that θ^(env)_(B) is parallel to the GP when the clouds are situated in the region 115°<l<250°.However,θ^(env)_(B) has its own local deflection irrespective of the orientation of θGP when the clouds are at l<100°and l>250°.To check the consistency of our results,the stellar polarization data available in the Heiles catalog are overlaid on the DSS image of the clouds having mean polarization vector of field stars.The results are almost consistent with the Heiles data.A systematic discussion is presented in the paper.The effect of turbulence in the cloud is also studied which may play an important role in causing the misalignment phenomenon observed between θ^(env)_(B) and θ_(GP).We have used Herschel(Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.)SPIRE 500μm and SCUBA 850μm dust continuum emission maps in our work to understand the density structure of the clouds.
基金support from the Infosys Foundation through the Young Investigator grantthe Alexander von-Humboldt Foundation for financial support
文摘Giant gaseous layers(termed“superdisks”)have been hypothesized in the past to account for the strip-like radio emission gap(or straight-edged central brightness depression)observed between twin radio lobes,in over a dozen relatively nearby powerful Fanaroff-Riley Class II radio galaxies.They could also provide a plausible alternative explanation for a range of observations.Although a number of explanations have been proposed for the origin of the superdisks,little is known about their material content.Some X-ray observations of superdisk candidates indicate the presence of hot gas,but a cool dusty medium also seems to be common.If they are entirely or partly composed of neutral gas,then it may be directly detectable and we report here a first attempt to detect/image any neutral hydrogen gas present in the superdisks that are inferred to be present in four nearby radio galaxies.We have not found a positive H I signal in any of the four sources,resulting in tight upper limits on the H I number density in the postulated superdisks,estimated directly from the central rms noise values of the final radio continuum subtracted image.The estimated ranges of the upper limit on neutral hydrogen number density and column density are 10^-4-10^-3 atoms per cm3 and 10^19-10^20 atoms per cm^2,respectively.No positive H I signal is detected even after combining all the four available H I images(with inverse variance weighting).This clearly rules out an H I dominated superdisk as a viable model to explain these structures,however,the possibility of a superdisk being composed of warm/hot gas still remains open.
基金supported by the BRICS Multilateral Research and Development Projects-2016(DST/MRCK/BRICS/Pilot Call1/Superflares/2017)the project“Superflares on stars and the Sun,”the Russian Foundation for Basic Research under Grant 17-52-80064+1 种基金the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federationsupported by the Research Council of Norway through its Centres of Excellence scheme(project No.262622)。
文摘We present observations of the active M-dwarf binary AT Mic(dM4.5e+dM4.5e)obtained with the orbital observatory Astro Sat.During 20 ks of observations,in the far-ultraviolet(130-180 nm)and soft X-ray(0.3-7 keV)spectral ranges,we detected both quiescent emission and at least five flares on different components of the binary.The X-ray flares were typically longer than and delayed(by 5-6 minutes)with respect to their ultraviolet counterparts,in agreement with the Neupert effect.Using X-ray spectral fits,we estimated the parameters of the emitting plasma.The results indicate the presence of a hot multi-thermal corona with average temperatures in the range of~7-15 MK and emission measure of~(2.9-4.5)×10^(52)cm^(-3);both the temperature and the emission measure increased during the flares.The estimated abundance of heavy elements in the corona of AT Mic is considerably lower than at the Sun(~0.18-0.34 of the solar photospheric value);the coronal abundance increased during the flares due to chromospheric evaporation.The detected flares had the energies of~10^(31)-10^(32)erg;the energy-duration relations indicate the presence of magnetic fields stronger than in typical solar flares.
基金support by Fundacao paraa Ciencia e a Tecnologia(FCT)through national funds(UID/FIS/04434/2013)FCT/MCTES through national funds(PIDDAC)by this grant UID/FIS/04434/2019+3 种基金by FEDER through COMPETE2020(POCI-01-0145FED ER-007672)support from DL 57/2016/CP1364/CT0009the support of NRF(Grant Nos.105925,109577,120385,and 120378)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.11828301)。
文摘We present results from our Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope(GMRT)HⅠ,Himalayan Chandra Telescope(HCT)Hα,1 m Sampurnanand Telescope(ST)and 1.3 m Devasthal Fast Optical Telescope(DFOT)deep optical observations of the NGC 7805/6(Arp 112)system to test KUG 2359+311’s tidal dwarf galaxy(TDG)candidacy and explore the properties of the interacting system.Our GMRT HⅠmap shows no HⅠdetection associated with KUG 2359+311,nor any HⅠtail or bridge-like structure connecting KUG 2359+311 to the NGC 7805/6 system.Our HCT Hαimage,on the other hand,displays strong detections in KUG 2359+311,with net SFR0.035±0.009 M_(⊙)yr^(-1).The Hαdata constrain the redshift of KUG 2359+311 to 0.00≤z≤0.043,compared to the redshift of NGC 7806 of0.015.TDGs detected to date have all been HⅠrich,and displayed HⅠ,ionised gas and stellar tidal debris trails(bridges or tails)linking them to their parent systems.However,neither our HⅠdata nor our optical imaging,while three magnitudes deeper than SDSS,reveals a tidal trail connecting KUG 2359+311 to NGC 7805/6.Lack of HⅠ,presence of an old stellar population,ongoing star formation and reasonably high SFR compared to normal dwarf galaxies suggest that KUG 2359+311 may not be an Arp 112 TDG.It is most likely a case of a regular gas-rich dwarf galaxy undergoing a morphological transformation after having lost its entire gas content to an interaction with the Arp 112 system.Redshift and metallicity from future spectroscopic observations of KUG 2359+311 would help clarify the nature of this enigmatic structure.
基金Supported by the Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO)"Aerosol Radiative Forcing over India"Program at Bananas Hindu University(P32/15 and P32/14)
文摘Black carbon（BC） particles play a unique and important role in earth’s climate system.BC was measured（in-situ） in the central part of the Indo-Gangetic Plains（IGP） at Varanasi,which is a highly populated and polluted region due to its topography and extensive emission sources.The annual mean BC mass concentration was 8.92 ± 7.0 μg m-3,with 34%of samples exceeding the average value.Seasonally,BC was highest during the post-monsoon and winter periods（approximately 18 μg m-3） and lower in the premonsoon/monsoon seasons（approximately 6 μg m-3）.The highest frequency（approximately 46%） observed for BC mass was in the interval from 5 to 10 μg m-3.However,during the post-monsoon season,the most common values（approximately 23%） were between 20 and 25 μg m-3.The nighttime concentrations of BC were approximately twice as much as the daytime values because of lower boundary layer heights at nighttime.The Angstrom exponent was significantly positively correlated（0.55） with ground-level BC concentrations,indicating the impact of BC on the columnar aerosol properties.The estimated mean absorption Angstrom exponent was 1.02 ± 0.08 μg m-3,indicating that the major source of BC was from fossil fuel combustion.Significant negative correlations between BC mass and meteorological parameters indicate a pronounced effect of atmospheric dynamics on the BC mass in this region.The highest mean BC mass concentration（18.1 ± 6.9 μg m-3） as a function of wind speed was under calm wind conditions（38%of the time）.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 10633010,10573005 and 10747001)the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2007CB815405)the financial support from the Guangzhou Education Bureau and Guangzhou Science and Technology Bureau
文摘Gamma-ray bursts(GRBs) are divided into two classes according to their durations.We investigate if the softness of bursts plays a role in the conventional classification of the objects.We employ the BATSE(Burst and Transient Source Experiment) catalog and analyze the duration distributions of different groups of GRBs associated with distinct softness.Our analysis reveals that the conventional classification of GRBs with the duration of bursts is influenced by the softness of the objects.There exists a bimodality in the duration distribution of GRBs for each group of bursts and the time position of the dip in the bimodality histogram shifts with the softness parameter.Our findings suggest that the conventional classification scheme should be modified by separating the two well-known populations in different softness groups,which would be more reasonable than doing so with a single sample.According to the relation between the dip position and the softness parameter,we get an empirical function that can roughly set apart the short-hard and long-soft bursts:SP =(0.100 ± 0.028) T-(0.85 0.18) 90,± where SP is the softness parameter adopted in this paper.
基金The authors thank the SDO,GOES,and RHESSI teams for providing the data,and Shinsuke Takasao for helpful discussion.This work was supported by NSFC grants 11825301 and 11790304,Strategic Priority Research Program of CAS(grant XDA17040507)NASA LWS grant 80NSSC19K0069,NSF grants AST-1735405 and AGS-1723436 to New Jersey Institute of Technology(NJIT)NASA grant 80NSSC18K0732 and NASA's SDO/AIA contract(NNG04EA00C)to the Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory.AIA is an instrument onboard the SDO,a mission for NASA's Living With a Star program.
文摘As one of the most spectacular energy release events in the solar system,solar flares are generally powered by magnetic reconnection in the solar corona.As a result of the re-arrangement of magnetic field topology after the reconnection process,a series of new looplike magnetic structures are often formed and are known as flare loops.A hot diffuse region,consisting of around 5–10 MK plasma,is also observed above the loops and is called a supra-arcade fan.Often,dark,tadpole-like structures are seen to descend through the bright supra-arcade fans.It remains unclear what role these so-called supra-arcade downflows(SADs)play in heating the flaring coronal plasma.Here we show a unique flare observation,where many SADs collide with the flare loops and strongly heat the loops to a temperature of 10–20 MK.Several of these interactions generate clear signatures of quasi-periodic enhancement in the full-Sun-integrated soft X-ray emission,providing an alternative interpretation for quasi-periodic pulsations that are commonly observed during solar and stellar flares.
