The re-analysis of quasi-periodic oscillation of the blazar J1359+4011

J1359+4011 is a flat spectral radio quasar monitored by the Owens Valley Radio Observatory 40 m radio telescope since 2008. The light curve of J1359+4011 in 15 GHz shows a possible quasi-periodic behavior by visual inspection. In order to confirm this quasi-periodic behavior, we utilize two classical methods: structure function method and discrete correlation function method, to investigate the possible time-scale of oscillation in the time series of J1359+4011. The analytical result shows a possible time-scale of oscillation of 120–130 days. The instabilities in the accretion flow could be a possible explanation for the modulation of the light curve; and global p-mode oscillations in a thick disc could be another possible reason for this behavior.     

RE J1034+396: the origin of the soft X-ray excess and quasi-periodic oscillation

The X-ray quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) seen in RE J1034+396 is so far unique amongst active galactic nuclei (AGN). Here, we look at another unique feature of RE J1034+396, namely its huge soft X-ray excess, to see if this is related in any way to the detection of the QPO. We show that all potential models considered for the soft energy excess can fit the 0.3–10 keV X-ray spectrum, but the energy dependence of the rapid variability (which is dominated by the QPO) strongly supports a spectral decomposition where the soft excess is from low-temperature Comptonization of the disc emission and remains mostly constant, while the rapid variability is produced by the power-law tail changing in normalization. The presence of the QPO in the tail rather than in the disc is a common feature in black hole binaries (BHBs), but low-temperature Comptonization of the disc spectrum is not generally seen in these systems. The main exception to this is GRS 1915+105, the only BHB which routinely shows super-Eddington luminosities. We speculate that the super-Eddington accretion rates lead to a change in disc structure, and that this also triggers the X-ray QPO.     

A systematic study on energy dependence of quasi-periodic oscillation frequency in GRS 1915+105

Systematically studying all the RXTE/PCA observations for GRS 1915+105 before November 2010, we have discovered three additional patterns in the relation between Quasi-Periodic Oscillation (QPO) frequency and photon energy, extending earlier outcomes reported by Qu et al. (Astrophys. J. 710:836, 2010). We have confirmed that as QPO frequency increases, the relation evolves from the negative correlation to positive one. The newly discovered patterns provide new constraints on the QPO models.     

Accretion flow behaviour during the evolution of the quasi-periodic oscillation frequency of XTE J1550−564 in 1998 outburst

Low and intermediate frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) are thought to be due to oscillations of Comptonizing regions or hot regions embedded in Keplerian discs. Observational evidence of evolutions of QPOs would therefore be very important as they throw lights on the dynamics of the hotter region. Our aim is to find systems in which there is a well-defined correlation among the frequencies of the QPOs over a range of time so as to understand the physical picture. In this paper, we concentrate on the archival data of XTE J1550−564 obtained during 1998 outburst, and study the systematic drifts during the rising phase from the 1998 September 7 to the 1998 September 19, when the QPO frequency increased monotonically from 81 mHz to 13.1 Hz. Immediately after that, QPO frequency started to decrease and on the 1998 September 26, the QPO frequency became 2.62 Hz. After that, its value remained almost constant. This frequency drift can be modelled satisfactorily with a propagatory oscillating shock solution where the post-shock region behaves as the Comptonized region. Comparing with the nature of a more recent 2005 outburst of another black hole candidate GRO 1655−40, where QPOs disappeared at the end of the rising phase, we conjecture that this so-called 'outburst' may not be a full-fledged outburst.     

Detection of a high-confidence quasi-periodic oscillation in radio light curve of the high redshift FSRQ PKS J0805–0111

In this work,we have searched for quasi-periodic oscillations(QPOs)in the 15 GHz light curve of the FSRQ PKS J0805-0111 monitored by the Owens Valley Radio Observatory(OVRO)40 m telescope during the period from 2008 January 9 to 2019 May 9,using the weighted wavelet Z-transform(WWZ)and the Lomb-Scargle Periodogram(LSP)techniques.This is the first time to search for a periodic radio signal in the FSRQ PKS J0805-0111 by these two methods.Both methods consistently reveal a repeating signal with a periodicity of 3.38±0.8 yr(>99.7%confidence level).In order to determine the significance of the periods,the false alarm probability method was applied,and a large number of Monte Carlo simulations were performed.As possible explanations,we discuss a number of scenarios including the thermal instability of thin disks scenario,the spiral jet scenario and the binary supermassive black hole scenario.We expect that the binary black hole scenario,where the QPO is caused by the precession of binary black holes,is the most likely explanation.FSRQ PKS J0805-0111 thus could be a good binary black hole candidate.In the binary black hole scenario,the distance between the primary black hole and the secondary black hole is about 1.71×10¹⁶ cm.     

The discovery of a persistent quasi-periodic oscillation in the intermediate polar TX Col

We report on the detection of an ∼5900 s quasi-periodic variation in the extensive photometry of TX Col spanning 12 yr. We discuss five different models to explain this period. We favour a mechanism where the quasi-periodic variation results from the beating of the Keplerian frequency of the 'blobs' orbiting in the outer accretion disc with the spin frequency and from modulated accretion of these 'blobs' taking place in a shocked region near the disc/magnetosphere boundary.     

The correlations between the twin kHz quasi-periodic oscillation frequencies of low-mass X-ray binaries

We analyzed the recently published kHz quasi-period oscillaiton (QPO) data in the neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs), in order to investigate the different correlations of the twin-peak kHz QPOs in bright Z sources and in the less luminous Atoll sources. We find a power-law relation  ν₁∼ν ^b ₂  between the upper and the lower kHz QPOs with different indices: b ≃ 1.5 for the Atoll source 4U 1728-34 and b ≃ 1.9 for the Z source Sco X-1. The implications of our results for the theoretical models for kHz QPOs are discussed.     

Sidebands to the lower kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillation in 4U 1636–53

In this paper we report on further observations of the third and fourth kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in the power spectrum of the low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) 4U 1636−53. These kilohertz QPOs are sidebands to the lower kilohertz QPO. The upper sideband has a frequency  55.5 ± 1.7 Hz  larger than that of the contemporaneously measured lower kilohertz QPO. Such a sideband has now been measured at a significance  >6σ  in the power spectra of three neutron-star LMXBs (4U 1636−53, 1728−34 and 1608−52). We also confirm the presence of a sideband at a frequency ∼55 Hz less than the frequency of the lower kilohertz QPO. The lower sideband is detected at a 3.5σ level only when the lower kilohertz QPO frequency is between 800 and 850 Hz. In that frequency interval, the sidebands are consistent with being symmetric around the lower kilohertz QPO frequency. The upper limit to the rms amplitude of the lower sideband is significantly lower than that of the upper sideband for lower kilohertz QPO frequencies >850 Hz. Symmetric sidebands are unique to 4U 1636−53. This might be explained by the fact that lower kilohertz QPO frequencies as high as 800–850 Hz are rare for 4U 1728−34 and 1608−52. Finally, we also measured a low-frequency QPO at a frequency of ∼43 Hz when the lower kilohertz QPO frequency is between 700 and 850 Hz. A similar low-frequency QPO is present in the power spectra of the other two systems for which a sideband has been observed. We briefly discuss the possibility that the sideband is caused by Lense–Thirring precession.     

Echo mapping of Swift J1753.5−0127

Caustics are a generic feature of the non-linear growth of structure in the dark matter distribution. If the dark matter were absolutely cold, its mass density would diverge at caustics, and the integrated annihilation probability would also diverge for individual particles participating in them. For realistic dark matter candidates, this behaviour is regularized by small but non-zero initial thermal velocities. We present a mathematical treatment of evolution from hot, warm or cold dark matter initial conditions which can be directly implemented in cosmological N -body codes. It allows the identification of caustics and the estimation of their annihilation radiation in fully general simulations of structure formation.     

The inner scale of the plasma turbulence towards PSR J1644−4559

By measuring the decaying shape of the scatter-broadened pulse from the bright distant pulsar PSR J1644−4559, we probe waves scattered at relatively high angles by very small spatial scales in the interstellar plasma, which allows us to test for a wavenumber cutoff in the plasma density spectrum. Under the hypothesis that the density spectrum is due to plasma turbulence, we can thus investigate the (inner) scale at which the turbulence is dissipated. We report observations carried out with the Parkes radio telescope at 660 MHz from which we find strong evidence for an inner scale in the range 70–100 km, assuming an isotropic Kolmogorov spectrum. By identifying the inner scale with the ion inertial scale, we can also estimate the mean electron density of the scattering region to be 5–10 cm⁻³. This is comparable with the electron density of H  ii region G339.1−0.4, which lies in front of the pulsar, and so confirms that this region dominates the scattering. We conclude that the plasma inside the region is characterized by fully developed turbulence with an outer scale in the range 1–20 pc and an inner scale of 70–100 km. The shape of the rising edge of the pulse constrains the distribution of the strongly scattering plasma to be spread over about 20 per cent of the 4.6 kpc path from the pulsar, but with similarly high electron densities in two or more thin layers, their thicknesses can only be 10–20 pc.     

Swift observations of CSS081007:030559+054715

CSS081007:030559+054715 was discovered by the Catalina Real‐time Transient Survey. Optical spectroscopy revealed a multi‐peaked Hα emission line profile with radial velocities exceeding 1500 km/s, as well as strong Ne emission, suggestive of a neon nova. We monitored the source extensively with the Swift satellite, obtaining a unique dataset spanning 270 days in the soft X‐ray and UV bands. The data reveal a soft, blackbody‐like spectrum with a temperature around 55 eV (though dependent on the modelling), variable X‐ray and UV light curves with a 1.77 day period in both the X‐ray and UV bands, a longer timescale modulation of ∼ 50 days, followed by a slowly declining trend in the soft X‐ray and UV flux. We highlight the Swift observations and their implications for the SSS nature of this object (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The host galaxy of a narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy, RE J1034+396, with X-ray quasi-periodic oscillations

Using simple stellar population synthesis, we model the bulge stellar contribution in the optical spectrum of a narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy, RE J1034+396. We find that its bulge stellar velocity dispersion is  67.7 ± 8 km s⁻¹  . The supermassive black hole (SMBH) mass is about  (1–4) × 10⁶ M_⊙  if it follows the well-known   M _BH–σ_*  relation found in quiescent galaxies. We also derive the SMBH mass from the Hβ second moment, which is consistent with that from its bulge stellar velocity dispersion. The SMBH mass of (1–4)  × 10⁶ M_⊙  implies that the X-ray quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) of RE J1034+396 can be scaled to a high-frequency QPO at 27–108 Hz found in Galactic black hole binaries with a  10-M_⊙  black hole. With the mass distribution in different age stellar populations, we find that the mean specific star formation rate (SSFR) over the past 0.1 Gyr is  0.0163 ± 0.0011  Gyr⁻¹, the stellar mass in the logarithm is  10.155 ± 0.06  in units of solar mass and the current star formation rate is  0.23 ± 0.016 M_⊙ yr⁻¹  . For RE J1034+396, there is no relation between the Eddington ratio and the SSFR as suggested by Chen et al., despite a larger scatter in their relation. We also suggest that about 7.0 per cent of the total Hα luminosity and 50 per cent of the total [O  ii ] luminosity come from the star formation process.     

kHz quasi-periodic oscillations in the low-mass X-ray binary 4U 0614+09

We report on a comprehensive analysis of the kilohertz (≥300 Hz) quasi-periodic oscillations (kHz QPOs) detected from the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary 4U 0614+09 with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. With a much larger data set than previously analysed (all archival data from 1996 February up to 2007 October), we first investigate the reality of the 1330 Hz QPO reported by van-Straaten et al. This QPO would be of particular interest since it has the highest frequency reported for any source. A thorough analysis of the same observation fails to confirm the detection. On the other hand, over our extended data set, the highest QPO frequency we measure for the upper kHz QPO is at ∼1224 Hz; a value which is fully consistent with the maximum values observed in similar systems. Secondly, we demonstrate that the frequency dependence of the quality factor  ( Q =ν/Δν)  and amplitude of the lower and upper kHz QPOs follow the systematic trends seen in similar systems. In particular, 4U 0614+09 shows a drop of the quality factor of the lower kHz QPO above ∼700 Hz. If this is due to an approach to the innermost stable circular orbit, it implies a neutron star mass of  ∼1.9 M_⊙  . Finally, when analysing the data over fixed durations, we have found a gap in the frequency distribution of the upper QPO, associated with a local minimum of its amplitude. A similar gap is not present in the distribution of the lower QPO frequencies, suggesting some cautions when interpreting frequency ratio distributions, based on the occurrence of the lower QPO only.     

A simple derivation of capture probabilities for the J+1:J and J+2:J orbit-orbit resonance problems

We present a simplified analytic derivation of the capture probabilities for the j+1j and j+2j orbital resonances. We apply Henrard's method which is based on an extension of the theory of adiabatic invariants and recover the results originally obtained by Yoder.Contribution number 3874 from the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, U.S.A.     

On the possible wind nebula of magnetar Swift J1834.9-0846:a magnetism-powered synchrotron nebula

Recently,the magnetar Swift J1834.9—0846 has been reported to have a possible wind nebula.It is shown that both the magnetar and its wind nebula are understandable in the wind braking scenario.The magnetar's rotational energy loss rate is not enough to power the particle luminosity.The required particle luminosity should be about 10~(36) erg s~(-1) to 10~(38) ergs~(-1).It is obtained in three different approaches:considering wind braking of Swift J1834.9-0846;the spectral and spatial observations of the wind nebula;and an empirical upper bound on wind nebula X-ray luminosity.The nebula magnetic field is about 10~(-4)G.The possible wind nebula of Swift J1834.9-0846 should be a magnetar wind nebula.It is powered by the magnetic energy released from the magnetar.     

超新星1993J4月15日光谱的模型拟合

本文利用蒙特卡罗光谱合成方法，对１９９３年由哈勃空间望远镜和里克天文台同时得到的超新星１９９３Ｊ的紫外及光学波段的光谱，进行研究并将拟合的结果与别人的模型进行了比较。假设太阳丰度及幂律为２０左右的大气密度结构，模型可以与观测较好地符合。通过计算得到光球速度为９５００ｋｍｓ－１左右，光谱的黑体温度为７９９０Ｋ。对于强线如Ｈα及ＨｅＩλ５８７６的特殊谱线轮廓，我们发现大气结构需要是双幂律的，即光球外陡降的内层大气外面，密度变化相当平缓。内外大气的幂律近似为２０和３，交界点在１３０００ｋｍｓ－１左右。外层平缓的大气同时起到了使远紫外光谱变得像观测到的那样平滑的作用。