INTEGRAL and XMM–Newton observations of the X-ray pulsar IGR J16320−4751/AX J1631.9−4752

We report on observations of the X-ray pulsar IGR J16320−4751 (also known as AX J1631.9−4752) performed simultaneously with International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory ( INTEGRAL ) and XMM–Newton . We refine the source position and identify the most likely infrared counterpart. Our simultaneous coverage allows us to confirm the presence of X-ray pulsations at ∼1300 s, that we detect above 20 keV with INTEGRAL for the first time. The pulse fraction is consistent with being constant with energy, which is compatible with a model of polar accretion by a pulsar. We study the spectral properties of IGR J16320−4751 during two major periods occurring during the simultaneous coverage with both satellites, namely a flare and a non-flare period. We detect the presence of a narrow 6.4 keV iron line in both periods. The presence of such a feature is typical of supergiant wind accretors such as Vela X-1 or GX 301−2. We inspect the spectral variations with respect to the pulse phase during the non-flare period, and show that the pulse is solely due to variations of the X-ray flux emitted by the source and not due to variations of the spectral parameters. Our results are therefore compatible with the source being a pulsar in a High Mass X-ray Binary. We detect a soft excess appearing in the spectra as a blackbody with a temperature of ∼0.07 keV. We discuss the origin of the X-ray emission in IGR J16320−4751: while the hard X-rays are likely the result of Compton emission produced in the close vicinity of the pulsar, based on energy argument we suggest that the soft excess is likely the emission by a collisionally energized cloud in which the compact object is embedded.     

Lithofacies,depositional environments,regional biostratigraphy and age of the Chitarwata Formation in the Bugti Hills,Balochistan, Pakistan

The Oligocene-early Miocene Chitarwata Formation records a critical interval of terrestrial sedimentation that predates the Siwalik deposits on the Potwar Plateau of north-central Pakistan. This Oligocene-early Miocene time interval has long been considered as lacking in the entire Indo-Pakistan region. The Chitarwata Formation is widely exposed in the Sulaiman Range, but has never been described in detail in the Sulaiman Lobe, where the famous fossiliferous strata called ‘Bugti Bone Beds’ have been known for over a century and half. The Chitarwata Formation represents coastal-delta at the base, and plain and fluvial environments at the top. Lithofacies and sedimentary structures of the Chitarwata Formation in the Bugti area are described in detail, and show a clearly distinct lithologic pattern, different from that reported from the Zinda Pir area. The Chitarwata Formation also records an important transition in the evolution of the drainage systems in the area during the late Paleogene and early Neogene. This transition from the west-flowing paleo-Indus fluvial system to the development of the ancestral Indus drainage system may explain the numerous hiatuses that characterize the Chitarwata Formation. The abundance of fossil mammals from the Chitarwata and overlying Vihowa formation in the Bugti Hills provides critical biochronologic information that sheds new light on biostratigraphic correlation with the Zinda Pir area and for the entire Sulaiman Range.     

Solar EUV/FUV irradiance variations: analysis and observational strategy

The knowledge of solar extreme and far ultraviolet (EUV) irradiance variations is essential for the characterization of the Earth’s upper atmosphere. For a long time, this knowledge has been based on empirical models, which are themselves based on proxies of the solar activity. However, the accurate modeling and prediction of the Earth’s upper atmosphere necessitate to improve the precision on the irradiance and its variations below about 200 nm. Here, we present a review of recent works made by the authors that aim at quantifying the irradiance variability at these wavelengths, and that lead to new way of monitoring the solar EUV/FUV irradiance spectrum. In more details, it is shown that the quantification of the high level of redundancy in the solar spectrum variability allows to envisage measuring only a small portion of the spectrum without losing essential knowledge. Finally, we discuss what should and could be measured in order to retrieve the solar extreme and far ultraviolet spectrum.     

Oligomerization of levoglucosan by Fenton chemistry in proxies of biomass burning aerosols

Reactions of levoglucosan with produced from Fenton chemistry were studied in solution serving as a proxy for biomass burning aerosols. Two modes of oligomerization (≤2000 u) were observed for reaction times between 1 and 7 days using matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDI-TOF-MS). Single-mass unit continuum mass distributions with dominant −2 u patterns were measured and superimposed by a +176/+162 u oligomer series. This latter oligomer pattern was attributed to a Criegee rearrangement (+14 u) of levoglucosan, initiated by , forming a lactone (176 u). The acid-catalyzed reaction of any ROH from levoglucosan (+162 u) forms an ester through transesterification of the lactone functionality, whereupon propagation forms polyesters. Proposed products and chemical mechanisms are suggested as sources and precursors of humic-like substances (HULIS), which are known to possess a large saccharic component and are possibly formed from biomass burning aerosols (Andreae, Global Biomass Burning, MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 3–21, 1991).     

XMM–Newton and Suzaku analysis of the Fe K complex in the type 1 Seyfert galaxy Mrk 509

We report on partially overlapping XMM–Newton (∼260 ks) and Suzaku (∼100 ks) observations of the iron K band in the nearby, bright type 1 Seyfert galaxy Mrk 509. The source shows a resolved neutral Fe K line, most probably produced in the outer part of the accretion disc. Moreover, the source shows further emission bluewards of the 6.4 keV line due to ionized material. This emission is well reproduced by a broad line produced in the accretion disc, while it cannot be easily described by scattering or emission from photoionized gas at rest. The summed spectrum of all XMM–Newton observations shows the presence of a narrow absorption line at 7.3 keV produced by highly ionized outflowing material. A spectral variability study of the XMM–Newton data shows an indication for an excess of variability at 6.6–6.7 keV. These variations may be produced in the red wing of the broad ionized line or by variation of a further absorption structure. The Suzaku data indicate that the neutral Fe K α line intensity is consistent with being constant on long time-scales (of a few years), and they also confirm as most likely the interpretation of the excess blueshifted emission in terms of a broad ionized Fe line. The average Suzaku spectrum differs from the XMM–Newton one in the disappearance of the 7.3 keV absorption line and around 6.7 keV, where the XMM–Newton data alone suggested variability.     

Chemical transformations of peptide containing fine particles: oxidative processing,accretion reactions and implications to the atmospheric fate of cell-derived materials in organic aerosol

The atmospheric processing by ozone of peptide-containing mixed particles was investigated as proxies for biogenic and sea spray primary organic aerosol. Reactions were performed in a flow reactor and particle composition was monitored by photoelectron resonance capture ionization aerosol mass spectrometry. Mixed particles containing dipeptides in a saturated organic matrix of stearic and palmitic acids showed no reaction under ozonolysis at exposure levels of 2.5 × 10⁻⁴ atm s O₃. However reactions of mixed particles of a dipeptide (Leu-Leu) in an unsaturated matrix (oleic acid) under the same conditions resulted in a rapid loss of the peptide ion signal, as well as the carrier matrix, and appearance of a number of ion signals corresponding to secondary products. High molecular weight imides and amides have been identified corresponding to possible reactions of ozonolysis products and reactive intermediates (i.e. aldehydes, stabilized Criegee intermediates). Additionally, tautomerisation of the imides to enamines in the particle phase is postulated, with ozonolysis of the enamine followed by regioselective decomposition of the primary ozonide to form an amide whereby the peptide incorporates an aldehydic group at the N-terminus. The same general reactivity pattern was observed for mixed particles of diglycine and oleic acid. This behavior was not observed in solution phase experiments, where the tautomerisation favors the more stable imine form, indicating that particulate phase reactions of this nature may be dependent on the specific particle physical properties. The implications of this chemistry with respect the atmospheric aging of cell-derived organic aerosol are discussed.     

Distributed approximation of open-channel flow routing accounting for backwater effects

In this article, we propose a new model, called LBLR for Linear Backwater Lag-and-Route, which approximates the Saint-Venant equations linearized around a non-uniform flow in a finite channel (with a downstream boundary condition). A classical frequency approach is used to build the distributed Saint-Venant transfer function providing the discharge at any point in the channel in the Laplace domain with respect to the upstream discharge. The moment matching method is used to match a second-order-with-delay model on the theoretical distributed Saint-Venant transfer function. Model parameters are then expressed analytically as functions of the pool characteristics. The proposed model efficiently accounts for the effects of downstream boundary condition on the channel dynamics.     

Mapping urban fingerprints of odonyms automatically extracted from French novels

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we propose and discuss a methodology to map the spatial fingerprints of novels and authors based on all of the named urban roads (i.e., odonyms) extracted from novels. We present several ways to explore Parisian space and fictional landscapes by interactively and simultaneously browsing geographical space and literary text. Our project involves building a platform capable of retrieving, mapping and analyzing the occurrences of named urban roads in novels in which the action occurs wholly or partly in Paris. This platform will be used in several areas, such as cultural tourism, urban research, and literary analysis. The paper focuses on extracting named urban roads and mapping the results for a sample of 31 novels published between 1800 and 1914. Two approaches to the annotation of odonyms are compared. First, we describe a proof of concept using queries made via the TXM textual analysis platform. Then, we describe an automatic process using a natural language processing (NLP) method. Additionally, we mention how the geosemantic information annotated from the text (e.g., a structure combining verbs, spatial relations, named entities, adjectives and adverbs) can be used to automatically characterize the semantic content associated with named urban roads.