Multiple relativistic outbursts of GRS 1915+105: radio emission and internal shocks

We present 5-GHz Multi-Element Radio-Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN) radio images of the microquasar GRS 1915+105 during two separate outbursts in 2001 March and July, following the evolution of the jet components as they move outwards from the core of the system. Proper motions constrain the intrinsic jet speed to be  >0.57 c   , but the uncertainty in the source distance prevents an accurate determination of the jet speed. No deceleration is observed in the jet components out to an angular separation of ∼300 mas. Linear polarization is observed in the approaching jet component, with a gradual rotation in position angle and a decreasing fractional polarization with time. Our data lend support to the internal shock model whereby the jet velocity increases leading to internal shocks in the pre-existing outflow before the jet switches off. The compact nuclear jet is seen to reestablish itself within 2 d, and is visible as core emission at all epochs. The energetics of the source are calculated for the possible range of distances; a minimum power of 1–10 per cent of the Eddington luminosity ( L _Edd) is required to launch the jet.     

Speckle imaging of volcanic hotspots on Io with the Keck telescope

Using speckle imaging techniques on the 10-m W.M. Keck I telescope, we observed near-infrared emission at 2.2 μm from volcanic hotspots on Io in July-August 1998. Using several hundreds of short-exposure images we reconstructed diffraction-limited images of Io on each of three nights. We measured the positions of individual hotspots to ±0.004″ or better, corresponding to a relative positional error of ∼20 km on Io's surface. The sensitivity of normal ground-based images of Io is limited by confusion between overlapping sources; by resolving these multiple points we detected up to 17 distinct hotspots, the largest number ever seen in a single image.During the month-long span of our 1998 observations, several events occurred. Loki was at the end of a long brightening, and we observed it to fade in flux by a factor of 2.8 over the course of one month. At the 3-sigma level we see evidence that Loki's position shifts by ∼100 km. This suggests that the brightening may not have been located at the “primary” Loki emission center but at a different source within the Loki caldera. We also see a bright transient source near Loki. Among many other sources we detect a dim source on the limb of Io at the latitude of Pele; this source is consistent with 2.7% of the thermal emission from the Pele volcano complex being scattered by the Pele plume, which would be the first detection of a plume through scattered infrared hotspot emission.     

Initial low/hard state, multiple jet ejections and X-ray/radio correlations during the outburst of XTE J1859+226

We have studied the 1999 soft X-ray transient outburst of XTE J1859+226 at radio and X-ray wavelengths. The event was characterized by strong variability in the disc, corona and jet – in particular, a number of radio flares (ejections) took place and seemed well-correlated with hard X-ray events. Apparently unusual for the canonical 'soft' X-ray transient, there was an initial period of low/hard state behaviour during the rise from quiescence but prior to the peak of the main outburst – we show that not only could this initial low/hard state be a ubiquitous feature of soft X-ray transient outbursts, but also it could be extremely important in our study of outburst mechanisms.     

VLBA multi-frequency monitoring of SS433

We present results of VLBA observations of SS433 at two epochs at 5, 8.4, and 15 GHz. The AU-scale region of the source is resolved and shows the familiar quasi-symmetric core-jet structures. But at another epoch, the maps show bright knots ejected a few days before the observation, while the core-complex disappeared. The bright jet components are completely depolarised with fractional polarization less than 0.5%. We also present the first VLBI image of SS433 at 22 GHz.     

Thermal inertia and bolometric Bond albedo values for Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea and Iapetus as derived from Cassini/CIRS measurements

Spectra taken by Cassini’s Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) between 10 and 600 cm⁻¹ (17-1000 μm) of surface thermal emission of Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea and Iapetus have been used to derive the thermal inertia and bolometric Bond albedo values. Only an upper limit for the bolometric Bond albedo of Iapetus’ dark leading side could be determined due to the insensitivity of the thermal model to albedo when albedos are very low. The thermal inertia in this region however is better constrained. The CIRS coverage of Enceladus is extensive enough that the latitudinal variation in these values from 60°S to 70°N has been determined in 10° wide bins. The bolometric Bond albedos determined here are consistent with literature values which show the surface of the saturnian icy moons to be covered in ice contaminated to varying degrees. The thermal inertia of the moons is shown to be in the range 9-, approximately 2-6 times lower than that of the Galilean satellites, implying a less well consolidated and more porous surface. The thermal inertias of Iapetus and Phoebe are somewhat higher, suggesting that the very low thermal inertias of satellites from Rhea inwards may be related to their probable coating of E-ring material. Latitudinal variations on the surface of Enceladus show that the bolometric Bond albedo and thermal inertia increase towards the active plume source at the south pole.     

Examining the fate of WWTP effluent nitrogen using δ 15N–NH4 +, δ 15N–NO 3 − and δ 15N of submersed macrophytes

The use of submersed macrophyte tissue δ ¹⁵N to quantify the level of WWTP effluent use in a highly urbanized and agricultural river was evaluated using several methods. Macrophytes, NH₄ ⁺ and NO₃ ^? were collected by canoe along two 10 km reaches of river, upstream and downstream of two major municipal WWTPs over 3 years. NH₄ ⁺ decreased in concentration while δ ¹⁵N–NH₄ ⁺ increased as a function of distance downstream of both WWTPs, changing in one survey from 13 to 31 ‰ over 1 km. This increase is attributed to the combined effects of volatilization, nitrification and uptake. While NO ₃ ^? concentrations increased downstream of the WWTP over one of the survey reaches, δ ¹⁵N–NO ₃ ^? showed no prominent trend with distance at either. Macrophyte tissue δ ¹⁵N increased with distance downstream of both WWTPs, with a slope not significantly different from that of δ ¹⁵N–NH₄ ⁺ suggesting that macrophytes incorporate effluent NH₄ ⁺ as their main N source in those areas. However, mixing models suggest that towards the end of the reach, where source separation is distinct, macrophytes may utilize background NO ₃ ^? . Our study indicates the difficulty of deriving precise estimates of effluent use by macrophytes in a system where the δ ¹⁵N of the effluent changes rapidly. It also illustrates the utility of macrophytes in describing those changes where the effluent is too attenuated to allow for direct isotopic analysis.     

Imaging of structures in the high-latitude ionosphere: model comparisons

The tomographic reconstruction technique generates a two-dimensional latitude versus height electron density distribution from sets of slant total electron content measurements (TEC) along ray paths between beacon satellites and ground-based radio receivers. In this note, the technique is applied to TEC values obtained from data simulated by the Sheffield/UCL/SEL Coupled Thermosphere/Ionosphere/Model (CTIM). A comparison of the resulting reconstructed image with the input modelled data allows for verification of the reconstruction technique. All the features of the high-latitude ionosphere in the model data are reproduced well in the tomographic image. Reconstructed vertical TEC values follow closely the modelled values, with the F-layer maximum density (NmF2) agreeing generally within about 10%. The method has also been able successfully to reproduce underlying auroral-E ionisation over a restricted latitudinal range in part of the image. The height of the F2 peak is generally in agreement to within about the vertical image resolution (25 km).     

Radio to optical spectral index variations along the M87 jet

CCD photometry and MERLIN observations of M87 (Virgo A) have been used to study the variations of the radio to optical spectral index along the jet. In general, the radio spectrum is flatter than the optical one and both become steeper with distance from the nucleus. The optical fluxes of the bright knots lie at or below the extrapolation of the radio spectrum. These properties can be explained by power-law spectra at low frequencies that turn down gradually beyond a cut-off frequency. The location of the local cut-off frequency is estimated by fitting the measured fluxes to the theoretical spectrum of a truncated power-law electron energy distribution. The results are interpreted in terms of models of synchrotron emission from shock waves in extragalactic jets.