Multi-proxy record of orbital-scale changes in climate and sedimentation during the Weissert Event in the Valanginian Bersek Marl Formation (Gerecse Mts., Hungary)

The Valanginian positive carbon isotope excursion and associated environmental changes, known as the Weissert Event, is the first in the series of Cretaceous Earth system perturbations. Here, we develop a multiproxy cyclostratigraphy from a 31.2-m-thick Upper Valanginian to lowermost Hauterivian section of the Bersek Marl Formation in Gerecse Mountains, Hungary, comprising alternating marlstone layers of varying clay and carbonate content. The bulk carbonate δ¹³C signal shows sustained, elevated values (up to 2.7‰) up to 19.2 m, followed by a decreasing trend upsection. Together with biostratigraphic data, this suggests that the lower part of the section was deposited during the plateau phase of the Late Valanginian Weissert Event. Spectral analyses of the multiproxy dataset, including magnetic susceptibility measurements and gamma-ray spectroscopy on the lower part of the section, led to the identification of precession, obliquity, and long and short eccentricity signals. A mean sedimentation rate of 14 m/Myr was calculated based on astronomical tuning. The cyclicity in the proxy signals reflects dilution cycles induced by the fluctuating rate of detrital runoff into the basin. This supports the idea that orbitally-forced humid-arid cycles controlled the pelagic alternating sedimentation during the Early Cretaceous throughout the Tethyan area.     

从太阳硬X射线和微波爆发频谱推断总电子数

用非均匀模型,对１９８１年４月２７日０８００１Ｔ大耀斑进行了分析。从硬Ｘ射线和微波爆发的观测频谱出发,在假定周围离子密度ｎｉ＝３×１０１０／ｃｍ３的情况下,计算得到两者的总电子数ＮＸ和ＮＲ是近似相等的。这表明,至少对这个耀斑,两者的非热电子可能有同样的分布。此外,文中也分析了ＮＲ提高了１０３－１０４倍的原因可能在于磁场的非均匀性和源中的磁场值较小。     

Gamma-ray bursts with peculiar temporal asymmetry

Based on Link & Epstein's study of temporal asymmetry of 631 gamma-ray bursts from the BATSE 3B catalogue, we identify the population of bursts with rising times that are longer than their decays, thus showing atypical profiles. We analyse their sky distribution, morphology, time–space clustering and other average properties and compare them with those associated with the bulk of the bursts. We show how most of the peculiar bursts analysed are consistent with recent fireball models, but a fraction of bursts (∼4 per cent of the total sample) appear to be inconsistent.     

Acceleration time-scale in an ultrarelativistic shock

The acceleration mechanism in ultrarelativistic shocks is investigated using Monte Carlo simulations. We apply a method of discrete small-amplitude particle momentum scattering to reproduce highly anisotropic conditions at the shock and describe the acceleration mechanism carefully. The obtained acceleration time equals 1.0 r _g c if the spectral index reaches the value of 2.2, independent of physical conditions in the shock. Some other parameters of the acceleration process are also provided.     

Gravitational microlensing of gamma-ray bursts at medium optical depth

Gravitational lensing of a gamma-ray burst (GRB) by a single point mass will produce a second, delayed signal. Several authors have discussed using microlensed GRBs to probe a possible cosmological population of compact objects. We analyse a closely related phenomenon: the effect of microlensing by low to medium optical depth in compact objects on the averaged observed light curve of a sample of GRBs. We discuss the cumulative measured flux as a function of time resulting from delays caused by microlensing by cosmological compact objects. The time-scale and curvature of this function describe unique values for the compact object mass and optical depth. For GRBs with durations larger than the detector resolution, limits could be placed on the mass and optical depth of cosmological compact objects. The method does not rely on the separation of lensed bursts from those that are spatially coincident.     

The correlation between black hole mass and bulge velocity dispersion in hierarchical galaxy formation models

Popular models for the origin of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) include short-lived massive stars as the progenitors of the fireballs. Hence the redshift distribution of GRBs should track the cosmic star formation rate of massive stars accurately. A significant proportion of high-mass star formation activity appears to occur in regions that are obscured from view in the optical waveband by interstellar dust. The amount of dust-enshrouded star formation activity taking place has been estimated by observing the thermal radiation from the dust that has been heated by young stars in the far-infrared and submillimetre wavebands. Here we discuss an alternative probe – the redshift distribution of GRBs. GRBs are detectable at the highest redshifts, and because gamma-rays are not absorbed by dust, the redshift distribution of GRBs should therefore be unaffected by dust extinction. At present the redshifts of GRBs can only be determined from the associated optical transient emission; however, useful information about the prevalence of dust-obscured star formation can also be obtained from the ratio of GRBs with and without an associated optical transient. Eight GRBs currently have spectroscopic redshifts. Once about a hundred redshifts are known, the population of GRBs will provide an important test of different models of the star formation history of the Universe.     

Variability of the extreme z = 4.72 blazar, GB 1428+4217

On 1998 May 9–11, the highly variable, low-luminosity Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 4051 was observed in an unusual low-flux state by BeppoSAX , RXTE and EUVE . We present fits of the 4–15 keV RXTE spectrum and BeppoSAX MECS spectrum obtained during this observation, which are consistent with the interpretation that the source had switched off, leaving only the spectrum of pure reflection from distant cold matter. We place this result in context by showing the X-ray light curve of NGC 4051 obtained by our RXTE monitoring campaign over the past two and a half years, which shows that the low state lasted for ∼150 d before the May observations (implying that the reflecting material is >10¹⁷ cm from the continuum source) and forms part of a light curve showing distinct variations in long-term average flux over time-scales > months. We show that the long-time-scale component to X-ray variability is intrinsic to the primary continuum and is probably distinct from the variability at shorter time-scales. The long-time-scale component to variability maybe associated with variations in the accretion flow of matter on to the central black hole . As the source approaches the low state, the variability process becomes non-linear. NGC 4051 may represent a microcosm of all X-ray variability in radio-quiet active galactic nuclei (AGNs), displaying in a few years a variety of flux states and variability properties which more luminous AGNs may pass through on time-scales of decades to thousands of years.     

Modeling fast radio burst heating a main-sequence companion star in a close binary using MESA

The exact origin of fast radio bursts (FRBs) remains a mystery. The repeating fast radio burst source, FRB20200120E, was discovered in a globular cluster containing old stellar populations. Yang (2021) suggested that this FRB might be in close binaries with low-mass main-sequence (MS) stars. They analytically investigated the observational consequences caused by the heating of FRB radio radiation onto the low-mass MS companion star in a close binary, suggesting that the radio radiation emitted by FRB could make the MS companion star more luminous and detectable in future multi-wavelength follow-up observations for a Galactic FRB. We revisited the study of Yang (2021) by numerically modeling the detailed process of FRB heating onto an MS companion with 1D stellar evolution code Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA). Our results are consistent with the trends derived from the analytical model of Yang (2021), except that the typical re-emission luminosities of our main sequence (MS) models, caused by the heating from FRBs, are generally dimmer by about two orders of magnitude compared to his findings, and our models have a longer re-emission timescale. This may indicate that the searches of the optical transients caused by the radio radiation heating companion star are more likely to be successful within a distance of 0.3 Mpc.     

Density profiles of suspected optical counterparts of gamma-ray bursts

Four suspected optical flashes on archival plates with coordinates within or near to the error boxes of gamma-ray bursts, respectively, are investigated by surface photometry, Their density profiles are shown to be consistent with that of stars of similar magnitude. Hence, the suspected flashes are not likely to be plate defects but real objects on the sky.     

河台金矿伽马能谱K异常成因探讨

河台金矿是一个典型的与韧性剪切带有关的金矿床,也是目前粤西、桂东南已发现的最大的金矿床。为了给深边部的找矿提供科学依据,本文对河台金矿伽马能谱K异常进行了研究。河台金矿动力变质分异期、热液期与表生期生成的富钾矿物只有绢云母,表明本区引起伽马能谱K高异常的应为绢云母。这些绢云母可能成因于糜棱岩化过程与金-黄铁矿-石英热液蚀变过程中斜长石的绢云母化。其中,糜棱岩化过程引起的K高异常具有异常宽度小的特点,且具有指示糜棱岩带与矿体位置的意义。金-黄铁矿-石英阶段引起的K高异常具有异常宽度大的特点,且主要发育于糜棱带与不同岩性的接触带。伽马能谱K低异常则可能成因于热液成矿期中金-石英-多金属硫化物阶段的热液蚀变作用及低钾花岗伟晶岩脉的侵入。