The D-CIXS X-ray mapping spectrometer on SMART-1

The D-CIXS Compact X-ray Spectrometer will provide high quality spectroscopic mapping of the Moon, the primary science target of the ESA SMART-1 mission. D-CIXS consists of a high throughput spectrometer, which will perform spatially localised X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. It will also carry a solar monitor, to provide the direct calibration needed to produce a global map of absolute lunar elemental abundances, the first time this has been done. Thus it will achieve ground breaking science within a resource envelope far smaller than previously thought possible for this type of instrument, by exploiting two new technologies, swept charge devices and micro-structure collimators. The new technology does not require cold running, with its associated overheads to the spacecraft. At the same time it will demonstrate a radically novel approach to building a type of instrument essential for the BepiColombo mission and potential future planetary science targets.     

Particle accretion and dissipation simulator: Collisional aggregation of icy particles

As a part of a project to study the cometary particle environment, a self-consistent ballistic rigid body particle colliding simulator, capable of producing fractal aggregates of icy particles modelled by hard or soft (metaball) spheres has been developed, to be used for creating test particles in future statistical studies of the cometary coma-particle interaction. Instead of a predefined sticking probability, actual surface interactions are modelled and a method for calculating internal stresses and fragmentation of an aggregate during the accretion phase is described. Simulations suggest that taking fragmentation into account has two major consequences, increase in the fractal dimension of resulting particles and a noticeable change in the mass spectrum of an ensemble.     

An 'outside-in' outburst of Aql X–1

We present optical spectroscopy and optical and infrared photometry of the neutron star soft X-ray transient Aql X–1 during its X-ray outburst of 1997 August. By modelling the X-ray, optical and IR light curves, we find a 3-d delay between the IR and X-ray rise times, analogous to the UV–optical delay seen in dwarf novae outbursts and black hole X-ray transients. We interpret this delay as the signature of an 'outside-in' outburst, in which a thermal instability in the outer disc propagates inward. This outburst is the first of this type definitively identified in a neutron star X-ray transient.     

'Stokes imaging' of the accretion region in magnetic cataclysmic variables — I. Conception and realization

Modelling the polarized cyclotron emission from magnetic cataclysmic variables has been a pivotal technique for determining the structure of the accretion zones on the white dwarf. To date, model solutions have been obtained from trial fits to the intensity and polarization data, which have been constructed from emission regions (for example arcs and spots) put in by hand. These models were all inferred indirectly from arguments based on the polarization and X-ray light curves.   We present a more analytical and objective technique using optimization by a genetic algorithm, Tikhonov regularization and Powell's method that robustly models the details of polarized emission.   To demonstrate the success of this technique, we show the results of several simulations in which we calculated the intensity and polarization curves from arbitrarily shaped emission regions on the surface of a sphere and then applied our code to these curves to recover the original test data. We also show how adding artificial noise affects the outcome of the optimization technique.     

XMM–Newton observations of UW CrB: detection of X-ray bursts and evidence for accretion disc evolution

UW CrB (MS 1603+2600) is a peculiar short-period X-ray binary that exhibits extraordinary optical behaviour. The shape of the optical light curve of the system changes drastically from night to night, without any changes in overall brightness. Here we report X-ray observations of UW CrB obtained with XMM–Newton . We find evidence for several X-ray bursts, confirming a neutron star primary. This considerably strengthens the case that UW CrB is an accretion disc corona system located at a distance of at least 5–7 kpc (3–5 kpc above the Galactic plane). The X-ray and Optical Monitor (ultraviolet–optical) light curves show remarkable shape variation from one observing run to another, which we suggest are due to large-scale variations in the accretion disc shape resulting from a warp that periodically obscures the optical and soft X-ray emission. This is also supported by the changes in phase-resolved X-ray spectra.     

Light curve morphology study of UW CrB – evidence for a 5 d superorbital period

Since its discovery in 1990, UW CrB (also known as MS1603+2600) has remained a peculiar source without firm classification. Our current understanding is that it is an accretion disc corona (ADC) low-mass X-ray binary. In this paper, we present results from our photometric campaign dedicated to studying the changing morphology of the optical light curves. We find that the optical light curves show remarkable evidence for strongly evolving light curve shapes. In addition, we find that these changes show a modulation at a period of ∼5 d. We interpret these changes as either due to strong periodic accretion disc warping or due to other geometrical changes because of disc precession at a period of 5 d. Finally, we have detected 11 new optical bursts, the phase distribution of which supports the idea of a vertically extended asymmetric accretion disc.     

Shock metamorphic features in quartz grains from the Saarijärvi and Söderfjärden impact structures,Finland

Shock metamorphic features at the Saarijärvi (D > 2 km) and Söderfjärden (D = 6.5 km) structures in Finland have so far only been studied tentatively, although both are considered to be proven impact structures. This work presents the first detailed universal stage study of planar deformation features (PDFs), feather feature lamellae (FFL), and planar fractures (PFs) in quartz grains from a polymict impact breccia dike from Söderfjärden, and from sedimentary crater‐fill rocks from Saarijärvi. Planar microstructures, particularly PDFs, are very rare and poorly developed or preserved in Saarijärvi, whereas in Söderfjärden they are much more common and well defined. Miller–Bravais indices of the planar microstructures in both Saarijärvi and Söderfjärden are indicative of relatively low‐shock pressure but high shear conditions, only compatible with an impact origin for these structures. Although a Proterozoic age for Saarijärvi cannot be ruled out, the observations of shock features throughout the sedimentary crater‐fill sequence and a brecciated sedimentary dike below the crater floor are more consistent with a Lower Cambrian (or younger) impact age.