| 1. |
- Ackley, K., et al.
(författare)
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Observational constraints on the optical and near-infrared emission from the neutron star-black hole binary merger candidate S190814bv
- 2020
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 643
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Gravitational wave (GW) astronomy has rapidly reached maturity, becoming a fundamental observing window for modern astrophysics. The coalescences of a few tens of black hole (BH) binaries have been detected, while the number of events possibly including a neutron star (NS) is still limited to a few. On 2019 August 14, the LIGO and Virgo interferometers detected a high-significance event labelled S190814bv. A preliminary analysis of the GW data suggests that the event was likely due to the merger of a compact binary system formed by a BH and a NS.Aims. In this paper, we present our extensive search campaign aimed at uncovering the potential optical and near infrared electromagnetic counterpart of S190814bv. We found no convincing electromagnetic counterpart in our data. We therefore use our non-detection to place limits on the properties of the putative outflows that could have been produced by the binary during and after the merger.Methods. Thanks to the three-detector observation of S190814bv, and given the characteristics of the signal, the LIGO and Virgo Collaborations delivered a relatively narrow localisation in low latency - a 50% (90%) credible area of 5 deg(2) (23 deg(2)) - despite the relatively large distance of 26752 Mpc. ElectromagNetic counterparts of GRAvitational wave sources at the VEry Large Telescope collaboration members carried out an intensive multi-epoch, multi-instrument observational campaign to identify the possible optical and near infrared counterpart of the event. In addition, the ATLAS, GOTO, GRAWITA-VST, Pan-STARRS, and VINROUGE projects also carried out a search on this event. In this paper, we describe the combined observational campaign of these groups.Results. Our observations allow us to place limits on the presence of any counterpart and discuss the implications for the kilonova (KN), which was possibly generated by this NS-BH merger, and for the strategy of future searches. The typical depth of our wide-field observations, which cover most of the projected sky localisation probability (up to 99.8%, depending on the night and filter considered), is r similar to 22 (resp. K similar to 21) in the optical (resp. near infrared). We reach deeper limits in a subset of our galaxy-targeted observations, which cover a total similar to 50% of the galaxy-mass-weighted localisation probability. Altogether, our observations allow us to exclude a KN with large ejecta mass M greater than or similar to 0.1 M-circle dot to a high (> 90%) confidence, and we can exclude much smaller masses in a sub-sample of our observations. This disfavours the tidal disruption of the neutron star during the merger.Conclusions. Despite the sensitive instruments involved in the campaign, given the distance of S190814bv, we could not reach sufficiently deep limits to constrain a KN comparable in luminosity to AT 2017gfo on a large fraction of the localisation probability. This suggests that future (likely common) events at a few hundred megaparsecs will be detected only by large facilities with both a high sensitivity and large field of view. Galaxy-targeted observations can reach the needed depth over a relevant portion of the localisation probability with a smaller investment of resources, but the number of galaxies to be targeted in order to get a fairly complete coverage is large, even in the case of a localisation as good as that of this event.
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| 3. |
- Battiston, R., et al.
(författare)
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High precision particle astrophysics as a new window on the universe with an Antimatter Large Acceptance Detector In Orbit (ALADInO)
- 2021
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Ingår i: Experimental astronomy. - : Springer Science and Business Media B.V.. - 0922-6435 .- 1572-9508. ; 51:3, s. 1299-1330
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Multimessenger astrophysics is based on the detection, with the highest possible accuracy, of the cosmic radiation. During the last 20 years, the advent space-borne magnetic spectrometers in space (AMS-01, Pamela, AMS-02), able to measure the charged cosmic radiation separating matter from antimatter, and to provide accurate measurement of the rarest components of Cosmic Rays (CRs) to the highest possible energies, have become possible, together with the ultra-precise measurement of ordinary CRs. These developments started the era of precision Cosmic Ray physics providing access to a rich program of high-energy astrophysics addressing fundamental questions like matter-antimatter asymmetry, indirect detection for Dark Matter and the detailed study of origin, acceleration and propagation of CRs and their interactions with the interstellar medium. In this paper we address the above-mentioned scientific questions, in the context of a second generation, large acceptance, superconducting magnetic spectrometer proposed as mission in the context of the European Space Agency’s Voyage2050 long-term plan: the Antimatter Large Acceptance Detector In Orbit (ALADInO) would extend by about two orders of magnitude in energy and flux sensitivity the separation between charged particles/anti-particles, making it uniquely suited for addressing and potentially solving some of the most puzzling issues of modern cosmology.
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| 5. |
- Feng, Shaohong, et al.
(författare)
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Dense sampling of bird diversity increases power of comparative genomics
- 2020
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 587:7833
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Whole-genome sequencing projects are increasingly populating the tree of life and characterizing biodiversity(1-4). Sparse taxon sampling has previously been proposed to confound phylogenetic inference(5), and captures only a fraction of the genomic diversity. Here we report a substantial step towards the dense representation of avian phylogenetic and molecular diversity, by analysing 363 genomes from 92.4% of bird families-including 267 newly sequenced genomes produced for phase II of the Bird 10,000 Genomes (B10K) Project. We use this comparative genome dataset in combination with a pipeline that leverages a reference-free whole-genome alignment to identify orthologous regions in greater numbers than has previously been possible and to recognize genomic novelties in particular bird lineages. The densely sampled alignment provides a single-base-pair map of selection, has more than doubled the fraction of bases that are confidently predicted to be under conservation and reveals extensive patterns of weak selection in predominantly non-coding DNA. Our results demonstrate that increasing the diversity of genomes used in comparative studies can reveal more shared and lineage-specific variation, and improve the investigation of genomic characteristics. We anticipate that this genomic resource will offer new perspectives on evolutionary processes in cross-species comparative analyses and assist in efforts to conserve species. A dataset of the genomes of 363 species from the Bird 10,000 Genomes Project shows increased power to detect shared and lineage-specific variation, demonstrating the importance of phylogenetically diverse taxon sampling in whole-genome sequencing.
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| 7. |
- Nicholl, M., et al.
(författare)
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An outflow powers the optical rise of the nearby, fast-evolving tidal disruption event AT2019qiz
- 2020
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Ingår i: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 499:1, s. 482-504
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- At 66 Mpc, AT2019qiz is the closest optical tidal disruption event (TDE) to date, with a luminosity intermediate between the bulk of the population and the faint-and-fast event iPTF16fnl. Its proximity allowed a very early detection and triggering of multiwavelength and spectroscopic follow-up well before maximum light. The velocity dispersion of the host galaxy and fits to the TDE light curve indicate a black hole mass approximate to 10(6) M-circle dot, disrupting a star of approximate to 1 M-circle dot. By analysing our comprehensive UV, optical, and X-ray data, we show that the early optical emission is dominated by an outflow, with a luminosity evolution L proportional to t(2), consistent with a photosphere expanding at constant velocity (greater than or similar to 2000 km s(-1)), and a line-forming region producing initially blueshifted H and He II profiles with v = 3000-10 000 km s(-1). The fastest optical ejecta approach the velocity inferred from radio detections (modelled in a forthcoming companion paper from K. D. Alexander et al.), thus the same outflow may be responsible for both the fast optical rise and the radio emission - the first time this connection has been observed in a TDE. The light-curve rise begins 29 +/- 2 d before maximum light, peaking when the photosphere reaches the radius where optical photons can escape. The photosphere then undergoes a sudden transition, first cooling at constant radius then contracting at constant temperature. At the same time, the blueshifts disappear from the spectrum and Bowen fluorescence lines (N III) become prominent, implying a source of far-UV photons, while the X-ray light curve peaks at approximate to 10(41) erg s(-1). Assuming that these X-rays are from prompt accretion, the size and mass of the outflow are consistent with the reprocessing layer needed to explain the large optical to X-ray ratio in this and other optical TDEs, possibly favouring accretion-powered over collision-powered outflow models.
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| 8. |
- Panico, B., et al.
(författare)
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Cosmic Rays Investigation by the PAMELA experiment
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of Physics. - : IOP Publishing.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- PAMELA (Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics) is a satellite-borne experiment. It was launched on June 15th 2006 from the Baikonur space centre on board the Russian Resurs-DK1 satellite. For about 10 years PAMELA took data, giving a fundamental contribution to the cosmic ray physics. It made high-precision measurements of the charged component of the cosmic radiation challenging the standard model of the mechanisms of production, acceleration and propagation of cosmic rays in the galaxy and in the heliosphere. PAMELA gave results on different topics on a very wide range of energy. Moreover, the long PAMELA life gives the possibility to study the variation of the proton, electron and positron spectra during the last solar minimum. The time dependence of the cosmic-ray proton and helium nuclei from the solar minimum through the following period of solar maximum activity is currently being studied. Low energy particle spectra were accurately measured also for various solar events that occurred during the PAMELA mission. In this paper a review of main PAMELA results will be reported.
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| 9. |
- Panico, B., et al.
(författare)
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Time dependence of the proton and helium flux measured by PAMELA
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of Physics. - : IOP Publishing.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The energy spectra of galactic cosmic rays carry fundamental information regarding their origin and propagation, but, near Earth, cosmic rays are significantly affected by the solar magnetic field which changes over time. The time dependence of proton and electron spectra were measured from July 2006 to December 2009 by PAMELA experiment, that is a ballooon-borne experiment collecting data since 15 June 2006. These studies allowed to obtain a more complete description of the cosmic radiation, providing fundamental information about the transport and modulation of cosmic rays inside the heliosphere. The study of the time dependence of the cosmic-ray protons and helium nuclei from the unusual 23rd solar minimum through the following period of solar maximum activity is presented.
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| 10. |
- Madurai Elavarasan, R., et al.
(författare)
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A novel Sustainable Development Goal 7 composite index as the paradigm for energy sustainability assessment : A case study from Europe
- 2021
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Ingår i: Applied Energy. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 0306-2619 .- 1872-9118.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Sustainable Development Goal 7 endeavors to ameliorate the energy system towards sustainability. Monitoring the country's progress to the goal will be of utmost for the government to take suitable actions and thus, constructing a performance monitoring index for Sustainable Development Goal 7 would tune the pace of implementation. This study aims to develop a novel Sustainable Development Goal 7 or Energy Sustainability Composite Index to assess the energy sustainability performance. Since Europe tends to have diverged efforts towards energy sustainability, assessing them with the proposed Sustainable Development Goal 7 composite index would provide the evidence needed for effective sustainable development strategies. By describing Europe, the authors signify 40 European countries and the selection of country depends on the availability of all the data that are required for the energy sustainability assessment. In this study, the analyzed energy sustainability aspects include clean energy conversion, energy security, energy accessibility, energy intensity and carbon intensity. The results show that Iceland, Norway, and Sweden tops in energy sustainability aspects with scores of 0.7313, 0.6967, and 0.6313 (on a scale of 0 to 1), respectively. The proposed Sustainable Development Goal 7 composite index is also compared with the actual Sustainable Development Goal 7 index, which comprises the indicators defined by the United Nations. The prime difference between the proposed Sustainable Development Goal 7 composite index and the actual Sustainable Development Goal 7 index resides in the consideration of energy security and carbon intensity indicators and in the framework designed to evaluate the clean energy prevalence. The evaluated actual Sustainable Development Goal 7 index scores of Germany and France are 0.4915 and 0.4656, respectively. On comparing with the proposed Sustainable Development Goal 7 composite index scores, the scores decreased by 20.9% for Germany and increased by 7.2% for France. The robustness of the proposed composite index relies on reducing the effect of outliers by using a modified min–max methodology, namely Aggregated Normalization based on Maximum and Minimum Outliers for normalization and the subsequent weightage allocation criteria utilized in Analytic Hierarchy Process methodology. Sensitivity analyses highlighted that the clean energy indicator is the most influencing indicator for the designed composite index. Nevertheless, uncertainty analysis indicates that the weightage scenario has a more prominent influence than various normalization and aggregation methods.
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