| 1. |
- Si, Ran, et al.
(författare)
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A First Spectroscopic Measurement of the Magnetic-field Strength for an Active Region of the Solar Corona
- 2020
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : Institute of Physics (IOP). - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 898:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- For all involved in astronomy, the importance of monitoring and determining astrophysical magnetic-field strengths is clear. It is also a well-known fact that the corona magnetic fields play an important part in the origin of solar flares and the variations of space weather. However, after many years of solar corona studies, there is still no direct and continuous way to measure and monitor the solar magnetic-field strength. We present here a scheme that allows such a measurement, based on a careful study of an exotic class of atomic transitions, known as magnetic induced transitions, in Fe9+. In this contribution we present a first application of this methodology and determine a value of the coronal field strength using the spectroscopic data from Hinode.
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| 2. |
- Abbasi, R., et al.
(författare)
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Search for High-energy Neutrino Emission from Galactic X-Ray Binaries with IceCube
- 2022
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : IOP Publishing Ltd. - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 930:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present the first comprehensive search for high-energy neutrino emission from high- and low-mass X-ray binaries conducted by IceCube. Galactic X-ray binaries are long-standing candidates for the source of Galactic hadronic cosmic rays and neutrinos. The compact object in these systems can be the site of cosmic-ray acceleration, and neutrinos can be produced by interactions of cosmic rays with radiation or gas, in the jet of a microquasar, in the stellar wind, or in the atmosphere of the companion star. We study X-ray binaries using 7.5 yr of IceCube data with three separate analyses. In the first, we search for periodic neutrino emission from 55 binaries in the Northern Sky with known orbital periods. In the second, the X-ray light curves of 102 binaries across the entire sky are used as templates to search for time-dependent neutrino emission. Finally, we search for time-integrated emission of neutrinos for a list of 4 notable binaries identified as microquasars. In the absence of a significant excess, we place upper limits on the neutrino flux for each hypothesis and compare our results with theoretical predictions for several binaries. In addition, we evaluate the sensitivity of the next generation neutrino telescope at the South Pole, IceCube-Gen2, and demonstrate its power to identify potential neutrino emission from these binary sources in the Galaxy.
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| 3. |
- Goffo, Elisa, et al.
(författare)
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Company for the Ultra-high Density, Ultra-short Period Sub-Earth GJ 367 b: Discovery of Two Additional Low-mass Planets at 11.5 and 34 Days
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : Institute of Physics (IOP). - 2041-8213 .- 2041-8205. ; 955:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- GJ 367 is a bright (V ≈ 10.2) M1 V star that has been recently found to host a transiting ultra-short period sub-Earth on a 7.7 hr orbit. With the aim of improving the planetary mass and radius and unveiling the inner architecture of the system, we performed an intensive radial velocity follow-up campaign with the HARPS spectrograph—collecting 371 high-precision measurements over a baseline of nearly 3 yr—and combined our Doppler measurements with new TESS observations from sectors 35 and 36. We found that GJ 367 b has a mass of M b = 0.633 ± 0.050 M ⊕ and a radius of R b = 0.699 ± 0.024 R ⊕, corresponding to precisions of 8% and 3.4%, respectively. This implies a planetary bulk density of ρ b = 10.2 ± 1.3 g cm−3, i.e., 85% higher than Earth’s density. We revealed the presence of two additional non-transiting low-mass companions with orbital periods of ∼11.5 and 34 days and minimum masses of M c sin i c = 4.13 ± 0.36 M ⊕ and M d sin i d = 6.03 ± 0.49 M ⊕, respectively, which lie close to the 3:1 mean motion commensurability. GJ 367 b joins the small class of high-density planets, namely the class of super-Mercuries, being the densest ultra-short period small planet known to date. Thanks to our precise mass and radius estimates, we explored the potential internal composition and structure of GJ 367 b, and found that it is expected to have an iron core with a mass fraction of 0.91 − 0.23 + 0.07 . How this iron core is formed and how such a high density is reached is still not clear, and we discuss the possible pathways of formation of such a small ultra-dense planet.
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| 4. |
- Chasapis, A., et al.
(författare)
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In Situ Observation of Intermittent Dissipation at Kinetic Scales in the Earth's Magnetosheath
- 2018
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : Institute of Physics Publishing. - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 856:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present a study of signatures of energy dissipation at kinetic scales in plasma turbulence based on observations by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission (MMS) in the Earth's magnetosheath. Using several intervals, and taking advantage of the high-resolution instrumentation on board MMS, we compute and discuss several statistical measures of coherent structures and heating associated with electrons, at previously unattainable scales in space and time. We use the multi-spacecraft Partial Variance of Increments (PVI) technique to study the intermittent structure of the magnetic field. Furthermore, we examine a measure of dissipation and its behavior with respect to the PVI as well as the current density. Additionally, we analyze the evolution of the anisotropic electron temperature and non-Maxwellian features of the particle distribution function. From these diagnostics emerges strong statistical evidence that electrons are preferentially heated in subproton-scale regions of strong electric current density, and this heating is preferentially in the parallel direction relative to the local magnetic field. Accordingly, the conversion of magnetic energy into electron kinetic energy occurs more strongly in regions of stronger current density, a finding consistent with several kinetic plasma simulation studies and hinted at by prior studies using lower resolution Cluster observations.
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| 5. |
- Cui, J., et al.
(författare)
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Evaluating Local Ionization Balance in the Nightside Martian Upper Atmosphere during MAVEN Deep Dip Campaigns
- 2019
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : IOP PUBLISHING LTD. - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 876:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Combining the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) measurements of atmospheric neutral and ion densities, electron temperature, and energetic electron intensity, we perform the first quantitative evaluation of local ionization balance in the nightside Martian upper atmosphere, a condition with the electron impact ionization (EI) of CO2 exactly balanced by the dissociative recombination (DR) of ambient ions. The data accumulated during two MAVEN Deep Dip (DD) campaigns are included: DD6 on the deep nightside with a periapsis solar zenith angle (SZA) of 165 degrees, and DD3 close to the dawn terminator with a periapsis SZA of 110 degrees. With the electron temperatures at low altitudes corrected for an instrumental effect pertaining to the MAVEN Langmuir Probe and Waves, a statistical agreement between the EI and DR rates is suggested by the data below 140 km during DD6 and below 180 km during DD3, implying that electron precipitation is responsible for the nightside Martian ionosphere under these circumstances and extra sources are not required. In contrast, a substantial enhancement in EI over DR is observed at higher altitudes during both campaigns, which we interpret as a signature of plasma escape down the tail.
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| 6. |
- Kay, Christina, et al.
(författare)
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Frequency of Coronal Mass Ejection Impacts with Early Terrestrial Planets and Exoplanets around Active Solar-like Stars
- 2019
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : IOP PUBLISHING LTD. - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 886:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Energetic flares and associated coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from young magnetically active solar-like stars can play a critical role in setting conditions for atmospheric escape as well as penetration of accelerated particles into their atmospheres that promotes formation of biologically relevant molecules. We have used the observationally reconstructed magnetic field of the 0.7 Gyr young Sun?s twin, k(1) Ceti, to study the effects of CME deflections in the magnetic corona of the young Sun and their effects on the impact frequency on the early Venus, Earth, and Mars. We find that the coronal magnetic field deflects the CMEs toward the astrospheric current sheet. This effect suggests that CMEs tend to propagate within a small cone about the ecliptic plane increasing the impact frequency of CMEs with planetary magnetospheres near this plane to ?30% or by a factor of 6 as compared to previous estimate by Airapetian et al. Our model has important implications for the rise of prebiotic chemistry on early terrestrial planets as well as terrestrial-type exoplanets around young G-K dwarfs.
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| 7. |
- Skuladottir, Asa, et al.
(författare)
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Zero-metallicity Hypernova Uncovered by an Ultra-metal-poor Star in the Sculptor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy
- 2021
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : Institute of Physics Publishing (IOPP). - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 915:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Although true metal-free "Population III" stars have so far escaped discovery, their nature, and that of their supernovae, is revealed in the chemical products left behind in the next generations of stars. Here we report the detection of an ultra-metal-poor star in the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxy AS0039. With [Fe/H](LTE) = -4.11, it is the most metal-poor star discovered in any external galaxy thus far. Contrary to the majority of Milky Way stars at this metallicity, AS0039 is clearly not enhanced in carbon, with [C/Fe](LTE) = -0.75, and A(C) = +3.60, making it the lowest detected carbon abundance in any star to date. Furthermore, it lacks alpha-element uniformity, having extremely low [Mg/Ca](NLTE) = -0.60 and [Mg/Ti](NLTE) = -0.86, in stark contrast with the near solar ratios observed in C-normal stars within the Milky Way halo. The unique abundance pattern indicates that AS0039 formed out of material that was predominantly enriched by a similar to 20 M (circle dot) progenitor star with an unusually high explosion energy E = 10 x 10(51) erg. Therefore, star AS0039 represents some of the first observational evidence for zero-metallicity hypernovae and provides a unique opportunity to investigate the diverse nature of Population III stars.
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| 8. |
- Whalen, Daniel J., et al.
(författare)
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Finding Direct-collapse Black Holes at Birth
- 2020
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : American Astronomical Society. - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 897:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Direct-collapse black holes (DCBHs) are currently one of the leading contenders for the origins of the first quasars in the universe, over 300 of which have now been found at z > 6. But the birth of a DCBH in an atomically cooling halo does not by itself guarantee it will become a quasar by z similar to 7, the halo must also be located in cold accretion flows or later merge with a series of other gas-rich halos capable of fueling the BH's rapid growth. Here, we present near-infrared luminosities for DCBHs born in cold accretion flows in which they are destined to grow to 10(9) M-circle dot by z similar to 7. Our observables, which are derived from cosmological simulations with radiation hydrodynamics with Enzo, reveal that DCBHs could be found by the James Webb Space Telescope at z less than or similar to 20 and strongly lensed DCBHs might be found in future wide-field surveys by Euclid and the Wide-Field Infrared Space Telescope at z less than or similar to 15.
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| 9. |
- Zhong, Z. H., et al.
(författare)
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Stacked Electron Diffusion Regions and Electron Kelvin-Helmholtz Vortices within the Ion Diffusion Region of Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection
- 2022
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : American Astronomical Society. - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 926:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The structure of the electron diffusion region (EDR) is essential for determining how fast the magnetic energy converts to plasma energy during magnetic reconnection. Conventional knowledge of the diffusion region assumes that the EDR is a single layer embedded within the ion diffusion region (IDR). This paper reports the first observation of two EDRs that stack in parallel within an IDR by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission. The oblique tearing modes can result in these stacked EDRs. Intense electron flow shear in the vicinity of two EDRs induced electron Kelvin-Helmholtz vortices, which subsequently generated kinetic-scale magnetic peak and holes, which may effectively trap electrons. Our analyses show that both the oblique tearing instability and electron Kelvin-Helmholtz instability are important in three-dimensional reconnection since they can control the electron dynamics and structure of the diffusion region through cross-scale coupling.
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| 10. |
- Ahrens, Maryon, et al.
(författare)
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Search for High-energy Neutrinos from Binary Neutron Star Merger GW170817 with ANTARES, IceCube, and the Pierre Auger Observatory
- 2017
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - : American Astronomical Society. - 2041-8205 .- 2041-8213. ; 850:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo observatories recently discovered gravitational waves from a binary neutron star inspiral. A short gamma-ray burst (GRB) that followed the merger of this binary was also recorded by the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (Fermi-GBM), and the Anti-Coincidence Shield for the Spectrometer for the International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL), indicating particle acceleration by the source. The precise location of the event was determined by optical detections of emission following the merger. We searched for high-energy neutrinos from the merger in the GeV-EeV energy range using the ANTARES, IceCube, and Pierre Auger Observatories. No neutrinos directionally coincident with the source were detected within +/- 500 s around the merger time. Additionally, no MeV neutrino burst signal was detected coincident with the merger. We further carried out an extended search in the direction of the source for high-energy neutrinos within the 14 day period following the merger, but found no evidence of emission. We used these results to probe dissipation mechanisms in relativistic outflows driven by the binary neutron star merger. The non-detection is consistent with model predictions of short GRBs observed at a large off-axis angle.
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