Search Publications
Measuring fN force variations in the presence of constant nN forces: a torsion pendulum ground test of the LISA Pathfinder free-fall mode
Russano, G.; Cavalleri, A.; Cesarini, A. +11 more
LISA Pathfinder is a differential accelerometer with the main goal being to demonstrate the near perfect free-fall of reference test masses, as is needed for an orbiting gravitational wave observatory, with a target sensitivity of 30 fm s-2 Hz-1/2 at 1 mHz. Any lasting background differential acceleration between the two test…
The future of stellar occultations by distant solar system bodies: Perspectives from the Gaia astrometry and the deep sky surveys
Bérard, D.; Sicardy, B.; Desmars, J. +5 more
Distant objects in the solar system are crucial to better understand the history and evolution of its outskirts. The stellar occultation technique allows the determination of their sizes and shapes with kilometric accuracy, a detailed investigation of their immediate vicinities, as well as the detection of tenuous atmospheres. The prediction of su…
Surface abundance and the hunt for stratification in chemically peculiar hot subdwarfs: PG 0909+276 and UVO 0512-08
Wild, J. F.; Jeffery, C. S.
Edelmann identified two chemically peculiar hot subdwarfs, PG 0909+276 and UVO 0512-08, as having very high overabundances of iron-group elements. We obtained high-resolution ultraviolet spectroscopy in order to measure abundances of species not observable in the optical, and to seek evidence for chemical stratification in the photosphere. Abundan…
Flux Relaxation after Two Outbursts of the Magnetar SGR 1627-41 and Possible Hard X-Ray Emission
An, Hongjun; Kaspi, Victoria M.; Cumming, Andrew
We report on the long-term flux relaxation of the magnetar SGR 1627-41 after its 2008 outburst, and evidence for hard X-ray excess measured with NuSTAR. We use new observations made with Chandra and XMM-Newton, and an archival NuSTAR observation, which add flux measurements at ∼2000 days into quiescence after the 2008 outburst. We find that the so…
The quiescent state of the neutron-star X-ray transient GRS 1747-312 in the globular cluster Terzan 6
Wijnands, Rudy; Degenaar, Nathalie; Vats, Smriti +3 more
We studied the transient neutron-star low-mass X-ray binary GRS 1747-312, located in the globular cluster Terzan 6, in its quiescent state after its outburst in August 2004, using an archival XMM-Newton observation. A source was detected in this cluster and its X-ray spectrum can be fitted with the combination of a soft, neutron-star atmosphere mo…
Hard X-Ray View of HCG 16 (Arp 318)
Tanimoto, Atsushi; Ueda, Yoshihiro; Ricci, Claudio +1 more
We report the hard X-ray (3-50 keV) view of the compact group HCG 16 (Arp 318) observed with the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR). NGC 838 and NGC 839 are undetected at energies above 8 keV, showing no evidence of heavily obscured active galactic nuclei (AGNs). This confirms that these are starburst-dominant galaxies as previously su…
Massive young stellar objects in the N 66/NGC 346 region of the SMC
Barbá, R. H.; Rubio, M.; Kalari, V. M.
We present HK spectra of three sources located in the N 66 region of the Small Magellanic Cloud. The sources display prominent stellar Brγ and extended H2 emission, and exhibit infrared excesses at λ > 2 µm. Based on their spectral features, and photometric spectral energy distributions, we suggest that these sources are massiv…
A D'-type symbiotic binary in the planetary nebula SMP LMC 88
Udalski, Andrzej; Kozłowski, Szymon; Miszalski, Brent +2 more
SMP LMC 88 is one of the planetary nebulae (PNe) in the Large Magellanic Cloud. We identify in its spectrum Raman scattered O VI lines at 6825 and 7083 Å. This unambiguously classifies the central object of the nebula as a symbiotic star (SySt). We identified the cold component to be a K-type giant, making this the first D'-type (yellow) SySt disc…
Tracking Filament Evolution in the Low Solar Corona Using Remote Sensing and In Situ Observations
Kocher, Manan; Landi, Enrico; Lepri, Susan. T.
In the present work, we analyze a filament eruption associated with an interplanetary coronal mass ejection that arrived at L1 on 2011 August 5. In multiwavelength Solar Dynamic Observatory/Advanced Imaging Assembly (AIA) images, three plasma parcels within the filament were tracked at high cadence along the solar corona. A novel absorption diagno…
ExoMars 2016: Schiaparelli coasting, entry and descent post flight mission analysis
Bonetti, Davide; De Zaiacomo, Gabriele; Blanco, Gonzalo +4 more
The ExoMars programme is pursued as part of a broad cooperation between ESA and Roscosmos with significant contribution from NASA. Two missions compose the ExoMars programme with launches in 2016 and 2020. The ExoMars 2016 mission, led by ESA, has been launched by the Russian Proton on March 14th, 2016. The mission includes the Trace Gas Orbiter (…