Kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations in SAX J1808.4–3658

I present a short overview of the behavior and properties of the two simultaneous kilohertz quasi-periodic oscillations (kHz QPOs) seen in the accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar SAX J1808.4–3658. I will focus on the behavior of the upper frequency QPO as a function of time and count rate as seen during the 2002 outburst of this source. I will also discuss briefly the correlated behavior of this QPO with QPOs at lower frequencies (several tens of hertz).     

Broad-band spectral properties of accreting X-ray binary pulsars

Broad-band spectra of accreting X-ray binary pulsars can be fitted by a phenomenological model composed of a power law with a high energy rollover above 10 keV, plus a blackbody component with a temperature of few hundred eV. While, at least qualitatively, the hard tail can be explained in terms of (inverse) Compton scattering, the origin of the soft component cannot find a unique explanation. Recently, a qualitative picture able to explain the overall broad-band spectrum of luminous X-ray pulsars was carried out by taking into account the effect of bulk Comptonization in the accretion column. After a review of these recent theoretical developments, I will present a case study of how different modeling of the continuum affect broad features, in particular the cyclotron resonance features in Vela X-1.     

Urca processes in dense matter and neutron star cooling

Urca-processes were introduced into astrophysics by Gamow and Schoenberg in 1941. Neutrino cooling resulting from urca-processes plays an important role at the latest stages of evolution of massive stars. Recent work on neutrino emissivity of dense matter shows that neutrino cooling via urca-processes could determine the thermal evolution of young neutron stars and depends dramatically on the composition of the neutron star core. In particular, if a neutron star contains a central core in which the direct urca-process is operative, the cooling timescale shortens by many orders of magnitude.     

X-ray synchrotron nebulae and the origin of neutron stars

“With all reserve, we advance the view that a supernova represents the transition of an ordinary star into a neutron star.”This conclusion, reached just 50 years ago in a classic paper by Walter Baade and Fritz Zwicky (1934), was published three decades before the first direct observational evidence for the existence of neutron stars was uncovered. It still informs the standard picture of neutron star production in the Galaxy. We examine herein some recent evidence bearing on this question which has been derived from Observatory X-ray observations of supernova remnants and radio pulsars. In particular, the discovery that X-ray synchrotron nebulae are found surrounding most young ( 10⁶ yr) pulsars observed to date is discussed. We explore the implications of the lack of such nebulae in the majority of supernova remnants (SNR) for the properties and frequency of neutron star formation in supernova events.     

Modeling the broadband persistent emission of magnetars

In this paper, we discuss our first attempts to model the broadband persistent emission of magnetars within a self-consistent, physical scenario. We present the predictions of a synthetic model that we calculated with a new Monte Carlo 3D radiative code. The basic idea is that soft thermal photons (e.g. emitted by the star surface) can experience resonant cyclotron upscattering by a population of relativistic electrons treated in the twisted magnetosphere. Our code is specifically tailored to work in the ultra-magnetized regime; polarization and QED effects are consistently accounted for, as well different configurations for the magnetosphere. We discuss the predicted spectral properties in the 0.1–1000 keV range, the polarization properties, and we present the model application to a sample of magnetars soft X-ray spectra.     

航空电子设备NSEE试验评价方法

本文定义了航空电子设备大气中子单粒子效应(NSEE)硬失效、硬错误与软错误等大气中子辐射可靠性表征参数,提出了一套航空电子设备抗大气中子单粒子效应危害能力的试验评价方法,包括试验应力终止条件与起始条件的确定方法、M_NSEE预估方法、试验程序、试验评价方法等,并通过某航空用卫星导航接收机试验案例证明了该方法在工程应用中的可操作性与有效性,通过掌握数字信号处理(DSP)、静态随机存储器(SRAM)、现场可编程门阵列(FPGA)的NSEE敏感特性,可为航空用卫星导航接收机NSEE危害防控提供针对性的技术支持.本文为我国航空电子产品大气中子单粒子效应试验评价奠定了理论与应用基础,同时也为其他电子信息产品在大气中子单粒子效应试验评价方面提供了重要依据和参考.      

SVIRCO contribution to the world-wide network of cosmic ray detectors

Since 1954 a research team (called SVIRCO) has been performing measurements of cosmic rays in Rome at La Sapienza University till 1997 and then at Roma Tre University. The experimental work carried out over more than 50 years is summarized in this paper. It describes: the early history of SVIRCO, the evolution from SVIRCO station to SVIRCO observatory, land and sea cosmic-ray surveys and the mini-network of neutron monitors, operating inside the world-wide network of cosmic ray detectors.     

大气中子诱发复杂航电系统SEE的试验评价与防护设计

研究了国外单粒子效应对航电系统影响的历史进展,介绍了航电系统单粒子效应试验评价中子辐射源、试验硬件、试验方法、试验程序及评估方法5个方面。国际航空标准根据航电系统的重要程度将其定义为A、B、C、D、E五级。为了确保A、B和C级航电系统的可靠性,提出了涉及顶层项目管理至元器件控制各个层面的防护过程,优化系统设计,以适应大...     

(70~100)MeV准单能中子参考辐射场设计

国内基于串列加速器建立了144keV~15MeV的单能中子参考辐射场,解决了20MeV以下能区中子探测器注量、剂量等参数的量值溯源,但尚未建立20MeV以上能区准单能中子参考辐射场。随着航天空间中子探测任务的需要以及地面高能质子加速器的发展,20MeV以上能区准单能中子参考辐射场需求越来越突出。发展20MeV以上能区高能中子参考辐射场对于满足国防需求、推动中子计量学科发展具有重要意义。     

Evolution of the periodicities in 2S 0114+650

We have analysed 9 years of data from the All Sky Monitor on the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer for 2S 0114+650 to study the evolution of its spin, binary, and super-orbital periods. The spin history of the neutron star in this system exhibits torque reversals lasting 1 year. The newly discovered super-orbital period has remained stable over the 9-year span, making 2S 0114+650 the fourth known system to exhibit stable super-orbital modulation. We compare its super-orbital period evolution with those of the other three such systems.