中子及中子星物质中的3PF2态超流性和微观三体核力效力效应

本论文介绍了当前中子及中子星物质中超流性研究的背景及现状、核多体理论Brueckner-Hartree-Fock及同位旋相关的Brueckner-Hartree-Fock方法，以及利用BHF和BCS理论计算中子及中子星物质中的对关联能隙方法。系统计算并描述了中子及中子星物质中子的3PF2态超流性，并重点考虑了利用介子交换流方法建立的微观三体核力所产生的影响。 我们的研究结果表明：三体核力对中子物质中3PF2态中子超流性有强烈的增强效应。 当在BCS能隙方程中采用自由粒子能谱近似时，三体核力使相应的对关联能隙峰值增加了77%(由0.64MeV增大到1.13MeV)；当采用自洽BHF单粒子能谱时，三体核力导致相应的对关联能隙峰值由0.22MeV增大到0.50MeV，增加了约127%。 三体核力使中子星物质中3PF2态中子超流能隙随着密度的增大而单调递增。当采用自洽BHF单粒子能谱时不考虑三体核力时，对关联能隙峰值在密度约1.9fm-3时有峰值0.19MeV。而在这个两体力导致的能隙的峰值密度，三体核力导致相应的对关联能隙由0.19MeV增大到0.36MeV

三体核力影响下的核物质状态方程及中子星物质中的中子质子超流性

本论文介绍了极端条件下核物质研究的现状以及目前常用的几种核多体方法，系统描述了冷、热非对称核物质的状态方程和刀稳定中子星物质中的15。态中子和质子超流性，特别是微观三体核力对此所产生的影响。通过引入微观三体核力，扩展了有限温度的BI．tleclcller-Hal'tree-Fock（FTBHF）理论。利用这一扩展的理沦，详细研究了同位旋非对称热核物质的状态方程、液气相变临界现象以及三体核力对此所产生的影响。在不同的中质比条件下，重点讨论了热核物质液气相变的临界温度和动力学不稳定区域的温度、同位旋相关性。由此表明，三体核力的引入在一定程度上降低了液气相变的临界温度值，在固定的温度和密度下，非对称核物质的压弧随同位旋非对称度的增加而单调的增力日，而且随着核物质温度的升高和非对称度的增加，动力学不稳定区域逐渐缩小。通过与其它理论模型（特别是Di1'ac-BHF方法）所预言的结果相比较，就目前扩展的包含三体核力修正的FTBHF理论与Dilac-BHF方法所计算的临界温度的差异问题，文中给出一种可能的解释。通过计算热核物质的单粒子结合能，给出了有限温度条件下对称能的计算方式，并且细致研究了不同温度、密度下的对称能以及三体核力在高密度区域对对称能的影响。结果表明，微观三体核力强烈影响着高密度区域的对称能，使其对温度的变化更加明显。此外，其它重要物理量（例如中子和质子的单粒子势能、有效质量等）的同位旋依赖性和温度、密度相关性在文中也被详细的讨论。利用质量算子的空穴线展井，表明了在基态关联所导致的对单核子势的重排修正项影响下的HLlgenholtz-VanHove(HVH)定理的恢复程度，并且进一步计算了中子和质子化学势。并且以包含兰体核力的FTBI-方法为基础，研究了热核物质中重排项的密度和温度依赖性并讨论了三体核力对重排项的影响。通过计算不同温度和密度下的核物质中单核子势和核子有效质量，特别是研究和讨论了基态关联效应和三体核力贡献对热核物质中单核子势的影响，表明了基态关联和三体核力对单核子势修正的重要性。利用BHF和BCS的理论方法，计算了β稳定中子星物质中处于150态的中子和质子的对关联能隙，着重研究和讨论了三体核力的影响。结果表明，三体核力对刀稳定物质中｛s0态中子超流性的影响相对较小，但是对，S0态质子超流性具有重要影响，其效应随核子数密度的增大而迅速增强。三体核力的主要作用是强烈地抑制了高密度区刀稳定中子星物质中的150态质子超流性，而且三体核力对中子星物质中，So态超流相的抑制效应主要是通过质子或中子的有效对相互作用而起作用的。

X-ray and optical studies of soft x-ray transients in M31

Soft X-ray transients (SXTs) are a subgroup of low-mass X-ray binaries consisting of a neutron star or a black hole and a companion low-mass star. SXTs exhibit a sudden outburst by increasing the luminosity from ∼ 1033 to ∼ 1036−38ergs1. After spending a few months in outburst, SXTs switch back to quiescence. Optical study of the binary system during the quiescence state of SXTs provides an opportunity to discriminate between BH binaries and neutron star binaries. The first part ot this research is composed of result of 10 years joint project between Hubble space telescope and Chandra, to study SXTs in M31. The other part of this thesis focused on the light curve of bright SXTs in M31. Disc irradiation is thought to be capable of explaining the global behaviour of the light curves of SXTs. Depending on the strength of the central X-ray emission in irradiating the disc, the light curve may exhibit an exponential or a linear decay. The model predicts that in brighter transients a transition from exponential decline to a linear one may be detectable. In this study, having excluded super-soft sources and hard X-ray transients, a sample of bright SXTs in M31 (Lpeak > 1038ergs1) has been studied. The expected change in the shape of the decay function is only observed in two of the light curves from the six light curves in the sample. Also, a systematic correlation between the shape of the light curve and the X-ray luminosity has not been seen.

The first polarimetric signatures of infrared jets in X-ray binaries

We present near-infrared linear spectropolarimetry of a sample of persistent X-ray binaries, Sco X-1, Cyg X-2, and GRS 1915+105. The slopes of the spectra are shallower than what is expected from a standard steady state accretion disk, and can be explained if the near-infrared flux contains a contribution from an optically thin jet. For the neutron star systems, Sco X-1 and Cyg X-2, the polarization levels at 2.4 mu m are 1.3% +/- 0.10% and 5.4% +/- 0.7%, respectively, which is greater than the polarization level at 1.65 mu m. This cannot be explained by interstellar polarization or electron scattering in the anisotropic environment of the accretion flow. We propose that the most likely explanation is that this is the polarimetric signature of synchrotron emission arising from close to the base of the jets in these systems. In the black hole system GRS 1915+105 the observed polarization, although high (5.0% +/- 1.2% at 2.4 mu m), may be consistent with interstellar polarization. For Sco X-1 the position angle of the radio jet on the sky is approximately perpendicular to the near-infrared position angle (electric vector), suggesting that the magnetic field is aligned with the jet. These observations may be a first step toward probing the ordering, alignment, and variability of the outflow magnetic field in a region closer to the central accreting object than is observed in the radio band.

The rotational broadening of V395 Carinae. Implications on the compact object's mass

Context: The masses previously obtained for the X-ray binary 2S 0921-630 inferred a compact object that was either a high-mass neutron star or low-mass black-hole, but used a previously published value for the rotational broadening (v sin i) with large uncertainties. Aims: We aim to determine an accurate mass for the compact object through an improved measurement of the secondary star's projected equatorial rotational velocity. Methods: We have used UVES echelle spectroscopy to determine the v sin i of the secondary star (V395 Car) in the low-mass X-ray binary 2S 0921-630 by comparison to an artificially broadened spectral-type template star. In addition, we have also measured v sin i from a single high signal-to-noise ratio absorption line profile calculated using the method of Least-Squares Deconvolution (LSD). Results: We determine v sin i to lie between 31.3±0.5 km s-1 to 34.7±0.5 km s-1 (assuming zero and continuum limb darkening, respectively) in disagreement with previous results based on intermediate resolution spectroscopy obtained with the 3.6 m NTT. Using our revised v sin i value in combination with the secondary star's radial velocity gives a binary mass ratio of 0.281±0.034. Furthermore, assuming a binary inclination angle of 75° gives a compact object mass of 1.37±0.13 M_?. Conclusions: We find that using relatively low-resolution spectroscopy can result in systemic uncertainties in the measured v sin i values obtained using standard methods. We suggest the use of LSD as a secondary, reliable check of the results as LSD allows one to directly discern the shape of the absorption line profile. In the light of the new v sin i measurement, we have revised down the compact object's mass, such that it is now compatible with a canonical neutron star mass.

Nebular emission-line profiles of Type Ib/c supernovae - Probing the ejecta asphericity

In order to assess qualitatively the ejecta geometry of stripped-envelope core-collapse supernovae (SNe), we investigate 98 late-time spectra of 39 objects, many of them previously unpublished. We perform a Gauss-fitting of the [O ] ??6300, 6364 feature in all spectra, with the position, full width at half maximum and intensity of the ?6300 Gaussian as free parameters, and the ?6364 Gaussian added appropriately to account for the doublet nature of the [O ] feature. On the basis of the best-fitting parameters, the objects are organized into morphological classes, and we conclude that at least half of all Type Ib/c SNe must be aspherical. Bipolar jet models do not seem to be universally applicable, as we find too few symmetric double-peaked [O ] profiles. In some objects, the [O ] line exhibits a variety of shifted secondary peaks or shoulders, interpreted as blobs of matter ejected at high velocity and possibly accompanied by neutron-star kicks to assure momentum conservation. At phases earlier than ~200 d, a systematic blueshift of the [O ] ??6300, 6364 line centroids can be discerned. Residual opacity provides the most convincing explanation of this phenomenon, photons emitted on the rear side of the SN being scattered or absorbed on their way through the ejecta. Once modified to account for the doublet nature of the oxygen feature, the profile of Mg i] ?4571 at sufficiently late phases generally resembles that of [O ] ??6300, 6364, suggesting negligible contamination from other lines and confirming that O and Mg are similarly distributed within the ejecta. © 2009 RAS.

Observational Constraints on the Progenitors of Core-Collapse Supernovae: The Case for Missing High-Mass Stars

Over the last 15 years, the supernova community has endeavoured to directly identify progenitor stars for core-collapse supernovae discovered in nearby galaxies. These precursors are often visible as resolved stars in high-resolution images from space-and ground-based telescopes. The discovery rate of progenitor stars is limited by the local supernova rate and the availability and depth of archive images of galaxies, with 18 detections of precursor objects and 27 upper limits. This review compiles these results (from 1999 to 2013) in a distance-limited sample and discusses the implications of the findings. The vast majority of the detections of progenitor stars are of type II-P, II-L, or IIb with one type Ib progenitor system detected and many more upper limits for progenitors of Ibc supernovae (14 in all). The data for these 45 supernovae progenitors illustrate a remarkable deficit of high-luminosity stars above an apparent limit of log L/L-circle dot similar or equal to 5.1 dex. For a typical Salpeter initial mass function, one would expect to have found 13 high-luminosity and high-mass progenitors by now. There is, possibly, only one object in this time-and volume-limited sample that is unambiguously high-mass (the progenitor of SN2009ip) although the nature of that supernovae is still debated. The possible biases due to the influence of circumstellar dust, the luminosity analysis, and sample selection methods are reviewed. It does not appear likely that these can explain the missing high-mass progenitor stars. This review concludes that the community's work to date shows that the observed populations of supernovae in the local Universe are not, on the whole, produced by high-mass (M greater than or similar to 18 M-circle dot) stars. Theoretical explosions of model stars also predict that black hole formation and failed supernovae tend to occur above an initial mass of M similar or equal to 18 M-circle dot. The models also suggest there is no simple single mass division for neutron star or black-hole formation and that there are islands of explodability for stars in the 8-120 M-circle dot range. The observational constraints are quite consistent with the bulk of stars above M similar or equal to 18 M-circle dot collapsing to form black holes with no visible supernovae.

A twist in the tale of γ-ray bursts

An unusually long burst of γ-rays zapped Earth in December 2011, lasting 4 hours. The cause of this burst is now proposed to be a peculiar supernova produced by a spinning magnetic neutron star. See Letter p.189

Modos r de oscilação em estrelas de neutrões

Tese dout., Física - Astrofísica, Universidade do Algarve, 2007

Multiwavelength Observations of EXO 0748-676. II. Emission-Line Behavior

We present optical and ultraviolet spectra, light curves, and Doppler tomograms of the low-mass X-ray binary EXO 0748-676. Using an extensive set of 15 emission-line tomograms, we show that, along with the usual emission from the stream and ``hot spot,'' there is extended nonaxisymmetric emission from the disk rim. Some of the emission and Hα and Hβ absorption features lend weight to the hypothesis that part of the stream overflows the disk rim and forms a two phase medium. The data are consistent with a 1.35 Msolar neutron star with a main-sequence companion and hence a mass ratio q~0.34.

Are the magnetic fields of millisecond pulsars similar to 10(8) G?

It is generally assumed that the magnetic fields of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) are similar to 10(8) G. We argue that this may not be true and the fields may be appreciably greater. We present six evidences for this: (1) The similar to 10(8)G field estimate is based on magnetic dipole emission losses which is shown to be questionable; (2) The MSPs in low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) are claimed to have < 10(11) G on the basis of a Rayleygh-Taylor instability accretion argument. We show that the accretion argument is questionable and the upper limit 10(11) G may be much higher; (3) Low magnetic field neutron stars have difficulty being produced in LMXBs; (4) MSPs may still be accreting indicating a much higher magnetic field; (5) The data that predict similar to 10(8) G for MSPs also predict ages on the order of, and greater than, ten billion years, which is much greater than normal pulsars. If the predicted ages are wrong, most likely the predicted similar to 10(8) G fields of MSPs are wrong; (6) When magnetic fields are measured directly with cyclotron lines in X-ray binaries, fields a parts per thousand << 10(8) G are indicated. Other scenarios should be investigated. One such scenario is the following. Over 85% of MSPs are confirmed members of a binary. It is possible that all MSPs are in large separation binaries having magnetic fields > 10(8) G with their magnetic dipole emission being balanced by low level accretion from their companions.

Origin of 10(15)-10(16) G magnetic fields in the central engine of gamma ray bursts

Various authors have suggested that the gamma-ray burst (GRB) central engine is a rapidly rotating, strongly magnetized, (similar to 10(15)-10(16) G) compact object. The strong magnetic field can accelerate and collimate the relativistic flow and the rotation of the compact object can be the energy source of the GRB. The major problem in this scenario is the difficulty of finding an astrophysical mechanism for obtaining such intense fields. Whereas, in principle, a neutron star could maintain such strong fields, it is difficult to justify a scenario for their creation. If the compact object is a black hole, the problem is more difficult since, according to general relativity it has ""no hair"" (i.e., no magnetic field). Schuster, Blackett, Pauli, and others have suggested that a rotating neutral body can create a magnetic field by non-minimal gravitational-electromagnetic coupling (NMGEC). The Schuster-Blackett form of NMGEC was obtained from the Mikhail and Wanas`s tetrad theory of gravitation (MW). We call the general theory NMGEC-MW. We investigate here the possible origin of the intense magnetic fields similar to 10(15)-10(16) G in GRBs by NMGEC-MW. Whereas these fields are difficult to explain astrophysically, we find that they are easily explained by NMGEC-MW. It not only explains the origin of the similar to 10(15)-10(16) G fields when the compact object is a neutron star, but also when it is a black hole.

Astrophysical S factors for fusion reactions involving C, O, Ne, and Mg isotopes

Using the Sao Paulo potential and the barrier penetration formalism we have calculated the astrophysical factor S(E) for 946 fusion reactions involving stable and neutron-rich isotopes of C, O, Ne, and Mg for center-of-mass energies E varying from 2 to approximate to 18-30 MeV (covering the range below and above the Coulomb barrier). We have parameterized the energy dependence, S(E), by an accurate universal 9-parameter analytic expression and present tables of fit parameters for all the reactions. We also discuss the reduced 3-parameter version of our fit which is highly accurate at energies below the Coulomb barrier, and outline the procedure for calculating the reaction rates. The results can be easily converted to thermonuclear or pycnonuclear reaction rates to simulate various nuclear burning phenomena, in particular, stellar burning at high temperatures and nucleosynthesis in high density environments. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Awaking the Vacuum in Relativistic Stars

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Measuring the Spin of Black Holes in Binary Systems Using Gravitational Waves

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)