arXiv subjects

D. Lynch

Publications and source records attributed to D. Lynch.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2016

Panchromatic Imaging of a Transitional Disk: The Disk of GM Aur in Optical and FUV Scattered Light

We have imaged GM Aur with HST, detected its disk in scattered light at 1400A and 1650A, and compared these with observations at 3300A, 5550A, 1.1 microns, and 1.6 microns. The scattered light increases at shorter wavelengths. The radial surface brightness profile at 3300A shows no evidence of the 24AU radius cavity that has been previously observed in sub-mm observations. Comparison with dust grain opacity models indicates the surface of the entire disk is populated with sub-micron grains. We have compiled an SED from 0.1 microns to 1 mm, and used it to constrain a model of the star+disk system that includes the sub-mm cavity using the Monte Carlo Radiative Transfer code by Barbara Whitney. The best-fit model image indicates that the cavity should be detectable in the F330W bandpass if the cavity has been cleared of both large and small dust grains, but we do not detect it. The lack of an observed cavity can be explained by the presence of sub-microns grains interior to the sub-mm cavity wall. We suggest one explanation for this which could be due to a planet of mass <9 Jupiter masses interior to 24 AU. A unique cylindrical structure is detected in the FUV data from the Advanced Camera for Surveys/Solar Blind Channel. It is aligned along the system semi-minor axis, but does not resemble an accretion-driven jet. The structure is limb-brightened and extends 190 +/- 35 AU above the disk midplane. The inner radius of the limb-brightening is 40 +/- 10 AU, just beyond the sub-millimeter cavity wall.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2014

The PHENIX Forward Silicon Vertex Detector

A new silicon detector has been developed to provide the PHENIX experiment with precise charged particle tracking at forward and backward rapidity. The Forward Silicon Vertex Tracker (FVTX) was installed in PHENIX prior to the 2012 run period of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The FVTX is composed of two annular endcaps, each with four stations of silicon mini-strip sensors, covering a rapidity range of $1.2<|η|<2.2$ that closely matches the two existing PHENIX muon arms. Each station consists of 48 individual silicon sensors, each of which contains two columns of mini-strips with 75 $μ$m pitch in the radial direction and lengths in the $ϕ$ direction varying from 3.4 mm at the inner radius to 11.5 mm at the outer radius. The FVTX has approximately 0.54 million strips in each endcap. These are read out with FPHX chips, developed in collaboration with Fermilab, which are wire bonded directly to the mini-strips. The maximum strip occupancy reached in central Au-Au collisions is approximately 2.8%. The precision tracking provided by this device makes the identification of muons from secondary vertices away from the primary event vertex possible. The expected distance of closest approach (DCA) resolution of 200 $μ$m or better for particles with a transverse momentum of 5 GeV/$c$ will allow identification of muons from relatively long-lived particles, such as $D$ and $B$ mesons, through their broader DCA distributions.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2011

A Reaction Plane Detector for PHENIX at RHIC

A plastic scintillator paddle detector with embedded fiber light guides and photomultiplier tube readout, referred to as the Reaction Plane Detector (RXNP), was designed and installed in the PHENIX experiment prior to the 2007 run of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The RXNP's design is optimized to accurately measure the reaction plane (RP) angle of heavy-ion collisions, where, for mid-central $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV Au+Au collisions, it achieved a $2^{nd}$ harmonic RP resolution of $\sim$0.75, which is a factor of $\sim$2 greater than PHENIX's previous capabilities. This improvement was accomplished by locating the RXNP in the central region of the PHENIX experiment, where, due to its large coverage in pseudorapidity ($1.0<|η|<2.8$) and $ϕ$ (2$π$), it is exposed to the high particle multiplicities needed for an accurate RP measurement. To enhance the observed signal, a 2-cm Pb converter is located between the nominal collision region and the scintillator paddles, allowing neutral particles produced in the heavy-ion collisions to contribute to the signal through conversion electrons. This paper discusses the design, operation and performance of the RXNP during the 2007 RHIC run.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2008

Metallicity and effective temperature of the secondary of RS Oph

The recurrent nova RS Oph undergoes nova eruptions every ~ 10-20years as a result of thermonuclear runaway on the surface of a white dwarf close to the Chandrasekhar limit. Both the progress of the eruption, and its aftermath, depend on the (poorly known) composition of the red giant in the RS Oph system. Our aim is to understand better the effect of the giant secondary on the recurrent nova eruption. Synthetic spectra were computed for a grid of M-giant model atmospheres having a range of effective temperatures 3200 < Teff < 4400 K, gravities 0 < log g < 1 and abundances -4 <[Fe/H] < 0.5, and fit to infrared spectra of RS Oph as it returned to quiescence after its 2006 eruption. We have modelled the infrared spectrum in the range 1.4-2.5 micron to determine metallicity and effective temperature of the red giant. We find Teff = 4100 +/- 100 K, log g = 0.0 +/- 0.5, [Fe/H] = 0.0 +/- 0.5, [C/H] = -0.8 +/- 0.2, [N/H] = +0.6 +/- 0.3 in the atmosphere of the secondary, and demonstrate that that inclusion of some dust `veiling' in the spectra cannot improve our fits.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Radiation Damage Study for PHENIX Silicon Stripixel Sensors

Silicon stripixel sensors which were developed at BNL will be installed as part of the RHIC-PHENIX silicon vertex tracker (VTX). RHIC II operations provide luminosity up to 2x10^32 /cm2/s so the silicon stripixel sensors will be exposed to a significant amount of radiation. The most problematic radiation effect for VTX is the increase of leakage current, which degrades the signal to noise ratio and may saturate the readout electronics. We studied the radiation damage using the same diodes as CERN-RD48. First, the proportionality between the irradiation fluence and the increase of leakage current of CERN-RD48 was reproduced. Then beam experiments with stripixel sensor were done in which leakage current was found to increase in the same way as that of thereference diode. A stripixel sensor was also irradiated at the PHENIX interaction region (IR) during the 2006 run. We found the same relation between the integrated luminosity and determined fluence from increase of leakage current. The expected fluence is 3-6x10^12 Neq/cm2 (1 MeV neutron equivalent) in RHIC II operations for 10 years. Due to this expected exposure, setting the operating temperature in PHENIX to T< 0 deg. C to suppress leakage current is needed to avoid saturation of preamplifiers.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2006

Early spectral evolution of Nova Sgr 2004 (V5114 Sgr)

We present optical and near-infrared spectral evolution of the Galactic nova V5114 Sgr (2004) during few months after the outburst. We use multi-band photometry and line intensities derived from spectroscopy to put constrains on the distance and the physical conditions of the ejecta of V5114 Sgr. The nova showed a fast decline (t_2 \simeq 11 days) and spectral features of FeII spectroscopic class. It reached M_V = -8.7 \pm 0.2 mag at maximum light, from which we derive a distance of 7700 \pm 700 kpc and a distance from the galactic plane of about 800 pc. Hydrogen and Oxygen mass of the ejecta are measured from emission lines, leading to 10^{-6} and 10^{-7} M_\odot, respectively. We compute the filling factor of the ejecta to be in the range 0.1 -- 10^{-3} . We found the value of the filling factor to decrease with time. The same is also observed in other novae, then giving support to the idea that nova shells are not homogeneously filled in, rather being the material clumped in relatively higher density blobs less affected by the general expanding motion of the ejecta.

astro-ph↗