arXiv subjects

Guy Pooley

Publications and source records attributed to Guy Pooley.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2004

High sensitivity measurements of the CMB power spectrum with the extended Very Small Array

We present deep Ka-band ($ν\approx 33$ GHz) observations of the CMB made with the extended Very Small Array (VSA). This configuration produces a naturally weighted synthesized FWHM beamwidth of $\sim 11$ arcmin which covers an $\ell$-range of 300 to 1500. On these scales, foreground extragalactic sources can be a major source of contamination to the CMB anisotropy. This problem has been alleviated by identifying sources at 15 GHz with the Ryle Telescope and then monitoring these sources at 33 GHz using a single baseline interferometer co-located with the VSA. Sources with flux densities $\gtsim 20$ mJy at 33 GHz are subtracted from the data. In addition, we calculate a statistical correction for the small residual contribution from weaker sources that are below the detection limit of the survey. The CMB power spectrum corrected for Galactic foregrounds and extragalactic point sources is presented. A total $\ell$-range of 150-1500 is achieved by combining the complete extended array data with earlier VSA data in a compact configuration. Our resolution of $Δ\ell \approx 60$ allows the first 3 acoustic peaks to be clearly delineated. The is achieved by using mosaiced observations in 7 regions covering a total area of 82 sq. degrees. There is good agreement with WMAP data up to $\ell=700$ where WMAP data run out of resolution. For higher $\ell$-values out to $\ell = 1500$, the agreement in power spectrum amplitudes with other experiments is also very good despite differences in frequency and observing technique.

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arXiv2003

A universal radio/X-ray correlation in low/hard state black hole binaries

We present a comprehensive study of (quasi-)simultaneous radio:X-ray observations of stellar black hole binaries during the spectrally hard X-ray state, finding evidence for a strong correlation between these two bands over more than three orders of magnitude in X-ray luminosity. The correlation extends from the quiescent regime up to close to the soft state transition, where radio emission starts to decline, sometimes below detectable levels, probably corresponding to the physical disappearance of the jet. The X-ray transient V 404 Cygni is found to display the same functional relationship already reported for GX 339-4 between radio and X-ray flux, namely S_radio \propto S_X **(+0.7). In fact the data for all low/hard state black holes is consistent with a universal relation between the radio and X-ray luminosity of the form L_radio \propto L_X **(+0.7), implying that - as L_X decreases - the jet becomes more radiatively efficient with respect to the X-rays. Under the hypothesis of common physics driving the disc-jet coupling in different sources, the observed spread to the best-fit relation can be interpreted in terms of a distribution in Doppler factors. Monte Carlo simulations show that, assuming little or no X-ray beaming, the measured scatter in radio power is consistent with Lorentz factors < 2 for the outflows in the low/hard state, significantly less relativistic than the jets associated with X-ray transients. When combined radio and X-ray beaming is considered, the range of possible jet bulk velocities significantly broadens, allowing highly relativistic outflows, but implying therefore severe X-ray selection effects.

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arXiv2003

First results from the Very Small Array -- III. The CMB power spectrum

We present the power spectrum of the fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background detected by the Very Small Array (VSA) in its first season of observations in its compact configuration. We find clear detections of first and second acoustic peaks at l~200 and l~550, plus detection of power on scales up to l=800. The VSA power spectrum is in very good agreement with the results of the Boomerang, Dasi and Maxima telescopes despite the differing potential systematic errors.

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arXiv2001

Determining the Hubble Constant from Ryle Telescope observations

We describe our algorithm for measuring the Hubble constant from Ryle Telescope (RT) interferometric observations of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect from a galaxy cluster and observation of the cluster X-ray emission. We analyse the error budget in this method: as well as radio and X-ray random errors, we consider the effects of clumping and temperature differences in the cluster gas, of the kinetic SZ effect, of bremsstrahlung emission at radio wavelengths, of the gravitational lensing of background radio sources and of primary calibration error. Using RT, ASCA and ROSAT observations of the cluster Abell 1413, we find that random errors dominate over systematic ones, and estimate H_0 = 57^{+23}_{-16} km/s/Mpc (1-sigma errors).

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arXiv1999

Discovery of circularly polarised radio emission from SS 433

We report the discovery of circularly polarised radio emission from the radio-jet X-ray binary SS 433 with the Australia Telescope Compact Array. The flux density spectrum of the circular polarization, clearly detected at four frequencies between 1 - 9 GHz, has a spectral index of (-0.9 +/- 0.1). Multiple components in the source and a lack of very high spatial resolution do not allow a unique determination of the origin of the circular polarization, nor of the spectrum of fractional polarization. However, we argue that the emission is likely to arise in the inner regions of the binary, possibly via propagation-induced conversion of linear to circular polarization, and the fractional circular polarization of these regions may be as high as 10%. Observations such as these have the potential to investigate the composition, whether pairs or baryonic, of the ejecta from X-ray binaries.

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arXiv1999

Detection of Cosmic Microwave Background Structure in a Second Field with the Cosmic Anisotropy Telescope

We describe observations at frequencies near 15 GHz of the second 2x2 degree field imaged with the Cambridge Cosmic Anisotropy Telescope (CAT). After the removal of discrete radio sources, structure is detected in the images on characteristic scales of about half a degree, corresponding to spherical harmonic multipoles in the approximate range l= 330--680. A Bayesian analysis confirms that the signal arises predominantly from the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation for multipoles in the lower half of this range; the average broad-band power in a bin with centroid l=422 (theta = 51') is estimated to be Delta_T/T=2.1^{+0.4}_{-0.5} x 10^{-5}. For multipoles centred on l=615 (theta =35'), we find contamination from Galactic emission is significant, and constrain the CMB contribution to the measured power in this bin to be Delta_T/T <2.0 x 10^{-5} (1-sigma upper limit). These new results are consistent with the first detection made by CAT in a completely different area of sky. Together with data from other experiments, this new CAT detection adds weight to earlier evidence from CAT for a downturn in the CMB power spectrum on scales smaller than 1 degree. Improved limits on the values of H_0 and Omega are determined using the new CAT data.

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arXiv1996

Detection of a CMB decrement towards the z = 3.8 quasar pair PC1643+4631A&B

In a 15-GHz Ryle-Telescope observation of PC1643+4631 A & B, a pair of quasars at redshifts z = 3.79 and 3.83 separated by 198 arcsec on the sky, we find a decrement in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) of -380 +/- 64 uJy in a 110 arcsec x 175 arcsec beam. Assuming this to be a Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect due to an intervening cluster, the minimum magnitude of the central temperature decrement is 560 uK. A serendipitous ROSAT observation shows that there is no X-ray-luminous cluster in the direction of the decrement at z < 1. The implied gas mass is >~ 2 x 10^{14} solar masses (assuming a temperature of ~ 5 keV), indicating a total mass of > 10^{15} solar masses. This result demonstrates the existence of a massive system too distant to be detected by its emission, but which can be found via its imprint on the CMB.

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arXiv1996

Optical and infrared investigation towards the z=3.8 quasar pair PC1643+4631A&B

In a companion paper (Paper I: Jones et al. 1996) we report the discovery of a cosmic microwave background decrement, indicative of a distant cluster with mass ~10^{15} solar masses, towards the quasar pair PC1643+4631A&B (z=3.79,3.83, separation 198''). To search for the cluster responsible, we have obtained R-, J- and K-band images of the field and have also carried out optical spectroscopy of selected objects in it. No such cluster is evident in these images. Assuming the cluster causing the decrement is similar to massive clusters already known, our magnitude limits imply that it must lie about or beyond z=1. This provides independent support for the X-ray-based distance argument of Paper I. The cluster must gravitationally lens objects behind it; for a cluster z around 1-2, the Einstein-ring radius for sources at z ~= 3.8 is ~ 100''. Simple modelling, producing simultaneously the S-Z effect and the lensing, shows that the source positions of quasars A and B lie within ~10'' of each other and may indeed be coincident. The two quasar spectra are found to be remarkably similar apart from their one-percent redshift difference. Assuming A and B are images of a single quasar, we present a possible explanation of this difference.

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