arXiv subjects

Jinming Bai

Publications and source records attributed to Jinming Bai.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

Optical quasi-periodic oscillation of the BL Lacertae object S5 0716+714 during the faint state

In order to search for the evidence of quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) in blazar, multicolor optical observations of the BL Lacertae object S5 0716+714 were performed from 2005 to 2012. For $I$ band on March 19 2010 with low variability amplitude and low flux level, the same quasi-periodic oscillation $\simeq50$ minutes with 99% significance levels is confirmed by ZDCF method, Lomb-Scargle method, REDFIT and fitting sinusoidal curves. The observed QPO is likely to be explained by accretion disk variability. If the observed QPO indicates an innermost stable orbital period from the accretion disk, the QPO $\simeq50$ min corresponds to a black hole mass of $5.03\times10^6 M_\odot$ for a non-rotating Schwarzschild black hole and $3.2\times10^7 M_\odot$ for a maximally rotating Kerr black hole.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2017

Multi-color optical monitoring of the BL Lacertae object S5 0716+714 during the 2012 outburst

We have monitored the BL Lacertae object S5 0716+714 in the optical bands during 2012 January and February with long time spans on intraday timescales ($>$5 hr) and high time resolutions. During this monitoring period, the object shows violent flaring activity both in short and intraday timescales. The object has high value of duty cycle. The light curves detected as intraday variability (IDV) show variability of various shapes. The variability amplitude is from 12.81 per cent to 33.22 per cent, and the average value $19.92\pm5.87$ per cent. The overall magnitude variabilities are $\bigtriangleup B=1^{\rm m}.24$, $\bigtriangleup V=1^{\rm m}.42$, $\bigtriangleup R=1^{\rm m}.3$, $\bigtriangleup I=1^{\rm m}.23$ respectively. During the observations, the average change rate is $ =0.035\pm0.009$ Mag/h during the ascent and $ =0.035\pm0.014$ Mag/h during the descent. However, different cases are found on certain nights. There are good inter-bands correlations but not significant time lags for intraday and short timescales. The results of the autocorrelation function show that the variability timescales range from 0.054 day to 0.134 day. Most of nights show bluer when brighter (BWB) chromatic trend; a weak redder with brighter (RWB) trend is found; a few nights show no correlations between magnitude and color index. The BWB trend appears in the short timescales. During the flare the spectral index exhibits a clockwise loop for inter-nights. A shock-in-jet model and the shock wave propagating along a helical path are likely to explain the variability and color index variability.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2017

Search for Exoplanets around Northern Circumpolar Stars- II. The Detection of Radial Velocity Variations in M Giant Stars HD 36384, HD 52030, and HD 208742

We present the detection of long-period RV variations in HD 36384, HD 52030, and HD 208742 by using the high-resolution, fiber-fed Bohyunsan Observatory Echelle Spectrograph (BOES) for the precise radial velocity (RV) survey of about 200 northern circumpolar stars. Analyses of RV data, chromospheric activity indicators, and bisector variations spanning about five years suggest that the RV variations are compatible with planet or brown dwarf companions in Keplerian motion. However, HD 36384 shows photometric variations with a period very close to that of RV variations as well as amplitude variations in the weighted wavelet Z-transform (WWZ) analysis, which argues that the RV variations in HD~36384 are from the stellar pulsations. Assuming that the companion hypothesis is correct, HD~52030 hosts a companion with minimum mass 13.3 M_Jup$ orbiting in 484 days at a distance of 1.2 AU. HD~208742 hosts a companion of 14.0 M_Jup at 1.5 AU with a period of 602 days. All stars are located at the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stage on the H-R diagram after undergone the helium flash and left the giant clump.With stellar radii of 53.0 R_Sun and 57.2 R_Sun for HD 52030 and HD 208742, respectively, these stars may be the largest yet, in terms of stellar radius, found to host sub-stellar companions. However, given possible RV amplitude variations and the fact that these are highly evolved stars the planet hypothesis is not yet certain.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2017

Multi-color optical monitoring of the quasar 3C 273 from 2005 to 2016

We have monitored the quasar 3C 273 in optical $V$, $R$ and $I$ bands from 2005 to 2016. Intraday variability (IDV) is detected on seven nights. The variability amplitudes for most of nights are less than 10\% and four nights more than 20\%. When considering the nights with time spans $>4$ hours, the value of duty cycle (DC) is 14.17 per cent. Over the twelve years, the overall magnitude and color index variabilities are $\bigtriangleup I=0^{\rm m}.67$, $\bigtriangleup R=0^{\rm m}.72$, $\bigtriangleup V=0^{\rm m}.68$, and $\bigtriangleup (V-R)=0^{\rm m}.25$ respectively. The largest clear IDV has an amplitude of 42% over just 5.8 minutes and the weakest detected IDV is 5.4% over 175 minutes. The BWB (bluer when brighter) chromatic trend is dominant for 3C 273 and appears at different flux levels on intraday timescales. The BWB trend exists for short-term timescales and intermediate-term timescales but different timescales have different correlations. There is no BWB trend for our whole time-series data sets. A significant anti-correlation between BWB trend and length of timescales is found. Combining with $V$-band data from previous works, we find a possible quasi-periodicity of $P=3918\pm1112$ days. The possible explanations for the observed variability, BWB chromatic trend and periodicity are discussed.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

Optical Observations of the Type Ia Supernova 2011fe in M101 for Nearly 500 Days

We present well-sampled optical observations of the bright Type Ia supernova (SN~Ia) SN 2011fe in M101. Our data, starting from $\sim16$ days before maximum light and extending to $\sim463$ days after maximum, provide an unprecedented time series of spectra and photometry for a normal SN~Ia. Fitting the early-time rising light curve, we find that the luminosity evolution of SN 2011fe follows a $t^n$ law, with the index $n$ being close to 2.0 in the $VRI$ bands but slightly larger in the $U$ and $B$ bands. Combining the published ultraviolet (UV) and near-infrared (NIR) photometry, we derive the contribution of UV/NIR emission relative to the optical. SN 2011fe is found to have stronger UV emission and reaches its UV peak a few days earlier than other SNe~Ia with similar $Δm_{15}(B)$, suggestive of less trapping of high-energy photons in the ejecta. Moreover, the $U$-band light curve shows a notably faster decline at late phases ($t\approx 100$--300 days), which also suggests that the ejecta may be relatively transparent to UV photons. These results favor the notion that SN 2011fe might have a progenitor system with relatively lower metallicity. On the other hand, the early-phase spectra exhibit prominent high-velocity features (HVFs) of O~I $λ$7773 and the Ca~II~NIR triplet, but only barely detectable in Si~II~6355. This difference can be caused either by an ionization/temperature effect or an abundance enhancement scenario for the formation of HVFs; it suggests that the photospheric temperature of SN 2011fe is intrinsically low, perhaps owing to incomplete burning during the explosion of the white dwarf.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

A Luminous Peculiar Type Ia Supernova SN 2011hr: More Like SN 1991T or SN 2007if?

Photometric and spectroscopic observations of a slowly declining, luminous Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) SN 2011hr in the starburst galaxy NGC 2691 are presented. SN 2011hr is found to peak at $M_{B}=-19.84 \pm 0.40\,\rm{mag}$, with a post-maximum decline rate $Δ$m$_{15}$(B) = 0.92 $\pm$ 0.03\,$\rm{mag}$. From the maximum-light bolometric luminosity, $L=(2.30 \pm 0.90) \times 10^{43}\,\rm{erg\,s^{-1}}$, we estimate the mass of synthesized \Nifs\ in SN 2011hr to be $M(\rm{^{56}Ni})=1.11 \pm 0.43\,M_{\sun}$. SN 2011hr appears more luminous than SN 1991T at around maximum light, and the absorption features from its intermediate-mass elements (IMEs) are noticeably weaker than the latter at similar phases. Spectral modeling suggests that SN 2011hr has the IMEs of $\sim$\,0.07 M$_{\sun}$ in the outer ejecta, which is much lower than the typical value of normal SNe Ia (i.e., 0.3 -- 0.4 M$_{\sun}$) and is also lower than the value of SN 1991T (i.e., $\sim$\,0.18 M$_{\sun}$). These results indicate that SN 2011hr may arise from a Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf progenitor that experienced a more efficient burning process in the explosion. Nevertheless, it is still possible that SN 2011hr may serve as a transitional object connecting the SN 1991T-like SNe Ia with the superluminous subclass like SN 2007if given that the latter also shows very weak IMEs at all phases.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2015

Multi-color optical monitoring of Mrk 501 from 2010 to 2015

We have monitored the BL Lac object Mrk 501 in optical $V$, $R$ and $I$ bands from 2010 to 2015. For Mrk 501, the presence of strong host galaxy component can affect the results of photometry. After subtracting the host galaxy contributions, the source shows intraday and long-term variabilities for optical flux and color indices. The average variability amplitudes of $V$, $R$ and $I$ bands are $22.05\%, 22.25\%, 23.82\%$ respectively, and the value of duty cycle 14.87 per cent. A minimal variability timescale of 106 minutes is detected. No significant time lag between $V$ and $I$ bands is found on one night. The bluer-when-brighter (BWB) trend is dominant for Mrk 501 on intermediate, short and intraday timescales which supports the shock-in-jet model. For the long timescale, Mrk 501 in different state can have different BWB trend. The corresponding results of non-correcting host galaxy contributions are also presented.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2015

From the "blazar sequence" to unification of blazars and radio galaxies

Based on a large Fermi blazar sample, the blazar sequence (synchrotron peak frequency $ν_{\rm peak}$ versus synchrotron peak luminosity $L_{\rm peak}$) is revisited. It is found that there is significant anti-correlation between $ν_{\rm peak}$ and $L_{\rm peak}$ for blazars. However, after being Doppler corrected, the anti-correlation disappears. The jet cavity power ($P_{\rm jet}$) is estimated from extended radio luminosity. So it is free of beaming effect. We find that there are significant anti-correlations between $P_{\rm jet}$ and beam-corrected $ν_{\rm peak}^{'}$ for both blazars and radio galaxies, which supports the blazar sequence and unification of blazars and radio galaxies (an alternative relationship is the correlation between jet power and $γ$-ray photon index).

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2015

Basic properties of Fermi blazars and the "blazar sequence"

By statistically analyzing a large sample which includes blazars of Fermi detection (FBs) and non-Fermi detection (NFBs), we find that there are significant differences between FBs and NFBs for redshift, black hole mass, jet kinetic power from "cavity" power, broad-line luminosity, and ratio of core luminosity to absolute V-band magnitude ($R_{\rm v}$), but not for ratio of radio core to extended flux ($R_{\rm c}$) and Eddington ratio. Compared with NFBs, FBs have larger mean jet power, $R_{\rm c}$ and $R_{\rm v}$ while smaller mean redshift, black hole mass, broad-line luminosity. These results support that the beaming effect is main reason for differences between FBs and NFBs, and that FBs are likely to have a more powerful jet. For both Fermi and non-Fermi blazars, there are significant correlations between jet power and the accretion rate (traced by the broad-emission-lines luminosity), between jet power and black hole mass; for Fermi blazars, the black hole mass does not have significant influence on jet power while for non-Fermi blazars, both accretion rate and black hole mass have contributions to the jet power. Our results support the "blazar sequence" and show that synchrotron peak frequency ($ν_{\rm peak}$) is associated with accretion rate but not with black hole mass.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2014

Optical and Ultraviolet Observations of A Low-Velocity Type II-Plateau Supernova 2013am in M65

Optical and ultraviolet observations for the nearby type II-plateau supernova (SN IIP) 2013am in the nearby spiral galaxy M65 are presented in this paper. The early spectra are characterized by relatively narrow P-Cygni features, with ejecta velocities much lower than observed in normal SNe IIP (i.e., $\sim$2000 km s$^{-1}$ vs. $\sim$5000 km $^{-1}$ in the middle of the plateau phase). Moreover, prominent Ca II absorptions are also detected in SN 2013am at relatively early phases. These spectral features are reminiscent of those seen in the low-velocity and low-luminosity SN IIP 2005cs. However, SN 2013am exhibits different photometric properties, having shorter plateau phases and brighter light-curve tails if compared to SN 2005cs. Adopting $R_{V}$=3.1 and a mean value of total reddening derived from the photometric and spectroscopic methods(i.e., $E(B-V)=0.55\pm$0.19 mag), we find that SN 2013am may have reached an absolute $V$-band peak magnitude of $-15.83\pm0.71$ mag, and produced a $^{56}$Ni mass of $0.016^{+0.010}_{-0.006} solar masses in the explosion. These parameters are close to those derived for SN 2008in and SN 2009N which have been regarded as "gap-filler" objects linking the faint SNe IIP to the normal ones. This indicates that some low-velocity SNe IIP may not necessarily result from the low-energetic explosions, and the low expansion velocities could be due to a lower metallicity of the progenitor stars, a larger envelope mass ejected in the explosion, or that is was observed at an angle that is away from the polar direction.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2013

The Ginger-shaped Asteroid 4179 Toutatis: New Observations from a Successful Flyby of Chang'e-2

On 13 December 2012, Chang'e-2 conducted a successful flyby of the near-Earth asteroid 4179 Toutatis at a closest distance of 770 $\pm$ 120 meters from the asteroid's surface. The highest-resolution image, with a resolution of better than 3 meters, reveals new discoveries on the asteroid, e.g., a giant basin at the big end, a sharply perpendicular silhouette near the neck region, and direct evidence of boulders and regolith, which suggests that Toutatis may bear a rubble-pile structure. Toutatis' maximum physical length and width are (4.75 $\times$ 1.95 km) $\pm$10$\%$, respectively, and the direction of the +$z$ axis is estimated to be (250$\pm$5$^\circ$, 63$\pm$5$^\circ$) with respect to the J2000 ecliptic coordinate system. The bifurcated configuration is indicative of a contact binary origin for Toutatis, which is composed of two lobes (head and body). Chang'e-2 observations have significantly improved our understanding of the characteristics, formation, and evolution of asteroids in general.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2013

Anomalously Steep Reddening Law in Quasars: An Exceptional Example Observed in IRAS14026+4341

A fraction of the heavily reddened quasars require a reddening curve which is even steeper than that of the Small Magellanic Cloud. In this paper, we thoroughly characterize the anomalously steep reddening law in quasars, via an exceptional example observed in IRAS 14026+4341. By comparing the observed spectrum to the quasar composite spectrum, we derive a reddening curve in the rest-frame wavelength range of 1200 Å--10000 Å. It is featured with a steep rise at wavelengths shorter than 3000 Å, but no significant reddening at longer wavelengths. The absence of dust reddening in optical continuum is confirmed by the normal broad-line Balmer decrement (the H$α$/H$β$ ratio) in IRAS 14026+4341. The anomalous reddening curve can be satisfactorily reproduced by a dust model containing silicate grains in a power-law size distribution, $dn(a)/da \propto a^{-1.4}$, truncated at a maximum size $a_{max}=70 {\rm nm}$. The unusual size distribution may be caused by the destruction of large "stardust" grains by quasar activities or a different dust formation mechanism (i.e., the in situ formation of dust grains in quasar outflows). It is also possible that the analogies of the dust grains observed toward the Galactic center is responsible for the steep reddening curve. In addition, we find that IRAS 14026+4341 is a weak emission-line quasar (i.e., PHL 1811 analogies) with heavy dust reddening and blueshifted broad absorption lines.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

The central engines of two unusual radio-intermediate/quiet active galactic nuclei: III Zw 2 and PG 1407+265

We use the accretion disk/corona+jet model to fit the multi-band spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of two unusual radio-intermediate/quiet quasars. It is found that the optical/UV emission of III Zw 2 is probably dominated by the emission from the accretion disk. The X-ray emission should be dominated by the radiation from the jet, while the contribution of the disk corona is negligible. The optical/UV component in the SED of PG 1407+265 can be well modeled as the emission from the accretion disk, while the IR component is attributed to the thermal radiation from the dust torus with an opening angle ~ 50\circ. If the X-ray continuum emission is dominated by the synchrotron emission of the jet, the source should be a "high peak frequency blazar", which obviously deviates the normal blazar sequence. The observed SED can also be fitted quite well by the accretion disk/corona model with the viscosity parameter ? = 0:5. The spectrum of the accretion disk/corona in PG 1407+265 satisfies the weak line quasar criterion suggested in Laor & Davis.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2010

The bulk Lorentz factors of Fermi-LAT GRBs

The Lorentz factor (LF) of gamma-ray burst (GRB) ejecta may be constrained by observations of high-energy (HE) spectral attenuation. The recent Fermi-LAT observations of prompt GeV emission from several bright GRBs have leaded to conclusions of unexpectedly large LFs, $Γ>10^3$. Here we revisit this problem with two main concerns. (1) With one-zone assumption where all photons are assumed to be generated in the same region (radius) and time, we {\em self-consistently} calculate the $γγ$ optical depth by adopting a target photon spectrum with HE cutoff. We find that this might be important when the GRB LF is below a few hundreds. (2) Recent Fermi-LAT observations suggest that the bulk MeV-range and HE ($\ga100$ MeV) emission may arise from different regions. We then consider a two-zone case where HE emission is generated in much larger radii than that of the MeV-range emission. We find that the HE emission may be mainly attenuated by MeV-range emission and that the attenuated HE spectrum does not show an exponential spectral cutoff but a slight steepening. This suggests that there may be no abrupt cutoff due to $γγ$ attenuation if relaxing the one-zone assumption. By studying the spectra of three bright Fermi-LAT GRBs 080916C, 090510 and 090902B, we show that a bulk LF of\textbf{ $Γ\sim600$ }can be consistent with observations in the two-zone case. Even lower LFs can be obtained in the multi-zone case.

astro-ph.HE↗