arXiv subjects

William Stein

Publications and source records attributed to William Stein.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2012

Discovery of Negative Superhumps during a Superoutburst of January 2011 in ER Ursae Majoris

We report on a discovery of "negative" superhumps during the 2011 January superoutburst of ER UMa. During the superoutburst which started on 2011 January 16, we detected negative superhumps having a period of 0.062242(9) d, shorter than the orbital period by 2.2%. No evidence of positive superhumps was detected during this observation. This finding indicates that the disk exhibited retrograde precession during this superoutburst, contrary to all other known cases of superoutbursts. The duration of this superoutburst was shorter than those of ordinary superoutbursts and the intervals of normal outbursts were longer than ordinary ones. We suggest a possibility that such unusual outburst properties are likely a result of the disk tilt, which is supposed to be a cause of negative superhumps: the tilted disk could prevent the disk from being filled with materials in the outmost region which is supposed to be responsible for long-duration superoutbursts in ER UMa-type dwarf novae. The discovery signifies the importance of the classical prograde precession in sustaining long-duration superoutbursts. Furthermore, the presence of pronounced negative superhumps in this system with a high mass-transfer rate favors the hypothesis that hydrodynamical lift is the cause of the disk tilt.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2012

A Database of Elliptic Curves over Q(sqrt(5)) - First Report

We describe a tabulation of (conjecturally) modular elliptic curves over the field Q(sqrt(5)) up to the first curve of rank 2. Using an efficient implementation of an algorithm of Lassina Dembele, we computed tables of Hilbert modular forms of weight (2,2) over Q(sqrt(5)), and via a variety of methods we constructed corresponding elliptic curves, including (again, conjecturally) all elliptic curves over Q(sqrt(5)) that have conductor with norm less than or equal to 1831.

math.NT↗

arXiv2012

Non-commutative Iwasawa theory for modular forms

The aim of the present paper is to give evidence, largely numerical, in support of the non-commutative main conjecture of Iwasawa theory for the motive of a primitive modular form of weight k>2 over the Galois extension of Q obtained by adjoining to Q all p-power roots of unity, and all p-power roots of a fixed integer m>1. The predictions of the main conjecture are rather intricate in this case because there is more than one critical point, and also there is no canonical choice of periods. Nevertheless, our numerical data agrees perfectly with all aspects of the main conjecture, including Kato's mysterious congruence between the cyclotomic Manin p-adic L-function, and the cyclotomic p-adic L-function of a twist of the motive by a certain non-abelian Artin character of the Galois group of this extension.

math.NT↗

arXiv2012

Survey of Period Variations of Superhumps in SU UMa-Type Dwarf Novae. III: The Third Year (2010--2011)

Continuing the project described by Kato et al. (2009, PASJ 61, S395, arXiv:0905.1757), we collected times of superhump maxima for 51 SU UMa-type dwarf novae mainly observed during the 2010-2011 season. Although most of the new data for systems with short superhump periods basically confirmed the findings by Kato et al. (2009) and Kato et al. (2010, PASJ 62, 1525, arXiv:1009.5444), the long-period system GX Cas showed an exceptionally large positive period derivative. An analysis of public Kepler data of V344 Lyr and V1504 Cyg yielded less striking stage transitions. In V344 Lyr, there was prominent secondary component growing during the late stage of superoutbursts, and the component persisted at least for two more cycles of successive normal outbursts. We also investigated the superoutbursts of two conspicuous eclipsing objects: HT Cas and the WZ Sge-type object SDSS J080434.20+510349.2. Strong beat phenomena were detected in both objects, and late-stage superhumps in the latter object had an almost constant luminosity during the repeated rebrightenings. The WZ Sge-type object SDSS J133941.11+484727.5 showed a phase reversal around the rapid fading from the superoutburst. The object showed a prominent beat phenomenon even after the end of the superoutburst. A pilot study of superhump amplitudes indicated that the amplitudes of superhumps are strongly correlated with orbital periods, and the dependence on the inclination is weak in systems with inclinations smaller than 80 deg.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2011

The 2011 February superoutburst of the dwarf nova SDSS J112003.40+663632.4

We report unfiltered photometry of SDSS J112003.40+663632.4 during the 2011 February outburst which revealed the presence of superhumps with peak-to-peak amplitude of up to 0.22 magnitudes showing this to be an SU UMa type dwarf nova. The outburst amplitude was 5.4 magnitudes above mean quiescence and it lasted at least 12 days. The mean superhump period during the plateau phase was Psh = 0.07057(19) d.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2011

The orbital and superhump periods of the SU UMa-type dwarf nova V1212 Tauri

We report CCD photometry of the superoutburst of the dwarf nova V1212 Tau obtained during 2011 January and February. The outburst amplitude was at least 6 magnitudes and it lasted at least 12 days. Three distinct superhump regimes were observed. Initially low amplitude superhumps (0.03 to 0.05 magnitude peak-to-peak) with Psh = 0.0782(52) d were present. The superhumps reached a maximum amplitude of 0.31 magnitudes at the beginning of the plateau phase, with Psh = 0.07031(96) d. Subsequently the star began to fade slowly. During the first part of the decline, the period increased with dPsh/dt = +1.62(9) x 10-3 and the amplitude of the superhumps also declined. Mid way through the slow decline, the superhumps partially regrew and this point coincided with a change to a new superhump regime during which the period decreased with dPsh/dt = -1.50(39) x 10-3. We determined the orbital period as Porb = 0.06818(64) d and the superhump period excess as epsilon = 0.034(15)

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2011

Eclipses During the 2010 Eruption of the Recurrent Nova U Scorpii

The eruption of the recurrent nova U Scorpii on 28 January 2010 is now the all-time best observed nova event. We report 36,776 magnitudes throughout its 67 day eruption, for an average of one measure every 2.6 minutes. This unique and unprecedented coverage is the first time that a nova has any substantial amount of fast photometry. With this, two new phenomena have been discovered: the fast flares in the early light curve seen from days 9-15 (which have no proposed explanation) and the optical dips seen out of eclipse from days 41-61 (likely caused by raised rims of the accretion disk occulting the bright inner regions of the disk as seen over specific orbital phases). The expanding shell and wind cleared enough from days 12-15 so that the inner binary system became visible, resulting in the sudden onset of eclipses and the turn-on of the supersoft X-ray source. On day 15, a strong asymmetry in the out-of-eclipse light points to the existence of the accretion stream. The normal optical flickering restarts on day 24.5. For days 15-26, eclipse mapping shows that the optical source is spherically symmetric with a radius of 4.1 R_sun. For days 26-41, the optical light is coming from a rim-bright disk of radius 3.4 R_sun. For days 41-67, the optical source is a center-bright disk of radius 2.2 R_sun. Throughout the eruption, the colors remain essentially constant. We present 12 eclipse times during eruption plus five just after the eruption.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

Outburst characteristics of the dwarf nova SDSS J073208.11+413008.7

We report unfiltered photometry during the first confirmed superoutburst of the recently discovered dwarf nova, SDSS J073208.11+413008.7 and conclude that it is a member of the SU UMa family. At its brightest, the star was magnitude 15.7. The outburst amplitude was nearly 5 magnitudes and it lasted about 14 days. We determined the mean superhump period from our first 3 nights of observations as Psh = 0.07979(19) d, however analysis of the O-C residuals showed a dramatic evolution in Psh during the outburst. During the first part of the plateau phase the period increased with dPsh/dt = +2.81(9) x 10-3. There was then an abrupt change following which the period decreased with dPsh/dt = -0.78(12)x 10-3.The amplitude of the superhumps also varied, with a maximum amplitude near the beginning of the outburst and a second maximum later in the plateau phase. Analysis of archival data suggests that the star undergoes frequent outbursts: we identified 10 normal outbursts and at least 3 likely superoutbursts over a 4.5 year interval. We estimate that the superoutburst period is around 215 days.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

The orbital and superhump periods of the deeply eclipsing dwarf nova SDSS J150240.98+333423.9

During July 2009 we observed the first confirmed superoutburst of the eclipsing dwarf nova SDSS J150240.98+333423.9 using CCD photometry. The outburst amplitude was at least 3.9 magnitudes and it lasted at least 16 days. Superhumps having up to 0.35 peak-to-peak amplitude were present during the outburst, thereby establishing it to be a member of the SU UMa family. The mean superhump period during the first 4 days of the outburst was Psh = 0.06028(19) d, although it increased during the outburst with dPsh/dt = + 2.8(1.0) x 10-4. The orbital period was measured as Porb = 0.05890946(5) d from times of eclipses measured during outburst and quiescence. Based on the mean superhump period, the superhump period excess was 0.023(3). The FWHM eclipse duration declined from a maximum of 10.5 min at the peak of the outburst to 3.5 min later in the outburst. The eclipse depth increased from ~0.9 mag to 2.1 mag over the same period. Eclipses in quiescence were 2.7 min in duration and 2.8 mag deep.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2008

On the generation of the coefficient field of a newform by a single Hecke eigenvalue

Let f be a non-CM newform of weight k > 1. Let L be a subfield of the coefficient field of f. We completely settle the question of the density of the set of primes p such that the p-th coefficient of f generates the field L. This density is determined by the inner twists of f. As a particular case, we obtain that in the absence of non-trivial inner twists, the density is 1 for L equal to the whole coefficient field. We also present some new data on reducibility of Hecke polynomials, which suggest questions for further investigation.

math.NT↗

arXiv2007

Explicit Heegner Points: Kolyvagin's Conjecture and Non-trivial Elements in the Shafarevich-Tate Group

Kolyvagin used Heegner points to associate a system of cohomology classes to an elliptic curve over $\Q$ and conjectured that the system contains a non-trivial class. His conjecture has profound implications on the structure of Selmer groups. We provide new computational and theoretical evidence for Kolyvagin's conjecture. More precisely, we explicitly compute Heegner points over ring class fields and use these points to verify the conjecture for specific elliptic curves of rank two. We explain how Kolyvagin's conjecture implies that if the analytic rank of an elliptic curve is at least two then the $\Z_p$-corank of the corresponding Selmer group is at least two as well. We also use explicitly computed Heegner points to produce non-trivial classes in the Shafarevich-Tate group.

math.NT↗

arXiv2004

Conjectures about discriminants of Hecke algebras at prime level

We study p-divisibility of discriminants of Hecke algebras associated to spaces of cusp forms of prime level. We make a precise conjecture about the indexes of Hecke algebras in their normalisation which implies (if true) the conjecture that there are no mod p congruences between non-conjugate newforms of weight 2 and level Gamma_0(p).

math.NT↗

arXiv2004

Modular Parametrizations of Neumann-Setzer Elliptic Curves

Suppose $p$ is a prime of the form $u^2+64$ for some integer $u$, which we take to be 3 mod 4. Then there are two Neumann--Setzer elliptic curves $E_0$ and $E_1$ of prime conductor $p$, and both have Mordell--Weil group $\Z/2\Z$. There is a surjective map $X_0(p)\xrightarrowπ E_0$ that does not factor through any other elliptic curve (i.e., $π$ is optimal), where $X_0(p)$ is the modular curve of level $p$. Our main result is that the degree of $π$ is odd if and only if $u \con 3\pmod{8}$. We also prove the prime-conductor case of a conjecture of Glenn Stevens, namely that that if $E$ is an elliptic curve of prime conductor $p$ then the optimal quotient of $X_1(p)$ in the isogeny class of $E$ is the curve with minimal Faltings height. Finally we discuss some conjectures and data about modular degrees and orders of Shafarevich--Tate groups of Neumann--Setzer curves.

math.NT↗