MeerKAT

Abstract:

We report the discovery of multi-scale X-ray jets from the accreting neutron star X-ray binary, Circinus X-1. The bipolar outflows show wide opening angles and are spatially coincident with the radio jets seen in new highresolution radio images of the region. The morphology of the emission regions suggests that the jets from Circinus X-1 are running into a terminal shock with the interstellar medium, as is seen in powerful radio galaxies. This and other observations indicate that the jets have a wide opening angle, suggesting that the jets are either not very well collimated or precessing. We interpret the spectra from the shocks as cooled synchrotron emission and derive a cooling age of ∼1600 yr. This allows us to constrain the jet power to be 3×1035 erg s-1 ≲ Pjet ≲ 2×1037 erg s-1, making this one of a few microquasars with a direct measurement of its jet power and the only known microquasar that exhibits stationary large-scale X-ray emission. © 2010. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

Abstract:

We present an analysis of observations of the doubly-lensed double hotspot in the giant radio galaxy J0816+5003 from MERLIN, MDM, WIYN, WHT, UKIRT and the VLA. The images of the two hotspot components span a factor of two in radius on one side of the lensing galaxy at impact parameters of less than 500pc. Hence we measure the slope of the lensing potential over a large range in radius, made possible by significant improvement in the accuracy of registration of the radio and optical frame and higher resolution imaging data than previously available. We also infer the lens and source redshifts to be 0.332 and > 1 respectively. Purely on the basis of lens modelling, and independently of stellar velocity dispersion measurements, we find the potential to be very close to isothermal.

Abstract:

A large sub-mm survey with Herschel will enable many exciting science opportunities, especially in an era of wide-field optical and radio surveys and high resolution cosmic microwave background experiments. The Herschel-SPIRE Legacy Survey (HSLS), will lead to imaging data over 4000 sq. degrees at 250, 350, and 500 micron. Major Goals of HSLS are: (a) produce a catalog of 2.5 to 3 million galaxies down to 26, 27 and 33 mJy (50% completeness; 5 sigma confusion noise) at 250, 350 and 500 micron, respectively, in the southern hemisphere (3000 sq. degrees) and in an equatorial strip (1000 sq. degrees), areas which have extensive multi-wavelength coverage and are easily accessible from ALMA. Two thirds of the of the sources are expected to be at z > 1, one third at z > 2 and about a 1000 at z > 5. (b) Remove point source confusion in secondary anisotropy studies with Planck and ground-based CMB data. (c) Find at least 1200 strongly lensed bright sub-mm sources leading to a 2% test of general relativity. (d) Identify 200 proto-cluster regions at z of 2 and perform an unbiased study of the environmental dependence of star formation. (e) Perform an unbiased survey for star formation and dust at high Galactic latitude and make a census of debris disks and dust around AGB stars and white dwarfs.