Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jan 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aas...21544105r&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #441.05; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.401
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
We present high time-resolution astronomical observations recorded with the Berkeley Visible Image Tube (BVIT) photon counting detector mounted on the 10m South African Large Telescope (SALT). Relative B and V-band photometric fluxes were obtained as a function of time for targets that included Polar-type cataclysmic variables (UZ For, OY Car, V1033Cen), low-mass X-ray binaries (GX 339-4, UY Vol), pulsars (PSR 0540-69), dMe flare stars (CN Leo) and active galactic nucleii (Mkn 618). These observations, which were recorded during several nights of engineering time at SALT in early 2009, indicate that there are many types of astrophysical processes operating over very short time-scales in a wide variety of astronomical objects. The high-time resolution capability of the BVIT detector allowed emission features occurring on time-scales as short as tens of milli-seconds to be revealed. In particular, we have measured the optical period of the PSR 0540-69 pulsar to be 0.05065018808s and we have also detected several quasi-periodic oscillations operating on time-scales of < 0.5 s in the emitted flux from the X-ray transient source, GX 339-4. These preliminary data indicate that the new field of high time-resolution astronomy is providing important new insights into the transient nature of the Universe.
Buckley David
Charles Phil
McPhate Jason
Radnia Navid
Rogers David
No associations
LandOfFree
The Galaxy Viewed at Very Short Time-Scales does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The Galaxy Viewed at Very Short Time-Scales, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Galaxy Viewed at Very Short Time-Scales will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-969024