Search

We present mid-infrared (MIR) spectral-timing measurements of the prototypical Galactic microquasar GRS 1915+105. The source was observed with the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) onboard JWST in June 2023 at a MIR luminosity L(MIR)~10^{36} erg/s exceeding past IR levels by about a factor of 10. By contrast, the X-ray flux is much fainter than the historical average, in the source's now-persistent 'obscured' state. The MIRI low-resolution spectrum shows a plethora of emission lines, the strongest of which are consistent with recombination in the hydrogen Pfund (Pf) series and higher. Low amplitude (~1%) but highly significant peak-to-peak photometric variability is found on timescales of ~1,000 s. The brightest Pf(6-5) emission line lags the continuum. Though difficult to constrain accurately, this lag is commensurate with light-travel timescales across the outer accretion disc or with expected recombination timescales inferred from emission line diagnostics. Using the emission line as a bolometric indicator suggests a moderate (~5-30% Eddington) intrinsic accretion rate. Multiwavelength monitoring shows that JWST caught the source close in-time to unprecedentedly bright MIR and radio long-term flaring. Assuming a thermal bremsstrahlung origin for the MIRI continuum suggests an unsustainably high mass-loss rate during this time unless the wind remains bound, though other possible origins cannot be ruled out. PAH features previously detected with Spitzer are now less clear in the MIRI data, arguing for possible destruction of dust in the interim. These results provide a preview of new parameter space for exploring MIR spectral-timing in XRBs and other variable cosmic sources on rapid timescales., Comment: Dedicated to the memory of our colleague, Tomaso Belloni. Submitted 2024 June 21; Comments welcome

The ESO public survey VISTA Variables in the V\'ia L\'actea (VVV) surveyed the inner Galactic bulge and the adjacent southern Galactic disk from $2009-2015$. Upon its conclusion, the complementary VVV eXtended (VVVX) survey has expanded both the temporal as well as spatial coverage of the original VVV area, widening it from $562$ to $1700$ sq. deg., as well as providing additional epochs in $JHK_{\rm s}$ filters from $2016-2023$. With the completion of VVVX observations during the first semester of 2023, we present here the observing strategy, a description of data quality and access, and the legacy of VVVX. VVVX took $\sim 2000$ hours, covering about 4% of the sky in the bulge and southern disk. VVVX covered most of the gaps left between the VVV and the VISTA Hemisphere Survey (VHS) areas and extended the VVV time baseline in the obscured regions affected by high extinction and hence hidden from optical observations. VVVX provides a deep $JHK_{\rm s}$ catalogue of $\gtrsim 1.5\times10^9$ point sources, as well as a $K_{\rm s}$ band catalogue of $\sim 10^7$ variable sources. Within the existing VVV area, we produced a $5D$ map of the surveyed region by combining positions, distances, and proper motions of well-understood distance indicators such as red clump stars, RR Lyrae, and Cepheid variables. In March 2023 we successfully finished the VVVX survey observations that started in 2016, an accomplishment for ESO Paranal Observatory upon 4200 hours of observations for VVV+VVVX. The VVV+VVVX catalogues complement those from the Gaia mission at low Galactic latitudes and provide spectroscopic targets for the forthcoming ESO high-multiplex spectrographs MOONS and 4MOST., Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures (+ appendix). Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics in section 14: Catalogs and data

Swift J1357.2-0933 is a black hole transient of particular interest due to the optical, recurrent dips found during its first two outbursts (in 2011 and 2017), with no obvious X-ray equivalent. We present fast optical photometry during its two most recent outbursts, in 2019 and 2021. Our observations reveal that the optical dips were present in every observed outburst of the source, although they were shallower and showed longer recurrence periods in the two most recent and fainter events. We perform a global study of the dips properties in the four outbursts, and find that they do not follow a common temporal evolution. In addition, we discover a correlation with the X-ray and optical fluxes, with dips being more profound and showing shorter recurrence periods for brighter stages. This trend seems to extend even to the faintest, quiescent states of the source. Finally, we discuss these results in the context of the possible connection between optical dips and outflows found in previous works., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A

Among the sample of Galactic transient X-ray binaries (SXTs) discovered to date, about 70 have been proposed as likely candidates to host a black hole. Yet, only 19 have been dynamically confirmed. Such a reliable confirmation requires phase-resolved spectroscopy of their companion stars, which is generally feasible when the system is in a quiescent state. However, since most of the SXT population lies in the galactic plane, which is strongly affected by interstellar extinction, their optical brightness during quiescence usually falls beyond the capabilities of the current instrumentation ($R\gtrsim22$). To overcome these limitations and thereby increase the number of confirmed Galactic black holes, a correlation between the full-width at half maximum (FWHM) of the H$\alpha$ line and the semi-amplitude of the donor's radial velocity curve ($K_2$) was presented in the past. Here, we extend the FWHM-$K_2$ correlation to the near-infrared (NIR), exploiting disc lines such as He I $\lambda$10830, Pa$\gamma$, and Br$\gamma$, in a sample of dynamically confirmed black-hole SXTs. We obtain $K_2 = 0.22(3) ~\textrm{FWHM}$, in good agreement with the optical correlation derived using H$\alpha$. The similarity of the two correlations seems to imply that the widths of H$\alpha$ and the NIR lines are consistent in quiescence. When combined with information on orbital periods, the NIR correlation allows us to constrain the mass of the compact object of systems in quiescence by using single-epoch spectroscopy. We anticipate that this new correlation will give access to highly reddened black-hole SXTs, which cannot be otherwise studied at optical wavelengths., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A Letters

Swift J1357.2-0933 is a transient low-mass X-ray binary hosting a stellar-mass black hole. The source exhibits optical dips and very broad emission lines during both outburst and quiescence, which are thought to be the result of a high orbital inclination. We present phase-resolved spectroscopy obtained with the 10.4m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). The spectra focus on the $\rm{H}\beta$ spectral region during X-ray quiescence. The emission line is exceptionally broad (full width at half maximum, FWHM > 4000 \AA), in agreement with previous studies focused on $\rm{H}\alpha$. A two-Gaussian fit to the prominent double-peaked profile reveals a periodic variability in the centroid position of the line. We also produced a diagnostic diagram aimed at constraining additional orbital parameters. Together, they allow us to independently confirm the orbital period of the system using a new dataset obtained five years after the previous outburst. However, our estimates for both the systemic velocity and the radial velocity semi-amplitude of the black hole reveal larger values than those found in previous studies. We argue that this could be explained by the precession of the disc and the presence of a hotspot. We found evidence of a narrow inner core in the double-peaked H$\beta$ emission profile. We studied its evolution across the orbit, finding that it is likely to result from the occultation of inner material by the outer rim bulge, further supporting the high orbital inclination hypothesis., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures

The study of waveguide propagating modes is essential for achieving directional electronic transport in two-dimensional materials. Simultaneously, exploring potential gaps in these systems is crucial for developing devices akin to those employed in conventional electronics. Building upon the theoretical groundwork laid by Hartmann et al., which focused on implementing waveguides in pristine graphene monolayers, this work delves into the impact of a waveguide on two-dimensional gapped Dirac systems. We derive exact solutions encompassing wave functions and energy-bound states for a secant-hyperbolic attractive potential in gapped graphene, with a gap generated by sublattice asymmetry or a Kekul\'e-distortion. These solutions leverage the inherent properties and boundary conditions of the Heun polynomials. Our findings demonstrate that the manipulation of the number of accessible energy-bound states, i.e., transverse propagating modes, relies on factors such as the width and depth of the potential as well as the gap value of the two-dimensional material., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures

Ultracompact X-ray binaries (UCXBs) are a distinctive but elusive family of low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) characterised by their tight orbits and degenerate donor stars. Here we present UltraCompCAT, the first online and comprehensive catalogue of UCXBs. The initial version of UltraCompCAT comprises 49 sources, including 20 'confirmed' UCXBs (those with a measured orbital period shorter than 80 min) and 25 systems that we label as 'candidate' based on their multi-wavelength phenomenology. For completeness, we also include four LMXBs with orbital periods in the range of 80 to 120 min, since they might be related (e.g. close progenitors) or even part of the UCXB population that evolved towards longer periods. We discuss the orbital period and Galactic distribution of the catalogue's sample. We provide evidence for the presence of at least two separate groups of UCXBs. One formed by persistent systems with orbital periods shorter than 30 min and a second group of transient objects (70 per cent) with periods in the range of 40 to 60 min. We show that the former group is dominated by sources formed in globular clusters, while the latter accounts for the (known) UCXB population in the Galactic field. We discuss the possible evolutionary channels for both groups., Comment: Accepted in Astronomy & Astrophysics (see online catalogue here https://research.iac.es/proyecto/compactos/UltraCompCAT/ )

We present a dynamical study of the eclipsing intermediate polar XY Ari based on time-resolved near-infrared spectroscopy obtained with the EMIR spectrograph on the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias. Using main sequence template spectra taken with the same instrument setup as the target spectra, we measure a radial velocity amplitude of the late K-type donor star $K_2=256 \pm 2$ km s$^{-1}$. We also obtain the rotational broadening of its photospheric lines $v_\mathrm{rot} \sin i = 141 \pm 3$ km s$^{-1}$. From these and the eclipse geometry, we derive a donor-to-white-dwarf mass ratio $q = M_2/M_1 = 0.62 \pm 0.02$, an orbital inclination $i = 80.8^{\circ} \pm 0.5^{\circ}$ and dynamical masses $M_{1} = 1.21 \pm 0.04 \, \mathrm{M}_{\odot}$ and $M_2 = 0.75 \pm 0.04 \, \mathrm{M}_{\odot}$ ($1 \sigma$). This result places the white dwarf in XY Ari as one of the three most massive known in a cataclysmic variable. Comparison with white dwarf mass estimates from X-ray spectral studies could indicate the necessity of an improvement of the X-ray models and/or analysis techniques, as a number of X-ray white dwarf masses are in disagreement with the dynamical mass value., Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, 5 tables, accepted for publication in MNRAS

We present simultaneous optical and near-infrared spectra obtained during the 2021 outburst of the black hole transient 4U 1543-47. The X-ray hardness-intensity diagram and the comparison with similar systems reveal a luminous outburst, probably reaching the Eddington luminosity, as well as a long-lasting excursion to the so-called ultra-luminous state. VLT/X-shooter spectra were taken in two epochs 14 days apart during the early and brightest part of the outburst, while the source was in this ultra-luminous accretion state. The data show strong H and HeI emission lines, as well as high-excitation HeII and OIII transitions. Most lines are single-peaked in both spectra, except for the OIII lines that exhibit evident double-peaked profiles during the second epoch. The Balmer lines are embedded in broad absorption wings that we believe are mainly produced by the contribution of the A2V donor to the optical flux, which we estimate to be in the range of 11 to 14 per cent in the $r$ band during our observations. Although no conspicuous outflow features are found, we observe some wind-related line profiles, particularly in the near-infrared. Such lines include broad emission line wings and skewed red profiles, suggesting the presence of a cold (i.e. low ionisation) outflow with similar observational properties to those found in other low-inclination black hole transients., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A

We present two contiguous nights of simultaneous time-resolved GTC spectroscopy and WHT photometry of the black hole X-ray transient XTE J1859+226, obtained in 2017 July during quiescence. Cross-correlation of the individual spectra against a late K-type spectral template enabled us to constrain the orbital period to $0.276 \pm 0.003$ d and the radial velocity semi-amplitude of the donor star to $K_2 = 550 \pm 59$ km s$^{-1}$. An ellipsoidal modulation is detected in the photometric $r$- and $i$-band light curves, although it is strongly contaminated by flickering activity. By exploiting correlations between the properties of the double-peaked H$\alpha$ emission-line profile and the binary parameters, we derived an orbital inclination of $66.6 \pm 4.3$ deg, a refined $K_2 = 562 \pm 40$ km s$^{-1}$ and mass ratio $q = M_2/M_1 = 0.07 \pm 0.01$. From these values we obtained an updated black hole mass of $M_1 = 7.8 \pm 1.9$ M$_\odot$. An independent mass estimate based on X-ray timing agrees well with our value, which gives further support for the outburst QPO triplet being explained by the relativistic precession model. We also obtained a companion star mass $M_2 = 0.55 \pm 0.16$ M$_\odot$, which is consistent with its K5-K7 V spectral type., Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) are natural waveguides for electrons in graphene. Nevertheless, unlike micron-sized samples, conductance is nearly suppressed in these narrow graphene stripes, mainly due to scattering with edge disorder generated during synthesis or cut. A possible way to circumvent this effect is to define an internal waveguide that isolates specific modes from the edge disorder and allows ballistic conductance. There are several proposals for defining waveguides in graphene; in this manuscript, we consider strain folds and scalar potentials and numerically evaluate these proposals' performance against edge and bulk disorder. Using the Green's function approach, we calculate conductance and the local density of states (LDOS) of zigzag GNRs and characterize the performance of these different physical waveguiding effects in both types of disorder. We found a general improvement in the electronic conductance of GNR due to the presence of the internal waveguiding, with the emergence of plateaus with quasi-ballistic properties and robustness against edge disorder. These findings are up to be applied in modern nanotechnology and being experimentally tested., Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures

MAXI J1348-630 is a low mass X-ray binary discovered in 2019 during a bright outburst. During this event, the system sampled both hard and soft states following the standard evolution. We present multi-epoch optical and near-infrared spectroscopy obtained with X-shooter at the Very Large Telescope. Our dataset includes spectra taken during the brightest phases of the outburst as well as the decay towards quiescence. We study the evolution of the main emission lines, paying special attention to the presence of features commonly associated with accretion disc winds, such as blue-shifted absorptions, broad emission line wings and flat-top profiles. We find broad emission line wings in H-alpha during the hard-to-soft transition and blue-shifted absorption troughs at ~-500 km/s in H-beta, HeI-5876, H-alpha and Pa-beta during the bright soft-intermediate state. In addition, flat-top profiles are seen throughout the outburst. We interpret these observables as signatures of a cold (i.e. optical to infrared) accretion disc wind present in the system. We discuss the properties of the wind and compare them with those seen in other X-ray transients. In particular, the wind velocity that we observe is low when compared to those of other systems, which might be a direct consequence of the relatively low binary inclination, as suggested by several observables. This study strengthen the hypothesis that cold winds are a common feature in low mass X-ray binaries and that they can also be detected in low inclination objects via high-quality optical and infrared spectroscopy., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A

Stellar rotation is a fundamental observable that drives different aspects of stellar and planetary evolution. In this work, we present an unprecedented manifold analysis of 160 B-type stars with light curves collected by the TESS space mission using three different procedures (Fast Fourier Transform, Lomb-Scargle, and wavelet techniques), accompanied by rigorous visual inspection in the search for rotation periodicities. This effort provides rotational periodicities for 6 new TESS B-type stars and confirmed periodicities for 22 targets with rotation periods previously listed in the literature. For other 61 stars, already classified as possible rotational variables, we identify noisy, pulsational, binarity, or ambiguous variability behavior rather than rotation signatures. The total sample of 28 potential rotators shows an overlap of different classes of rotational variables, composed of $\alpha^2$ Canum Venaticorum, rotating ellipsoidal and SX Arietis stars. The combination of the three techniques applied in our analysis offers a solid path to overcome the challenges in the discrimination of rotation from other variabilities in stellar light curves, such as pulsation, binarity or other effects that have no physical meaning. Finally, the rotational periodicities reported in the present study may represent important constraints for improving stellar evolution models with rotation, as well as asteroseismic studies of hot stars., Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures, 4 tables

We present twelve epochs of optical spectroscopy taken across the discovery outburst of the black hole candidate MAXI J1803-298 with the GTC and VLT telescopes. The source followed a standard outburst evolution with hard and soft states. The system displays a triangular shape in the hardness intensity diagram, consistent with that seen in high inclination black hole transients and the previously reported detection of X-ray dips. The two epochs observed during the initial hard state exhibited asymmetric emission line profiles, including a P-Cygni profile simultaneously detected in H-alpha and He I 6678, which indicates the presence of an optical wind in the system. The remaining spectra, obtained during the transition to the soft state and the subsequent decay, are instead characterized by narrower, double peaked emission lines embedded into broad absorption components. One epoch (intermediate state) also includes near-infrared coverage, revealing complex line profiles in the Paschen and Bracket series, which suggests that the outflow is still present during the outburst decay through the soft state. The growing list of low-mass X-ray binaries with optical and near-infrared outflow signatures indicates that these are common features. Furthermore, the lowest luminosity spectrum exhibits an H-alpha full-width-at-half-maximum of 1570 +- 100 km/s. This, together with previous constraints on the binary parameters, allows us to favor a compact object mass of ~ 3-10 Msun, further supporting its black hole nature., Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters on the 23rd of January 2022

The response of electrons under linearly polarized light in Dirac materials as borophene or graphene is analyzed in a continuous wave regime for an arbitrary intense field. Using a rotation and a time-dependent phase transformation, the wave function evolution is shown to be governed by a spinor-component decoupled Whittaker-Hill equation. The numerical solution of these equations enables to find the quasienergy spectrum. For borophene it reveals a strong anisotropic response. By applying an extra unitary transformation, the wave functions are proven to follow an Ince equation. The evolution of the real and imaginary parts of the wave function is interpreted as the trajectory of a classical charged particle under oscillating electric and magnetic field. The topological properties of this forced quantum system are studied using this analogy. In particular, in the adiabatic driving regime, the system is described with an effective Matthieu equation while in the non-adiabatic regime the full Whittaker-Hill equation is needed. From there, it is possible to separate the dynamical and Berry phase contributions to obtain the topological phase diagram due to the driving. Therefore, a different path to perturbation theory is developed to obtain time-driven topological phases., Comment: 15 pages and 3 figures

HD 98800 is a young ($\sim10$ Myr old) and nearby ($\sim45$ pc) quadruple system, composed of two spectroscopic binaries orbiting around each other (AaAb and BaBb), with a gas-rich disk in polar configuration around BaBb. While the orbital parameters of BaBb and AB are relatively well constrained, this is not the case for AaAb. A full characterisation of this quadruple system can provide insights on the formation of such a complex system. The goal of this work is to determine the orbit of the AaAb subsystem and refine the orbital solution of BaBb using multi-epoch interferometric observations with the VLTI/PIONIER and radial velocities. The PIONIER observations provide relative astrometric positions and flux ratios for both AaAa and BaBb subsystems. Combining the astrometric points with radial velocity measurements, we determine the orbital parameters of both subsystems. We refined the orbital solution of BaBb and derived, for the first time, the full orbital solution of AaAb. We confirmed the polar configuration of the circumbinary disk around BaBb. From our solutions, we also inferred the dynamical masses of AaAb ($M_{Aa} = 0.93 \pm 0.09$ and $M_{Ab} = 0.29 \pm 0.02$ M$_{\odot}$). We also revisited the parameters of the AB outer orbit. Using the N-body simulation, we show that the system should be dynamically stable over thousands of orbital periods and that it made preliminary predictions for the transit of the disk in front of AaAb which is estimated to start around 2026. We discuss the lack of a disk around AaAb, which can be explained by the larger X-ray luminosity of AaAb, promoting faster photo-evaporation of the disk. High-resolution infrared spectroscopic observations would provide radial velocities of Aa and Ab (blended lines in contemporary observations), which would allow us to calculate the dynamical masses of Aa and Ab independently of the parallax of BaBb., Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy \& Astrophysiscs journal (01/09/2021)

We present a complete dynamical study of the intermediate polar and dwarf nova cataclysmic variable GK Per (Nova Persei 1901) based on a multi-site optical spectroscopy and $R$-band photometry campaign. The radial velocity curve of the evolved donor star has a semi-amplitude $K_2=126.4 \pm 0.9 \, \mathrm{km}\,\mathrm{s}^{-1}$ and an orbital period $P=1.996872 \pm 0.000009 \, \mathrm{d}$. We refine the projected rotational velocity of the donor star to $v_\mathrm{rot} \sin i = 52 \pm 2 \, \mathrm{km}\,\mathrm{s}^{-1}$ which, together with $K_2$, provides a donor star to white dwarf mass ratio $q=M_2/M_1=0.38 \pm 0.03$. We also determine the orbital inclination of the system by modelling the phase-folded ellipsoidal light curve and obtain $i=67^{\circ} \pm 5^{\circ}$. The resulting dynamical masses are $M_{1}=1.03^{+0.16}_{-0.11} \, \mathrm{M}_{\odot}$ and $M_2 = 0.39^{+0.07}_{-0.06} \, \mathrm{M}_{\odot}$ at $68$ per cent confidence level. The white dwarf dynamical mass is compared with estimates obtained by modelling the decline light curve of the $1901$ nova event and X-ray spectroscopy. The best matching mass estimates come from the nova light curve models and an X-ray data analysis that uses the ratio between the Alfv\'en radius in quiescence and during dwarf nova outburst., Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, 8 tables, accepted for publication in MNRAS

We describe the deployment and first tests on Sky of CONCERTO, a large field-of-view (18.6arc-min) spectral-imaging instrument. The instrument operates in the range 130-310GHz from the APEX 12-meters telescope located at 5100m a.s.l. on the Chajnantor plateau. Spectra with R=1-300 are obtained using a fast (2.5Hz mechanical frequency) Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS), coupled to a continuous dilution cryostat with a base temperature of 60mK. Two 2152-pixels arrays of Lumped Element Kinetic Inductance Detectors (LEKID) are installed in the cryostat that also contains the cold optics and the front-end electronics. CONCERTO, installed in April 2021, generates more than 20k spectra per second during observations. We describe the final development phases, the installation and the first results obtained on Sky., Comment: Submitted to JLTP, Proceedings if the Low Temperature Detectors 19 conference, NIST, 2021

The detection of light helicity is key to several research and industrial applications from drugs production to optical communications. However, the direct measurement of the light helicity is inherently impossible with conventional photodetectors based on III-V or IV-VI semiconductors, being naturally non-chiral. The prior polarization analysis of the light by a series of often moving optical elements is necessary before light is sent to the detector. A method is here presented to effectively give to the conventional dilute nitride GaAs-based semiconductor epilayer a chiral photoconductivity in paramagnetic-defect-engineered samples. The detection scheme relies on the giant spin-dependent recombination of conduction electrons and the accompanying spin polarization of the engineered defects to control the conduction band population via the electrons' spin polarization. As the conduction electron spin polarization is, in turn, intimately linked to the excitation light polarization, the light polarization state can be determined by a simple conductivity measurement. This effectively gives the GaAsN epilayer a chiral photoconductivity capable of discriminating the handedness of an incident excitation light in addition to its intensity. This approach, removing the need of any optical elements in front of a non-chiral detector, could offer easier integration and miniaturisation. This new chiral photodetector could potentially operate in a spectral range from the visible to the infra-red using (In)(Al)GaAsN alloys or ion-implanted nitrogen-free III-V compounds., Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures

We propose and numerically simulate an optoelectronic compact circular polarimeter. It allows to electrically measure the degree of circular polarization and light intensity at room temperature for a wide range of incidence angles in a single shot. The device, being based on GaAsN, is easy to integrate into standard electronics and does not require bulky movable parts nor extra detectors. Its operation hinges mainly on two phenomena: the spin dependent capture of electrons and the hyperfine interaction between bound electrons and nuclei on Ga$^{2+}$ paramagnetic centers in GaAsN. The first phenomenon confers the device with sensitivity to the degree of circular polarization and the latter allows to discriminate the handedness of the incident light., Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures

Decoherence with recurrences appear in the dynamics of the one-body density matrix of an $F = 1$ spinor Bose-Einstein condensate, initially prepared in coherent states, in the presence of an external uniform magnetic field and within the single mode approximation. The phenomenon emerges as a many-body effect of the interplay of the quadratic Zeeman effect, that breaks the rotational symmetry, and the spin-spin interactions. By performing full quantum diagonalizations very accurate time evolution of large condensates are analyzed, leading to heuristic analytic expressions for the time dependence of the one-body density matrix, in the weak and strong interacting regimes, for initial coherent states. We are able to find accurate analytical expressions for both the decoherence and the recurrence times, in terms of the number of atoms and strength parameters, that show remarkable differences depending on the strength of the spin-spin interactions. The features of the stationary states in both regimes is also investigated. We discuss the nature of these limits in the light of the thermodynamic limit., Comment: 26 pages, 26 figures

We seek to update the spectroscopy binary fraction of the SACY (Search for Associations Containing Young stars) sample taking in consideration all possible biases in our identification of binary candidates, such as activity and rotation. Using high-resolution spectroscopic observations we have produced $\sim$1300 cross-correlation functions (CCFs) to disentangle the previously mentioned sources of contamination. The radial velocity values obtained were cross-matched with the literature and were used to revise and update the spectroscopic binary (SB) fraction in each of the SACY association. In order to better describe the CCF profile, we calculated a set of high-order cross-correlation features to determine the origin of the variations in radial velocities. We identified 68 SB candidates from our sample of 410 objects. Our results hint that the youngest associations have a higher SB fraction. Specifically, we found sensitivity-corrected SB fractions of $22 \substack{+15 \\ -11} \%$ for $\epsilon$~Cha , $31 \substack{+16 \\ -14} \%$ for TW Hya and $32 \substack{+9 \\ -8} \%$ for $\beta$~Pictoris, in contrast with the five oldest ($\sim 35-125$ Myr) associations we have sampled which are $\sim 10\%$ or lower. This result seems independent of the methodology used to asses membership to the associations. The new CCF analysis, radial velocity estimates and SB candidates are particularly relevant for membership revision of targets in young stellar associations. These targets would be ideal candidates for follow-up campaigns using high-resolution techniques in order to confirm binarity, resolve the orbits, and ideally calculate dynamical masses. Additionally, if the results on SB fraction in the youngest associations are confirmed, it could hint of non-universal multiplicity among SACY associations., Comment: The paper has been accepted in A&A

Electromagnetic dressing by a high-frequency field drastically modifies the electronic transport properties on Dirac systems. Here its effects on the energy spectrum of graphene with two possible phases of Kekul\'e distortion (namely, Kek-Y and Kek-O textures) are studied. Using Floquet theory it is shown how circularly polarized light modifies the gapless spectrum of the Kek-Y texture, producing dynamical band gaps at the Dirac point that depends on the amplitude and the frequency of the electric field, and breaks the valley degeneracy of the gapped spectrum of the Kek-O texture. To further explore the electronic properties under circularly polarized radiation, the dc conductivity is studied by using the Boltzmann approach and considering both inter-valley and intra-valley contributions. When linearly polarized light is considered, the band structure of both textures is always modified in a perpendicular direction to the electric field. While the band structure for the Kek-Y texture remains gapless, the gap for the Kek-O texture is reduced considerably. For this linear polarization it is also shown that non-dispersive bands can appear by a precise tuning of the light field parameters thus inducing dynamical localization. The present results suggest that optical measurements will allow to distinguish between different Kekul\'e bond textures., Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures

We present optical spectroscopy obtained with the GTC, VLT and SALT telescopes during the decline of the 2016-2017 outburst of the black hole candidate GRS 1716-249 (Nova Oph 1993). Our 18-epoch data set spans 6 months and reveals that the observational properties of the main emission lines are very variable, even on time scales of a few hours. Several epochs are characterised by P-Cyg (as well as flat-top and asymmetric) profiles in the H$\alpha$, H$\beta$ and He II ($\lambda$4686) emission lines, implying the presence of an accretion disc wind, which is likely hot and dense. The wind's terminal velocity ($\sim$2000 km s$^{-1}$) is similar to that observed in other black hole X-ray transients. These lines also show transient and sharp red-shifted absorptions, taking the form of inverted P-Cyg profiles. We argue that these profiles can be explained by the presence of infalling material at $\sim$1300 km s$^{-1}$. We propose a failed wind scenario to explain this inflow and discuss other alternatives, such as obscuration produced by an accretion-related structure (e.g. the gas stream) in a high inclination system., Comment: Published in MNRAS main journal

We analyze the quasienergy-spectrum and the valence to conduction-band transition probabilities of a tilted anisotropic Dirac material subject to linearly and circularly polarized electromagnetic fields. The quasienergy-spectrum is numerically calculated from the monodromy matrix of the Schr\"odinger equation via the Floquet theorem for arbitrarily intense electromagnetic fields. To asses the valence to conduction-band transition times we deduced a Rabi-like formula in the rotating wave approximation. In the strong-field regime the spectrum as a function of the momentum components divides into two very distinctive regions. In the first, located around the Dirac point, the quasi-spectrum is significantly distorted by the field as the electronic parameters are renormalized by electronic-dressing. In the second, all the characteristics of the free carrier spectrum are retained. Linearly polarized light anisotropically deforms the spectrum according to the field polarization direction. Dirac-like points form around the original Dirac point. The quasi spectrum of circularly polarized light, instead, exhibits a gap formation in the Dirac point and has elliptical symmetry. We show that, in contrast to the single-photon resonant transitions that characterize the weak-field regime, the strong-field regime is dominated by multiphoton resonances., Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures

The Floquet spectrum in an anisotropic tilted Dirac semimetal modulated by linearly polarized light is addressed through the solution of the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation for the two-dimensional Dirac Hamiltonian via the Floquet theorem. The time-dependent wave functions and the quasienergy spectrum of the two-dimensional Dirac Hamiltonian under the normal incidence of linearly polarized waves are obtained for an arbitrarily intense electromagnetic radiation. We applied a set of unitary transformations to reduce the Schr\"odinger equation to an ordinary second-order differential Hill equation with complex coefficients. Through the stability analysis of this differential equation, the weak and strong field regimes are clearly distinguished in the quasi-spectrum. In the weak electric field regime, above a certain threshold given by the field parameters, the spectrum mostly resembles that of free electrons in graphene. Below this threshold, in the strong electric field regime, the spectrum abruptly becomes highly anisotropic and a gap opens up. As an example, we apply the results to the particular case of borophene., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures

The INT Galactic Plane Survey (IGAPS) is the merger of the optical photometric surveys, IPHAS and UVEX, based on data from the Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) obtained between 2003 and 2018. Here, we present the IGAPS point source catalogue. It contains 295.4 million rows providing photometry in the filters, i, r, narrow-band Halpha, g and U_RGO. The IGAPS footprint fills the Galactic coordinate range, |b| < 5deg and 30deg < l < 215deg. A uniform calibration, referred to the Pan-STARRS system, is applied to g, r and i, while the Halpha calibration is linked to r and then is reconciled via field overlaps. The astrometry in all 5 bands has been recalculated on the Gaia DR2 frame. Down to i ~ 20 mag (Vega system), most stars are also detected in g, r and Halpha. As exposures in the r band were obtained within the IPHAS and UVEX surveys a few years apart, typically, the catalogue includes two distinct r measures, r_I and r_U. The r 10sigma limiting magnitude is ~21, with median seeing 1.1 arcsec. Between ~13th and ~19th magnitudes in all bands, the photometry is internally reproducible to within 0.02 magnitudes. Stars brighter than r=19.5 have been tested for narrow-band Halpha excess signalling line emission, and for variation exceeding |r_I-r_U| = 0.2 mag. We find and flag 8292 candidate emission line stars and over 53000 variables (both at >5sigma confidence). The 174-column catalogue will be available via CDS Strasbourg., Comment: 28 pages, 22 figures

There remain significant uncertainties in the origin and evolution of black holes in binary systems, in particular regarding their birth sites and the influence of natal kicks. These are long-standing issues, but their debate has been reinvigorated in the era of gravitational wave detections and the improving precision of astrometric measurements. Using recent and archival characterisation of Galactic black hole X-ray binaries (BHXBs), we report here an apparent anticorrelation between P{orb} (system orbital periods) and scatter in z (elevation above the Galactic plane). The absence of long period sources at high z is not an obvious observational bias, and two possible explanatory scenarios are qualitatively explored: (1) a disc origin for BHXBs followed by natal kicks producing the scatter in z, with only the tightest binaries preferentially surviving strong kicks; (2) a halo origin, with P{orb} shortening through dynamical interactions in globular clusters (GCs). For the latter case, we show a correspondence in z-scatter between BHXBs and the GCs with most compact core radii of <0.1pc. However, the known absence of outbursting BHXB transients within Galactic GCs remains puzzling in this case, in contrast to the multitude of known GC neutron star XRBs. These results provide an interesting observational constraint for any black hole binary evolutionary model to satisfy., Comment: MNRAS Letters in press following minor revision. Includes Online Appendix table

In a system with a Dirac-like linear dispersion there are always states that fulfill the resonance condition for electromagnetic radiation of arbitrary frequency $\Omega$. When a flat band is present two kinds of resonant transitions are found. Considering the $\alpha-\mathcal{T}_3$ graphene model as a minimal model with a flat band and Dirac cones, and describing the dynamics using the interaction picture, we study the band transitions induced by an external electromagnetic field. We found that transitions depend upon the relative angle between the electron momentum and the electromagnetic field wave vector. For parallel incidence, the transitions are found using Floquet theory while for other angles perturbation theory is used. In all cases, the transition probabilities and the frequencies are found. For some special values of the parameter $\alpha$ or by charge doping, the system behaves as a three level or a two-level Rabi system. All these previous results were compared with numerical simulations. A good agreement was found between both. The obtained results are useful to provide a quantum control of the system., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures

Spin dependent recombination in GaAsN offers many interesting possibilities in the design of spintronic devices mostly due to its astounding capability to reach conduction band electron spin polarizations close to 100% at room temperature. The mechanism behind the spin selective capture of electrons in Ga$^{2+}$ paramagnetic centers is revisited in this paper to address inconsistencies common to most previously presented models. Primarily, these errors manifest themselves as major disagreements with the experimental observations of two key characteristics of this phenomenon: the effective Overhauser-like magnetic field and the width of the photoluminescence Lorentzian-like curves as a function of the illumination power. These features are not only essential to understand the spin dependent recombination in GaAsN, but are also key to the design of novel spintronic devices. Here we demonstrate that the particular structure of the electron capture expressions introduces spurious electron-nucleus correlations that artificially alter the balance between the hyperfine and the Zeeman contributions. This imbalance strongly distorts the effective magnetic field and width characteristics. In this work we propose an alternative recombination mechanism that preserves the electron-nucleus correlations and, at the same time, keeps the essential properties of the spin selective capture of electrons. This mechanism yields a significant improvement to the agreement between experimental and theoretical results. In particular, our model gives results in very good accord with the experimental effective Overhauser-like magnetic field and width data, and with the degree of circular polarization under oblique magnetic fields., Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures

We present high-time resolution optical spectroscopy and imaging of the black hole transient Swift J1357.2-0933 during its 2017 outburst. The light curves show recurrent dips resembling those discovered during the 2011 outburst. The dip properties (e.g duration and depth) as well as the evolution of their recurrence time are similar to those seen in 2011. Spectra obtained during the dips are characterised by broad and blue-shifted absorptions in Balmer and He ii. The absorptions show core velocities of $\sim$ -800 km/s and terminal velocities approaching $\sim$ 3000 km/s i.e. in the upper-end of wind velocities measured in other black hole transients (both at optical and X-ray wavelengths). Our observations suggest that the dips are formed in a dense and clumpy outflow, produced near the disc equatorial plane and seen at high inclination. We also study the colour evolution and observe that, as it has been previously reported, the source turns bluer during dips. We show that this is due to a gradual change in the slope of the optical continuum and discuss possible implications of this behaviour., Comment: submitted to MNRAS after minor revision (16-Jul-2019)

The Dynamical-gap formation in Weyl semimetals modulated by intense elliptically polarized light is addressed through the solution of the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation for the Weyl Hamiltonian via the Floquet theorem. The time-dependent wave functions and the quasi-energy spectrum of the two-dimensional Weyl Hamiltonian under normal incidence of elliptically polarized electromagnetic waves are obtained using a non-perturbative approach. In it, the Weyl equation is reduced to an ordinary second-order differential Mathieu equation. It is shown that the stability conditions of the Mathieu functions are directly inherited by the wave function resulting in a quasiparticle spectrum consisting of bands and gaps determined by dynamical diffraction and resonance conditions between the electron and the electromagnetic wave. Estimations of the electromagnetic field intensity and frequency, as well as the magnitude of the generated gap are obtained for the $8-Pmmn$ phase of borophene. We provide with a simple method that enables to predict the formation of dynamical-gaps of unstable wave functions and their magnitudes. This method can readily be adapted to other Weyl semimetals., Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures

We report on a detailed optical spectroscopic follow-up of the black hole transient MAXI J1820+070 (ASASSN-18ey). The observations cover the main part of the X-ray binary outburst, when the source alternated between hard and soft states following the classical pattern widely seen in other systems. We focus the analysis on the He I emission lines at 5876 and 6678 Angs, as well as on Halpha. We detect clear accretion disk wind features (P-Cyg profiles and broad emission line wings) in the hard state, both during outburst rise and decay. These are not witnessed during the several months long soft state. However, our data suggest that the visibility of the outflow might be significantly affected by the ionisation state of the accretion disk. The terminal velocity of the wind is above ~ 1200 km/s, which is similar to outflow velocities derived from (hard-state) optical winds and (soft-state) X-ray winds in other systems. The wind signatures, in particular the P-Cyg profiles, are very shallow, and their detection has only been possible thanks to a combination of source brightness and intense monitoring at very high signal-to-noise. This study indicates that cold, optical winds are most likely a common feature of black hole accretion, and therefore, that wind-like outflows are a general mechanism of mass and angular momentum removal operating throughout the entire X-ray binary outburst., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters

MAXI J1813-095 is an X-ray transient discovered during an outburst in 2018. We report on X-ray and optical observations obtained during this event, which indicate that the source is a new low-mass X-ray binary. The outburst lasted ~70 d and peaked at Lx(0.5-10keV)~7.6 x 10^36 erg s-1, assuming a distance of 8 kpc. Swift/XRT follow-up covering the whole activity period shows that the X-ray emission was always dominated by a hard power-law component with a photon index in the range of 1.4-1.7. These values are consistent with MAXI J1813-095 being in the hard state, in agreement with the ~30 per cent fractional root-mean-square amplitude of the fast variability (0.1-50 Hz) inferred from the only XMM-Newton observation available. The X-ray spectra are well described by a Comptonization emission component plus a soft, thermal component (kT ~0.2 keV), which barely contributes to the total flux (<8 per cent). The Comptonization y-parameter (~1.5), together with the low temperature and small contribution of the soft component supports a black hole accretor. We also performed optical spectroscopy using the VLT and GTC telescopes during outburst and quiescence, respectively. In both cases the spectrum lack emission lines typical of X-ray binaries in outburst. Instead, we detect the Ca II triplet and H_alpha in absorption. The absence of velocity shifts between the two epochs, as well as the evolution of the H_alpha equivalent width, strongly suggest that the optical emission is dominated by an interloper, likely a G-K star. This favours a distance >3 kpc for the X-ray transient., Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

Time-driven quantum systems are important in many different fields of physics like cold atoms, solid state, optics, etc. Many of their properties are encoded in the time evolution operator which is calculated by using a time-ordered product of actions. The solution to this problem is equivalent to find an effective Hamiltonian. This task is usually very complex and either requires approximations, or in very particular and rare cases, a system-dependent method can be found. Here we provide a general scheme that allows to find such effective Hamiltonian. The method is based in using the structure of the associated Lie group and a decomposition of the evolution on each group generator. The time evolution is thus always transformed in a system of ordinary non-linear differential equations for a set of coefficients. In many cases this system can be solved by symbolic computational algorithms. As an example, an exact solution to three well known problems is provided. For two of them, the modulated optical lattice and Kapitza pendulum, the exact solutions, which were already known, are reproduced. For the other example, the Paul trap, no exact solutions were known. Here we find such exact solution, and as expected, contain the approximate solutions found by other authors., Comment: 2 figures, 4 ancillary files