Properties of Broad Band Continuum of Narrow Line Seyfert 1 Galaxies

We have performed a statistical study of the properties of the broad band continuum of Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLS1s) by collecting ratio, infrared, optical and X-ray continuum data from various databases and compared the results with control samples of Broad Line Seyfert 1 galaxies (BLS1s). We find that the fraction (similar to 6%) of Radio Loud (RL) NLS1s is significantly less than that of BLS1s (similar to 13%), which is caused by the lack of radio-very-loud sources in the former. The rarity of RL NLS1s, especially radio-very-loud ones, is consistent with the scenario of small black hole and high accretion rate for NLS1s. Six new radio loud NLS1s are found and five RL NLS1 candidates are presented. In comparison with the BLS1s, the NLS1s tend to have stronger far infrared emission, cooler infrared colors and redder B - K color, which suggests that NLS1s are hosted by dust-richer nuclei. The NLS1s also show steeper soft X-ray spectrum and large soft X-ray to optical flux ratio, while a significant fraction show flat soft X-ray spectra. At least two factors can account for this, absorption and spectral variability. We also perform a correlation analysis between various broad band data. It is found that most correlations identified for NLS1s are also valid for radio quiet BLS1s: (1) the optical colors are anti-correlated with X-ray spectral index; (2) higher optical, Xray and NIR luminosity objects show bluer optical colors and red H - K color; (3) higher luminosity objects show warmer IRAS color; (4) the radio loudness correlates with B - K and X-ray to optical flux ratio. Radio loud objects behave somewhat differently in a few correlations.

Quark nova model for fast radio bursts

Fast radio bursts （FRBs） are puzzling, millisecond, energetic radio transients with no discernible source; observations show no counterparts in other frequency bands. The birth of a quark star from a parent neutron star experiencing a quark nova - previously thought undetectable when born in isolation - provides a natural explanation for the emission characteristics of FRBs. The generation of unstable r-process elements in the quark nova ejecta provides millisecond exponential injection of electrons into the surrounding strong magnetic field at the parent neutron star＇s light cylinder via β-decay. This radio synchrotron emission has a total duration of hundreds of milliseconds and matches the observed spectrum while reducing the inferred dispersion measure by approximately 200 cm-3 pc. The model allows indirect measurement of neutron star magnetic fields and periods in addition to providing astronomical measurements of β-decay chains of unstable neutron rich nuclei. Using this model, we can calculate expected FRB average energies （- 1041 erg） and spectral shapes, and provide a theoretical framework for determining distances.

Spectral Reversal and Stratification of the Jet in 3C 273

Quasi-simultaneous VLBI observations at 15-86 GHz have shown that in the classical superluminal radio source 3C273, the spectral index a (Sv ∝ vα) has a systematic variation along the jet. For epoch 1995.15, a spectral reversal was observed at core distance - 1.5 mas, where the superluminal knot C12 located. Similarly, for epoch 1997.18, two spectral reversals were observed at core distances of -1.8 mas and -4.2 mas, where superluminal knots C11 and C14 werel respectively. These spectral reversals are associated with local maxim of the jet width. We suggest that this phenomenon may be related to a stratification of the jet structure, i.e., its physical parameters (flow velocity, Doppler factor, electron density and energy, magnetic field strength, etc.) are substantially dependent on the distance from the jet axis. These properties may be naturally formed through gasdynamic processes when the jet expands into a lower pressure ambient medium.

Periodic Variations of the Jet Flow Lorentz Factor in 3C 273

C 273 has been observed with VLBI for more than 30 years. The entire data have shown that the position angle of the superluminal knots ejected from the core varies periodically with a period of ~15 years. Moreover, their apparent velocity observed during the period 1963 -- 1997 has systematically decreased by a factor of 2. These remarkable properties are explained in terms of a precessing jet model, in which the ejection Lorentz factor of the superluminal knots has been decreasing during the last thirty years and has superposed on it a short-term (~5 year) oscillation. The periodic variations derived by the model-fitting are compared with the variations in the optical flux density. Binary black hole models are briefly discussed to show possible relations of the observed periods to the periods involved in a binary system (orbital motion, spin of black hole, accretion-disk rotation and Newtonian-driven precession etc.).

Spectral indices for radio emission of 228 pulsars

We determine spectral indices of 228 pulsars by using Parkes pulsar data observed at 1.4 GHz, among which 200 spectra are newly determined. The indices are distributed in the range from -4.84 to -0.46. Together with known pulsar spectra from literature, we tried to find clues to the pulsar emission process. The wealCcorrelations between the spectral index, the spin-down energy loss rate E and the poten- tial drop in the polar gap Aψ hint that emission properties are related to the particle acceleration process in a pulsar＇s magnetosphere.