Abstracts of Interest

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Abstract: 2208.11026
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Title:Pulsar Wind Nebulae

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Abstract: Pulsar Wind Nebulae (PWNe), structures powered by energetic pulsars, are known for their detection across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, with diverse morphologies and spectral behaviour between these bands. The temporal evolution of the morphology and spectrum of a PWN depends strongly on the properties of the associated neutron star, the relativistic outflow powered by its rotational energy, and surrounding medium, and thereby can vary markedly between objects. Due the continuous, but decreasing, injection of electrons and positrons into the PWN by the pulsar, the brightness and spectral variation within and amongst their wind nebulae reflect the magnetic field structure and particle transport within the PWN. This can include complex motions such as reverse flows or turbulence due to shock interactions and disruption to the nebula. During the last stage of the PWN's evolution, when the neutron star moves supersonically with respect to its environment, the escape of accelerated particles into the surrounding medium creates an extensive halo evident in very-high-energy gamma-rays. This chapter describes some of the identifying characteristics and key aspects of pulsar wind nebulae through their several evolutionary stages.

Comments: Invited chapter for the "Handbook of X-ray and Gamma-ray Astrophysics" (Springer) Editors C. Bambi & A. Santangelo. Accepted. 32 pages, 21 figures, references p.33-62


Abstract: 2208.10958
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Title:The quest for new correlations in the realm of the Gamma-Ray Burst -- Supernova connection

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Abstract: Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) are very energetic cosmological transients. Long GRBs are usually associated with Type Ib/c Supernovae (SNe), and we refer to them as GRB-SNe. Since the associated SN for a given GRB is observed only at low redshift, a possible selection effect exists when we consider intrinsically faint sources which cannot be observed at high redshift. Thus, it is important to explore the possible relationships between GRB and SN parameters after these have been corrected for astrophysical biases due to the instrumental selection effects and redshift evolution of the variables involved. So far, only GRB prompt emission properties have been checked against the SNe Ib/c properties without considering the afterglow (AG). This work investigates the existence of relationships among GRB's prompt and AG and associated SN properties. We investigate 91 bidimensional correlations among the SN and GRB observables before and after their correction for selection biases and evolutionary effects. As a result of this investigation, we find hints of a new correlation with a Pearson correlation coefficient > 0.50 and a probability of being drawn by chance < 0.05. This correlation is between the luminosity at the end of the GRB optical plateau emission and the rest-frame peak time of the SN. According to this relation, the brightest optical plateaus are accompanied by the largest peak times. This correlation is corrected for selection biases and redshift evolution and may provide new constraints for the astrophysical models associated with the GRB-SNe connection.

Comments: 40 pages, 6 figures, 7 tables; accepted for publication in ApJ


Abstract: 2208.10363
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Title:Looking for the Signals of the Missing Baryons in the Extragalactic Background Light

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Abstract: The missing baryons in the universe are assumed to be hidden in the whole space as a warm-hot intergalactic medium (WHIM). Finding them is one of the important subjects in modern cosmology. In this paper, we point out that the very high energy electron/positron rays may light up the WHIM due to the anomalous bremsstrahlung according to the improved Bethe-Heitler formula. The resulting excess of the extragalactic background light (EBL) can be observed by the direct measurement method. A possible explanation on the difference between the direct and indirect measurements of EBL is also proposed. Thus, we open a new window to probe the WHIM properties via the EBL.

Comments: 16 pages, 2 figures


Abstract: 2208.10229
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Title:Results from recent analysis of KASCADE-Grande data

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Abstract: KASCADE and its extension array of KASCADE-Grande were devoted to measure individual air showers of cosmic rays in the primary energy range of 100 TeV to 1 EeV. The experiment has substantially contributed to investigate the energy spectrum and mass composition of cosmic rays in the transition region from galactic to extragalactic origin of cosmic rays as well as to quantify the characteristics of hadronic interaction models in the air shower development through validity tests using the multi-detector information from KASCADE-Grande. Although the data accumulation was completed in 2013, data analysis is still continuing. Recently, we investigated the reliability of the new hadronic interactions models of the SIBYLL version 2.3d with the data from KASCADE-Grande. The evolution of the muon content of high energy air showers in the atmosphere is studied as well. In this talk, recent results from KASCADE-Grande and the update of the KASCADE Cosmic Ray Data Centre (KCDC) will be discussed.

Comments: Submission to SciPost Phys. Proc


Abstract: 2208.10209
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Title:UVIT view of Centaurus A; a detailed study on positive AGN feedback

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Abstract: $\require{mediawiki-texvc}$ Supermassive black holes at the centre of active galactic nuclei (AGN) produce relativistic jets that can affect the star formation characteristics of the AGN hosts. Observations in the ultraviolet (UV) band can provide an excellent view of the effect of AGN jets on star formation. Here, we present a census of star formation properties in the Northern Star-forming Region (NSR) that spans about 20 kpc of the large radio source Centaurus A hosted by the giant elliptical galaxy NGC 5128. In this region, we identified 352 UV sources associated with Cen A using new observations at an angular resolution of $<$1.5 arcseconds observed with the Ultra-Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) onboard AstroSat. These observations were carried out in one far-ultraviolet (FUV; $\lambda_{\text{mean}}$ = 1481 $Å$) and three near-ultraviolet (NUV; with $\lambda_{\text{mean}}$ of 2196 $Å$, 2447 $Å$, and 2792 $Å$, respectively) bands. The star-forming sources identified in UV tend to lie in the direction of the jet of Cen A, thereby suggesting jet triggering of star formation. Separating the NSR into Outer and Inner regions, we found the stars in the Inner region to have a relatively younger age than the Outer region, suggesting that the two regions may have different star formation histories. We also provide the UVIT source catalogue in the NSR.

Comments: Accepted for publication by MNRAS. Data and Jupyter notebooks are available at this https URL . 15 pages, 19 figures, 6 tables


Abstract: 2208.10182
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Title:On the Potential of Faraday Tomography to Identify Shock Structures in Supernova Remnants

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Abstract: Knowledge about the magnetic fields in supernova remnants (SNRs) is of paramount importance for constraining Galactic cosmic ray acceleration models. It could also indirectly provide information on the interstellar magnetic fields. In this paper, we predict the Faraday dispersion functions (FDFs) of SNRs for the first time. For this study, we use the results of three dimensional (3D) ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of SNRs expanding into a weak, regular magnetic field. We present the intrinsic FDFs of the shocked region of SNRs for different viewing angles. We find that the FDFs are generally Faraday complex, which implies that conventional rotation measure study is not sufficient to obtain the information on the magnetic fields in the shocked region and Faraday tomography is necessary. We also show that the FDF allows to derive the physical-depth distribution of polarization intensity when the line of sight is parallel to the initial magnetic field orientation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the location of contact discontinuity can be identified from the radial profile of the width of the FDF with the accuracy of 0.1-0.2 pc.



Abstract: 2208.09630
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Title:Persistent nuclear burning in Nova Sgr 2016 N.4 (= V5856 Sgr = ASASSN-16ma) six years past its outburst

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Abstract: We report on the fast Nova Sgr 2016 N.4 being surprisingly trapped in a long-lasting and bright plateau (Delta I >= 10 mag above quiescence) six years past the nova eruption. Very few other novae experience a similar occurrence. We carried out an intensive observing campaign collecting daily BVRI photometry and monthly high-resolution optical spectroscopy, and observed the nova in ultraviolet and X-rays with Swift satellite at five distinct epochs. The bolometric luminosity radiated during the plateau is ~4200 Lsun (scaled to the distance of the Galactic Bulge), corresponding to stable nuclear burning on a 0.6 Msun white dwarf. A stable wind is blown off at FWZI~1600 km/s, with episodic reinforcement of a faster FWZI~3400 km/s mass loss, probably oriented along the polar directions. The collision of these winds could power the emission detected in X-rays. The burning shell has an outer radius of ~25 Rsun at which the effective temperature is ~7600 K, values similar to those of a F0 II/Ib bright giant. The Delta m < 1 mag variability displayed during the plateau is best described as chaotic, with the irregular appearance of quasi-periodic oscillations with a periodicity of 15-17 days. A limited amount of dust (~3x10^(-11) Msun) continuously condenses at T(dust)~1200 K in the outflowing wind, radiating L(dust)~52 Lsun.

Comments: Accepted for publication in A&A


Abstract: 2208.09532
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Title:IceCube search for neutrinos coincident with gravitational wave events from LIGO/Virgo run O3

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Abstract: Using data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, we searched for high-energy neutrino emission from the gravitational-wave events detected by advanced LIGO and Virgo detectors during their third observing run. We did a low-latency follow-up on the public candidate events released during the detectors' third observing run and an archival search on the 80 confident events reported in GWTC-2.1 and GWTC-3 catalogs. An extended search was also conducted for neutrino emission on longer timescales from neutron star containing mergers. Follow-up searches on the candidate optical counterpart of GW190521 were also conducted. We used two methods; an unbinned maximum likelihood analysis and a Bayesian analysis using astrophysical priors, both of which were previously used to search for high-energy neutrino emission from gravitational-wave events. No significant neutrino emission was observed by any analysis and upper limits were placed on the time-integrated neutrino flux as well as the total isotropic equivalent energy emitted in high-energy neutrinos.



Abstract: 2208.09566
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Title:Primordial black holes and mirror dark matter

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Abstract: If mirror matter exists but cannot comprise all of the dark matter in the universe, we can expect that the additional dark matter component may only interact with the other sectors gravitationally. A natural candidate of a gravitationally interacting component is a primordial black hole (PBH). We show constraints on PBH with the mirror dark matter. Particularly, the initial PBH mass is estimated to be $10^{17} \ {\rm g} \lesssim M_{\rm PBH} \lesssim 10^{25} \ {\rm g}$, if the dark matter comprises mirror baryons and PBHs.

Comments: 6 pages, 5 figures


Abstract: 2208.09043
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Title:On the issue of magnetic monopoles in the prospect of UHE photon searches

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Abstract: (also inside: this manuscript introduces the reader to the argument against the existence of magnetic monopoles, which forms an essential part of Staruszkiewicz's Quantum Mechanics of the Electric Charge)
Ultra-high energy (UHE) photons with energies exceeding $10^{18}\eV$ can potentially be observed. They are produced in various processes involving electrically charged particles. However, more exotic scenarios are also possible. UHE photons could be emitted in encounters of massive magnetically charged monopole--antimonopole pairs or in processes associated with monopoles accelerated to high energies, typically $10^{21}\eV$ or beyond. Observing UHE photons can pose constraints on the properties of magnetic monopoles.
There are compelling theoretical reasons in favor of the presence of magnetic monopoles in nature. The predicted observational signatures of these particles are therefore searched for in dedicated experiments currently in operation. Despite these attempts, magnetic monopoles have yet to be empirically proved.
There are also theoretical reasons why magnetic monopoles allowed by Dirac's theory might not be realized in nature in the form of isolated particles. Detection or non-detection of UHE photon signatures of magnetic monopoles would bring us closer to solving this fascinating puzzle.

Comments: the final version of this manuscript belongs to the Special Issue "Ultra High Energy Photons"


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