Abstracts of Interest
Selected by:
Jemma Pilossof
Abstract: 2306.09878
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Title:A new derivation of the Hubble constant from $γ$-ray attenuation using improved optical depths for the Fermi and CTA era
Download PDFAbstract: We present $\gamma$-ray optical-depth calculations from a recently published extragalactic background light (EBL) model built from multiwavelength galaxy data from the Hubble Space Telescope Cosmic Assembly Near-Infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (HST/CANDELS). CANDELS gathers one of the deepest and most complete observations of stellar and dust emissions in galaxies. This model resulted in a robust derivation of the evolving EBL spectral energy distribution up to $z\sim 6$, including the far-infrared peak. Therefore, the optical depths derived from this model will be useful for determining the attenuation of $\gamma$-ray photons coming from high-redshift sources, such as those detected by the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, and for multi-TeV photons that will be detected from nearby sources by the future Cherenkov Telescope Array. From these newly calculated optical depths, we derive the cosmic $\gamma$-ray horizon and also measure the expansion rate and matter content of the Universe including an assessment of the impact of the EBL uncertainties. We find $H_{0}=61.9$ $^{+2.9}_{-2.4}$ km s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-1}$ when fixing $\Omega_{m}=0.32$, and $H_{0}=65.6$ $^{+5.6}_{-5.0}$ km s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-1}$ and $\Omega_{m}=0.19\pm 0.07$, when exploring these two parameters simultaneously.
Abstract: 2210.02547
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Title:Multi-messenger characterization of Mrk 501 during historically low X-ray and $γ$-ray activity
Download PDFAbstract: We study the broadband emission of Mrk 501 using multi-wavelength observations from 2017 to 2020 performed with a multitude of instruments, involving, among others, MAGIC, Fermi-LAT, NuSTAR, Swift, GASP-WEBT, and OVRO. Mrk 501 showed an extremely low broadband activity, which may help to unravel its baseline emission. Nonetheless, significant flux variations are detected at all wavebands, with the highest occurring at X-rays and very-high-energy (VHE) $\gamma$-rays. A significant correlation ($>$3$\sigma$) between X-rays and VHE $\gamma$-rays is measured, supporting leptonic scenarios to explain the variable parts of the emission, also during low activity. This is further supported when we extend our data from 2008 to 2020, and identify, for the first time, significant correlations between Swift-XRT and Fermi-LAT. We additionally find correlations between high-energy $\gamma$-rays and radio, with the radio lagging by more than 100 days, placing the $\gamma$-ray emission zone upstream of the radio-bright regions in the jet. Furthermore, Mrk 501 showed a historically low activity in X-rays and VHE $\gamma$-rays from mid-2017 to mid-2019 with a stable VHE flux ($>$0.2 TeV) of 5% the emission of the Crab Nebula. The broadband spectral energy distribution (SED) of this 2-year-long low-state, the potential baseline emission of Mrk 501, can be characterized with one-zone leptonic models, and with (lepto)-hadronic models fulfilling neutrino flux constraints from IceCube. We explore the time evolution of the SED towards the low-state, revealing that the stable baseline emission may be ascribed to a standing shock, and the variable emission to an additional expanding or traveling shock.
Abstract: 2306.10907
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Title:High-Resolution Simulations of LS 5039
Download PDFAbstract: Context. We present an analysis of our high-resolution relativistic-hydrodynamics model of the stellar- and pulsar-wind interaction in the LS-5039 system.
Aims. With our high-resolution simulation covering three orbital periods, we analyse the impact of turbulence with a particular focus on short-term and orbit-to-orbit variations.
Methods. Our model uses a relativistic hydrodynamics description of the wind interaction in the LS-5039 system assuming a pulsar-wind driven scenario. The corresponding system of equations is solved using the finite-volume code Cronos. We compute statistical quantities, also relevant for particle acceleration in this system, from results of multiple consecutive timesteps.
Results. In our simulation we find the previously observed shock structures related to the wind-collision region (WCR), including the pulsar-wind termination, being dynamically influenced by orbital motion. In our high-resolution simulation we find high turbulence levels following from instabilities driven at the WCR. These instabilities lead to strong fluctuations of several dynamical quantities especially around and after apastron. These fluctuations are expected to impact the particle transport and also especially the related emission of non-thermal radiation. As an important example, the region from which gamma-ray emission has been found to be boosted due to relativistic beaming in previous studies shows strong variations in size both on short and on orbital timescales.
Conclusions. Using a large computational domain together with high spatial resolution allowed a detailed study of fluctuations in the stellar- and pulsar-wind interaction. The results indicate a possible influence on the non-thermal emission from this system, which will be analysed with dedicated simulations in a forthcoming publication.
Abstract: 2211.09447
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Title:Diffuse neutrino flux measurements with the Baikal-GVD neutrino telescope
Download PDFAbstract: We report on the first observation of the diffuse cosmic neutrino flux with the Baikal-GVD neutrino telescope. Using cascade-like events collected by Baikal-GVD in 2018--2021, a significant excess of events over the expected atmospheric background is observed. This excess is consistent with the high-energy diffuse cosmic neutrino flux observed by IceCube. The null cosmic flux assumption is rejected with a significance of 3.05$\sigma$. Assuming a single power law model of the astrophysical neutrino flux with identical contribution from each neutrino flavor, the following best-fit parameter values are found: the spectral index $\gamma_{astro}$ = $2.58^{+0.27}_{-0.33}$ and the flux normalization $\phi_{astro}$ = 3.04$^{+1.52}_{-1.21}$ per one flavor at 100 TeV.
Abstract: 2211.09631
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Title:Growing evidence for high-energy neutrinos originating in radio blazars
Download PDFAbstract: Evidence for bright radio blazars being high-energy neutrino sources was found in recent years. However, specifics of how and where these particles get produced still need to be determined. In this paper, we add 14 new IceCube events from 2020-2022 to update our analysis of the neutrino-blazars connection. We test and refine earlier findings by utilising the total of 71 track-like high-energy IceCube events from 2009-2022. We correlate them with the complete sample of 3412 extragalactic radio sources selected by their compact radio emission. We demonstrate that neutrinos are statistically associated with radio-bright blazars with a post-trial p-value of 3*10^-4. In addition to this statistical study, we confirm previous individual neutrino-blazar associations, find and discuss several new ones. Notably, PKS 1741-038 was selected earlier and had a second neutrino detected from its direction in 2022; PKS 0735+168 has experienced a major flare across the whole electromagnetic spectrum coincidently with a neutrino arrival from that direction in 2021.
Abstract: 2306.06097
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Title:Shock Cooling and Possible Precursor Emission in the Early Light Curve of the Type II SN 2023ixf
Download PDFAbstract: We present the densely sampled early light curve of the Type II supernova (SN) 2023ixf, first observed within hours of explosion in the nearby Pinwheel Galaxy (Messier 101; 6.7 Mpc). Comparing these data to recently updated models of shock cooling emission, we find that the progenitor likely had a radius of $420 \pm 10\ R_\odot$ (statistical uncertainty only), consistent with a red supergiant. These models provide a good fit to the data starting about 1 day after the explosion, despite the fact that the classification spectrum shows signatures of circumstellar material around SN 2023ixf during that time. Photometry during the first day after the explosion, provided almost entirely by amateur astronomers, does not agree with the shock cooling models or a simple power-law rise fit to data after 1 day. We consider the possible causes of this discrepancy, including precursor activity from the progenitor star, circumstellar interaction, and emission from the shock before or after it breaks out of the stellar surface. The very low luminosity ($-11\mathrm{\ mag} > M > -14\mathrm{\ mag}$) and short duration of the initial excess leads us to prefer a scenario related to prolonged emission from the SN shock traveling through the progenitor system.
Abstract: 2301.05757
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Title:Terrestrial Effects of Nearby Supernovae: Updated Modeling
Download PDFAbstract: We have reevaluated recent studies of the effects on Earth by cosmic rays (CRs) from nearby supernovae (SNe) at 100 and 50 pc, in the diffusive transport CR case, here including an early-time suppression at lower CR energies neglected in the previous works. Inclusion of this suppression leads to lower overall CR fluxes at early times, lower atmospheric ionization, smaller resulting ozone depletion, and lower sea-level muon radiation doses. Differences in the atmospheric impacts are most pronounced for the 100 pc case with less significant differences in the 50 pc case. We find a greater discrepancy in the modeled sea-level muon radiation dose, with significantly smaller dose values in the 50 pc case; our results indicate it is unlikely that muon radiation is a significant threat to the biosphere for SNe beyond 20 pc, for the diffusive transport case. We have also performed new modeling of the effects of SN CRs at 20 and 10 pc. Overall, our results indicate that, considering only the effects of CRs, the "lethal" SN distance should be closer to 20 pc rather than the typically quoted 8-10 pc. Recent work on extended SN X-ray emission indicates significant effects out to 50 pc and therefore the case is now strong for increasing the standard SN lethal distance to at least 20 pc. This has implications for studies of the history of life on Earth as well as considerations of habitability in the Galaxy.
Abstract: 2306.10255
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Title:The First GECAM Observation Results on Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes and Terrestrial Electron Beams
Download PDFAbstract: Gravitational-wave high-energy Electromagnetic Counterpart All-sky Monitor (GECAM) is a space-borne instrument dedicated to monitoring high-energy transients, including Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs) and Terrestrial Electron Beams (TEBs). We implemented a TGF/TEB search algorithm for GECAM, with which 147 bright TGFs, 2 typical TEBs and 2 special TEB-like events are identified during an effective observation time of $\sim$9 months. We show that, with gamma-ray and charged particle detectors, GECAM can effectively identify and distinguish TGFs and TEBs, and measure their temporal and spectral properties in detail. A very high TGF-lightning association rate of $\sim$80\% is obtained between GECAM and GLD360 in east Asia region.
Abstract: 2306.06308
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Title:The Early Data Release of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument
Download PDFAbstract: The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) completed its five-month Survey Validation in May 2021. Spectra of stellar and extragalactic targets from Survey Validation constitute the first major data sample from the DESI survey. This paper describes the public release of those spectra, the catalogs of derived properties, and the intermediate data products. In total, the public release includes good-quality spectral information from 466,447 objects targeted as part of the Milky Way Survey, 428,758 as part of the Bright Galaxy Survey, 227,318 as part of the Luminous Red Galaxy sample, 437,664 as part of the Emission Line Galaxy sample, and 76,079 as part of the Quasar sample. In addition, the release includes spectral information from 137,148 objects that expand the scope beyond the primary samples as part of a series of secondary programs. Here, we describe the spectral data, data quality, data products, Large-Scale Structure science catalogs, access to the data, and references that provide relevant background to using these spectra.
Abstract: 2306.09924
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Title:Cosmic ray processes in galactic ecosystems
Download PDFAbstract: Galaxy evolution is an important topic, and our physical understanding must be complete to establish a correct picture. This includes a thorough treatment of feedback. The effects of thermal-mechanical and radiative feedback have been widely considered, however cosmic rays (CRs) are also powerful energy carriers in galactic ecosystems. Resolving the capability of CRs to operate as a feedback agent is therefore essential to advance our understanding of the processes regulating galaxies. The effects of CRs are yet to be fully understood, and their complex multi-channel feedback mechanisms operating across the hierarchy of galaxy structures pose a significant technical challenge. This review examines the role of CRs in galaxies, from the scale of molecular clouds to the circum-galactic medium. An overview of their interaction processes, their implications for galaxy evolution, and their observable signatures is provided and their capability to modify the thermal and hydrodynamic configuration of galactic ecosystems is discussed. We present recent advancements in our understanding of CR processes and interpretation of their signatures, and highlight where technical challenges and unresolved questions persist. We discuss how these may be addressed with upcoming opportunities.
Abstract: 2306.10802
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Full Text: [ PostScript, PDF]
Title:Numerical Modeling of Time Dependent Diffusive Shock Acceleration
Download PDFAbstract: Motivated by cosmic ray (CR) re-acceleration at a potential Galactic Wind Termination Shock (GWTS), we present a numerical model for time-dependent Diffusive Shock Acceleration (DSA). We use the stochastic differential equation solver (DiffusionSDE) of the cosmic ray propagation framework CRPropa3.2 with two modifications: An importance sampling module is introduced to improve statistics at high energies by keeping the simulation time short. An adaptive time step is implemented in the DiffusionSDE module. This ensures to efficiently meet constraints on the time and diffusion step, which is crucial to obtain the correct shock spectra. The time evolution of the spectrum at a one-dimensional planar shock is verified against the solution obtained by the grid-based solver VLUGR3 for both energy-independent and energy-dependent diffusion. We show that the injection of pre-accelerated particles can lead to a broken power law spectrum in momentum if the incoming spectrum of CRs is harder than the reaccelerated spectrum. If the injected spectrum is steeper, the shock spectrum dominates at all energies. We finally apply the developed model to the GWTS by considering a spherically symmetric shock, a spiral Galactic magnetic field, and anisotropic diffusion. The time-dependent spectrum at the shock is modeled as a basis for further studies.
This page created: Thu Jun 22 09:55:13 ACST 2023 by jpilosso
For a printable title listing click here
For details on generating this page see the instructions. If there are problems with this page (and I expect there will be from time to time) contact Jose.
For previous lists of abstracts of interest click Previous abstracts of interest