Forecasting the Contribution of Polarized Extragalactic Radio Sources in CMB Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Puglisi, G.; Galluzzi, V.; Bonavera, L.; Gonzalez-Nuevo, J.; Lapi, A.; Massardi, M.; Perrotta, F.; Baccigalupi, C.; Celotti, A.; Danese, L.

2018-05-01

We combine the latest data sets obtained with different surveys to study the frequency dependence of polarized emission coming from extragalactic radio sources (ERS). We consider data over a very wide frequency range starting from 1.4 GHz up to 217 GHz. This range is particularly interesting since it overlaps the frequencies of the current and forthcoming cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiments. Current data suggest that at high radio frequencies (ν ≥ 20 GHz) the fractional polarization of ERS does not depend on the total flux density. Conversely, recent data sets indicate a moderate increase of polarization fraction as a function of frequency, physically motivated by the fact that Faraday depolarization is expected to be less relevant at high radio frequencies. We compute ERS number counts using updated models based on recent data, and we forecast the contribution of unresolved ERS in CMB polarization spectra. Given the expected sensitivities and the observational patch sizes of forthcoming CMB experiments, about ∼200 (up to ∼2000) polarized ERS are expected to be detected. Finally, we assess that polarized ERS can contaminate the cosmological B-mode polarization if the tensor-to-scalar ratio is <0.05 and they have to be robustly controlled to de-lens CMB B-modes at the arcminute angular scales.

EoR Foregrounds: the Faint Extragalactic Radio Sky

Science.gov (United States)

Prandoni, Isabella

2018-05-01

A wealth of new data from upgraded and new radio interferometers are rapidly improving and transforming our understanding of the faint extra-galactic radio sky. Indeed the mounting statistics at sub-mJy and μJy flux levels is finally allowing us to get stringent observational constraints on the faint radio population and on the modeling of its various components. In this paper I will provide a brief overview of the latest results in areas that are potentially important for an accurate treatment of extra-galactic foregrounds in experiments designed to probe the Epoch of Reionization.

The optical, infrared and radio properties of extragalactic sources observed by SDSS, 2mass and first surveys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Z. Ivezic et al.

2002-01-01

We positionally match sources observed by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS), and the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-cm (FIRST) survey. Practically all 2MASS sources are matched to an SDSS source within 2 arcsec; ∼ 11% of them are optically resolved galaxies and the rest are dominated by stars. About 1/3 of FIRST sources are matched to an SDSS source within 2 arcsec; ∼ 80% of these are galaxies and the rest are dominated by quasars. Based on these results, we project that by the completion of these surveys the matched samples will include about 10 7 and 10 6 galaxies observed by both SDSS and 2MASS, and about 250,000 galaxies and 50,000 quasars observed by both SDSS and FIRST. Here we present a preliminary analysis of the optical, infrared and radio properties for the extragalactic sources from the matched samples. In particular, we find that the fraction of quasars with stellar colors missed by the SDSS spectroscopic survey is probably not larger than ∼ 10%, and that the optical colors of radio-loud quasars are ∼ 0.05 mag. redder (with 4σ significance) than the colors of radio-quiet quasars

Metre-wavelength fine structure in 30 extragalactic radio sources with sizes of a few arcsec

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banhatti, D.G.; Ananthakrishnan, S.; Pramesh Rao, A.

1983-01-01

Interplanetary scintillation (IPS) observations at 327 MHz of an unbiased sample of 30 extragalactic radio sources having overall sizes between 1 and 4 arcsec, and flux densities greater than 1 Jy at 327 MHz are reported. From VLBI observations, these sources have been reported to contain compact components of sizes < approx.= to 0.02 arcsec contributing on an average about 25 per cent of the total emission at 5 HGz. The IPS observations show that about 45 per cent of the total emission at 327 MHz arises from structures of sizes between 0.05 and 0.5 arcsec (corresponding typically to 0.5 to 5 kpc). A comparison of the VLBI and IPS results indicates that the VLBI and IPS components probably refer to the same physical features in these sources. (author)

Radio identifications of IRAS point sources with b greater than 30 deg

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Condon, J.J.; Broderick, J.J.; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., Blacksburg)

1986-01-01

The present radio identifications of IRAS point sources on the basis of Green Bank 1400 MHz survey maps notes that 365 hot IR sources are not detectable radio sources, and that nearly all cool high latitude IRAS sources are extragalactic. The fainter IR-source identifications encompass optically bright quasars, BL Lac objects, Seyfert galaxies, and elliptical galaxies. No IRAS sources could be identified with distant elliptical radio galaxies, so that although the radio and IR fluxes of most IRAS extragalactic sources are tightly correlated, complete samples of strong radio and IR sources are almost completely disjoint; no more than 1 percent of the IR sources are radio sources and less than 1 percent of the radio sources are IR ones. 35 references

BROADBAND RADIO POLARIMETRY AND FARADAY ROTATION OF 563 EXTRAGALACTIC RADIO SOURCES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, C. S.; Gaensler, B. M.; Feain, I. J.; Franzen, T. M. O.

2015-01-01

We present a broadband spectropolarimetric survey of 563 discrete, mostly unresolved radio sources between 1.3 and 2.0 GHz using data taken with the Australia Telescope Compact Array. We have used rotation-measure synthesis to identify Faraday-complex polarized sources, those objects whose frequency-dependent polarization behavior indicates the presence of material possessing complicated magnetoionic structure along the line of sight (LOS). For sources classified as Faraday-complex, we have analyzed a number of their radio and multiwavelength properties to determine whether they differ from Faraday-simple polarized sources (sources for which LOS magnetoionic structures are comparatively simple) in these properties. We use this information to constrain the physical nature of the magnetoionic structures responsible for generating the observed complexity. We detect Faraday complexity in 12% of polarized sources at ∼1′ resolution, but we demonstrate that underlying signal-to-noise limitations mean the true percentage is likely to be significantly higher in the polarized radio source population. We find that the properties of Faraday-complex objects are diverse, but that complexity is most often associated with depolarization of extended radio sources possessing a relatively steep total intensity spectrum. We find an association between Faraday complexity and LOS structure in the Galactic interstellar medium (ISM) and claim that a significant proportion of the Faraday complexity we observe may be generated at interfaces of the ISM associated with ionization fronts near neutral hydrogen structures. Galaxy cluster environments and internally generated Faraday complexity provide possible alternative explanations in some cases

Magnetogasdynamics of double radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nepveu, M.

1979-01-01

The magnetogasdynamical behaviour of plasmoids moving through an ambient gas is investigated numerically with a two-dimensional code, based on the SHASTA scheme. The astrophysical importance of this study lies in the observed extended extragalactic radio sources. It is assumed that plasma clouds with cylinder symmetry are ejected from the nucleus of a galaxy. Their large-scale evolution in the intergalactic medium (IGM) is followed. The gas dynamics of an ejected cloud, the magnetogasdynamics of ejected clouds, the Christiansen-Pacholczyk-Scott picture for radio galaxies and the shear layers in double radio sources are studied. (Auth.)

Extragalactic active objects in the radio and infrared bands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sikora, M [Polska Akademia Nauk, Warsaw. Centrum Astronomiczne

1981-01-01

This paper is the second in a series of papers concerning extragalactic active objects. We discuss the properties of Seyfert's galaxies, radiogalaxies, quasars and BL Lacertae objects in the radio and infrared bands.

Variations in the small-scale galactic magnetic field and short time-scale intensity variations of extragalactic radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simonetti, J.H.

1985-01-01

Structure functions of the Faraday rotation measures (RMs) of extragalactic radio sources are used to investigate variations in the interstellar magnetic field on length scales of approx.0.01 to 100 pc. Model structure functions derived assuming a power-law power spectrum of irregularities in n/sub e/B, are compared with those observed. The results indicate an outer angular scale for RM variations of approximately less than or equal to 5 0 and evidence for RM variations on scales as small as 1'. Differences in the variance of n/sub e/B fluctuations for various lines of sight through the Galaxy are found. Comparison of pulsar scintillations in right- and left-circular polarizations yield an upper limit to the variations in n/sub e/ on a length scale of approx.10 11 cm. RMs were determined through high-velocity molecular flows in galactic star-formation regions, with the goal of constraining magnetic fields in and near the flows. RMs of 7 extragalactic sources with a approx.20 arcmin wide area seen through Cep A, fall in two groups separated by approx.150 rad m -2 - large given our knowledge of RM variations on small angular scales and possibly a result of the anisotropy of the high-velocity material

Observational constraints on the cosmological evolution of extragalactic radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perryman, M.A.C.

1979-11-01

The thesis discusses statistical studies of the remote radio sources, taking into account the various parameters for such sources, based on data from the various Cambridge Catalogues. Some of the sources have optical counterparts which yield distances from their redshifts. Combining optical and radio observations, an attempt is made to investigate whether large-scale evolution of galaxies occurs as one looks backwards in time to early epochs. Special attention is paid to ensuring that the optical identifications of the selected radio sources are sound and that the selection procedures do not distort the inferences obtained. (U.K.)

Observations of radio sources or 'What happened to radio stars?'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conway, R.G.

1988-01-01

A review is given of the early history of the interpretation of the radiation mechanisms following the discovery of the discrete radio sources, both galactic and extragalactic. The conflicting views which prevailed in the early fifties are discussed in some detail: some advocated thermal radiation from stars relatively close by, and others proposed the alternative that synchrotron radiation was responsible for the majority of the radio sources. Attention is drawn to the importance of high-resolution interferometry, whereby the structure of many of the sources could be obtained. Red-shift measurements and spectral distributions also played a part in determining distances and flux strengths at the sources. (U.K.)

Double hotspots and flow redirection in the lobes of powerful extragalactic radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lonsdale, C.J.; Barthel, P.D.; Owens Valley Radio Observatory, Pasadena, CA)

1986-01-01

Detailed observations of two powerful extragalactic radio sources that contain a prominent double hotspot in one of their two outer lobes are presented. These double hotspots display similar characteristics in both sources, suggesting a common mechanism for their formation. Several other examples of double hotspots are found in the literature that also display many of the characteristics of those in the present sources. These characteristics cannot easily be explained by beam-jitter models, in which secondary hotspots are interpreted as previous impact sites of a beam, which has moved on to form the primary in a new location. Instead, it is proposed that these double hotspots are caused by a flow of material from the more compact to the less compact of the two. It is found that the most probable cause of the outflow is a collision of a beam from the nucleus with a massive (100-million solar mass), dense (greater than 0.1/cm) cloud in intergalactic space. The details of the deflection process itself are unclear, but a possibility is that the beam inflates a bubble of very hot plasma inside the cloud, which then escapes through a weak point in the wall of the cloud. The existence of such intergalactic clouds is considered to be a strong possibility, based on the recent literature, as well as the present hotspot outflow arguments, despite the apparently extreme values postulated for their mass and density. 45 references

Evolutionary tracks of extended radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldwin, J.E.

1982-01-01

We know almost nothing about the evolutionary tracks of extragalactic radio sources but those tracks are, however, strongly constrained by the distribution of sources in the radio luminosity, P, overall physical size, D, diagram. The P-D diagram for the 3CR 166 source sample of Jenkins et al. (1977) is presented with later additions. Most of the sources are identified and have known redshifts. Because of doubts about the completeness of the sample in this region, the author has made searches in the 6C 151MHz survey for sources with specific surface brightnesses. The numbers found to a limiting flux density of 1-2 Jy suggest that there is no serious underestimate of the numbers in 166 source sample. (Auth.)

The psisub(IPS)-LAS relation for extragalactic radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banhatti, D.G.

1984-01-01

Metre-wavelength interplanetary scintillation (IPS) observations give the overall angular sizes psi of scintillating compact structures in radio sources. From 326.5-MHz IPS data for a sample of faint (Ooty) radio sources, log psi versus log (largest angular size) is seen, on average, to have a slope 0.2, significantly less than one. A similar trend is seen from 81.5-MHz IPS data for a sample of strong, powerful (3CR) double sources, although the slope is 0.4 and the mean psi about four times larger. The difference in slopes is due mainly to the large spread in the redshifts of the 3CR sources compared to the expected narrow range for the Ooty sources, while the difference in mean psi values is due to the different methods of determining psi for the two samples, the different frequencies used for the IPS observations and the different mean LAS values. (author)

Study feature of variability extragalactic radio sources 3C 446 and BL Lac in the centimeter wavelength range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sukharev, A.L.

2015-01-01

This work presents the results of the analysis of long-term monitoring (over 40 years) changes in radio fluxes of the two extragalactic sources - 3C 446, and BL Lac. Observations at frequencies of 14.5, 8, 4.8 GHz were obtained in the Michigan Radio Astronomy Observatory (UMRAO). With using Fourier filtering were selected 0- C (short-period), and the trend component of flux variations that were analyzed separately with using the wavelet-analysis method. Each of these components is associated with certain physical processes in the 'core-accretion disk-jet' system. Were constructed time-frequency wavelet-spectra showing the changes of the frequency composition of the investigated data over time. For the trend component values of the main periods of -4-9 years (3C 446) and -8 years (BL Lac), for 0- C component -0.8-3 years (3C 446) and -0.6-4 years (BL Lac) and they appear in the temporal and structural changes of the jet. On the basis of calculating the global wavelet-spectra in the frequency range identified main phases activity of radio sources. Obtained comparison between the dynamics of jets (Mojave VLBI images), and change the frequency spectral structure of the studied data. With bandpass wavelet filtering, flux components corresponding to the main periods in the spectra, were identified and also found the delay between the observation frequencies in spectral bands of these periods

Extragalactic sources in Cosmic Microwave Background maps

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zotti, G. De; Castex, G. [SISSA, via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste (Italy); González-Nuevo, J. [Departamento de Física, Universidad de Oviedo, C. Calvo Sotelo s/n, 33007 Oviedo (Spain); Lopez-Caniego, M. [European Space Agency, ESAC, Planck Science Office, Camino bajo del Castillo, s/n, Urbanización Villafranca del Castillo, Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid (Spain); Negrello, M.; Clemens, M. [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, vicolo dell' Osservatorio 5, I-35122 Padova (Italy); Cai, Z.-Y. [CAS Key Laboratory for Research in Galaxies and Cosmology, Department of Astronomy, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Delabrouille, J. [APC, 10, rue Alice Domon et Léonie Duquet, 75205 Paris Cedex 13 (France); Herranz, D.; Bonavera, L. [Instituto de Física de Cantabria (CSIC-UC), avda. los Castros s/n, 39005 Santander (Spain); Melin, J.-B. [DSM/Irfu/SPP, CEA-Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France); Tucci, M. [Département de Physique Théorique and Center for Astroparticle Physics, Université de Genève, 24 quai Ansermet, CH-1211 Genève 4 (Switzerland); Serjeant, S. [Department of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA (United Kingdom); Bilicki, M. [Astrophysics, Cosmology and Gravity Centre, Department of Astronomy, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch (South Africa); Andreani, P., E-mail: gianfranco.dezotti@oapd.inaf.it, E-mail: gcastex@sissa.it, E-mail: gnuevo@uniovi.es, E-mail: marcos.lopez.caniego@sciops.esa.int [European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Straße 2, D-85748, Garching (Germany); and others

2015-06-01

We discuss the potential of a next generation space-borne CMB experiment for studies of extragalactic sources with reference to COrE+, a project submitted to ESA in response to the call for a Medium-size mission (M4). We consider three possible options for the telescope size: 1 m, 1.5 m and 2 m (although the last option is probably impractical, given the M4 boundary conditions). The proposed instrument will be far more sensitive than Planck and will have a diffraction-limited angular resolution. These properties imply that even the 1 m telescope option will perform substantially better than Planck for studies of extragalactic sources. The source detection limits as a function of frequency have been estimated by means of realistic simulations taking into account all the relevant foregrounds. Predictions for the various classes of extragalactic sources are based on up-to-date models. The most significant improvements over Planck results are presented for each option. COrE+ will provide much larger samples of truly local star-forming galaxies (by about a factor of 8 for the 1 m telescope, of 17 for 1.5 m, of 30 for 2 m), making possible analyses of the properties of galaxies (luminosity functions, dust mass functions, star formation rate functions, dust temperature distributions, etc.) across the Hubble sequence. Even more interestingly, COrE+ will detect, at |b| > 30°, thousands of strongly gravitationally lensed galaxies (about 2,000, 6,000 and 13,000 for the 1 m, 1.5 m and 2 m options, respectively). Such large samples are of extraordinary astrophysical and cosmological value in many fields. Moreover, COrE+ high frequency maps will be optimally suited to pick up proto-clusters of dusty galaxies, i.e. to investigate the evolution of large scale structure at larger redshifts than can be reached by other means. Thanks to its high sensitivity COrE+ will also yield a spectacular advance in the blind detection of extragalactic sources in polarization: we expect that

Extragalactic sources in Cosmic Microwave Background maps

Science.gov (United States)

De Zotti, G.; Castex, G.; González-Nuevo, J.; Lopez-Caniego, M.; Negrello, M.; Cai, Z.-Y.; Clemens, M.; Delabrouille, J.; Herranz, D.; Bonavera, L.; Melin, J.-B.; Tucci, M.; Serjeant, S.; Bilicki, M.; Andreani, P.; Clements, D. L.; Toffolatti, L.; Roukema, B. F.

2015-06-01

We discuss the potential of a next generation space-borne CMB experiment for studies of extragalactic sources with reference to COrE+, a project submitted to ESA in response to the call for a Medium-size mission (M4). We consider three possible options for the telescope size: 1 m, 1.5 m and 2 m (although the last option is probably impractical, given the M4 boundary conditions). The proposed instrument will be far more sensitive than Planck and will have a diffraction-limited angular resolution. These properties imply that even the 1 m telescope option will perform substantially better than Planck for studies of extragalactic sources. The source detection limits as a function of frequency have been estimated by means of realistic simulations taking into account all the relevant foregrounds. Predictions for the various classes of extragalactic sources are based on up-to-date models. The most significant improvements over Planck results are presented for each option. COrE+ will provide much larger samples of truly local star-forming galaxies (by about a factor of 8 for the 1 m telescope, of 17 for 1.5 m, of 30 for 2 m), making possible analyses of the properties of galaxies (luminosity functions, dust mass functions, star formation rate functions, dust temperature distributions, etc.) across the Hubble sequence. Even more interestingly, COrE+ will detect, at |b| > 30°, thousands of strongly gravitationally lensed galaxies (about 2,000, 6,000 and 13,000 for the 1 m, 1.5 m and 2 m options, respectively). Such large samples are of extraordinary astrophysical and cosmological value in many fields. Moreover, COrE+ high frequency maps will be optimally suited to pick up proto-clusters of dusty galaxies, i.e. to investigate the evolution of large scale structure at larger redshifts than can be reached by other means. Thanks to its high sensitivity COrE+ will also yield a spectacular advance in the blind detection of extragalactic sources in polarization: we expect that it

Turblence-related morphology in extragalactic radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benford, G.; Ferrari, A.; Trussoni, E.

1980-01-01

As particle beams propagate through the intergalactic medium, unavoidable instabilities from shear flows produce turbulent magnetic waves. Rather than disrupting beams, this wave energy may enhance luminosity and alter morphology. For reasonable parameters the dominant nonlinear process is an energy cascade from long wavelengths ( 21 cm) to short wavelengths ( 14 cm), where particles are reaccelerated in quasi-linear fachion. We construct a phenomenological turbulence theory to describe this. In an ambient magnetic field, wave-particle scatterings which cause reacceleration can also lead to spatial cross-field diffusion, broadening the beam. Thus beams can flare rapidly as they propagate. This relates luminosity to morphology in a new way. The broadening is wholly intrinsic, unrelated to the beam environment. A variety of radio source types may be related to his effect. Protons do not scatter strongly, remaining collimated and depositing most of the beam energy in hot spots, which are generally weak in the radio but strong in the X-ray

Sources of the Radio Background Considered

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singal, J.; /KIPAC, Menlo Park /Stanford U.; Stawarz, L.; /KIPAC, Menlo Park /Stanford U. /Jagiellonian U., Astron. Observ.; Lawrence, A.; /Edinburgh U., Inst. Astron. /KIPAC, Menlo Park /Stanford U.; Petrosian, V.; /KIPAC, Menlo Park /Stanford U., Phys. Dept. /Stanford U., Appl. Phys. Dept.

2011-08-22

We investigate possible origins of the extragalactic radio background reported by the ARCADE 2 collaboration. The surface brightness of the background is several times higher than that which would result from currently observed radio sources. We consider contributions to the background from diffuse synchrotron emission from clusters and the intergalactic medium, previously unrecognized flux from low surface brightness regions of radio sources, and faint point sources below the flux limit of existing surveys. By examining radio source counts available in the literature, we conclude that most of the radio background is produced by radio point sources that dominate at sub {mu}Jy fluxes. We show that a truly diffuse background produced by elections far from galaxies is ruled out because such energetic electrons would overproduce the observed X-ray/{gamma}-ray background through inverse Compton scattering of the other photon fields. Unrecognized flux from low surface brightness regions of extended radio sources, or moderate flux sources missed entirely by radio source count surveys, cannot explain the bulk of the observed background, but may contribute as much as 10%. We consider both radio supernovae and radio quiet quasars as candidate sources for the background, and show that both fail to produce it at the observed level because of insufficient number of objects and total flux, although radio quiet quasars contribute at the level of at least a few percent. We conclude that the most important population for production of the background is likely ordinary starforming galaxies above redshift 1 characterized by an evolving radio far-infrared correlation, which increases toward the radio loud with redshift.

Infrared observations of extragalactic sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kleinmann, D.E.

1977-01-01

The available balloon-borne and airborne infrared data on extragalactic sources, in particular M 82, NGC 1068 and NGC 253, is reviewed and discussed in the context of the extensive groundbased work. The data is examined for the clues they provide on the nature of the ultimate source of the energy radiated and on the mechanism(s) by which it is radiated. Since the discovery of unexpectedly powerful infrared radiation from extragalactic objects - a discovery now about 10 years old - the outstanding problems in this field have been to determine (1) the mechanism by which prodigious amounts of energy are released in the infrared, and (2) the nature of the underlying energy source. (Auth.)

Fast Radio Bursts from Extragalactic Light Sails

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lingam, Manasvi [John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Loeb, Abraham, E-mail: manasvi@seas.harvard.edu [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2017-03-10

We examine the possibility that fast radio bursts (FRBs) originate from the activity of extragalactic civilizations. Our analysis shows that beams used for powering large light sails could yield parameters that are consistent with FRBs. The characteristic diameter of the beam emitter is estimated through a combination of energetic and engineering constraints, and both approaches intriguingly yield a similar result that is on the scale of a large rocky planet. Moreover, the optimal frequency for powering the light sail is shown to be similar to the detected FRB frequencies. These “coincidences” lend some credence to the possibility that FRBs might be artificial in origin. Other relevant quantities, such as the characteristic mass of the light sail, and the angular velocity of the beam, are also derived. By using the FRB occurrence rate, we infer upper bounds on the rate of FRBs from extragalactic civilizations in a typical galaxy. The possibility of detecting fainter signals is briefly discussed, and the wait time for an exceptionally bright FRB event in the Milky Way is estimated.

Fast Radio Bursts from Extragalactic Light Sails

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lingam, Manasvi; Loeb, Abraham

2017-01-01

We examine the possibility that fast radio bursts (FRBs) originate from the activity of extragalactic civilizations. Our analysis shows that beams used for powering large light sails could yield parameters that are consistent with FRBs. The characteristic diameter of the beam emitter is estimated through a combination of energetic and engineering constraints, and both approaches intriguingly yield a similar result that is on the scale of a large rocky planet. Moreover, the optimal frequency for powering the light sail is shown to be similar to the detected FRB frequencies. These “coincidences” lend some credence to the possibility that FRBs might be artificial in origin. Other relevant quantities, such as the characteristic mass of the light sail, and the angular velocity of the beam, are also derived. By using the FRB occurrence rate, we infer upper bounds on the rate of FRBs from extragalactic civilizations in a typical galaxy. The possibility of detecting fainter signals is briefly discussed, and the wait time for an exceptionally bright FRB event in the Milky Way is estimated.

The Green Bank Third (GB3) survey of extragalactic radio sources at 1400 MHz

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rys, S.; Machalski, J.

1987-01-01

The NRAO 91-m radio telescope in Green Bank, West Virginia was used to make a 1400-MHz sky survey covering an area of 0.0988 sr at declinations 70 deg ≤ δ 1950 < 76.8 deg with 10.1 x 10.5 arcmin resolution. This survey ends the series of smaller than 1-sr surveys made at 1400 MHz with that telescope and four-feed radiometer. A catalogue of 502 radiosources is presented, statistically complete to 112 mJy, which is about five times the rms noise and extragalactic confusion. The observations and data reduction are briefly summarized; the position and flux density errors are discussed. 13 refs., 2 tabs. (author)

The nature of extragalactic radio-jets from high-resolution radio-interferometric observations

OpenAIRE

Perucho, Manel

2014-01-01

Extragalactic jets are a common feature of radio-loud active galaxies. The nature of the observed jets in relation to the bulk flow is still unclear. In particular it is not clear whether the observations of parsec-scale jets using the very long baseline interferometric technique (VLBI) reveal wave-like structures that develop and propagate along the jet, or trace the jet flow itself. In this contribution I review the evidence collected during the last years showing that the ridge-lines of he...

Physical processes in extragalactic radio sources

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Carilli, CL; Perley, R; Harris, DE; Barthel, PD

This paper summarizes extensive observational studies of the closest ultraluminous radio galaxy Cygnus A. These data are used to test jet theory for powering the double-lobed radio emitting structures. Issues addressed include: (i) jet stability, confinement, composition, and velocity, (ii) the

Polarimetry of the Fast Radio Burst Source FRB121102

Science.gov (United States)

Michilli, Daniele; Seymour, Andrew; Hessels, Jason W. T.; Spitler, Laura; Gajjar, Vishal; Archibald, Anne; Bower, Geoffrey C.; Chatterjee, Shami; Cordes, Jim; Gourdji, Kelly; Heald, George; Kaspi, Victoria; Law, Casey; Sobey, Charlotte

2018-01-01

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration radio flashes of presumably extragalactic origin. FRB121102 is the only FRB known to repeat and the only one with a precise localization. It is co-located with a persistent radio source inside a star-forming region in a dwarf galaxy at z=0.2. While the persistent source is compatible with either a low-luminosity accreting black hole or a very energetic nebula and supernova remnant, the source of the bursts is still a mystery. We present new bursts from FRB121102 detected at relatively high radio frequencies of ~5GHz. These observations allow us to investigate the polarization properties of the bursts, placing new constraints on the environment of FRB121102.

Evidence for Infrared-faint Radio Sources as z > 1 Radio-loud Active Galactic Nuclei

Science.gov (United States)

Huynh, Minh T.; Norris, Ray P.; Siana, Brian; Middelberg, Enno

2010-02-01

Infrared-Faint Radio Sources (IFRSs) are a class of radio objects found in the Australia Telescope Large Area Survey which have no observable mid-infrared counterpart in the Spitzer Wide-area Infrared Extragalactic (SWIRE) survey. The extended Chandra Deep Field South now has even deeper Spitzer imaging (3.6-70 μm) from a number of Legacy surveys. We report the detections of two IFRS sources in IRAC images. The non-detection of two other IFRSs allows us to constrain the source type. Detailed modeling of the spectral energy distribution of these objects shows that they are consistent with high-redshift (z >~ 1) active galactic nuclei.

Hot-spots of radio sources in clusters of galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saikia, D.J.

1979-01-01

A sample of extragalactic double radio sources is examined to test for a correlation between the prominence of compact hot-spots located at their outer edges and membership of clusters of galaxies. To minimize the effects of incompleteness in published catalogues of clusters, cluster classification is based on the number of galaxies in the neighbourhood of each source. After eliminating possible selection effects, it is found that sources in regions of high galactic density tend to have less prominent hot-spots. It is argued that the result is consistent with the 'continuous-flow' models of radio sources, but poses problems for the gravitational slingshot model. (author)

Extragalactic dispersion measures of fast radio bursts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Jun; Han, J. L.

2015-01-01

Fast radio bursts show large dispersion measures, much larger than the Galactic dispersion measure foreground. Therefore, they evidently have an extragalactic origin. We investigate possible contributions to the dispersion measure from host galaxies. We simulate the spatial distribution of fast radio bursts and calculate the dispersion measures along the sightlines from fast radio bursts to the edge of host galaxies by using the scaled NE2001 model for thermal electron density distributions. We find that contributions to the dispersion measure of fast radio bursts from the host galaxy follow a skew Gaussian distribution. The peak and the width at half maximum of the dispersion measure distribution increase with the inclination angle of a spiral galaxy, to large values when the inclination angle is over 70°. The largest dispersion measure produced by an edge-on spiral galaxy can reach a few thousand pc cm −3 , while the dispersion measures from dwarf galaxies and elliptical galaxies have a maximum of only a few tens of pc cm −3 . Notice, however, that additional dispersion measures of tens to hundreds of pc cm −3 can be produced by high density clumps in host galaxies. Simulations that include dispersion measure contributions from the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Andromeda Galaxy are shown as examples to demonstrate how to extract the dispersion measure from the intergalactic medium. (paper)

Comparison of VLBI radio core and X-ray flux densities of extragalactic radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bloom, S.D.; Marscher, A.P.

1990-01-01

The Einstein Observatory revealed that most quasars, selected in a variety of ways, are strong x-ray emitters. Radio bright quasars are statistically more luminous in the x-ray than their radio-quiet counterparts. It was also found that the 90 GHz to soft x-ray spectral index has a very small dispersion for sources selected by their strong millimeter emission. This implies a close relationship between compact radio flux density and x-ray emission. Strong correlations have been found between the arcsecond scale flux densities and soft x-ray fluxes. It is suggested that the correlation can be explained if the soft x-rays were produced by the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) process within the compact radio emitting region. (author)

The faint radio source population at 15.7 GHz - II. Multi-wavelength properties

Science.gov (United States)

Whittam, I. H.; Riley, J. M.; Green, D. A.; Jarvis, M. J.; Vaccari, M.

2015-11-01

A complete, flux density limited sample of 96 faint (>0.5 mJy) radio sources is selected from the 10C survey at 15.7 GHz in the Lockman Hole. We have matched this sample to a range of multi-wavelength catalogues, including Spitzer Extragalactic Representative Volume Survey, Spitzer Wide-area Infrared Extragalactic survey, United Kingdom Infrared Telescope Infrared Deep Sky Survey and optical data; multi-wavelength counterparts are found for 80 of the 96 sources and spectroscopic redshifts are available for 24 sources. Photometric redshifts are estimated for the sources with multi-wavelength data available; the median redshift of the sample is 0.91 with an interquartile range of 0.84. Radio-to-optical ratios show that at least 94 per cent of the sample are radio loud, indicating that the 10C sample is dominated by radio galaxies. This is in contrast to samples selected at lower frequencies, where radio-quiet AGN and star-forming galaxies are present in significant numbers at these flux density levels. All six radio-quiet sources have rising radio spectra, suggesting that they are dominated by AGN emission. These results confirm the conclusions of Paper I that the faint, flat-spectrum sources which are found to dominate the 10C sample below ˜1 mJy are the cores of radio galaxies. The properties of the 10C sample are compared to the Square Kilometre Array Design Studies Simulated Skies; a population of low-redshift star-forming galaxies predicted by the simulation is not found in the observed sample.

Changing-Look AGNs or Short-Lived Radio Sources?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wołowska, Aleksandra [Toruń Centre for Astronomy, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń (Poland); Kunert-Bajraszewska, Magdalena; Mooley, Kunal [Centre for Astrophysical Surveys, University of Oxford, Oxford (United Kingdom); Hallinan, Gregg, E-mail: ola@astro.umk.pl [Cahill Center for Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (United States)

2017-11-17

The evolution of extragalactic radio sources has been a fundamental problem in the study of active galactic nuclei for many years. A standard evolutionary model has been created based on observations of a wide range of radio sources. In the general scenario of the evolution, the younger and smaller Gigahertz-Peaked Spectrum (GPS) and Compact Steep Spectrum (CSS) sources become large-scale FRI and FRII objects. However, a growing number of observations of low power radio sources suggests that the model cannot explain all their properties and there are still some aspects of the evolutionary path that remain unclear. There are indications, that some sources may be short-lived objects on timescales of 10{sup 4}–10{sup 5} years. Those objects represent a new population of active galaxies. Here, we present the discovery of several radio transient sources on timescales of 5–20 yrs, largely associated with renewed AGN (Active Galactic Nucleus) activity. These changing-look AGNs possibly represent behavior typical for many active galaxies.

USING THE METHODS OF WAVELET ANALYSIS AND SINGULAR SPECTRUM ANALYSIS IN THE STUDY OF RADIO SOURCE BL LAC

OpenAIRE

Donskykh, G. I.; Ryabov, M. I.; Sukharev, A. I.; Aller, M.

2014-01-01

We investigated the monitoring data of extragalactic source BL Lac. This monitoring was held withUniversityofMichigan26-meter radio  telescope. To study flux density of extragalactic source BL Lac at frequencies of 14.5, 8 and 4.8 GHz, the wavelet analysis and singular spectrum analysis were used. Calculating the integral wavelet spectra allowed revealing long-term  components  (~7-8 years) and short-term components (~ 1-4 years) in BL Lac. Studying of VLBI radio maps (by the program Mojave) ...

The SUrvey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts – II. New FRB discoveries and their follow-up

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bhandari, S.; Keane, E.F.; Barr, E.D.; Jameson, A.; Petroff, E.; Johnston, S.; Bailes, M.; Bhat, N.D.R.; Burgay, M.; Burke-Spolaor, S.; Caleb, M.; Eatough, R.P.; Flynn, C.; Green, J.A.; Jankowski, F.; Kramer, M.; Krishnan, V Venkatraman; Morello, V.; Possenti, A.; Stappers, B.; Tiburzi, C.; van Straten, W.; Andreoni, I.; Butterley, T.; Chandra, P.; Cooke, J.; Corongiu, A.; Coward, D.M.; Dhillon, V.S.; Dodson, R.; Hardy, L.K.; Howell, E.J.; Jaroenjittichai, P.; Klotz, A.; Littlefair, S.P.; Marsh, T.R.; Mickaliger, M.; Muxlow, T.; Perrodin, D.; Pritchard, D.; Sawangwit, U.; Terai, T.; Tominaga, N.; Torne, P.; Totani, T.; Trois, A.; Turpin, D.; Niino, Y.; Wilson, R.W.; Albert, A.; André, M.; Anghinolfi, M.; Anton, G.; Ardid, M.; Aubert, J.J.; Avgitas, T.; Baret, B.; Barrios-Marti, J.; Basa, S.; Belhorma, B.; Bertin, V.; Biagi, S.; Bormuth, R.; Bourret, S.; Bouwhuis, M.C.; Brânzas, H.; Bruijn, R.; Brunner, J.; Busto, J.; Capone, A.; Caramete, L.; Carr, J.; Celli, S.; Cherkaoui El Moursli, R.; Chiarusi, T.; Circella, M.; Coelho, J.A.B.; Coleiro, A.; Coniglione, R.; Costantini, H.; Coyle, P.; Creusot, A.; Díaz, A.F.; Deschamps, A.; De Bonis, G.; Distefano, C.; Di Palma, I.; Domi, A.; Donzaud, C.; Dornic, D.; Drouhin, D.; Eberl, T.; El Bojaddaini, I.; El Khayati, N.; Elsässer, D.; Enzenhöfer, A.; Ettahiri, A.; Fassi, F.; Felis, I.; Fusco, L.A.; Gay, P.; Giordano, V.; Glotin, H.; Grégoire, T.; Gracia-Ruiz, R.; Graf, K.; Hallmann, S.; van Haren, H.; Heijboer, A.J.; Hello, Y.; Hernandez-Rey, J.J.; Hößl, J.; Hofestädt, J.; Hugon, C.; Illuminati, G.; James, C.W.; de Jong, M.; Jongen, M.; Kadler, M.; Kalekin, O.; Katz, U.; Kießling, D.; Kouchner, A.; Kreter, M.; Kreykenbohm, I.; Kulikovskiy, V.; Lachaud, C.; Lahmann, R.; Lefevre, D.; Leonora, E.; Loucatos, S.; Marcelin, M.; Margiotta, A.; Marinelli, A.; Martinez-Mora, J.A.; Mele, R.; Melis, K.; Michael, T.; Migliozzi, P.; Moussa, A.; Navas, S.; Nezri, E.; Organokov, M.; Pavalas, G.E.; Pellegrino, C.; Perrina, C.; Piattelli, P.; Popa, V.; Pradier, T.; Quinn, L.; Racca, C.; Riccobene, G.; Sanchez-Losa, A.; Saldaña, M.; Salvadori, I.; Samtleben, D.F.E.; Sanguineti, M.; Sapienza, P.; Schussler, F.; Sieger, C.; Spurio, M.; Stolarczyk, Th.; Taiuti, M.; Tayalati, Y.; Trovato, A.; Turpin, D.; Tönnis, C.; Vallage, B.; Van Elewyck, V.; Versari, F.; Vivolo, D.; Vizzocca, A.; Wilms, J.; Zornoza, J.D.; Zúñiga, J.

2017-01-01

We report the discovery of four Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) in the ongoing SUrvey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts at the Parkes Radio Telescope: FRBs 150610, 151206, 151230 and 160102. Our real-time discoveries have enabled us to conduct extensive, rapid multimessenger follow-up at 12 major

Associating Fast Radio Bursts with Extragalactic Radio Sources: General Methodology and a Search for a Counterpart to FRB 170107

Science.gov (United States)

Eftekhari, T.; Berger, E.; Williams, P. K. G.; Blanchard, P. K.

2018-06-01

The discovery of a repeating fast radio burst (FRB) has led to the first precise localization, an association with a dwarf galaxy, and the identification of a coincident persistent radio source. However, further localizations are required to determine the nature of FRBs, the sources powering them, and the possibility of multiple populations. Here we investigate the use of associated persistent radio sources to establish FRB counterparts, taking into account the localization area and the source flux density. Due to the lower areal number density of radio sources compared to faint optical sources, robust associations can be achieved for less precise localizations as compared to direct optical host galaxy associations. For generally larger localizations that preclude robust associations, the number of candidate hosts can be reduced based on the ratio of radio-to-optical brightness. We find that confident associations with sources having a flux density of ∼0.01–1 mJy, comparable to the luminosity of the persistent source associated with FRB 121102 over the redshift range z ≈ 0.1–1, require FRB localizations of ≲20″. We demonstrate that even in the absence of a robust association, constraints can be placed on the luminosity of an associated radio source as a function of localization and dispersion measure (DM). For DM ≈1000 pc cm‑3, an upper limit comparable to the luminosity of the FRB 121102 persistent source can be placed if the localization is ≲10″. We apply our analysis to the case of the ASKAP FRB 170107, using optical and radio observations of the localization region. We identify two candidate hosts based on a radio-to-optical brightness ratio of ≳100. We find that if one of these is indeed associated with FRB 170107, the resulting radio luminosity (1029‑ 4 × 1030 erg s‑1 Hz‑1, as constrained from the DM value) is comparable to the luminosity of the FRB 121102 persistent source.

DEEP SPITZER OBSERVATIONS OF INFRARED-FAINT RADIO SOURCES: HIGH-REDSHIFT RADIO-LOUD ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norris, Ray P.; Mao, Minnie; Afonso, Jose; Cava, Antonio; Farrah, Duncan; Oliver, Seb; Huynh, Minh T.; Mauduit, Jean-Christophe; Surace, Jason; Ivison, R. J.; Jarvis, Matt; Lacy, Mark; Maraston, Claudia; Middelberg, Enno; Seymour, Nick

2011-01-01

Infrared-faint radio sources (IFRSs) are a rare class of objects which are relatively bright at radio wavelengths but very faint at infrared and optical wavelengths. Here we present sensitive near-infrared observations of a sample of these sources taken as part of the Spitzer Extragalactic Representative Volume Survey. Nearly all the IFRSs are undetected at a level of ∼1 μJy in these new deep observations, and even the detections are consistent with confusion with unrelated galaxies. A stacked image implies that the median flux density is S 3.6μm ∼ 0.2 μJy or less, giving extreme values of the radio-infrared flux density ratio. Comparison of these objects with known classes of object suggests that the majority are probably high-redshift radio-loud galaxies, possibly suffering from significant dust extinction.

Flux density measurements of radio sources at 2.14 millimeter wavelength

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cogdell, J.R.; Davis, J.H.; Ulrich, B.T.; Wills, B.J.

1975-01-01

Flux densities of galactic and extragalactic sources, and planetary temperatures, have been measured at 2.14 mm wavelength (140 GHz). Results are presented for OJ 287; the galactic sources DR 21, W3, and Orion A; the extragalactic sources PKS 0106plus-or-minus01, 3C 84, 3C 120, BL Lac, 3C 216, 3C 273, 3C 279, and NGC 4151; and the Sun, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. Also presented is the first measurement of the 2.14-mm temperature of Uranus. The spectra of some of these sources are discussed. The flux density scale was calibrated absolutely. The measurements were made with a new continuum receiver on the 4.88-m radio telescope of The University of Texas

Extragalactic Ultra-High Energy Cosmic-Rays - Part One - Contribution from Hot Spots in Fr-II Radio Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Rachen, J. P.; Biermann, P. L.

1993-05-01

The hot spots of Fanaroff-Riley class II radio galaxies, considered as working surfaces of highly collimated plasma jets, are proposed to be the dominant sources of the cosmic rays at energies above 1 EeV^a^. We apply the model of first order Fermi acceleration at strong, nonrelativistic shock waves to the hot spot region. The strength of the model has been demonstrated by Biermann & Strittmatter (1987) and by Meisenheimer et al. (1989), who explain their radio-to optical spectra and infer the physical conditions of the radiating plasma. Using synchrotron radiating electrons as a trace, we can calculate the spectrum and the maximum energy of protons accelerated under the same conditions. For simplicity, we disregard heavy nuclei, but their probable role is discussed. The normalization of proton flux injected in extragalactic space is performed by using estimates from Rawlings & Saunders (1991) for the total energy stored in relativistic particles inside the jets and radio galaxy evolution models given by Peacock (1985). We calculate the spectral modifications due to interactions of the protons with the microwave background photons in an evolving universe, following Berezinsky & Grigor'eva (1988). Constraints on the extragalactic magnetic field can be imposed, since it must permit an almost homogeneous filling of the universe with energetic protons. The observed ultra-high energy cosmic ray spectrum is reproduced in slope and flux, limited at high energies by the Greisen-cutoff at about 80 EeV. The requirements on the content of relativistic protons in jets and the constraints to the extragalactic magnetic field are consistent with common estimates. The data beyond the Greisen cutoff for protons may be explained by including heavy nuclei in our model, since they can propagate over cosmological distances up to more than 100 EeV.

Planck early results. XIV. ERCSC validation and extreme radio sources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lähteenmäki, A.; Lavonen, N.; León-Tavares, J.

2011-01-01

Planck's all-sky surveys at 30-857 GHz provide an unprecedented opportunity to follow the radio spectra of a large sample of extragalactic sources to frequencies 2-20 times higher than allowed by past, large-area, ground-based surveys. We combine the results of the Planck Early Release Compact So...

Infrared Faint Radio Sources in the Extended Chandra Deep Field South

Science.gov (United States)

Huynh, Minh T.

2009-01-01

Infrared-Faint Radio Sources (IFRSs) are a class of radio objects found in the Australia Telescope Large Area Survey (ATLAS) which have no observable counterpart in the Spitzer Wide-area Infrared Extragalactic Survey (SWIRE). The extended Chandra Deep Field South now has even deeper Spitzer imaging (3.6 to 70 micron) from a number of Legacy surveys. We report the detections of two IFRS sources in IRAC images. The non-detection of two other IFRSs allows us to constrain the source type. Detailed modeling of the SED of these objects shows that they are consistent with high redshift AGN (z > 2).

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Extragalactic Sources at 148 GHz in the 2008 Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Marriage, T. A.; Juin, J. B.; Lin, Y. T.; Marsden, D.; Nolta, M. R.; Partridge, B.; Ade, P. A. R.; Aguirre, P.; Amiri, M.; Appel, J. W.;

The isotropic radio background revisited

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fornengo, Nicolao; Regis, Marco [Dipartimento di Fisica Teorica, Università di Torino, via P. Giuria 1, I–10125 Torino (Italy); Lineros, Roberto A. [Instituto de Física Corpuscular – CSIC/U. Valencia, Parc Científic, calle Catedrático José Beltrán, 2, E-46980 Paterna (Spain); Taoso, Marco, E-mail: fornengo@to.infn.it, E-mail: rlineros@ific.uv.es, E-mail: regis@to.infn.it, E-mail: taoso@cea.fr [Institut de Physique Théorique, CEA/Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cédex (France)

2014-04-01

We present an extensive analysis on the determination of the isotropic radio background. We consider six different radio maps, ranging from 22 MHz to 2.3 GHz and covering a large fraction of the sky. The large scale emission is modeled as a linear combination of an isotropic component plus the Galactic synchrotron radiation and thermal bremsstrahlung. Point-like and extended sources are either masked or accounted for by means of a template. We find a robust estimate of the isotropic radio background, with limited scatter among different Galactic models. The level of the isotropic background lies significantly above the contribution obtained by integrating the number counts of observed extragalactic sources. Since the isotropic component dominates at high latitudes, thus making the profile of the total emission flat, a Galactic origin for such excess appears unlikely. We conclude that, unless a systematic offset is present in the maps, and provided that our current understanding of the Galactic synchrotron emission is reasonable, extragalactic sources well below the current experimental threshold seem to account for the majority of the brightness of the extragalactic radio sky.

The isotropic radio background revisited

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fornengo, Nicolao; Regis, Marco; Lineros, Roberto A.; Taoso, Marco

2014-01-01

We present an extensive analysis on the determination of the isotropic radio background. We consider six different radio maps, ranging from 22 MHz to 2.3 GHz and covering a large fraction of the sky. The large scale emission is modeled as a linear combination of an isotropic component plus the Galactic synchrotron radiation and thermal bremsstrahlung. Point-like and extended sources are either masked or accounted for by means of a template. We find a robust estimate of the isotropic radio background, with limited scatter among different Galactic models. The level of the isotropic background lies significantly above the contribution obtained by integrating the number counts of observed extragalactic sources. Since the isotropic component dominates at high latitudes, thus making the profile of the total emission flat, a Galactic origin for such excess appears unlikely. We conclude that, unless a systematic offset is present in the maps, and provided that our current understanding of the Galactic synchrotron emission is reasonable, extragalactic sources well below the current experimental threshold seem to account for the majority of the brightness of the extragalactic radio sky

The SUrvey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts - I. Survey description and overview

Science.gov (United States)

Keane, E. F.; Barr, E. D.; Jameson, A.; Morello, V.; Caleb, M.; Bhandari, S.; Petroff, E.; Possenti, A.; Burgay, M.; Tiburzi, C.; Bailes, M.; Bhat, N. D. R.; Burke-Spolaor, S.; Eatough, R. P.; Flynn, C.; Jankowski, F.; Johnston, S.; Kramer, M.; Levin, L.; Ng, C.; van Straten, W.; Krishnan, V. Venkatraman

2018-01-01

We describe the Survey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts (SUPERB), an ongoing pulsar and fast transient survey using the Parkes radio telescope. SUPERB involves real-time acceleration searches for pulsars and single-pulse searches for pulsars and fast radio bursts. We report on the observational set-up, data analysis, multiwavelength/messenger connections, survey sensitivities to pulsars and fast radio bursts and the impact of radio frequency interference. We further report on the first 10 pulsars discovered in the project. Among these is PSR J1306-40, a millisecond pulsar in a binary system where it appears to be eclipsed for a large fraction of the orbit. PSR J1421-4407 is another binary millisecond pulsar; its orbital period is 30.7 d. This orbital period is in a range where only highly eccentric binaries are known, and expected by theory; despite this its orbit has an eccentricity of 10-5.

THE CHANDRA SURVEY OF EXTRAGALACTIC SOURCES IN THE 3CR CATALOG: X-RAY EMISSION FROM NUCLEI, JETS, AND HOTSPOTS IN THE CHANDRA ARCHIVAL OBSERVATIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Massaro, F. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Torino, via Pietro Giuria 1, I-10125 Torino (Italy); Harris, D. E.; Paggi, A.; Wilkes, B. J.; Kuraszkiewicz, J. [Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Liuzzo, E.; Orienti, M.; Paladino, R. [Istituto di Radioastronomia, INAF, via Gobetti 101, I-40129, Bologna (Italy); Tremblay, G. R. [Yale Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Physics Department, Yale University, P.O. Box 208120, New Haven, CT 06520-8120 (United States); Baum, S. A.; O’Dea, C. P. [University of Manitoba, Dept of Physics and Astronomy, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 (Canada)

2015-09-15

As part of our program to build a complete radio and X-ray database of all Third Cambridge catalog extragalactic radio sources, we present an analysis of 93 sources for which Chandra archival data are available. Most of these sources have already been published. Here we provide a uniform re-analysis and present nuclear X-ray fluxes and X-ray emission associated with radio jet knots and hotspots using both publicly available radio images and new radio images that have been constructed from data available in the Very Large Array archive. For about 1/3 of the sources in the selected sample, a comparison between the Chandra and radio observations was not reported in the literature: we find X-ray detections of 2 new radio jet knots and 17 hotspots. We also report the X-ray detection of extended emission from the intergalactic medium for 15 galaxy clusters.

The SUrvey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts III: Polarization properties of FRBs 160102 & 151230

Science.gov (United States)

Caleb, M.; Keane, E. F.; van Straten, W.; Kramer, M.; Macquart, J. P.; Bailes, M.; Barr, E. D.; Bhat, N. D. R.; Bhandari, S.; Burgay, M.; Farah, W.; Jameson, A.; Jankowski, F.; Johnston, S.; Petroff, E.; Possenti, A.; Stappers, B.; Tiburzi, C.; Krishnan, V. Venkatraman

2018-05-01

We report on the polarization properties of two fast radio bursts (FRBs): 151230 and 160102 discovered in the SUrvey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts (SUPERB) at the Parkes radio telescope. FRB 151230 is observed to be 6 ± 11% circularly polarized and 35 ± 13 % linearly polarized with a rotation measure (RM) consistent with zero. Conversely, FRB 160102 is observed to have a circular polarization fraction of 30 ± 11 %, linear polarization fraction of 84 ± 15 % for RM =-221(6) rad m-2 and the highest measured DM (2596.1 ± 0.3 pc cm-3) for an FRB to date. We examine possible progenitor models for FRB 160102 in extragalactic, non-cosmological and cosmological scenarios. After accounting for the Galactic foreground contribution, we estimate the intrinsic RM to be -256(9) rad m-2 in the low-redshift case and ˜-2.4 × 102 rad m-2 in the high-redshift case. We assess the relative likeliness of these scenarios and how each can be tested. We also place constraints on the scattering measure and study the impact of scattering on the signal's polarization position angle.

Radio and x-ray observations of compact sources in or near supernova remnants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seaquist, E.R.; Gilmore, W.S.

1982-01-01

We present VLA multifrequency radio observations of six compact radio sources from the list of nine objects proposed by Ryle et al. [Nature 276, 571 (1978)] as a new class of radio star, possibly the stellar remnants of supernovae. We also present the results of a search for x-ray emission from four of these objects with the Einstein observatory. The radio observations provide information on spectra, polarization, time variability, angular structure, and positions for these sources. The bearing of these new data on the nature of the sources is discussed. One particularly interesting result is that the polarization and angular-size measurements are combined in an astrophysical argument to conclude that one of the sources (2013+370) is extragalactic. No x-ray emission was detected from any of the four objects observed, but an extended x-ray source was found coincident with the supernova remnant G 33.6+0.1 near 1849+005. Our measurements provide no compelling arguments to consider any of the six objects studied as radio stars

A 31 GHz Survey of Low-Frequency Selected Radio Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Mason, B. S.; Weintraub, L.; Sievers, J.; Bond, J. R.; Myers, S. T.; Pearson, T. J.; Readhead, A. C. S.; Shepherd, M. C.

2009-10-01

The 100 m Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope and the 40 m Owens Valley Radio Observatory telescope have been used to conduct a 31 GHz survey of 3165 known extragalactic radio sources over 143 deg2 of the sky. Target sources were selected from the NRAO VLA Sky Survey in fields observed by the Cosmic Background Imager (CBI); most are extragalactic active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with 1.4 GHz flux densities of 3-10 mJy. The resulting 31 GHz catalogs are presented in full online. Using a maximum-likelihood analysis to obtain an unbiased estimate of the distribution of the 1.4-31 GHz spectral indices of these sources, we find a mean 31-1.4 GHz flux ratio of 0.110 ± 0.003 corresponding to a spectral index of α = -0.71 ± 0.01 (S ν vprop να) 9.0% ± 0.8% of sources have α > - 0.5 and 1.2% ± 0.2% have α > 0. By combining this spectral-index distribution with 1.4 GHz source counts, we predict 31 GHz source counts in the range 1 mJy S 31) = (16.7 ± 1.7) deg-2(S 31/1 mJy)-0.80±0.07. We also assess the contribution of mJy-level (S 1.4 GHz < 3.4 mJy) radio sources to the 31 GHz cosmic microwave background power spectrum, finding a mean power of ell(ell + 1)C src ell/(2π) = 44 ± 14 μK2 and a 95% upper limit of 80 μK2 at ell = 2500. Including an estimated contribution of 12 μK2 from the population of sources responsible for the turn-up in counts below S 1.4 GHz = 1 mJy, this amounts to 21% ± 7% of what is needed to explain the CBI high-ell excess signal, 275 ± 63 μK2. These results are consistent with other measurements of the 31 GHz point-source foreground.

Study of extragalactic sources with H.E.S.S

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giebels, Berrie

2007-01-01

The field of Very High Energy (VHE) γ-ray emitting extragalactic sources has considerably evolved since the new generation of atmospheric Cerenkov telescopes (ACT) of improved sensitivity, such as H.E.S.S. array and the MAGIC ACT, have started operating. This has led to a wealth of new clues about emission mechanisms at high energy through the discovery of new sources, more accurate spectra and temporal studies of sources known previously, and simultaneous multi-wavelength (MWL) campaigns since broad band variability is a key phenomenon to the underlying physical mechanisms at play. The fact that some of these new sources are located at redshifts close to z ∼ 0.2 makes them powerful probes of the Extragalactic Background Light (EBL) through the attenuation of γ-rays above 100 GeV

Spectral Index Properties of millijansky Radio Sources in ATLAS

Science.gov (United States)

Randall, Kate; Hopkins, A. M.; Norris, R. P.; Zinn, P.; Middelberg, E.; Mao, M. Y.; Sharp, R. G.

2012-01-01

At the faintest radio flux densities (S1.4GHz 10 mJy) is well studied and is predominantly comprised of AGN. At fainter flux densities, particularly into the microJansky regime, star-forming galaxies begin to dominate the radio source population. Understanding these faint radio source populations is essential for understanding galaxy evolution, and the link between AGN and star formation. Conflicting results have recently arisen regarding whether there is a flattening of the average spectral index between a low radio frequency (325 or 610 MHz) and 1.4 GHz at these faint flux densities. To explore this issue, we have investigated the spectral index properties of a new catalogue of 843 MHz radio sources in the ELAIS-S1 (the European Large Area ISO Survey - South 1 Region) field. Our results support previous work showing a tendency towards flatter radio spectra at fainter flux densities. This catalogue is cross-matched to the Australia Telescope Large Area Survey (ATLAS), the widest deep radio survey to date at 1.4 GHz, with complementary 2.3 GHz, optical and infrared Spitzer Wide-area Infra-Red Extragalactic data. The variation of spectral index properties have been explored as a function of redshift, luminosity and flux density. [These new measurements have been used to identify a population of faint Compact Steep Spectrum sources, thought to be one of the earliest stages of the AGN life-cycle. Exploring this population will aid us in understanding the evolution of AGN as a whole.

Asymmetries in four powerful radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lonsdale, C.J.; Morison, I.

1983-01-01

The extragalactic radio sources 3C 153, 196, 249.1 and 268.4 have been observed at frequencies of 408 and 1666 MHz with the new MERLIN array operated by Jodrell Bank, giving resolutions of approx. 0.9 and 0.25 arcsec respectively. The sources show marked asymmetries about the central object in spectral index, flux and morphology, which we believe are most naturally accounted for by the effects of a time-dependent asymmetry in the central powerhouse. In the case of 3C 249.1 the observations suggest that energy is being supplied alternately to the two sides of the source. The 1666-MHz observations also show that each of the other three sources contains one extremely compact hotspot. The minimum internal energy densities in these hotspots are such that confinement by ram pressure of motion through the intergalactic medium may not be possible, indicating that such features are transient phenomena in free expansion, or that some other confinement mechanism is operating. (author)

Opacity in compact extragalactic radio sources and the core shift effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovalev, Y Y; Lobanov, A P; Pushkarev, A B; Zensus, J A

2008-01-01

The apparent position of the 'core' in a parsec-scale radio jet (a compact, bright emitting region at the narrow end of the jet) depends on the observing frequency, owing to synchrotron self-absorption and external absorption. This dependency both provides a tool to probe physical conditions in the vicinity of the core and poses problems for astrometric studies using compact radio sources. We investigate the frequency-dependent shift of the positions of the cores (core shift) observed with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) in parsec-scale jets. We present results for 29 selected active galactic nuclei (AGN). In these AGN, the magnitude of the measured core shift between 2.3 and 8.6 GHz reaches 1.4 mas, with a median value for the sample of 0.44 mas. We discuss related physics as well as astrometry applications and plans for further studies.

Properties of Radio Sources in the FRB 121102 Field

Science.gov (United States)

Bower, Geoffrey C.; Chatterjee, Shami; Wharton, Robert; Law, Casey J.; Hessels, Jason; Spolaor, Sarah; Abruzzo, Matthew W.; Bassa, Cees; Butler, Bryan J.; Cordes, James M.; Demorest, Paul; Kaspi, Victoria M.; McLaughlin, Maura; Ransom, Scott M.; Scholz, Paul; Seymour, Andrew; Spitler, Laura; Tendulkar, Shriharsh P.; PALFA Survey; VLA+AO FRB121102 Simultaneous Campaign Team; EVN FRB121102 Campaign Team; Realfast Team

2017-01-01

Fast radio bursts are millisecond duration radio pulses of unknown origin. With dispersion measures substantially in excess of expected Galactic contributions, FRBs are inferred to originate extragalactically, implying very high luminosities. Models include a wide range of high energy systems such as magnetars, merging neutron star binaries, black holes, and strong stellar magnetic fields driving coherent radio emission. Central to the mystery of FRB origins are the absence of confirmed host objects at any wavelength. This is primarily the result of the poor localization from single dish detection of FRBs. Of the approximately 20 known examples, only one, FRB 121102, has been observed to repeat. This repetition presents an opportunity for detailed follow-up if interferometric localization to arcsecond accuracy can be obtained. The Very Large Array has previously been used to localize individual pulses from pulsars and rotating radio transients to arcsecond localizaiton. We present here the results of radio observations of the field of FRB 121102 that permit us to constrain models of possible progenitors of this bursting source. These observations can characterize active galactic nuclei, stars, and other progenitor objects.

A study of faint radio sources near the North Galactic Pole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benn, C.R.

1981-09-01

A large amount of observational data has been obtained on faint radio sources in a small area of sky near the North Galactic Pole (the 5C 12 area). This provides a new perspective (3 decades in flux density from the 3CR catalogue) on the physical properties and cosmological evolution of extragalactic radio sources. Chapter 1 introduces the problem and concludes that faint-object cosmology is best served by intensive investigation of sources in a small area of sky. An optimum area is chosen, at right ascension 12sup(h) 58sup(m) 43sup(s) and declination 35 0 14' 00'' (1950.0). Chapter 2 describes the 5C12 radio survey (complete to 9mJy apparent flux density at 408MHz) conducted with the One Mile Telescope at Cambridge. Chapter 4 describes a 4.85GHz survey to 20mJy of the area, conducted at Effelsberg. In chapter 5, a program of optical identification for the sources is described, using deep (msub(g) = 22.5, msub(y) = 20.7) Schmidt plates taken at Hale Observatories. A statistical algorithm is developed to cope with the problems of optical confusion due to radio positional errors. Chapter 6 draws on data from the previous 4, and presents results concerning radio source counts, spectral index distributions, optical identifications and clustering. (author)

Planck intermediate results. VII. Statistical properties of infrared and radio extragalactic sources from the Planck Early Release Compact Source Catalogue at frequencies between 100 and 857 GHz

Science.gov (United States)

Planck Collaboration; Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Argüeso, F.; Arnaud, M.; Ashdown, M.; Atrio-Barandela, F.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Balbi, A.; Banday, A. J.; Barreiro, R. B.; Battaner, E.; Benabed, K.; Benoît, A.; Bernard, J.-P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bethermin, M.; Bhatia, R.; Bonaldi, A.; Bond, J. R.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F. R.; Burigana, C.; Cabella, P.; Cardoso, J.-F.; Catalano, A.; Cayón, L.; Chamballu, A.; Chary, R.-R.; Chen, X.; Chiang, L.-Y.; Christensen, P. R.; Clements, D. L.; Colafrancesco, S.; Colombi, S.; Colombo, L. P. L.; Coulais, A.; Crill, B. P.; Cuttaia, F.; Danese, L.; Davis, R. J.; de Bernardis, P.; de Gasperis, G.; de Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Dickinson, C.; Diego, J. M.; Dole, H.; Donzelli, S.; Doré, O.; Dörl, U.; Douspis, M.; Dupac, X.; Efstathiou, G.; Enßlin, T. A.; Eriksen, H. K.; Finelli, F.; Forni, O.; Fosalba, P.; Frailis, M.; Franceschi, E.; Galeotta, S.; Ganga, K.; Giard, M.; Giardino, G.; Giraud-Héraud, Y.; González-Nuevo, J.; Górski, K. M.; Gregorio, A.; Gruppuso, A.; Hansen, F. K.; Harrison, D.; Henrot-Versillé, S.; Hernández-Monteagudo, C.; Herranz, D.; Hildebrandt, S. R.; Hivon, E.; Hobson, M.; Holmes, W. A.; Jaffe, T. R.; Jaffe, A. H.; Jagemann, T.; Jones, W. C.; Juvela, M.; Keihänen, E.; Kisner, T. S.; Kneissl, R.; Knoche, J.; Knox, L.; Kunz, M.; Kurinsky, N.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lagache, G.; Lähteenmäki, A.; Lamarre, J.-M.; Lasenby, A.; Lawrence, C. R.; Leonardi, R.; Lilje, P. B.; López-Caniego, M.; Macías-Pérez, J. F.; Maino, D.; Mandolesi, N.; Maris, M.; Marshall, D. J.; Martínez-González, E.; Masi, S.; Massardi, M.; Matarrese, S.; Mazzotta, P.; Melchiorri, A.; Mendes, L.; Mennella, A.; Mitra, S.; Miville-Deschènes, M.-A.; Moneti, A.; Montier, L.; Morgante, G.; Mortlock, D.; Munshi, D.; Murphy, J. A.; Naselsky, P.; Nati, F.; Natoli, P.; Nørgaard-Nielsen, H. U.; Noviello, F.; Novikov, D.; Novikov, I.; Osborne, S.; Pajot, F.; Paladini, R.; Paoletti, D.; Partridge, B.; Pasian, F.; Patanchon, G.; Perdereau, O.; Perotto, L.; Perrotta, F.; Piacentini, F.; Piat, M.; Pierpaoli, E.; Plaszczynski, S.; Pointecouteau, E.; Polenta, G.; Ponthieu, N.; Popa, L.; Poutanen, T.; Pratt, G. W.; Prunet, S.; Puget, J.-L.; Rachen, J. P.; Reach, W. T.; Rebolo, R.; Reinecke, M.; Renault, C.; Ricciardi, S.; Riller, T.; Ristorcelli, I.; Rocha, G.; Rosset, C.; Rowan-Robinson, M.; Rubiño-Martín, J. A.; Rusholme, B.; Sajina, A.; Sandri, M.; Savini, G.; Scott, D.; Smoot, G. F.; Starck, J.-L.; Sudiwala, R.; Suur-Uski, A.-S.; Sygnet, J.-F.; Tauber, J. A.; Terenzi, L.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Tristram, M.; Tucci, M.; Türler, M.; Valenziano, L.; Van Tent, B.; Vielva, P.; Villa, F.; Vittorio, N.; Wade, L. A.; Wandelt, B. D.; White, M.; Yvon, D.; Zacchei, A.; Zonca, A.

2013-02-01

We make use of the Planck all-sky survey to derive number counts and spectral indices of extragalactic sources - infrared and radio sources - from the Planck Early Release Compact Source Catalogue (ERCSC) at 100 to 857 GHz (3 mm to 350 μm). Three zones (deep, medium and shallow) of approximately homogeneous coverage are used to permit a clean and controlled correction for incompleteness, which was explicitly not done for the ERCSC, as it was aimed at providing lists of sources to be followed up. Our sample, prior to the 80% completeness cut, contains between 217 sources at 100 GHz and 1058 sources at 857 GHz over about 12 800 to 16 550 deg2 (31 to 40% of the sky). After the 80% completeness cut, between 122 and 452 and sources remain, with flux densities above 0.3 and 1.9 Jy at 100 and 857 GHz. The sample so defined can be used for statistical analysis. Using the multi-frequency coverage of the Planck High Frequency Instrument, all the sources have been classified as either dust-dominated (infrared galaxies) or synchrotron-dominated (radio galaxies) on the basis of their spectral energy distributions (SED). Our sample is thus complete, flux-limited and color-selected to differentiate between the two populations. We find an approximately equal number of synchrotron and dusty sources between 217 and 353 GHz; at 353 GHz or higher (or 217 GHz and lower) frequencies, the number is dominated by dusty (synchrotron) sources, as expected. For most of the sources, the spectral indices are also derived. We provide for the first time counts of bright sources from 353 to 857 GHz and the contributions from dusty and synchrotron sources at all HFI frequencies in the key spectral range where these spectra are crossing. The observed counts are in the Euclidean regime. The number counts are compared to previously published data (from earlier Planck results, Herschel, BLAST, SCUBA, LABOCA, SPT, and ACT) and models taking into account both radio or infrared galaxies, and covering a

Radio Galaxy Zoo: Machine learning for radio source host galaxy cross-identification

Science.gov (United States)

Alger, M. J.; Banfield, J. K.; Ong, C. S.; Rudnick, L.; Wong, O. I.; Wolf, C.; Andernach, H.; Norris, R. P.; Shabala, S. S.

2018-05-01

We consider the problem of determining the host galaxies of radio sources by cross-identification. This has traditionally been done manually, which will be intractable for wide-area radio surveys like the Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU). Automated cross-identification will be critical for these future surveys, and machine learning may provide the tools to develop such methods. We apply a standard approach from computer vision to cross-identification, introducing one possible way of automating this problem, and explore the pros and cons of this approach. We apply our method to the 1.4 GHz Australian Telescope Large Area Survey (ATLAS) observations of the Chandra Deep Field South (CDFS) and the ESO Large Area ISO Survey South 1 (ELAIS-S1) fields by cross-identifying them with the Spitzer Wide-area Infrared Extragalactic (SWIRE) survey. We train our method with two sets of data: expert cross-identifications of CDFS from the initial ATLAS data release and crowdsourced cross-identifications of CDFS from Radio Galaxy Zoo. We found that a simple strategy of cross-identifying a radio component with the nearest galaxy performs comparably to our more complex methods, though our estimated best-case performance is near 100 per cent. ATLAS contains 87 complex radio sources that have been cross-identified by experts, so there are not enough complex examples to learn how to cross-identify them accurately. Much larger datasets are therefore required for training methods like ours. We also show that training our method on Radio Galaxy Zoo cross-identifications gives comparable results to training on expert cross-identifications, demonstrating the value of crowdsourced training data.

Energy spectrum of extragalactic gamma-ray sources

Science.gov (United States)

Protheroe, R. J.

1985-01-01

The result of Monte Carlo electron photon cascade calculations for propagation of gamma rays through regions of extragalactic space containing no magnetic field are given. These calculations then provide upper limits to the expected flux from extragalactic sources. Since gamma rays in the 10 to the 14th power eV to 10 to the 17th power eV energy range are of interest, interactions of electrons and photons with the 3 K microwave background radiation are considered. To obtain an upper limit to the expected gamma ray flux from sources, the intergalactic field is assumed to be so low that it can be ignored. Interactions with photons of the near-infrared background radiation are not considered here although these will have important implications for gamma rays below 10 to the 14th power eV if the near infrared background radiation is universal. Interaction lengths of electrons and photons in the microwave background radiation at a temperature of 2.96 K were calculated and are given.

An unusually strong Einstein ring in the radio source PKS1830-211

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jauncey, D.L.

1991-01-01

RADIO observations of the strong, flat-spectrum radio source PKS1830-211 revealed a double structure, with a separation of 1 arcsec, suggesting that it might be a gravitationally lensed object. We have now obtained high-resolution radio images of PKS1830-211 from several interferometric radiotelescope networks, which show an unusual elliptical ring-like structure connecting the two brighter components. The presence of the ring, and the similarity of the two brighter spots, argue strongly that this is indeed a gravitationally lensed system, specifically an Einstein ring in which lens and lensed object are closely aligned. Although the source is close to the galactic plane, it seems that both the lens and background (lensed) object are extragalactic. This object is one hundred times brighter than either of the two previously discovered radio Einstein rings, and is among the six brightest flat-spectrum sources in the sky. Its brightness makes it a peculiar object: it must involve either a chance alignment of a lensing object with an unusually bright background source, or an alignment with a less bright object but amplified to an unusual degree. (author)

New Limits on Extragalactic Magnetic Fields from Rotation Measures

Science.gov (United States)

Pshirkov, M. S.; Tinyakov, P. G.; Urban, F. R.

2016-05-01

We take advantage of the wealth of rotation measures data contained in the NRAO VLA Sky Survey catalog to derive new, statistically robust, upper limits on the strength of extragalactic magnetic fields. We simulate the extragalactic magnetic field contribution to the rotation measures for a given field strength and correlation length, by assuming that the electron density follows the distribution of Lyman-α clouds. Based on the observation that rotation measures from distant radio sources do not exhibit any trend with redshift, while the extragalactic contribution instead grows with distance, we constrain fields with Jeans' length coherence length to be below 1.7 nG at the 2 σ level, and fields coherent across the entire observable Universe below 0.65 nG. These limits do not depend on the particular origin of these cosmological fields.

The origin and development of extragalactic radio astronomy: the role of CSIRO's Division of Radiophysics Dover Heights Field Station in Sydney

Science.gov (United States)

Orchiston, Wayne; Robertson, Peter

2017-12-01

Initial post-war developments in non-solar radio astronomy were inspired by Hey, Phillips and Parson’s report in 1946 of an intense source of radio emission in Cygnus. This so-called ‘radio star’ was unique, and questions immediately were raised about its true nature. But it did not remain unique for long. Observing from Sydney, John Bolton, Gordon Stanley and Bruce Slee followed up the Cygnus discovery with more radio star detections, beginning what would evolve into a long-term multi-faceted research program and one of the mainstays of the CSIRO’s Division of Radiophysics. But more than this, these early discoveries in England and in Sydney opened up a whole new field of investigation, extragalactic radio astronomy, which has remained a major area of investigation through to the present day. This paper focusses on the early years of this program when the observations were carried out at Dover Heights Field Station in Sydney, and the ways in which new developments in instrumentation that allowed a major expansion of the program eventually led to the closure of Dover Heights and the founding of the Fleurs Field Station.

Role of cosmic ray protons in two types of extragalactic objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vestrand, W.T.

1980-01-01

For many years the physics of galactic cosmic rays has been studied in detail. Very little work, however, has been done concerning cosmic ray protons in extragalactic objects. Here the role cosmic ray protons can play in two types of extragalactic sites are examined: (1) clusters of galaxies, and (2) the active nuclei of Quasars that produce superluminal radio components. Models of Coma-type radio halos must explain both their large extent and their rarity. A model is presented wherein secondary electrons produced by the interaction of cosmic ray protons with the observed intracluster gas are responsible for the diffuse radio emission. This model predicts a correlation between a cluster's evolutionary state and the presence of Coma-type halos. If a cluster's x-ray morphology is an indication of the cluster's evolutionary state, this prediction is supported by observations. This model also predicts that clusters with Coma-type halos will emit π 0 γ-rays. If the intracluster magnetic field in Coma has the strength favored by many authors, B/sub c/ = 0.2 microgauss, these γ-rays should be detectable with the proposed GRO satellite. Superluminal radio sources may originate in highly compact and relativistically hot plasmas. The production of mesons and their secondaries in an ultrarelativistic plasma is examined. Source functions from a relativistic Maxwellian distribution of protons are numerically calculated for conditions likely during the formation of superluminal radio components. Analytic expressions for the source functions from a power law distribution of relativistic protons are also presented

Precision Geodesy via Radio Interferometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinteregger, H F; Shapiro, I I; Robertson, D S; Knight, C A; Ergas, R A; Whitney, A R; Rogers, A E; Moran, J M; Clark, T A; Burke, B F

1972-10-27

Very-long-baseline interferometry experiments, involving observations of extragalactic radio sources, were performed in 1969 to determine the vector separations between antenna sites in Massachusetts and West Virginia. The 845.130-kilometer baseline was estimated from two separate experiments. The results agreed with each other to within 2 meters in all three components and with a special geodetic survey to within 2 meters in length; the differences in baseline direction as determined by the survey and by interferometry corresponded to discrepancies of about 5 meters. The experiments also yielded positions for nine extragalactic radio sources, most to within 1 arc second, and allowed the hydrogen maser clocks at the two sites to be synchronized a posteriori with an uncertainty of only a few nanoseconds.

ULTRA STEEP SPECTRUM RADIO SOURCES IN THE LOCKMAN HOLE: SERVS IDENTIFICATIONS AND REDSHIFT DISTRIBUTION AT THE FAINTEST RADIO FLUXES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Afonso, J.; Bizzocchi, L.; Grossi, M.; Messias, H.; Fernandes, C. A. C. [Observatorio Astronomico de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-018 Lisbon (Portugal); Ibar, E.; Ivison, R. J. [UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Royal Observatory, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom); Simpson, C. [Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Twelve Quays House, Egerton Wharf, Birkenhead CH41 1LD (United Kingdom); Chapman, S.; Gonzalez-Solares, E. [Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom); Jarvis, M. J. [Centre for Astrophysics, Science and Technology Research Institute, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts AL10 9AB (United Kingdom); Rottgering, H. [Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, Oort Gebouw, P.O. Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden (Netherlands); Norris, R. P. [CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, P.O. Box 76, Epping, NSW 1710 (Australia); Dunlop, J.; Best, P. [SUPA, Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom); Pforr, J. [Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth, Dennis Sciama Building, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth PO1 3FX (United Kingdom); Vaccari, M. [Department of Astronomy, University of Padova, vicolo Osservatorio 3, 35122 Padova (Italy); Seymour, N. [Mullard Space Science Laboratory, UCL, Holmbury St Mary, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6NT (United Kingdom); Farrah, D. [Astronomy Centre, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QH (United Kingdom); Huang, J.-S., E-mail: jafonso@oal.ul.pt [Department of Astrophysics, Oxford University, Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); and others

2011-12-20

Ultra steep spectrum (USS) radio sources have been successfully used to select powerful radio sources at high redshifts (z {approx}> 2). Typically restricted to large-sky surveys and relatively bright radio flux densities, it has gradually become possible to extend the USS search to sub-mJy levels, thanks to the recent appearance of sensitive low-frequency radio facilities. Here a first detailed analysis of the nature of the faintest USS sources is presented. By using Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope and Very Large Array radio observations of the Lockman Hole at 610 MHz and 1.4 GHz, a sample of 58 USS sources, with 610 MHz integrated fluxes above 100 {mu}Jy, is assembled. Deep infrared data at 3.6 and 4.5 {mu}m from the Spitzer Extragalactic Representative Volume Survey (SERVS) are used to reliably identify counterparts for 48 (83%) of these sources, showing an average total magnitude of [3.6]{sub AB} = 19.8 mag. Spectroscopic redshifts for 14 USS sources, together with photometric redshift estimates, improved by the use of the deep SERVS data, for a further 19 objects, show redshifts ranging from z = 0.1 to z = 2.8, peaking at z {approx} 0.6 and tailing off at high redshifts. The remaining 25 USS sources, with no redshift estimate, include the faintest [3.6] magnitudes, with 10 sources undetected at 3.6 and 4.5 {mu}m (typically [3.6] {approx}> 22-23 mag from local measurements), which suggests the likely existence of higher redshifts among the sub-mJy USS population. The comparison with the Square Kilometre Array Design Studies Simulated Skies models indicates that Fanaroff-Riley type I radio sources and radio-quiet active galactic nuclei may constitute the bulk of the faintest USS population, and raises the possibility that the high efficiency of the USS technique for the selection of high-redshift sources remains even at the sub-mJy level.

Searching for Extragalactic Sources in the VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Baravalle, Laura D.; Alonso, M. Victoria; Nilo Castellón, José Luis; Beamín, Juan Carlos; Minniti, Dante

2018-01-01

We search for extragalactic sources in the VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea survey that are hidden by the Galaxy. Herein, we describe our photometric procedure to find and characterize extragalactic objects using a combination of SExtractor and PSFEx. It was applied in two tiles of the survey: d010 and d115, without previous extragalactic IR detections, in order to obtain photometric parameters of the detected sources. The adopted criteria to define extragalactic candidates include CLASSSTAR 0.002 and the colors: 0.5 0.44 mag. We detected 345 and 185 extragalactic candidates in the d010 and d115 tiles, respectively. All of them were visually inspected and confirmed to be galaxies. In general, they are small and more circular objects, due to the near-IR sensitivity to select more compact objects with higher surface brightness. The procedure will be used to identify extragalactic objects in other tiles of the VVV disk, which will allow us to study the distribution of galaxies and filaments hidden by the Milky Way.

Plasma Diagnostics of the Interstellar Medium with Radio Astronomy

OpenAIRE

Haverkorn, Marijke; Spangler, Steven R.

2013-01-01

We discuss the degree to which radio propagation measurements diagnose conditions in the ionized gas of the interstellar medium (ISM). The "signal generators" of the radio waves of interest are extragalactic radio sources (quasars and radio galaxies), as well as Galactic sources, primarily pulsars. The polarized synchrotron radiation of the Galactic non-thermal radiation also serves to probe the ISM, including space between the emitting regions and the solar system. Radio propagation measurem...

The SUrvey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts - II. New FRB discoveries and their follow-up

Science.gov (United States)

Bhandari, S.; Keane, E. F.; Barr, E. D.; Jameson, A.; Petroff, E.; Johnston, S.; Bailes, M.; Bhat, N. D. R.; Burgay, M.; Burke-Spolaor, S.; Caleb, M.; Eatough, R. P.; Flynn, C.; Green, J. A.; Jankowski, F.; Kramer, M.; Krishnan, V. Venkatraman; Morello, V.; Possenti, A.; Stappers, B.; Tiburzi, C.; van Straten, W.; Andreoni, I.; Butterley, T.; Chandra, P.; Cooke, J.; Corongiu, A.; Coward, D. M.; Dhillon, V. S.; Dodson, R.; Hardy, L. K.; Howell, E. J.; Jaroenjittichai, P.; Klotz, A.; Littlefair, S. P.; Marsh, T. R.; Mickaliger, M.; Muxlow, T.; Perrodin, D.; Pritchard, T.; Sawangwit, U.; Terai, T.; Tominaga, N.; Torne, P.; Totani, T.; Trois, A.; Turpin, D.; Niino, Y.; Wilson, R. W.; Albert, A.; André, M.; Anghinolfi, M.; Anton, G.; Ardid, M.; Aubert, J.-J.; Avgitas, T.; Baret, B.; Barrios-Martí, J.; Basa, S.; Belhorma, B.; Bertin, V.; Biagi, S.; Bormuth, R.; Bourret, S.; Bouwhuis, M. C.; Brânzaş, H.; Bruijn, R.; Brunner, J.; Busto, J.; Capone, A.; Caramete, L.; Carr, J.; Celli, S.; Moursli, R. Cherkaoui El; Chiarusi, T.; Circella, M.; Coelho, J. A. B.; Coleiro, A.; Coniglione, R.; Costantini, H.; Coyle, P.; Creusot, A.; Díaz, A. F.; Deschamps, A.; De Bonis, G.; Distefano, C.; Palma, I. Di; Domi, A.; Donzaud, C.; Dornic, D.; Drouhin, D.; Eberl, T.; Bojaddaini, I. El; Khayati, N. El; Elsässer, D.; Enzenhöfer, A.; Ettahiri, A.; Fassi, F.; Felis, I.; Fusco, L. A.; Gay, P.; Giordano, V.; Glotin, H.; Gregoire, T.; Gracia-Ruiz, R.; Graf, K.; Hallmann, S.; van Haren, H.; Heijboer, A. J.; Hello, Y.; Hernández-Rey, J. J.; Hößl, J.; Hofestädt, J.; Hugon, C.; Illuminati, G.; James, C. W.; de Jong, M.; Jongen, M.; Kadler, M.; Kalekin, O.; Katz, U.; Kießling, D.; Kouchner, A.; Kreter, M.; Kreykenbohm, I.; Kulikovskiy, V.; Lachaud, C.; Lahmann, R.; Lefèvre, D.; Leonora, E.; Loucatos, S.; Marcelin, M.; Margiotta, A.; Marinelli, A.; Martínez-Mora, J. A.; Mele, R.; Melis, K.; Michael, T.; Migliozzi, P.; Moussa, A.; Navas, S.; Nezri, E.; Organokov, M.; Pǎvǎlaş, G. E.; Pellegrino, C.; Perrina, C.; Piattelli, P.; Popa, V.; Pradier, T.; Quinn, L.; Racca, C.; Riccobene, G.; Sánchez-Losa, A.; Saldaña, M.; Salvadori, I.; Samtleben, D. F. E.; Sanguineti, M.; Sapienza, P.; Schüssler, F.; Sieger, C.; Spurio, M.; Stolarczyk, Th; Taiuti, M.; Tayalati, Y.; Trovato, A.; Turpin, D.; Tönnis, C.; Vallage, B.; Van Elewyck, V.; Versari, F.; Vivolo, D.; Vizzocca, A.; Wilms, J.; Zornoza, J. D.; Zúñiga, J.

2018-04-01

We report the discovery of four Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) in the ongoing SUrvey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts at the Parkes Radio Telescope: FRBs 150610, 151206, 151230 and 160102. Our real-time discoveries have enabled us to conduct extensive, rapid multimessenger follow-up at 12 major facilities sensitive to radio, optical, X-ray, gamma-ray photons and neutrinos on time-scales ranging from an hour to a few months post-burst. No counterparts to the FRBs were found and we provide upper limits on afterglow luminosities. None of the FRBs were seen to repeat. Formal fits to all FRBs show hints of scattering while their intrinsic widths are unresolved in time. FRB 151206 is at low Galactic latitude, FRB 151230 shows a sharp spectral cut-off, and FRB 160102 has the highest dispersion measure (DM = 2596.1 ± 0.3 pc cm-3) detected to date. Three of the FRBs have high dispersion measures (DM > 1500 pc cm-3), favouring a scenario where the DM is dominated by contributions from the intergalactic medium. The slope of the Parkes FRB source counts distribution with fluences >2 Jy ms is α =-2.2^{+0.6}_{-1.2} and still consistent with a Euclidean distribution (α = -3/2). We also find that the all-sky rate is 1.7^{+1.5}_{-0.9}× 10^3FRBs/(4π sr)/day above {˜ }2{ }{Jy}{ }{ms} and there is currently no strong evidence for a latitude-dependent FRB sky rate.

A repeating fast radio burst.

Science.gov (United States)

Spitler, L G; Scholz, P; Hessels, J W T; Bogdanov, S; Brazier, A; Camilo, F; Chatterjee, S; Cordes, J M; Crawford, F; Deneva, J; Ferdman, R D; Freire, P C C; Kaspi, V M; Lazarus, P; Lynch, R; Madsen, E C; McLaughlin, M A; Patel, C; Ransom, S M; Seymour, A; Stairs, I H; Stappers, B W; van Leeuwen, J; Zhu, W W

2016-03-10

Fast radio bursts are millisecond-duration astronomical radio pulses of unknown physical origin that appear to come from extragalactic distances. Previous follow-up observations have failed to find additional bursts at the same dispersion measure (that is, the integrated column density of free electrons between source and telescope) and sky position as the original detections. The apparent non-repeating nature of these bursts has led to the suggestion that they originate in cataclysmic events. Here we report observations of ten additional bursts from the direction of the fast radio burst FRB 121102. These bursts have dispersion measures and sky positions consistent with the original burst. This unambiguously identifies FRB 121102 as repeating and demonstrates that its source survives the energetic events that cause the bursts. Additionally, the bursts from FRB 121102 show a wide range of spectral shapes that appear to be predominantly intrinsic to the source and which vary on timescales of minutes or less. Although there may be multiple physical origins for the population of fast radio bursts, these repeat bursts with high dispersion measure and variable spectra specifically seen from the direction of FRB 121102 support an origin in a young, highly magnetized, extragalactic neutron star.

Optical spectroscopy of ten extragalactic radiosources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rawlings, S.; Riley, J.M.; Saunders, R.

1989-01-01

We present optical spectroscopy of ten objects associated with extra-galactic radiosources, using the University of Hawaii 2.2-m telescope. Redshifts are measured for four radiogalaxies (B20217 + 36A + B, 3C73, 0648 + 19A, 0648 + 19B) and for a galaxy which is probably associated with a double radio-source with highly unusual properties (0951 + 37); existing redshifts are confirmed for two radiogalaxies (4C39.04, 4C40.08); and a tentative redshift of z=2.87 measured for the quasar 3C82. (author)

Interstellar scattering, the North Polar Spur, and a possible new class of compact galactic radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rickard, J.J.; Cronyn, W.M.

1979-01-01

A reanalysis of the Cambridge interplanetary scintillation (IPS) catalog of angular sizes of radio sources reveals that there is no statistically significant evidence for increased interstellar angular broadening in the galactic plane, in conflict with previous studies. There is a significant contribution to the decrease in the ratios of scintillators/nonscintillators and strong/weak scintillators near the plane from galactic supernova remnants which were included in previous studies of source counts. Using the catalog angular sizes, we show there is no lack of small sources of any size in the plane. However, we do find a 500 deg 2 region near the North Polar Spur (NPS) radio feature, a suspected supernova remnant, where there seems to be a true deficit of small sources. This deficit may be caused by enhanced broadening associated with the NPS. Our conclusion about the apparent absence of angular broadening in the plane conflicts with estimates of broadening based upon the geometrical relationship between time delay and angular size applied to pulsar coherence bandwidths and pulse decay times. To explain this discrepancy, we suggest two alternatives: (1) Large angular broadening of extragalactic sources in the plane may indeed exist so that sources exhibiting IPS (i.e., of small angular diameter) must be galactic in nature. Properties of this possible new class of sources--called scintars--are discussed, and 42 scintar candidates are identified. (2) There is little angular broadening of extragalactic sources, and the pulsar data are being misinterpreted

Frequent VLBI Monitoring on Parsec-Scales of 450+ Extragalactic FERMI Sources at 8 and 32 GHz

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, Christopher S.; Majid, W. A.; Romero-Wolf, A.; García-Mirí, C.; Horiuchi, S.; Snedeker, L. G.; Sotuela, I.

2012-10-01

Executive Summary: An existing Ka-band (32 GHz, 9mm) catalog of 450+ sources is being monitored every 6-10 weeks on Giga-lambda baselines. These observations are sensitive to parsec scale activity in the AGN cores providing unique tests of gamma ray emission models. Abstract: The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) has now released the 2nd catalog of high-energy gamma-ray sources (2FGL) derived from the first 24 months of mission science data with 1873 sources detected and characterized in the 100 MeV to 100 GeV range. 1017 of 1873 sources at high Galactic latitude (abs(b) > 10 degrees) are associated statistically with active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Parsec-scale VLBI measurements play an important role in characterizing the nature of the candidate AGNs by providing crucial extra information to improve the probability of correct identification - VLBI filters out objects which do not host strong compact jets at parsec scale. We are carrying out regular VLBI monitoring of 450+ compact extragalactic sources using Deep Space Network (DSN) 34-meter antennas over intercontinental baselines simultaneously at 8 and 32 GHz. In addition to precision astrometric measurements of AGN compact cores used to maintain the JPL extragalactic reference frame, this program has the potential to provide regular simultaneous flux density measurements at 8 and 32 GHz with precision level of ~20%. By providing measurements on both East-West and North-South baselines with large antennas and Gbit/s recording capability, our program can probe sources down to a flux limit of 30 mJy (10-sigma), potentially increasing the sample to a fainter population of sources. In these regards, our program complements well existing northern and southern hemisphere VLBI monitoring programs, by providing flux measurements at 32 GHz, covering a fainter population sample, and by filling the gap for sources in the -20 to -45 degree declination range. Further, our program also provides additional flexibility for

High-energy sources at low radio frequency: the Murchison Widefield Array view of Fermi blazars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giroletti, M.; Massaro, F.; D’Abrusco, R.; Lico, R.; Burlon, D.

2016-01-01

Low-frequency radio arrays are opening a new window for the study of the sky, both to study new phenomena and to better characterize known source classes. Being flat-spectrum sources, blazars are so far poorly studied at low radio frequencies. In this paper, we characterize the spectral properties of the blazar population at low radio frequency, compare the radio and high-energy properties of the gamma-ray blazar population, and search for radio counterparts of unidentified gamma-ray sources. We cross-correlated the 6100 deg"2 Murchison Widefield Array Commissioning Survey catalogue with the Roma blazar catalogue, the third catalogue of active galactic nuclei detected by Fermi-LAT, and the unidentified members of the entire third catalogue of gamma-ray sources detected by Fermi-LAT. When available, we also added high-frequency radio data from the Australia Telescope 20 GHz catalogue. We find low-frequency counterparts for 186 out of 517 (36%) blazars, 79 out of 174 (45%) gamma-ray blazars, and 8 out of 73 (11%) gamma-ray blazar candidates. The mean low-frequency (120–180 MHz) blazar spectral index is (α_l_o_w) = 0.57 ± 0.02: blazar spectra are flatter than the rest of the population of low-frequency sources, but are steeper than at ~GHz frequencies. Low-frequency radio flux density and gamma-ray energy flux display a mildly significant and broadly scattered correlation. Ten unidentified gamma-ray sources have a (probably fortuitous) positional match with low radio frequency sources. Low-frequency radio astronomy provides important information about sources with a flat radio spectrum and high energy. However, the relatively low sensitivity of the present surveys still misses a significant fraction of these objects. Finally, upcoming deeper surveys, such as the GaLactic and Extragalactic All-Sky MWA (GLEAM) survey, will provide further insight into this population.

Radio astronomy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parijskij, Y.N.; Gossachinskij, I.V.; Zuckerman, B.; Khersonsky, V.K.; Pustilnik, S.; Robinson, B.J.

1976-01-01

A critical review of major developments and discoveries in the field of radioastronomy during the period 1973-1975 is presented. The report is presented under the following headings:(1) Continuum radiation from the Galaxy; (2) Neutral hydrogen, 21 cm (galactic and extragalactic) and recombination lines; (3) Radioastronomy investigations of interstellar molecules; (4) Extragalactic radio astronomy and (6) Development in radio astronomy instruments. (B.R.H.)

An extreme magneto-ionic environment associated with the fast radio burst source FRB 121102

Science.gov (United States)

Michilli, D.; Seymour, A.; Hessels, J. W. T.; Spitler, L. G.; Gajjar, V.; Archibald, A. M.; Bower, G. C.; Chatterjee, S.; Cordes, J. M.; Gourdji, K.; Heald, G. H.; Kaspi, V. M.; Law, C. J.; Sobey, C.; Adams, E. A. K.; Bassa, C. G.; Bogdanov, S.; Brinkman, C.; Demorest, P.; Fernandez, F.; Hellbourg, G.; Lazio, T. J. W.; Lynch, R. S.; Maddox, N.; Marcote, B.; McLaughlin, M. A.; Paragi, Z.; Ransom, S. M.; Scholz, P.; Siemion, A. P. V.; Tendulkar, S. P.; van Rooy, P.; Wharton, R. S.; Whitlow, D.

2018-01-01

Fast radio bursts are millisecond-duration, extragalactic radio flashes of unknown physical origin. The only known repeating fast radio burst source—FRB 121102—has been localized to a star-forming region in a dwarf galaxy at redshift 0.193 and is spatially coincident with a compact, persistent radio source. The origin of the bursts, the nature of the persistent source and the properties of the local environment are still unclear. Here we report observations of FRB 121102 that show almost 100 per cent linearly polarized emission at a very high and variable Faraday rotation measure in the source frame (varying from +1.46 × 105 radians per square metre to +1.33 × 105 radians per square metre at epochs separated by seven months) and narrow (below 30 microseconds) temporal structure. The large and variable rotation measure demonstrates that FRB 121102 is in an extreme and dynamic magneto-ionic environment, and the short durations of the bursts suggest a neutron star origin. Such large rotation measures have hitherto been observed only in the vicinities of massive black holes (larger than about 10,000 solar masses). Indeed, the properties of the persistent radio source are compatible with those of a low-luminosity, accreting massive black hole. The bursts may therefore come from a neutron star in such an environment or could be explained by other models, such as a highly magnetized wind nebula or supernova remnant surrounding a young neutron star.

Infrared-faint radio sources in the SERVS deep fields. Pinpointing AGNs at high redshift

Science.gov (United States)

Maini, A.; Prandoni, I.; Norris, R. P.; Spitler, L. R.; Mignano, A.; Lacy, M.; Morganti, R.

2016-12-01

Context. Infrared-faint radio sources (IFRS) represent an unexpected class of objects which are relatively bright at radio wavelength, but unusually faint at infrared (IR) and optical wavelengths. A recent and extensive campaign on the radio-brightest IFRSs (S1.4 GHz≳ 10 mJy) has provided evidence that most of them (if not all) contain an active galactic nuclei (AGN). Still uncertain is the nature of the radio-faintest IFRSs (S1.4 GHz≲ 1 mJy). Aims: The scope of this paper is to assess the nature of the radio-faintest IFRSs, testing their classification and improving the knowledge of their IR properties by making use of the most sensitive IR survey available so far: the Spitzer Extragalactic Representative Volume Survey (SERVS). We also explore how the criteria of IFRSs can be fine-tuned to pinpoint radio-loud AGNs at very high redshift (z > 4). Methods: We analysed a number of IFRS samples identified in SERVS fields, including a new sample (21 sources) extracted from the Lockman Hole. 3.6 and 4.5 μm IR counterparts of the 64 sources located in the SERVS fields were searched for and, when detected, their IR properties were studied. Results: We compared the radio/IR properties of the IR-detected IFRSs with those expected for a number of known classes of objects. We found that IR-detected IFRSs are mostly consistent with a mixture of high-redshift (z ≳ 3) radio-loud AGNs. The faintest ones (S1.4 GHz 100 μJy), however, could be also associated with nearer (z 2) dust-enshrouded star-burst galaxies. We also argue that, while IFRSs with radio-to-IR ratios >500 can very efficiently pinpoint radio-loud AGNs at redshift 2 < z < 4, lower radio-to-IR ratios ( 100-200) are expected for higher redshift radio-loud AGNs.

Review of decametric radio astronomy - instruments and science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erickson, W.C.; Cane, H.V.

1987-01-01

The techniques and instruments used in Galactic and extragalactic radio astronomy at dkm wavelengths are surveyed, and typical results are summarized. Consideration is given to the large specialized phased arrays used for early surveys, the use of wideband elements to increase frequency agility, experimental VLBI observations, and limitations on ground-based observations below about 10 MHz (where the proposed LF Space Array, with resolution 0.5-5 arcmin, could make a major contribution). Observations discussed cover the Galactic center, the Galactic background radiation, SNRs, compact Galactic sources, the ISM, and large extragalactic sources. 38 references

Interplanetary scintillation observations of an unbiased sample of 90 Ooty occultation radio sources at 326.5 MHz

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banhatti, D.G.; Ananthakrishnan, S.

1989-01-01

We present 327-MHz interplanetary scintillation (IPS) observations of an unbiased sample of 90 extragalactic radio sources selected from the ninth Ooty lunar occultation list. The sources are brighter than 0.75 Jy at 327 MHz and lie outside the galactic plane. We derive values, the fraction of scintillating flux density, and the equivalent Gaussian diameter for the scintillating structure. Various correlations are found between the observed parameters. In particular, the scintillating component weakens and broadens with increasing largest angular size, and stronger scintillators have more compact scintillating components. (author)

Safeguarding Old and New Journal Tables for the VO: Status for Extragalactic and Radio Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heinz Andernach

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Independent of established data centers, and partly for my own research, since 1989 I have been collecting the tabular data from over 2600 articles concerned with radio sources and extragalactic objects in general. Optical character recognition (OCR was used to recover tables from 740 papers. Tables from only 41 percent of the 2600 articles are available in the CDS or CATS catalog collections, and only slightly better coverage is estimated for the NED database. This fraction is not better for articles published electronically since 2001. Both object databases (NED, SIMBAD, LEDA as well as catalog browsers (VizieR, CATS need to be consulted to obtain the most complete information on astronomical objects. More human resources at the data centers and better collaboration between authors, referees, editors, publishers, and data centers are required to improve data coverage and accessibility. The current efforts within the Virtual Observatory (VO project, to provide retrieval and analysis tools for different types of published and archival data stored at various sites, should be balanced by an equal effort to recover and include large amounts of published data not currently available in this way.

Radio stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hjellming, R.M.

1976-01-01

Any discussion of the radio emission from stars should begin by emphasizing certain unique problems. First of all, one must clarify a semantic confusion introduced into radio astronomy in the late 1950's when most new radio sources were described as radio stars. All of these early 'radio stars' were eventually identified with other galactic and extra-galactic objects. The study of true radio stars, where the radio emission is produced in the atmosphere of a star, began only in the 1960's. Most of the work on the subject has, in fact, been carried out in only the last few years. Because the real information about radio stars is quite new, it is not surprising that major aspects of the subject are not at all understood. For this reason this paper is organized mainly around three questions: what is the available observational information; what physical processes seem to be involved; and what working hypotheses look potentially fruitful. (Auth.)

Radio structure in quasars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barthel, P.D.

1984-01-01

In this thesis, observational attention is given to the extended extragalactic radio sources associated with quasars. The isolated compact radio sources, often identified with quasars, are only included in the discussions. Three aspects of the radio structure in quasars and their cosmic evolution are considered: a study of the parsec scale morphology in quasar cores, in relation to the extended morphologies; an investigation of possible epoch dependent hotspot properties as well as a more detailed investigation of this fine scale structure; a VLA project was carried out to obtain morphological information on scales of 0.5 arcsec on high redshift quasars and to investigate possible epoch dependent morphological properties. MERLIN observations at 0.1 arcsec resolution to supplement the VLA data were initiated. (Auth.)

High-Energy Cosmic Ray Self-Confinement Close to Extra-Galactic Sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Blasi, Pasquale; Amato, Elena; D'Angelo, Marta

2015-09-18

The ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays observed on the Earth are most likely accelerated in extra-Galactic sources. For the typical luminosities invoked for such sources, the electric current associated to the flux of cosmic rays that leave them is large. The associated plasma instabilities create magnetic fluctuations that can efficiently scatter particles. We argue that this phenomenon forces cosmic rays to be self-confined in the source proximity for energies Esources for energies Esource luminosity in units of 10^{44} erg/s.

Space distribution of extragalactic sources - Cosmology versus evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cavaliere, A.; Maccacaro, T.

1990-01-01

Alternative cosmologies have been recurrently invoked to explain in terms of global spacetime structure the apparent large increase, with increasing redshift, in the average luminosity of active galactic nuclei. These models interestingly seek to avoid the complexities of the canonical interpretation in terms of intrinsic population evolutions in a Friedmann universe. However, a problem of consistency for these cosmologies is pointed out, since they have to include also other classes of extragalactic sources, such as clusters of galaxies and BL Lac objects, for which there is preliminary evidence of a different behavior. 40 refs

VizieR Online Data Catalog: The VLBA Extragalactic Proper Motion Catalog (Truebenbach+, 2017)

Science.gov (United States)

Truebenbach, A. E.; Darling, J.

2017-11-01

We created our catalog of extragalactic radio proper motions using the 2017a Goddard VLBI global solution. The 2017a solution is computed from more than 30 years of dual-band VLBI observations --1979 August 3 to 2017 March 27. We also observed 28 objects with either no redshift or a "questionable" Optical Characteristic of Astrometric Radio Sources (OCARS; Malkin 2016ARep...60..996M) redshift at the Apache Point Observatory (APO) 3.5m telescope and/or at Gemini North. We conducted observations on the 3.5m telescope at Apache Point Observatory with the Dual Imaging Spectrograph (DIS) from 2015 April 18 to 2016 June 30. We chose two objects for additional observations with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph-North (GMOS-N) at Gemini North Observatory. 2021+317 was observed on 2016 June 26 and 28, while 0420+417 was observed on 2016 November 8 and 26. We also observed 42 radio sources with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) in the X-band (3.6cm/8.3GHz). Our targets had all been previously observed by VLBI. Our VLBA observations were conducted in two campaigns from 2015 September to 2016 January and 2016 October to November. The final extragalactic proper motion catalog (created primarily from archival Goddard VLBI data, with redshifts obtained from OCARS) contains 713 proper motions with average uncertainties of 24μas/yr. (5 data files).

On the origin of the dust lane in the active radio galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morita, Kazuhiko; Sakashita, Shiro

1979-01-01

A simple explosion model leading to the extragalactic extended radio sources is developed to understand the origin of the dust lane seen in the active radio galaxies. The point explosion in a spheroid with inhomogeneous density distribution is investigated by taking account of the cooling effect induced by radiative energy loss. It is suggested that the morphological relation between the dust lane and double radio sources is well explained on the basis of explosion model. (author)

A direct localization of a fast radio burst and its host.

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterjee, S; Law, C J; Wharton, R S; Burke-Spolaor, S; Hessels, J W T; Bower, G C; Cordes, J M; Tendulkar, S P; Bassa, C G; Demorest, P; Butler, B J; Seymour, A; Scholz, P; Abruzzo, M W; Bogdanov, S; Kaspi, V M; Keimpema, A; Lazio, T J W; Marcote, B; McLaughlin, M A; Paragi, Z; Ransom, S M; Rupen, M; Spitler, L G; van Langevelde, H J

2017-01-04

Fast radio bursts are astronomical radio flashes of unknown physical nature with durations of milliseconds. Their dispersive arrival times suggest an extragalactic origin and imply radio luminosities that are orders of magnitude larger than those of all known short-duration radio transients. So far all fast radio bursts have been detected with large single-dish telescopes with arcminute localizations, and attempts to identify their counterparts (source or host galaxy) have relied on the contemporaneous variability of field sources or the presence of peculiar field stars or galaxies. These attempts have not resulted in an unambiguous association with a host or multi-wavelength counterpart. Here we report the subarcsecond localization of the fast radio burst FRB 121102, the only known repeating burst source, using high-time-resolution radio interferometric observations that directly image the bursts. Our precise localization reveals that FRB 121102 originates within 100 milliarcseconds of a faint 180-microJansky persistent radio source with a continuum spectrum that is consistent with non-thermal emission, and a faint (twenty-fifth magnitude) optical counterpart. The flux density of the persistent radio source varies by around ten per cent on day timescales, and very long baseline radio interferometry yields an angular size of less than 1.7 milliarcseconds. Our observations are inconsistent with the fast radio burst having a Galactic origin or its source being located within a prominent star-forming galaxy. Instead, the source appears to be co-located with a low-luminosity active galactic nucleus or a previously unknown type of extragalactic source. Localization and identification of a host or counterpart has been essential to understanding the origins and physics of other kinds of transient events, including gamma-ray bursts and tidal disruption events. However, if other fast radio bursts have similarly faint radio and optical counterparts, our findings imply that

In situ acceleration in extragalactic radio jets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bicknell, G.V.; Melrose, D.B.

1982-01-01

We have examined the energy dissipated by large-scale turbulence in an extragalactic jet. The turbulence is driven by a shear instability which does not disrupt the jet. Fluid theory should be used to treat the evolution of the turbulence, and this allows us to estimate the rate of dissipation without detailed knowledge of the dissipation process. Dissipation occurs due to Fermi acceleration at a scale length approx.10 -3 R and that resonant acceleration plays no role. The Alfvenic component in the turbulent spectrum is dissipated by first being converted into magneto-acoustic waves. An alternative dissipation process due to formation of weak shocks is shown to be equivalent in some respects to Fermi acceleration. Dissipation in the thermal gas should not exceed that due to Fermi acceleration. The effect of Fermi acceleration, adiabatic losses, and radiative losses on an initial power-law distribution with an upper cutoff is studied. Radio emission extending to at least 100 GHz is shown to be possible, and no spectral index gradients are introduced by the acceleration. The upper cutoff can increase due to the acceleration alone or when the acceleration is balanced by radiative losses. The northern jet in NGC 315 is studied in detail. Using our model for the acceleration, we estimate a jet velocity > or approx. =5000 km s -1 with Mach number not much greater than 1, and a density -4 f -1 cm -3 at the turn-on of the jet at 6 cm, where 0.05 5 yr, and it is predicted that the radius of the jet at the turn-on point should vary with frequency either as ν/sup 2/3/ or as ν/sup 3/2/, or there may be no frequency dependence, contingent upon the details of the acceleration

Millijansky radio variability in SDSS stripe 82

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hodge, J. A.; Becker, R. H. [University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 (United States); White, R. L. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Richards, G. T., E-mail: hodge@mpia.de [Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States)

2013-06-01

We report on a blind survey for extragalactic radio variability that was carried out by comparing two epochs of data from the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty centimeters survey with a third epoch from a new 1.4 GHz survey of SDSS Stripe 82. The three epochs are spaced seven years apart and have an overlapping area of 60 deg{sup 2}. We uncover 89 variable sources down to the millijansky level, 75 of which are newly identified, and we find no evidence for transient phenomena. This new sample of variable sources allows us to infer an upper limit to the mean characteristic timescale of active galactic nucleus radio variability of 14 yr. We find that only 1% of extragalactic sources have fractional variability f {sub var} > 3, while 44% of Galactic sources vary by this much. The variable sample contains a larger fraction of quasars than a comparable non-variable control sample, though the majority of the variable sources appear to be extended galaxies in the optical. This implies that either quasars are not the dominant contributor to the variability of the sample, or that the deep optical data allow us to detect the host galaxies of some low-z quasars. We use the new, higher resolution data to report on the morphology of the variable sources. Finally, we show that the fraction of sources that are variable remains constant or increases at low flux densities. This may imply that next generation radio surveys with telescopes like Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder and MeerKAT will see a constant or even increasing fraction of variable sources down into the sub-millijansky regime.

Is PKS 2155 an extragalactic source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maraschi, L.; Treves, A. (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milan (Italy). Lab. di Fisica Cosmica e Tecnologie Relative; Milan Univ. (Italy). Ist. di Fisica); Tanzi, E.G. (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milan (Italy). Lab. di Fisica Cosmica e Tecnologie Relative); Tarenghi, M. (European Southern Observatory, Garching (Germany, F.R.))

1981-01-01

We present here observations in the far ultraviolet (1200-3000 Angstroem) obtained with I.U.E. The presence of weak variable emission features is discussed and the extragalactic nature of the object is questioned.

Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Extragalactic sources in cosmic microwave background maps

Science.gov (United States)

De Zotti, G.; González-Nuevo, J.; Lopez-Caniego, M.; Negrello, M.; Greenslade, J.; Hernández-Monteagudo, C.; Delabrouille, J.; Cai, Z.-Y.; Bonato, M.; Achúcarro, A.; Ade, P.; Allison, R.; Ashdown, M.; Ballardini, M.; Banday, A. J.; Banerji, R.; Bartlett, J. G.; Bartolo, N.; Basak, S.; Bersanelli, M.; Biesiada, M.; Bilicki, M.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonavera, L.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F.; Boulanger, F.; Brinckmann, T.; Bucher, M.; Burigana, C.; Buzzelli, A.; Calvo, M.; Carvalho, C. S.; Castellano, M. G.; Challinor, A.; Chluba, J.; Clements, D. L.; Clesse, S.; Colafrancesco, S.; Colantoni, I.; Coppolecchia, A.; Crook, M.; D'Alessandro, G.; de Bernardis, P.; de Gasperis, G.; Diego, J. M.; Di Valentino, E.; Errard, J.; Feeney, S. M.; Fernández-Cobos, R.; Ferraro, S.; Finelli, F.; Forastieri, F.; Galli, S.; Génova-Santos, R. T.; Gerbino, M.; Grandis, S.; Hagstotz, S.; Hanany, S.; Handley, W.; Hervias-Caimapo, C.; Hills, M.; Hivon, E.; Kiiveri, K.; Kisner, T.; Kitching, T.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lagache, G.; Lamagna, L.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Le Brun, A.; Lesgourgues, J.; Lewis, A.; Liguori, M.; Lindholm, V.; Luzzi, G.; Maffei, B.; Mandolesi, N.; Martinez-Gonzalez, E.; Martins, C. J. A. P.; Masi, S.; Massardi, M.; Matarrese, S.; McCarthy, D.; Melchiorri, A.; Melin, J.-B.; Molinari, D.; Monfardini, A.; Natoli, P.; Notari, A.; Paiella, A.; Paoletti, D.; Partridge, R. B.; Patanchon, G.; Piat, M.; Pisano, G.; Polastri, L.; Polenta, G.; Pollo, A.; Poulin, V.; Quartin, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Roman, M.; Rossi, G.; Roukema, B. F.; Rubiño-Martín, J.-A.; Salvati, L.; Scott, D.; Serjeant, S.; Tartari, A.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Trappe, N.; Triqueneaux, S.; Trombetti, T.; Tucci, M.; Tucker, C.; Väliviita, J.; van de Weygaert, R.; Van Tent, B.; Vennin, V.; Vielva, P.; Vittorio, N.; Young, K.; Zannoni, M.

2018-04-01

We discuss the potential of a next generation space-borne Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) experiment for studies of extragalactic sources. Our analysis has particular bearing on the definition of the future space project, CORE, that has been submitted in response to ESA's call for a Medium-size mission opportunity as the successor of the Planck satellite. Even though the effective telescope size will be somewhat smaller than that of Planck, CORE will have a considerably better angular resolution at its highest frequencies, since, in contrast with Planck, it will be diffraction limited at all frequencies. The improved resolution implies a considerable decrease of the source confusion, i.e. substantially fainter detection limits. In particular, CORE will detect thousands of strongly lensed high-z galaxies distributed over the full sky. The extreme brightness of these galaxies will make it possible to study them, via follow-up observations, in extraordinary detail. Also, the CORE resolution matches the typical sizes of high-z galaxy proto-clusters much better than the Planck resolution, resulting in a much higher detection efficiency; these objects will be caught in an evolutionary phase beyond the reach of surveys in other wavebands. Furthermore, CORE will provide unique information on the evolution of the star formation in virialized groups and clusters of galaxies up to the highest possible redshifts. Finally, thanks to its very high sensitivity, CORE will detect the polarized emission of thousands of radio sources and, for the first time, of dusty galaxies, at mm and sub-mm wavelengths, respectively.

Is PKS 2155 an extragalactic source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maraschi, L.; Treves, A.

1981-01-01

We present here observations in the far ultraviolet (1200-3000 Angstroem) obtained with I.U.E. The presence of weak variable emission features is discussed and the extragalactic nature of the object is questioned. (orig./WL)

Fast Radio Burst Discovered in the Arecibo Pulsar ALFA Survey

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spitler, L.G.; Cordes, J.M.; Hessels, J.W.T.; Lorimer, D.R.; McLaughlin, M.A.; Chatterjee, S.; Crawford, F.; Deneva, J.S.; Kaspi, V.M.; Wharton, R.S.; Allen, B.; Bogdanov, S.; Brazier, A.; Camilo, F.; Freire, P.C.C.; Jenet, F.A.; Karako-Argaman, C.; Knispel, B.; Lazarus, P.; Lee, K.J.; van Leeuwen, J.; Lynch, R.; Ransom, S.M.; Scholz, P.; Siemens, X.; Stairs, I.H.; Stovall, K.; Swiggum, J.K.; Venkataraman, A.; Zhu, W.W.; Aulbert, C.; Fehrmann, H.

2014-01-01

Recent work has exploited pulsar survey data to identify temporally isolated, millisecond-duration radio bursts with large dispersion measures (DMs). These bursts have been interpreted as arising from a population of extragalactic sources, in which case they would provide unprecedented opportunities

Radio propagation through the turbulent interstellar plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rickett, B.J.

1990-01-01

The current understanding of interstellar scattering is reviewed, and its impact on radio astronomy is examined. The features of interstellar plasma turbulence are also discussed. It is concluded that methods involving the investigation of the flux variability of pulsars and extragalactic sources and the VLBI visibility curves constitute new techniques for probing the ISM. However, scattering causes a seeing limitation in radio observations. It is now clear that variation due to RISS (refractive interstellar scintillations) is likely to be important for several classes of variable sources, especially low-frequency variables and centimeter-wave flickering. 168 refs

Radio and X-ray properties of the source G29.37+0.1 linked to HESS J1844-030

Science.gov (United States)

Castelletti, G.; Supan, L.; Petriella, A.; Giacani, E.; Joshi, B. C.

2017-06-01

Aims: We report on the first detailed multiwavelength study of the radio source G29.37+0.1, which is an as-yet-unclassified object linked to the very-high-energy γ-emitting source HESS J1844-030. The origin of the multiwavelength emission toward G29.37+0.1 has not been clarified so far, leaving open the question about the physical relationship between these sources. Methods: Using observations carried out with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT), we performed high-quality full-synthesis imaging at 610 MHz of the field containing G29.37+0.1. The obtained data, combined with observations at 1400 MHz from The Multi-Array Galactic Plane Imaging Survey (MAGPIS) were used to investigate in detail the properties of its radio emission. Additionally, we reprocessed archival data obtained with the XMM-Newton and Chandra observatories in order to get a multiwavelength view of this unusual source. Results: The radio source G29.37+0.1 mainly consists of a bright twisted structure, named the S-shaped feature. The high sensitivity of the new GMRT observations allowed the identification of potential lobes, jets, and a nuclear central region in the S-shaped morphology of G29.37+0.1. We also highlight the detection of diffuse and low surface brightness emission enveloping the brightest emitting regions. The brightest emission in G29.37+0.1 has a radio synchrotron spectral index α = 0.59 ± 0.09. Variations in the spectral behaviour are observed across the whole radio source with the flattest spectral features in the central nuclear and jets components (α 0.3). These results lead us to conclude that the brightest radio emission from G29.37+0.1 likely represents a newly recognized radio galaxy. The identification of optical and infrared counterparts to the emission arising from the core of G29.37+0.1 strengthens our interpretation of an extragalactic origin of the radio emission. We performed several tests to explain the physical mechanism responsible for the observed X

Compact radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Altschuler, D.R.

1975-01-01

Eighty-seven compact radio sources were monitored between 1971 and 1974 with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory interferometer. Both flux density and polarization were measured at intervals of about one month at wavelengths of 3.7 and 11.1 cms. Forty-four sources showed definite variability in their total and/or polarized flux density. The variations in polarization were of a shorter time scale than the corresponding flux density variations. Some of the qualitative features of an expanding source model were observed. The data suggest that some form of injection of relativistic electrons is taking place. The absence of significant depolarization in the variable sources indicates that only a small fraction of the mass of the radio outburst is in the form of non-relativistic plasma. Some of the objects observed belong to the BL-Lacertal class. It is shown that this class is very inhomogeneous in its radio properties. For the violently variable BL-Lacertal type objects the spectrum, flux variations and polarization data strongly suggest that these are very young objects

Radio emissions from pulsar companions: a refutable explanation for galactic transients and fast radio bursts

Science.gov (United States)

Mottez, F.; Zarka, P.

2014-09-01

Context. The six known highly dispersed fast radio bursts are attributed to extragalactic radio sources that are of unknown origin but extremely energetic. We propose here a new explanation that does not require an extreme release of energy and involves a body (planet, asteroid, white dwarf) orbiting an extragalactic pulsar. Aims: We investigate a theory of radio waves associated with such pulsar-orbiting bodies. We focus our analysis on the waves emitted from the magnetic wake of the body in the pulsar wind. After deriving their properties, we compare them with the observations of various transient radio signals to determine whether they could originate from pulsar-orbiting bodies. Methods: The analysis is based on the theory of Alfvén wings: for a body immersed in a pulsar wind, a system of two stationary Alfvén waves is attached to the body, provided that the wind is highly magnetised. When they are destabilised through plasma instabilities, Alfvén wings can be the locus of strong radio sources that are convected with the pulsar wind. By assuming a cyclotron maser instability operating in the Alfvén wings, we make predictions about the shape, frequencies, and brightness of the resulting radio emissions. Results: Because of the beaming by relativistic aberration, the signal is seen only when the companion is perfectly aligned between its parent pulsar and the observer, as is the case for occultations. For pulsar winds with a high Lorentz factor (≥104), the whole duration of the radio event does not exceed a few seconds, and it is composed of one to four peaks that last a few milliseconds each and are detectable up to distances of several Mpc. The Lorimer burst, the three isolated pulses of PSR J1928+15, and the recently detected fast radio bursts are all compatible with our model. According to it, these transient signals should repeat periodically with the companion's orbital period. Conclusions: The search of pulsar-orbiting bodies could be an exploration

The Jodrell Bank radio-linked interferometer network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davies, J.G.; Anderson, B.; Morison, I.

1980-01-01

The capabilities of the Multi Telescope Radio Linked Interferometer (MTRLI) situated at Jodrell Bank, are described and some of the first maps to be made with it are presented. MTRLI produces high quality maps of radio sources with resolutions varying from approximately 1 arc s to approximately 0.02 arc s depending on the frequency of operation. The maps presented here were made at 408 MHz and are all of extragalactic sources. They illustrate the ability of MTRLI to map at low frequencies the steep spectrum emission which tends to be overlooked with existing synthesis instruments which have to work at much higher frequencies to obtain the same resolution. (U.K.)

UNVEILING THE NATURE OF THE UNIDENTIFIED GAMMA-RAY SOURCES. V. ANALYSIS OF THE RADIO CANDIDATES WITH THE KERNEL DENSITY ESTIMATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Massaro, F.; Funk, S.; D'Abrusco, R.; Paggi, A.; Smith, Howard A.; Masetti, N.; Giroletti, M.; Tosti, G.

2013-01-01

Nearly one-third of the γ-ray sources detected by Fermi are still unidentified, despite significant recent progress in this area. However, all of the γ-ray extragalactic sources associated in the second Fermi-LAT catalog have a radio counterpart. Motivated by this observational evidence, we investigate all the radio sources of the major radio surveys that lie within the positional uncertainty region of the unidentified γ-ray sources (UGSs) at a 95% level of confidence. First, we search for their infrared counterparts in the all-sky survey performed by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and then we analyze their IR colors in comparison with those of the known γ-ray blazars. We propose a new approach, on the basis of a two-dimensional kernel density estimation technique in the single [3.4] – [4.6] – [12] μm WISE color-color plot, replacing the constraint imposed in our previous investigations on the detection at 22 μm of each potential IR counterpart of the UGSs with associated radio emission. The main goal of this analysis is to find distant γ-ray blazar candidates that, being too faint at 22 μm, are not detected by WISE and thus are not selected by our purely IR-based methods. We find 55 UGSs that likely correspond to radio sources with blazar-like IR signatures. An additional 11 UGSs that have blazar-like IR colors have been found within the sample of sources found with deep recent Australia Telescope Compact Array observations

The peculiar radio source M17 JVLA 35

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodríguez, L. F.; Carrasco-González, C. [Centro de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica UNAM, Apartado Postal 3-72 (Xangari), 58089 Morelia, Michoacán (Mexico); Montes, G. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Tapia, M. [Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apdo. Postal 877, Ensenada, BC, CP 22830 (Mexico)

2014-07-01

M17 JVLA 35 is a radio source detected in projection against the M17 H II region. In recent observations, its spectrum between 4.96 and 8.46 GHz was found to be positive and very steep, with α ≥ 2.9 ± 0.6 (S {sub ν}∝ν{sup α}). Here we present Very Large Array observations made in the 18.5 to 36.5 GHz region that indicate a spectral turnover at ∼13 GHz and a negative spectral index (α ≅ –2.0) at higher frequencies. The spectrum is consistent with that of an extragalactic high frequency peaker (HFP). However, M17 JVLA 35 has an angular size of ∼0.''5 at 8.46 GHz, while HFPs have extremely compact, milliarcsecond dimensions. We discuss other possible models for the spectrum of the source and do not find them feasible. Finally, we propose that M17 JVLA 35 is indeed an HFP but that its angular size becomes broadened by plasma scattering as its radiation travels across M17. If our interpretation is correct, accurate measurements of the angular size of M17 JVLA 35 across the centimeter range should reveal the expected ν{sup –2} dependence.

Confusion-limited extragalactic source survey at 4.755 GHz. I. Source list and areal distributions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ledden, J.E.; Broderick, J.J.; Condon, J.J.; Brown, R.L.

1980-01-01

A confusion-limited 4.755-GHz survey covering 0.00 956 sr between right ascensions 07/sup h/05/sup m/ and 18/sup h/ near declination +35 0 has been made with the NRAO 91-m telescope. The survey found 237 sources and is complete above 15 mJy. Source counts between 15 and 100 mJy were obtained directly. The P(D) distribution was used to determine the number counts between 0.5 and 13.2 mJy, to search for anisotropy in the density of faint extragalactic sources, and to set a 99%-confidence upper limit of 1.83 mK to the rms temperature fluctuation of the 2.7-K cosmic microwave background on angular scales smaller than 7.3 arcmin. The discrete-source density, normalized to the static Euclidean slope, falls off sufficiently rapidly below 100 mJy that no new population of faint flat-spectrum sources is required to explain the 4.755-GHz source counts

GYRO-ORBIT SIZE, BRIGHTNESS TEMPERATURE LIMIT, AND IMPLAUSIBILITY OF COHERENT EMISSION BY BUNCHING IN SYNCHROTRON RADIO SOURCES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singal, Ashok K.

2012-01-01

We show that an upper limit on the maximum brightness temperature for a self-absorbed incoherent synchrotron radio source is obtained from the size of its gyro orbits, which in turn must lie well within the confines of the total source extent. These temperature limits are obtained without recourse to inverse Compton effects or the condition of equipartition of energy between magnetic fields and relativistic particles. For radio variables, the intra-day variability implies brightness temperatures ∼10 19 K in the comoving rest frame of the source. This, if interpreted purely due to an incoherent synchrotron emission, would imply gyroradii >10 28 cm, the size of the universe, while from the causality arguments the inferred maximum size of the source in such a case is ∼ 15 cm. Such high brightness temperatures are sometimes modeled in the literature as some coherent emission process where bunches of non-thermal particles are somehow formed that radiate in phase. We show that, unlike in the case of curvature radiation models proposed in pulsars, in the synchrotron radiation mechanism the oppositely charged particles would contribute together to the coherent phenomenon without the need to form separate bunches of the opposite charges. At the same time we show that bunches would disperse over dimensions larger than a wavelength in time shorter than the gyro orbital period (∼< 0.1 s). Therefore, a coherent emission by bunches cannot be a plausible explanation of the high brightness temperatures inferred in extragalactic radio sources showing variability over a few hours or longer.

Long-term Periodicity Analysis of Polarization Variation for Radio ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Kochanev, P. Yu., Gabuzda, D. C. 1998, In: Radio Emission From Galactic and Extragalactic. Compact Sources (eds) Zensus, J. A., Taylor, G. B., Wrobel, J. M., San Francisco: ASP, p. 273. Lomb, N. R. 1976, ApS&S, 39, 447. Mead, A. R. G., Ballard, K. R., Brand, P. W. J. L. et al. 1990, Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. Ser.,. 83, 183.

VLBA Observations of Strong Anisotripic Radio Scattering Toward the Orion Nebula

Science.gov (United States)

Kounkel, Marina; Hartmann, Lee; Loinard, Laurent; Mioduszewski, Amy J.; Rodríguez, Luis F.; Ortiz-León, Gisela N.; Johnson, Michael D.; Torres, Rosa M.; Briceño, Cesar

2018-05-01

We present observations of VLBA 20, a radio source found toward the edge of the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC). Nonthermal emission dominates the spectral energy distribution of this object from the radio to mid-infrared regime, suggesting that VLBA 20 is extragalactic. This source is heavily scattered in the radio regime. Very Long Baseline Array observations resolve it to ∼34 × 19 mas at 5 GHz, and the wavelength dependence of the scattering disk is consistent with ν ‑2 at other frequencies. The origin of the scattering is most likely the ionized X-ray emitting gas from the winds of the most massive stars of the ONC. The scattering is highly anisotropic, with the axis ratio of 2:1, higher than what is typically observed toward other sources.

THE Q/U IMAGING EXPERIMENT: POLARIZATION MEASUREMENTS OF RADIO SOURCES AT 43 AND 95 GHz

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huffenberger, K. M. [Department of Physics, Florida State University, P.O. Box 3064350, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4350 (United States); Araujo, D.; Zwart, J. T. L. [Department of Physics and Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Bischoff, C.; Buder, I. [Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, Department of Physics, Enrico Fermi Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 (United States); Chinone, Y.; Hasegawa, M. [High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801 (Japan); Cleary, K. [Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd M/C 249-17, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Kusaka, A. [Physics Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Monsalve, R. [School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, 781 E. Terrace Road, Tempe, AZ 85287 (United States); Næss, S. K. [Department of Astrophysics, University of Oxford, Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Newburgh, L. B. [Dunlap Institute, University of Toronto, 50 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H4 (Canada); Reeves, R. [CePIA, Departamento de Astronomía, Universidad de Concepción (Chile); Ruud, T. M.; Eriksen, H. K. [Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1029 Blindern, NO-0315 Oslo (Norway); Wehus, I. K.; Gaier, T. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Dickinson, C. [Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, Alan Turing Building, School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); Gundersen, J. O., E-mail: huffenbe@physics.fsu.edu [Department of Physics, University of Miami, 1320 Campo Sano Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146 (United States); Collaboration: QUIET Collaboration; and others

2015-06-10

We present polarization measurements of extragalactic radio sources observed during the cosmic microwave background polarization survey of the Q/U Imaging Experiment (QUIET), operating at 43 GHz (Q-band) and 95 GHz (W-band). We examine sources selected at 20 GHz from the public, >40 mJy catalog of the Australia Telescope (AT20G) survey. There are ∼480 such sources within QUIET’s four low-foreground survey patches, including the nearby radio galaxies Centaurus A and Pictor A. The median error on our polarized flux density measurements is 30–40 mJy per Stokes parameter. At signal-to-noise ratio > 3 significance, we detect linear polarization for seven sources in Q-band and six in W-band; only 1.3 ± 1.1 detections per frequency band are expected by chance. For sources without a detection of polarized emission, we find that half of the sources have polarization amplitudes below 90 mJy (Q-band) and 106 mJy (W-band), at 95% confidence. Finally, we compare our polarization measurements to intensity and polarization measurements of the same sources from the literature. For the four sources with WMAP and Planck intensity measurements >1 Jy, the polarization fractions are above 1% in both QUIET bands. At high significance, we compute polarization fractions as much as 10%–20% for some sources, but the effects of source variability may cut that level in half for contemporaneous comparisons. Our results indicate that simple models—ones that scale a fixed polarization fraction with frequency—are inadequate to model the behavior of these sources and their contributions to polarization maps.

NEW CONSTRAINTS ON THE GALACTIC HALO MAGNETIC FIELD USING ROTATION MEASURES OF EXTRAGALACTIC SOURCES TOWARD THE OUTER GALAXY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao, S. A.; McClure-Griffiths, N. M.; Gaensler, B. M.; Brown, J. C.; Van Eck, C. L.; Stil, J. M.; Taylor, A. R.; Haverkorn, M.; Kronberg, P. P.; Shukurov, A.

2012-01-01

We present a study of the Milky Way disk and halo magnetic field, determined from observations of Faraday rotation measure (RM) toward 641 polarized extragalactic radio sources in the Galactic longitude range 100°-117°, within 30° of the Galactic plane. For |b| –2 and –62 ± 5 rad m –2 in the northern and southern Galactic hemispheres, respectively. If the RM distribution is a signature of the large-scale field parallel to the Galactic plane, then this suggests that the halo magnetic field toward the outer Galaxy does not reverse direction across the mid-plane. The variation of RM as a function of Galactic latitude in this longitude range is such that RMs become more negative at larger |b|. This is consistent with an azimuthal magnetic field of strength 2 μG (7 μG) at a height 0.8-2 kpc above (below) the Galactic plane between the local and the Perseus spiral arm. We propose that the Milky Way could possess spiral-like halo magnetic fields similar to those observed in M51.

Extragalactic Gravitational Collapse

Science.gov (United States)

Rees, Martin J.

After some introductory "numerology", routes towards black hole formation are briefly reviewed; some properties of black holes relevant to theories for active galactic nuclei are then described. Applications are considered to specific models for energy generation and the production of relativistic beams. The paper concludes with a discussion of extragalactic sources of gravitational waves.

Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays from radio galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Eichmann, B.; Rachen, J. P.; Merten, L.; van Vliet, A.; Becker Tjus, J.

2018-02-01

Radio galaxies are intensively discussed as the sources of cosmic rays observed above about 3 × 1018 eV, called ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). We present a first, systematic approach that takes the individual characteristics of these sources into account, as well as the impact of the extragalactic magnetic-field structures up to a distance of 120 Mpc. We use a mixed simulation setup, based on 3D simulations of UHECRs ejected by observed, individual radio galaxies taken out to a distance of 120 Mpc, and on 1D simulations over a continuous source distribution contributing from beyond 120 Mpc. Additionally, we include the ultra-luminous radio galaxy Cygnus A at a distance of about 250 Mpc, as its contribution is so strong that it must be considered as an individual point source. The implementation of the UHECR ejection in our simulation setup, both that of individual radio galaxies and the continuous source function, is based on a detailed consideration of the physics of radio jets and standard first-order Fermi acceleration. This allows to derive the spectrum of ejected UHECR as a function of radio luminosity, and at the same time provides an absolute normalization of the problem involving only a small set of parameters adjustable within narrow constraints. We show that the average contribution of radio galaxies taken over a very large volume cannot explain the observed features of UHECRs measured at Earth. However, we obtain excellent agreement with the spectrum, composition, and arrival-direction distribution of UHECRs measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory, if we assume that most UHECRs observed arise from only two sources: the ultra-luminous radio galaxy Cygnus A, providing a mostly light composition of nuclear species dominating up to about 6 × 1019 eV, and the nearest radio galaxy Centaurus A, providing a heavy composition dominating above 6 × 1019 eV . Here we have to assume that extragalactic magnetic fields out to 250 Mpc, which we did not

Radio halo sources in clusters of galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanisch, R.J.

1986-01-01

Radio halo sources remain one of the most enigmatic of all phenomena related to radio emission from galaxies in clusters. The morphology, extent, and spectral structure of these sources are not well known, and the models proposed to explain them suffer from this lack of observational detail. However, recent observations suggest that radio halo sources may be a composite of relic radio galaxies. The validity of this model could be tested using current and planned high resolutions, low-frequency radio telescopes. 31 references

Jet emission in young radio sources: A Fermi large area telescope gamma-ray view

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Migliori, G.; Siemiginowska, A. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Kelly, B. C. [Department of Physics, Broida Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93107 (United States); Stawarz, Ł. [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 (Japan); Celotti, A. [Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), via Bonomea, 265-34136 Trieste (Italy); Begelman, M. C., E-mail: migliori@cfa.harvard.edu [JILA, University of Colorado and National Institute of Standards and Technology, 440 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0440 (United States)

2014-01-10

We investigate the contribution of the beamed jet component to the high-energy emission in young and compact extragalactic radio sources, focusing for the first time on the γ-ray band. We derive predictions on the γ-ray luminosities associated with the relativistic jet assuming a leptonic radiative model. The high-energy emission is produced via Compton scattering by the relativistic electrons in a spherical region at the considered scales (≲10 kpc). Simulations show a wide range of γ-ray luminosities, with intensities up to ∼10{sup 46}-10{sup 48} erg s{sup –1} depending on the assumed jet parameters. We find a highly linear relation between the simulated X-ray and γ-ray luminosities that can be used to select candidates for γ-ray detection. We compare the simulated luminosity distributions in the radio, X-ray, and γ-ray regimes with observations for the largest sample of X-ray-detected young radio quasars. Our analysis of ∼4-yr Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) data does not yield any statistically significant detections. However, the majority of the model-predicted γ-ray fluxes for the sample are near or below the current Fermi-LAT flux threshold and compatible with the derived upper limits. Our study gives constraints on the minimum jet power (L {sub jet,} {sub kin}/L {sub disk} > 0.01) of a potential jet contribution to the X-ray emission in the most compact sources (≲ 1 kpc) and on the particle-to-magnetic field energy density ratio that are in broad agreement with equipartition assumptions.

The radio properties of infrared-faint radio sources

Science.gov (United States)

Middelberg, E.; Norris, R. P.; Hales, C. A.; Seymour, N.; Johnston-Hollitt, M.; Huynh, M. T.; Lenc, E.; Mao, M. Y.

2011-02-01

Context. Infrared-faint radio sources (IFRS) are objects that have flux densities of several mJy at 1.4 GHz, but that are invisible at 3.6 μm when using sensitive Spitzer observations with μJy sensitivities. Their nature is unclear and difficult to investigate since they are only visible in the radio. Aims: High-resolution radio images and comprehensive spectral coverage can yield constraints on the emission mechanisms of IFRS and can give hints to similarities with known objects. Methods: We imaged a sample of 17 IFRS at 4.8 GHz and 8.6 GHz with the Australia Telescope Compact Array to determine the structures on arcsecond scales. We added radio data from other observing projects and from the literature to obtain broad-band radio spectra. Results: We find that the sources in our sample are either resolved out at the higher frequencies or are compact at resolutions of a few arcsec, which implies that they are smaller than a typical galaxy. The spectra of IFRS are remarkably steep, with a median spectral index of -1.4 and a prominent lack of spectral indices larger than -0.7. We also find that, given the IR non-detections, the ratio of 1.4 GHz flux density to 3.6 μm flux density is very high, and this puts them into the same regime as high-redshift radio galaxies. Conclusions: The evidence that IFRS are predominantly high-redshift sources driven by active galactic nuclei (AGN) is strong, even though not all IFRS may be caused by the same phenomenon. Compared to the rare and painstakingly collected high-redshift radio galaxies, IFRS appear to be much more abundant, but less luminous, AGN-driven galaxies at similar cosmological distances.

Extended radio sources in the cluster environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burns, J.O. Jr.

1979-01-01

Extended radio galaxies that lie in rich and poor clusters were studied. A sample of 3CR and 4C radio sources that spatially coincide with poor Zwicky clusters of galaxies was observed to obtain accurate positions and flux densities. Then interferometer observations at a resolution of approx. = 10 arcsec were performed on the sample. The resulting maps were used to determine the nature of the extended source structure, to make secure optical identifications, and to eliminate possible background sources. The results suggest that the environments around both classical double and head-tail radio sources are similar in rich and poor clusters. The majority of the poor cluster sources exhibit some signs of morphological distortion (i.e., head-tails) indicative of dynamic interaction with a relatively dense intracluster medium. A large fraction (60 to 100%) of all radio sources appear to be members of clusters of galaxies if one includes both poor and rich cluster sources. Detailed total intensity and polarization observations for a more restricted sample of two classical double sources and nine head-tail galaxies were also performed. The purpose was to examine the spatial distributions of spectral index and polarization. Thin streams of radio emission appear to connect the nuclear radio-point components to the more extended structures in the head-tail galaxies. It is suggested that a non-relativistic plasma beam can explain both the appearance of the thin streams and larger-scale structure as well as the energy needed to generate the observed radio emission. The rich and poor radio cluster samples are combined to investigate the relationship between source morphology and the scale sizes of clustering. There is some indication that a large fraction of radio sources, including those in these samples, are in superclusters of galaxies

Infrared-faint radio sources: a cosmological view. AGN number counts, the cosmic X-ray background and SMBH formation

Science.gov (United States)

Zinn, P.-C.; Middelberg, E.; Ibar, E.

2011-07-01

Context. Infrared-faint radio sources (IFRS) are extragalactic emitters clearly detected at radio wavelengths but barely detected or undetected at optical and infrared wavelengths, with 5σ sensitivities as low as 1 μJy. Aims: Spectral energy distribution (hereafter SED) modelling and analyses of their radio properties indicate that IFRS are consistent with a population of (potentially extremely obscured) high-redshift AGN at 3 ≤ z ≤ 6. We demonstrate some astrophysical implications of this population and compare them to predictions from models of galaxy evolution and structure formation. Methods: We compiled a list of IFRS from four deep extragalactic surveys and extrapolated the IFRS number density to a survey-independent value of (30.8 ± 15.0) deg-2. We computed the IFRS contribution to the total number of AGN in the Universe to account for the cosmic X-ray background. By estimating the black hole mass contained in IFRS, we present conclusions for the SMBH mass density in the early universe and compare it to relevant simulations of structure formation after the Big Bang. Results: The number density of AGN derived from the IFRS density was found to be ~310 deg-2, which is equivalent to a SMBH mass density of the order of 103 M⊙ Mpc-3 in the redshift range 3 ≤ z ≤ 6. This produces an X-ray flux of 9 × 10-16 W m-2 deg-2 in the 0.5-2.0 keV band and 3 × 10-15 W m-2 deg-2 in the 2.0-10 keV band, in agreement with the missing unresolved components of the Cosmic X-ray Background. To address SMBH formation after the Big Bang we invoke a scenario involving both halo gas accretion and major mergers.

A radio and optical study of Molonglo radio sources

Science.gov (United States)

Ishwara-Chandra, C. H.; Saikia, D. J.; McCarthy, P. J.; van Breugel, W. J. M.

2001-05-01

We present multi-wavelength radio observations with the Very Large Array, and narrow- and broad-band optical observations with the 2.5-m telescope at the Las Campanas Observatory, of a well-defined sample of high-luminosity Fanaroff-Riley class II radio galaxies and quasars, selected from the Molonglo Reference Catalogue 1-Jy sample. These observations were carried out as part of a programme to investigate the effects of orientation and environment on some of the observed properties of these sources. We examine the dependence of the Liu-Pooley relationship, which shows that radio lobes with flatter radio spectra are less depolarized, on size, identification and redshift, and show that it is significantly stronger for smaller sources, with the strength of the relationship being similar for both radio galaxies and quasars. In addition to Doppler effects, there appear to be intrinsic differences between the lobes on opposite sides. We discuss the asymmetry in brightness and location of the hotspots, and present estimates of the ages and velocities from matched-resolution observations in the L and C bands. Narrow- and broad-band optical images of some of these sources were made to study their environments and correlate with the symmetry parameters. An extended emission-line region is seen in a quasar, and in four of the objects possible companion galaxies are seen close to the radio axis.

Radio Source Morphology: 'nature or nuture'?

Science.gov (United States)

Banfield, Julie; Emonts, Bjorn; O'Sullivan, Shane

2012-10-01

Radio sources, emanating from supermassive black-holes in the centres of active galaxies, display a large variety of morphological properties. It is a long-standing debate to what extent the differences between various types of radio sources are due to intrinsic properties of the central engine (`nature') or due to the properties of the interstellar medium that surrounds the central engine and host galaxy (`nurture'). Settling this `nature vs. nurture' debate for nearby radio galaxies, which can be studied in great detail, is vital for understanding the properties and evolution of radio galaxies throughout the Universe. We propose to observe the radio galaxy NGC 612 where previous observations have detected the presence of a large-scale HI bridge between the host galaxy and a nearby galaxy NGC 619. We request a total of 13 hrs in the 750m array-configuration to determine whether or not the 100 kpc-scale radio source morphology is directly related to the intergalactic distribution of neutral hydrogen gas.

Probing the properties of extragalactic SNRs

Science.gov (United States)

Leonidaki, Ioanna

2016-06-01

The investigation of extragalactic SNRs gives us the advantage of surmounting the challenges we are usually confronted with when observing Galactic SNRs, most notably Galactic extinction and distance uncertainties. At the same time, by obtaining larger samples of SNRs, we are allowed to cover a wider range of environments and ISM parameters than our Galaxy, providing us a more complete and representative picture of SNR populations. I will outline the recent progress on extragalactic surveys of SNR populations focusing on the optical, radio, and X-ray bands. Multi-wavelength surveys can provide several key aspects of the physical processes taking place during the evolution of SNRs while at the same time can overcome possible selection effects that are inherent from monochromatic surveys. I will discuss the properties derived in each band (e.g. line ratios, luminosities, densities, temperatures) and their connection in order to yield information on various aspects of their behaviour and evolution. For example their interplay with the surrounding medium, their correlation with star formation activity, their luminosity distributions and their dependence on galaxy types.

The Radio Synchrotron Background: Conference Summary and Report

Science.gov (United States)

Singal, J.; Haider, J.; Ajello, M.; Ballantyne, D. R.; Bunn, E.; Condon, J.; Dowell, J.; Fixsen, D.; Fornengo, N.; Harms, B.; Holder, G.; Jones, E.; Kellermann, K.; Kogut, A.; Linden, T.; Monsalve, R.; Mertsch, P.; Murphy, E.; Orlando, E.; Regis, M.; Scott, D.; Vernstrom, T.; Xu, L.

2018-03-01

We summarize the radio synchrotron background workshop that took place 2017 July 19–21 at the University of Richmond. This first scientific meeting dedicated to the topic was convened because current measurements of the diffuse radio monopole reveal a surface brightness that is several times higher than can be straightforwardly explained by known Galactic and extragalactic sources and processes, rendering it by far the least well understood photon background at present. It was the conclusion of a majority of the participants that the radio monopole level is at or near that reported by the ARCADE 2 experiment and inferred from several absolutely calibrated zero-level lower frequency radio measurements, and unanimously agreed that the production of this level of surface brightness, if confirmed, represents a major outstanding question in astrophysics. The workshop reached a consensus on the next priorities for investigations of the radio synchrotron background.

Cosmological radio emission induced by WIMP Dark Matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fornengo, N.; Regis, M.; Lineros, R.; Taoso, M.

2012-01-01

We present a detailed analysis of the radio synchrotron emission induced by WIMP dark matter annihilations and decays in extragalactic halos. We compute intensity, angular correlation, and source counts and discuss the impact on the expected signals of dark matter clustering, as well as of other astrophysical uncertainties as magnetic fields and spatial diffusion. Bounds on dark matter microscopic properties are then derived, and, depending on the specific set of assumptions, they are competitive with constraints from other indirect dark matter searches. At GHz frequencies, dark matter sources can become a significant fraction of the total number of sources with brightness below the microJansky level. We show that, at this level of fluxes (which are within the reach of the next-generation radio surveys), properties of the faint edge of differential source counts, as well as angular correlation data, can become an important probe for WIMPs

Cosmological radio emission induced by WIMP Dark Matter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fornengo, N.; Regis, M. [Dipartimento di Fisica Teorica, Università di Torino, via P. Giuria 1, I-10125 Torino (Italy); Lineros, R.; Taoso, M., E-mail: fornengo@to.infn.it, E-mail: rlineros@ific.uv.es, E-mail: regis@to.infn.it, E-mail: mtaoso@phas.ubc.ca [IFIC, CSIC-Universidad de Valencia, Ed. Institutos, Apdo. Correos 22085, E-46071 Valencia (Spain)

2012-03-01

We present a detailed analysis of the radio synchrotron emission induced by WIMP dark matter annihilations and decays in extragalactic halos. We compute intensity, angular correlation, and source counts and discuss the impact on the expected signals of dark matter clustering, as well as of other astrophysical uncertainties as magnetic fields and spatial diffusion. Bounds on dark matter microscopic properties are then derived, and, depending on the specific set of assumptions, they are competitive with constraints from other indirect dark matter searches. At GHz frequencies, dark matter sources can become a significant fraction of the total number of sources with brightness below the microJansky level. We show that, at this level of fluxes (which are within the reach of the next-generation radio surveys), properties of the faint edge of differential source counts, as well as angular correlation data, can become an important probe for WIMPs.

Nasu 1.4 GHz Interferometer Transient Radio Source Survey and Improvement in Detection of Radio Sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsumura, Nobuo; Kuniyoshi, Masaya; Takefuji, Kazuhiro; Niinuma, Kotaro; Kida, Sumiko; Takeuchi, Akihiko; Asuma, Kuniyuki; Daishido, Tsuneaki

2006-01-01

We have surveyed 1.4GHz transient radio sources in Nasu Pulsar Observatory. To investigate such sources, both immediacy and accuracy are severely maintained. We have developed Data Transfer System and improved antenna control system. Now we have received the fringe data from transient radio source candidates. To get reliable information, we carefully analyze with Fringe Band Pass Filter software and Fringe Fitting method

Optical identifications of flat-spectrum radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Condon, J.J.; Condon, M.A.; Broderick, J.J.; Davis, M.M.

1983-01-01

A complete sample of radio sources with S> or =0.3 Jy at 1400 MHz, +24 0 0 , and low-frequency spectral indices α(408, 1400) or =+0.5 are usually in empty fields. The lower limits that can be assigned to the radio-optical spectral indices α/sub RO/ of these sources are significantly higher than the median α/sub RO/ of the sources with flat high-frequency spectra, so the optical characteristics of the two classes of radio source are intrinsically different. The radio and optical fluxes of flat-spectrum QSO's appear to be correlated, at least when averaged over 10 2 --10 3 yr

The radio spectral energy distribution of infrared-faint radio sources

Science.gov (United States)

Herzog, A.; Norris, R. P.; Middelberg, E.; Seymour, N.; Spitler, L. R.; Emonts, B. H. C.; Franzen, T. M. O.; Hunstead, R.; Intema, H. T.; Marvil, J.; Parker, Q. A.; Sirothia, S. K.; Hurley-Walker, N.; Bell, M.; Bernardi, G.; Bowman, J. D.; Briggs, F.; Cappallo, R. J.; Callingham, J. R.; Deshpande, A. A.; Dwarakanath, K. S.; For, B.-Q.; Greenhill, L. J.; Hancock, P.; Hazelton, B. J.; Hindson, L.; Johnston-Hollitt, M.; Kapińska, A. D.; Kaplan, D. L.; Lenc, E.; Lonsdale, C. J.; McKinley, B.; McWhirter, S. R.; Mitchell, D. A.; Morales, M. F.; Morgan, E.; Morgan, J.; Oberoi, D.; Offringa, A.; Ord, S. M.; Prabu, T.; Procopio, P.; Udaya Shankar, N.; Srivani, K. S.; Staveley-Smith, L.; Subrahmanyan, R.; Tingay, S. J.; Wayth, R. B.; Webster, R. L.; Williams, A.; Williams, C. L.; Wu, C.; Zheng, Q.; Bannister, K. W.; Chippendale, A. P.; Harvey-Smith, L.; Heywood, I.; Indermuehle, B.; Popping, A.; Sault, R. J.; Whiting, M. T.

2016-10-01

Context. Infrared-faint radio sources (IFRS) are a class of radio-loud (RL) active galactic nuclei (AGN) at high redshifts (z ≥ 1.7) that are characterised by their relative infrared faintness, resulting in enormous radio-to-infrared flux density ratios of up to several thousand. Aims: Because of their optical and infrared faintness, it is very challenging to study IFRS at these wavelengths. However, IFRS are relatively bright in the radio regime with 1.4 GHz flux densities of a few to a few tens of mJy. Therefore, the radio regime is the most promising wavelength regime in which to constrain their nature. We aim to test the hypothesis that IFRS are young AGN, particularly GHz peaked-spectrum (GPS) and compact steep-spectrum (CSS) sources that have a low frequency turnover. Methods: We use the rich radio data set available for the Australia Telescope Large Area Survey fields, covering the frequency range between 150 MHz and 34 GHz with up to 19 wavebands from different telescopes, and build radio spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for 34 IFRS. We then study the radio properties of this class of object with respect to turnover, spectral index, and behaviour towards higher frequencies. We also present the highest-frequency radio observations of an IFRS, observed with the Plateau de Bure Interferometer at 105 GHz, and model the multi-wavelength and radio-far-infrared SED of this source. Results: We find IFRS usually follow single power laws down to observed frequencies of around 150 MHz. Mostly, the radio SEDs are steep (α IFRS show statistically significantly steeper radio SEDs than the broader RL AGN population. Our analysis reveals that the fractions of GPS and CSS sources in the population of IFRS are consistent with the fractions in the broader RL AGN population. We find that at least % of IFRS contain young AGN, although the fraction might be significantly higher as suggested by the steep SEDs and the compact morphology of IFRS. The detailed multi

THE CENTAURUS A ULTRAHIGH-ENERGY COSMIC-RAY EXCESS AND THE LOCAL EXTRAGALACTIC MAGNETIC FIELD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yüksel, Hasan; Kronberg, Philipp P.; Stanev, Todor; Kistler, Matthew D.

2012-01-01

The ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray (UHECR) anisotropies discovered by the Pierre Auger Observatory provide the potential to finally address both the particle origins and properties of the nearby extragalactic magnetic field (EGMF). We examine the implications of the excess of ∼10 20 eV events around the nearby radio galaxy Centaurus A. We find that, if Cen A is the source of these cosmic rays, the angular distribution of events constrains the EGMF strength within several Mpc of the Milky Way to ∼> 20 nG for an assumed primary proton composition. Our conclusions suggest that either the observed excess is a statistical anomaly or the local EGMF is stronger than conventionally thought. We discuss several implications, including UHECR scattering from more distant sources, time delays from transient sources, and the possibility of using magnetic lensing signatures to attain tighter constraints.

THE CENTAURUS A ULTRAHIGH-ENERGY COSMIC-RAY EXCESS AND THE LOCAL EXTRAGALACTIC MAGNETIC FIELD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yueksel, Hasan; Kronberg, Philipp P. [Theoretical Division, MS B285, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Stanev, Todor [Bartol Research Institute, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716 (United States); Kistler, Matthew D. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2012-10-10

The ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray (UHECR) anisotropies discovered by the Pierre Auger Observatory provide the potential to finally address both the particle origins and properties of the nearby extragalactic magnetic field (EGMF). We examine the implications of the excess of {approx}10{sup 20} eV events around the nearby radio galaxy Centaurus A. We find that, if Cen A is the source of these cosmic rays, the angular distribution of events constrains the EGMF strength within several Mpc of the Milky Way to {approx}> 20 nG for an assumed primary proton composition. Our conclusions suggest that either the observed excess is a statistical anomaly or the local EGMF is stronger than conventionally thought. We discuss several implications, including UHECR scattering from more distant sources, time delays from transient sources, and the possibility of using magnetic lensing signatures to attain tighter constraints.

VLA and low-frequency VLBI observations of the radio source 0503 + 467 - Austere constraints on interstellar scattering in two media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spangler, S.R.; Fey, A.L.; Cordes, J.M.; Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY)

1987-01-01

The radio source 0503 + 467 lies near the Galactic plane (l = 161.0 deg, b = 3.7 deg) and at the edge of the supernova remnant (SNR) HB 9. The VLA observations show that it has a spectrum typical of a compact extragalactic radio source. The resultant small angular size of the source makes it an excellent probe of turbulence in two media: the diffuse, or type A, component of interstellar turbulence and a hypothesized region of hydromagnetic turbulence upstream of the supernova remnant. An eight-station VLBI experiment at 326 MHz indicates that the source is less than about 20 milliarcseconds (mas) in angular diameter. A value of 16 mas is most appropriate as an upper limit to the interstellar scattering contribution to the measured angular size. The implications of this upper limit are twofold. First, the galactocentric radial scale to the type-A turbulence is probably less than or equal to about 6 kpc. Second, no evidence is seen for shock-associated turbulence upstream of HB 9. The measurements make it possible to constrain a parameter which is a function of the rms density fluctuation in the upstream region, the outer scale to the density turbulence, and the thickness of SNR foreshock region. 14 references

Particle reacceleration and apparent radio source structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eilek, J.A.

1982-01-01

The radio galaxy model which uses magnetohydrodynamic turbulence generated by surface instabilities to reaccelerate the radiating electrons has striking consequences for apparent source structure. Strong wave damping in the plasma results in a narrow turbulent edge. Particles accelerated in this edge must diffuse across field lines into the radio source; this predicts strong limb brightening in some cases. The structure of this edge and diffusion into the source are described. The relevance of this model to jets, radio tails, and standard double sources is discussed

Simulations of extragalactic magnetic fields and of their observables

Science.gov (United States)

Vazza, F.; Brüggen, M.; Gheller, C.; Hackstein, S.; Wittor, D.; Hinz, P. M.

2017-12-01

The origin of extragalactic magnetic fields is still poorly understood. Based on a dedicated suite of cosmological magneto-hydrodynamical simulations with the ENZO code we have performed a survey of different models that may have caused present-day magnetic fields in galaxies and galaxy clusters. The outcomes of these models differ in cluster outskirts, filaments, sheets and voids and we use these simulations to find observational signatures of magnetogenesis. With these simulations, we predict the signal of extragalactic magnetic fields in radio observations of synchrotron emission from the cosmic web, in Faraday rotation, in the propagation of ultra high energy cosmic rays, in the polarized signal from fast radio bursts at cosmological distance and in spectra of distant blazars. In general, primordial scenarios in which present-day magnetic fields originate from the amplification of weak (⩽nG ) uniform seed fields result in more homogeneous and relatively easier to observe magnetic fields than astrophysical scenarios, in which present-day fields are the product of feedback processes triggered by stars and active galaxies. In the near future the best evidence for the origin of cosmic magnetic fields will most likely come from a combination of synchrotron emission and Faraday rotation observed at the periphery of large-scale structures.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Radio luminosity function of FSRQs (Mao+, 2017)

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, P.; Urry, C. M.; Marchesini, E.; Landoni, M.; Massaro, F.; Ajello, M.

2018-01-01

To build the largest sample of flat-spectrum radio quasars, we started with the radio catalog of the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty Centimeter (FIRST) survey (Helfand+ 2015, VIII/92), which covered 10575deg2 of the sky; and the Green Bank 6cm (GB6) Radio Source Catalog (Gregory+ 1996, VIII/40), which covered 17000deg2 of the sky. We cross-matched the radio position of each FIRST source with sources in the GB6 catalog, taking into account the positional uncertainties of both radio surveys. Of the 638 radio sources with flat radio spectra, 327 have an optical spectrum available in the literature, 266 from SDSS and the rest from various other sources identified through the NASA Extragalactic Database (NED). Out of the 327 objects with optical spectra classified, 200 were classified as FSRQs (of which 168 are free from contamination), 26 were classified as BL Lacs, 38 were classified as Seyferts, 41 were classified as Galaxies, 2 were classified as stars, and 12 and 8 indicated as noisy or uncertain, respectively. An additional 85 quasars (of which 74 are free from contamination) out of the 119 with a literature description were also included in the inclusive sample. See section 2 for more details on the sample selection. (2 data files).

THE RADIO JET ASSOCIATED WITH THE MULTIPLE V380 ORI SYSTEM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodríguez, Luis F.; Yam, J. Omar; Carrasco-González, Carlos [Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, UNAM, Apdo. Postal 3-72 (Xangari), 58089 Morelia, Michoacán, México (Mexico); Anglada, Guillem [Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, CSIC, Glorieta de la Astronomía, s/n, E-18008, Granada (Spain); Trejo, Alfonso, E-mail: l.rodriguez@crya.unam.mx [Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China)

2016-10-01

The giant Herbig–Haro object 222 extends over ∼6′ in the plane of the sky, with a bow shock morphology. The identification of its exciting source has remained uncertain over the years. A non-thermal radio source located at the core of the shock structure was proposed to be the exciting source. However, Very Large Array studies showed that the radio source has a clear morphology of radio galaxy and a lack of flux variations or proper motions, favoring an extragalactic origin. Recently, an optical–IR study proposed that this giant HH object is driven by the multiple stellar system V380 Ori, located about 23′ to the SE of HH 222. The exciting sources of HH systems are usually detected as weak free–free emitters at centimeter wavelengths. Here, we report the detection of an elongated radio source associated with the Herbig Be star or with its close infrared companion in the multiple V380 Ori system. This radio source has the characteristics of a thermal radio jet and is aligned with the direction of the giant outflow defined by HH 222 and its suggested counterpart to the SE, HH 1041. We propose that this radio jet traces the origin of the large scale HH outflow. Assuming that the jet arises from the Herbig Be star, the radio luminosity is a few times smaller than the value expected from the radio–bolometric correlation for radio jets, confirming that this is a more evolved object than those used to establish the correlation.

THE RADIO JET ASSOCIATED WITH THE MULTIPLE V380 ORI SYSTEM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodríguez, Luis F.; Yam, J. Omar; Carrasco-González, Carlos; Anglada, Guillem; Trejo, Alfonso

2016-01-01

The giant Herbig–Haro object 222 extends over ∼6′ in the plane of the sky, with a bow shock morphology. The identification of its exciting source has remained uncertain over the years. A non-thermal radio source located at the core of the shock structure was proposed to be the exciting source. However, Very Large Array studies showed that the radio source has a clear morphology of radio galaxy and a lack of flux variations or proper motions, favoring an extragalactic origin. Recently, an optical–IR study proposed that this giant HH object is driven by the multiple stellar system V380 Ori, located about 23′ to the SE of HH 222. The exciting sources of HH systems are usually detected as weak free–free emitters at centimeter wavelengths. Here, we report the detection of an elongated radio source associated with the Herbig Be star or with its close infrared companion in the multiple V380 Ori system. This radio source has the characteristics of a thermal radio jet and is aligned with the direction of the giant outflow defined by HH 222 and its suggested counterpart to the SE, HH 1041. We propose that this radio jet traces the origin of the large scale HH outflow. Assuming that the jet arises from the Herbig Be star, the radio luminosity is a few times smaller than the value expected from the radio–bolometric correlation for radio jets, confirming that this is a more evolved object than those used to establish the correlation.

Are the infrared-faint radio sources pulsars?

Science.gov (United States)

Cameron, A. D.; Keith, M.; Hobbs, G.; Norris, R. P.; Mao, M. Y.; Middelberg, E.

2011-07-01

Infrared-faint radio sources (IFRS) are objects which are strong at radio wavelengths but undetected in sensitive Spitzer observations at infrared wavelengths. Their nature is uncertain and most have not yet been associated with any known astrophysical object. One possibility is that they are radio pulsars. To test this hypothesis we undertook observations of 16 of these sources with the Parkes Radio Telescope. Our results limit the radio emission to a pulsed flux density of less than 0.21 mJy (assuming a 50 per cent duty cycle). This is well below the flux density of the IFRS. We therefore conclude that these IFRS are not radio pulsars.

The transition from galactic to extragalactic cosmic rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stanev, Todor [Bartol Research Institute, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716 (United States)

2007-06-15

We discuss the region of transition between galactic and extragalactic cosmic rays. The exact shapes and compositions of these two components contain information about important parameters of powerful astrophysical sources and the conditions in extragalactic space. Several types of experimental data, including the exact shape of the ultrahigh energy cosmic rays, their chemical composition and their anisotropy, and the fluxes of cosmogenic neutrinos have to be included in the solution of this problem.

Variability of extragalactic sources: its contribution to the link between ICRF and the future Gaia Celestial Reference Frame

Science.gov (United States)

Taris, F.; Damljanovic, G.; Andrei, A.; Souchay, J.; Klotz, A.; Vachier, F.

2018-03-01

Context. The first release of the Gaia catalog is available since 14 September 2016. It is a first step in the realization of the future Gaia reference frame. This reference frame will be materialized by the optical positions of the sources and will be compared with and linked to the International Celestial Reference Frame, materialized by the radio position of extragalactic sources. Aim. As in the radio domain, it can be reasonably postulated that quasar optical flux variations can alert us to potential changes in the source structure. These changes could have important implications for the position of the target photocenters (together with the evolution in time of these centers) and in parallel have consequences for the link of the reference systems. Methods: A set of nine optical telescopes was used to monitor the magnitude variations, often at the same time as Gaia, thanks to the Gaia Observation Forecast Tool. The Allan variances, which are statistical tools widely used in the atomic time and frequency community, are introduced. Results: This work describes the magnitude variations of 47 targets that are suitable for the link between reference systems. We also report on some implications for the Gaia catalog. For 95% of the observed targets, new information about their variability is reported. In the case of some targets that are well observed by the TAROT telescopes, the Allan time variance shows that the longest averaging period of the magnitudes is in the range 20-70 d. The observation period by Gaia for a single target largely exceeds these values, which might be a problem when the magnitude variations exhibit flicker or random walk noises. Preliminary computations show that if the coordinates of the targets studied in this paper were affected by a white-phase noise with a formal uncertainty of about 1 mas (due to astrophysical processes that are put in evidence by the magnitude variations of the sources), it would affect the precision of the link at the

4C radio sources in clusters of galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McHardy, I.M.

1979-01-01

Observations of a complete sample of 4C and 4CT radio sources in Abell clusters with the Cambridge One-Mile telescope are analysed. It is concluded that radio sources are strongly concentrated towards the cluster centres and are equally likely to be found in clusters of any richness. The probability of a galaxy of a given absolute magnitude producing a source above a given luminosity does not depend on cluster membership. 4C and 4CT radio sources in clusters, selected at 178 MHz, occur preferentially in Bautz-Morgan (BM) class 1 clusters, whereas those selected at 1.4 GHz do not. The most powerful radio source in the cluster is almost always associated with the optically brightest galaxy. The average spectrum of 4C sources in the range 408 to 1407 MHz is steeper in BM class 1 than in other classes. Spectra also steepen with cluster richness. the morphology of 4C sources in clusters depends strongly on BM class and, in particular, radio-trail sources occur only in BM classes II, II-III and III. (author)

The History of Radio Astronomy and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory: Evolution Toward Big Science

Science.gov (United States)

Malphrus, Benjamin Kevin

1990-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the sequence of events that led to the establishment of the NRAO, the construction and development of instrumentation and the contributions and discovery events and to relate the significance of these events to the evolution of the sciences of radio astronomy and cosmology. After an overview of the resources, a brief discussion of the early days of the science is given to set the stage for an examination of events that led to the establishment of the NRAO. The developmental and construction phases of the major instruments including the 85-foot Tatel telescope, the 300-foot telescope, the 140-foot telescope, and the Green Bank lnterferometer are examined. The technical evolution of these instruments is traced and their relevance to scientific programs and discovery events is discussed. The history is told in narrative format that is interspersed with technical and scientific explanations. Through the use of original data technical and scientific information of historical concern is provided to elucidate major developments and events. An interpretive discussion of selected programs, events and technological developments that epitomize the contributions of the NRAO to the science of radio astronomy is provided. Scientific programs conducted with the NRAO instruments that were significant to galactic and extragalactic astronomy are presented. NRAO research programs presented include continuum and source surveys, mapping, a high precision verification of general relativity, and SETI programs. Cosmic phenomena investigated in these programs include galactic and extragalactic HI and HII, emission nebula, supernova remnants, cosmic masers, giant molecular clouds, radio stars, normal and radio galaxies, and quasars. Modern NRAO instruments including the VLA and VLBA and their scientific programs are presented in the final chapter as well as plans for future NRAO instruments such as the GBT.

Chapter 27: Deja vu All Over Again: Using NVO Tools to Re-Investigate a Complete Sample of Texas Radio Survey Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Lucas, Ray A.; Rohde, David; Tamura, Takayuki; van Dyne, Jeffrey

At the first NVO Summer School in September 2004, a complete sample of Texas Radio Survey sources, first derived in 1989 and subsequently observed with the VLA in A-array snapshot mode in 1990, was revisited. The original investigators had never had the occasion to reduce the A-array 5-minute snapshot data, nor to do any other significant follow-up, though the sample still seemed a possibly useful but relatively small study of radio galaxies, AGN, quasars, extragalactic sources, and galaxy clusters, etc. At the time of the original sample definition in late 1989, the best optical material available for the region was the SRC-J plate from the UK Schmidt Telescope in Australia. In much more recent times, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey has included the region in its DR2 data release, so good multicolor optical imaging in a number of standard bandpasses has finally become available. These data, along with other material in the radio, infrared, and (where available) were used to get a better preliminary idea of the nature of the objects in the 1989 sample. We also investigated one of the original questions: whether these radio sources with steeper (or at least non-flat) radio spectra were associated with galaxy clusters, and in some cases higher-redshift galaxy clusters and AGN. A rudimentary web service was created which allowed the user to perform simple cone searches and SIAP image extractions of specified field sizes for multiwavelength data across the electromagnetic spectrum, and a prototype web page was set up which would display the resulting images in wavelength order across the page for sources in the sample. Finally, as an additional investigation, using radio and X-ray IDs as a proxy for AGN which might be associated with large, central cluster galaxies, positional matches of radio and X-ray sources from two much larger catalogs were done using the tool TOPCAT in order to search for the degree of correlation between ID positions, radio luminosity, and cluster

The Origin of Powerful Radio Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, A. S.; Colbert, E. J. M.

1995-05-01

Radio-loud active galaxies are associated with elliptical or elliptical-like galaxies, many of which appear to be the result of a recent merger. In contrast, radio-quiet active galaxies prefer spiral hosts. Despite the very large difference in radio luminosities between the two classes, their continua and line spectra from infrared through X-ray frequencies are very similar. In this paper, we describe recent developments of our model (Ap. J. 438, 62 1995) in which the radio-loud phenomenon is the result of a merger of two galaxies, with each galaxy nucleus containing a slowly (or non-) rotating supermassive black hole. It is envisaged that the two black holes eventually coalesce. For the small fraction of mergers in which the two holes are both massive and of comparable mass, a rapidly-spinning, high-mass hole results. The spin energy of a rapidly rotating 10(8-9) solar mass hole suffices to provide the ~ 10(60) ergs in relativistic particles and magnetic fields in the most energetic radio sources. Luminous radio-quiet active galaxies contain high-mass, slowly-rotating holes, with the infrared through X-ray emission of both classes being fuelled by accretion as commonly assumed. We discuss constraints on the model from the luminosity functions of radio-loud and radio-quiet galaxies and from the known cosmological evolution of the radio source population; this evolution is assumed to reflect higher galaxy merger rates in the past.

Fast radio burst discovered in the Arecibo pulsar ALFA survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spitler, L. G.; Freire, P. C. C.; Lazarus, P.; Lee, K. J.; Cordes, J. M.; Chatterjee, S.; Wharton, R. S.; Brazier, A.; Hessels, J. W. T.; Lorimer, D. R.; McLaughlin, M. A.; Crawford, F.; Deneva, J. S.; Kaspi, V. M.; Karako-Argaman, C.; Allen, B.; Bogdanov, S.; Camilo, F.; Jenet, F. A.; Knispel, B.

2014-01-01

Recent work has exploited pulsar survey data to identify temporally isolated, millisecond-duration radio bursts with large dispersion measures (DMs). These bursts have been interpreted as arising from a population of extragalactic sources, in which case they would provide unprecedented opportunities for probing the intergalactic medium; they may also be linked to new source classes. Until now, however, all so-called fast radio bursts (FRBs) have been detected with the Parkes radio telescope and its 13-beam receiver, casting some concern about the astrophysical nature of these signals. Here we present FRB 121102, the first FRB discovery from a geographic location other than Parkes. FRB 121102 was found in the Galactic anti-center region in the 1.4 GHz Pulsar Arecibo L-band Feed Array (ALFA) survey with the Arecibo Observatory with a DM = 557.4 ± 2.0 pc cm –3 , pulse width of 3.0 ± 0.5 ms, and no evidence of interstellar scattering. The observed delay of the signal arrival time with frequency agrees precisely with the expectation of dispersion through an ionized medium. Despite its low Galactic latitude (b = –0.°2), the burst has three times the maximum Galactic DM expected along this particular line of sight, suggesting an extragalactic origin. A peculiar aspect of the signal is an inverted spectrum; we interpret this as a consequence of being detected in a sidelobe of the ALFA receiver. FRB 121102's brightness, duration, and the inferred event rate are all consistent with the properties of the previously detected Parkes bursts.

Fast radio burst discovered in the Arecibo pulsar ALFA survey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spitler, L. G.; Freire, P. C. C.; Lazarus, P.; Lee, K. J. [Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, D-53121 Bonn (Germany); Cordes, J. M.; Chatterjee, S.; Wharton, R. S.; Brazier, A. [Department of Astronomy and Space Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States); Hessels, J. W. T. [ASTRON, Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, Postbus 2, 7990 AA, Dwingeloo (Netherlands); Lorimer, D. R.; McLaughlin, M. A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506 (United States); Crawford, F. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA 17604-3003 (United States); Deneva, J. S. [Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave SW, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Kaspi, V. M.; Karako-Argaman, C. [Department of Physics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2T8 (Canada); Allen, B. [Physics Department, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211 (United States); Bogdanov, S.; Camilo, F. [Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Jenet, F. A. [Center for Gravitational Wave Astronomy, University of Texas at Brownsville, Brownsville, TX 78520 (United States); Knispel, B., E-mail: lspitler@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de [Leibniz Universität, Hannover, D-30167 Hannover (Germany); and others

2014-08-01

Recent work has exploited pulsar survey data to identify temporally isolated, millisecond-duration radio bursts with large dispersion measures (DMs). These bursts have been interpreted as arising from a population of extragalactic sources, in which case they would provide unprecedented opportunities for probing the intergalactic medium; they may also be linked to new source classes. Until now, however, all so-called fast radio bursts (FRBs) have been detected with the Parkes radio telescope and its 13-beam receiver, casting some concern about the astrophysical nature of these signals. Here we present FRB 121102, the first FRB discovery from a geographic location other than Parkes. FRB 121102 was found in the Galactic anti-center region in the 1.4 GHz Pulsar Arecibo L-band Feed Array (ALFA) survey with the Arecibo Observatory with a DM = 557.4 ± 2.0 pc cm{sup –3}, pulse width of 3.0 ± 0.5 ms, and no evidence of interstellar scattering. The observed delay of the signal arrival time with frequency agrees precisely with the expectation of dispersion through an ionized medium. Despite its low Galactic latitude (b = –0.°2), the burst has three times the maximum Galactic DM expected along this particular line of sight, suggesting an extragalactic origin. A peculiar aspect of the signal is an inverted spectrum; we interpret this as a consequence of being detected in a sidelobe of the ALFA receiver. FRB 121102's brightness, duration, and the inferred event rate are all consistent with the properties of the previously detected Parkes bursts.

Compact continuum radio sources in the Orion Nebula

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garay, G.; Moran, J.M.; Reid, M.J.; European Southern Observatory, Garching, West Germany)

1987-01-01

The Orion Nebula was observed with the VLA in order to search for radio emission from compact H II regions indicative of embedded OB stars or from winds associated with pre-main sequence, low-mass stars. Fourteen of the 21 detected radio sources are within 30 arcsec of Omega 1 Orionis C; 13 of these objects are probably neutral condensations surrounded by ionized envelopes that are excited by the star. If the temperature of the ionized envelopes is 10,000 K and their electron densities decrease as the square of the distance from the core center, then a typical neutral condensation has a radius of 10 to the 15th cm and a peak electron density of 400,000/cu cm. Seven sources are in or near the Orion molecular cloud. Four of the sources have optical counterparts. Two are highly variable radio sources associated with X-ray sources, and two have radio spectra indicative of thermal emission. Two of the three optically invisible sources have radio emission likely to arise in a dense ionized envelope surrounding and excited by an early B-type star. 46 references

The importance of source positions during radio fine structure observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chernov, Guennadi P.; Yan Yi-Hua; Fu Qi-Jun

2014-01-01

The measurement of positions and sizes of radio sources in the observations of the fine structure of solar radio bursts is a determining factor for the selection of the radio emission mechanism. The identical parameters describing the radio sources for zebra structures (ZSs) and fiber bursts confirm there is a common mechanism for both structures. It is very important to measure the size of the source in the corona to determine if it is distributed along the height or if it is point-like. In both models of ZSs (the double plasma resonance (DPR) and the whistler model) the source must be distributed along the height, but by contrast to the stationary source in the DPR model, in the whistler model the source should be moving. Moreover, the direction of the space drift of the radio source must correlate with the frequency drift of stripes in the dynamic spectrum. Some models of ZSs require a local source, for example, the models based on the Bernstein modes, or on explosive instability. The selection of the radio emission mechanism for fast broadband pulsations with millisecond duration also depends on the parameters of their radio sources. (mini-volume: solar radiophysics — recent results on observations and theories)

Extragalactic infrared astronomy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gondhalekar, P.M.

1985-05-01

The paper concerns the field of Extragalactic Infrared Astronomy, discussed at the Fourth RAL Workshop on Astronomy and Astrophysics. Fifteen papers were presented on infrared emission from extragalactic objects. Both ground-(and aircraft-) based and IRAS infrared data were reviewed. The topics covered star formation in galaxies, active galactic nuclei and cosmology. (U.K.)

X-ray Counterparts of Infrared Faint Radio Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Schartel, Norbert

2011-10-01

Infrared Faint Radio Sources (IFRS) are radio sources with extremely faint or even absent infrared emission in deep Spitzer Surveys. Models of their spectral energy distributions, the ratios of radio to infrared flux densities and their steep radio spectra strongly suggest that IFRS are AGN at high redshifts (2IFRS, but if confirmed, the increased AGN numbers at these redshifts will account for the unresolved part of the X-ray background. The identification of X-ray counterparts of IFRS is considered to be the smoking gun for this hypothesis. We propose to observe 8 IFRS using 30ks pointed observations. X-ray detections of IFRS with different ratios of radio-to-infrared fluxes, will constrain the class-specific SED.

High energy astrophysics in radio-astronomical form

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laan, H. van der

1980-01-01

The application of high energy astrophysics in observational astronomy, and in particular in radioastronomy, is considered. The current situation of extragalactic HEA, as brought to light by radio-astronomical techniques, is sketched. (C.F.)

PHYSICAL CONSTRAINTS ON FAST RADIO BURSTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luan, Jing; Goldreich, Peter, E-mail: jingluan@caltech.edu [California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

2014-04-20

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are isolated, ms radio pulses with dispersion measure (DM) of order 10{sup 3} pc cm{sup –3}. Galactic candidates for the DM of high latitude bursts detected at GHz frequencies are easily dismissed. DM from bursts emitted in stellar coronas are limited by free-free absorption and those from H II regions are bounded by the nondetection of associated free-free emission at radio wavelengths. Thus, if astronomical, FRBs are probably extragalactic. FRB 110220 has a scattering tail of ∼5.6 ± 0.1 ms. If the electron density fluctuations arise from a turbulent cascade, the scattering is unlikely to be due to propagation through the diffuse intergalactic plasma. A more plausible explanation is that this burst sits in the central region of its host galaxy. Pulse durations of order ms constrain the sizes of FRB sources implying high brightness temperatures that indicates coherent emission. Electric fields near FRBs at cosmological distances would be so strong that they could accelerate free electrons from rest to relativistic energies in a single wave period.

PHYSICAL CONSTRAINTS ON FAST RADIO BURSTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luan, Jing; Goldreich, Peter

2014-01-01

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are isolated, ms radio pulses with dispersion measure (DM) of order 10 3 pc cm –3 . Galactic candidates for the DM of high latitude bursts detected at GHz frequencies are easily dismissed. DM from bursts emitted in stellar coronas are limited by free-free absorption and those from H II regions are bounded by the nondetection of associated free-free emission at radio wavelengths. Thus, if astronomical, FRBs are probably extragalactic. FRB 110220 has a scattering tail of ∼5.6 ± 0.1 ms. If the electron density fluctuations arise from a turbulent cascade, the scattering is unlikely to be due to propagation through the diffuse intergalactic plasma. A more plausible explanation is that this burst sits in the central region of its host galaxy. Pulse durations of order ms constrain the sizes of FRB sources implying high brightness temperatures that indicates coherent emission. Electric fields near FRBs at cosmological distances would be so strong that they could accelerate free electrons from rest to relativistic energies in a single wave period

AN EXAMINATION OF THE OPTICAL SUBSTRUCTURE OF GALAXY CLUSTERS HOSTING RADIO SOURCES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wing, Joshua D.; Blanton, Elizabeth L.

2013-01-01

Using radio sources from the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-cm survey, and optical counterparts in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, we have identified a large number of galaxy clusters. The radio sources within these clusters are driven by active galactic nuclei, and our cluster samples include clusters with bent, and straight, double-lobed radio sources. We also included a single-radio-component comparison sample. We examine these galaxy clusters for evidence of optical substructure, testing the possibility that bent double-lobed radio sources are formed as a result of large-scale cluster mergers. We use a suite of substructure analysis tools to determine the location and extent of substructure visible in the optical distribution of cluster galaxies, and compare the rates of substructure in clusters with different types of radio sources. We found no preference for significant substructure in clusters hosting bent double-lobed radio sources compared to those with other types of radio sources.

Brightness distribution data on 2918 radio sources at 365 MHz

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cotton, W.D.; Owen, F.N.; Ghigo, F.D.

1975-01-01

This paper is the second in a series describing the results of a program attempting to fit models of the brightness distribution to radio sources observed at 365 MHz with the Bandwidth Synthesis Interferometer (BSI) operated by the University of Texas Radio Astronomy Observatory. Results for a further 2918 radio sources are given. An unresolved model and three symmetric extended models with angular sizes in the range 10--70 arcsec were attempted for each radio source. In addition, for 348 sources for which other observations of brightness distribution are published, the reference to the observations and a brief description are included

Evolution of extra-galactic nebulae and the origin of metagalactic radio noise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruce, C.E.R.

1975-01-01

It is pointed out that the discovery of the 'jet' in the radio source NGC 4486 fulfils a prediction made many years ago that such 'jets' would exist in some globular or elliptical nebulae. They are the channels of electrical discharges on a nebular scale then postulated, which will last for about 10 million years. It is emphasized that the discharge hypothesis would account for - 1. the existence of irregular nebulae; 2. the 'cataclysmic action' which Hubble regarded as required to account for the transition from nebulae of Type E to Type Sa; 3. the fact that the arms of spiral nebulae are never seen in process of formation; 4. the gathering of the matter towards the discharge channels by magnetic pinch effect; 5. the frequent occurrence of two diametrically opposed major arms; 6. the origin of radio waves throughout an extensive volume of space surrounding the 'jet' or discharge channel in NGC 4486; 7. the effect of one extra galactic nebula, NGC 3187, on another, NGC 3190; 8. the existence of diffuse patches of luminosity, 'emission nebulae', in the spiral arms of our own galaxy and in those of the 'Andromeda Nebula'. On the discharge theory about one per cent of all nebulae will be passing through the discharge phase at any one time, i.e., the number required to account for the observed intensity of metagalactic radio noise. (author)

Degree of polarization and source counts of faint radio sources from Stacking Polarized intensity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stil, J. M.; George, S. J.; Keller, B. W.; Taylor, A. R.

2014-01-01

We present stacking polarized intensity as a means to study the polarization of sources that are too faint to be detected individually in surveys of polarized radio sources. Stacking offers not only high sensitivity to the median signal of a class of radio sources, but also avoids a detection threshold in polarized intensity, and therefore an arbitrary exclusion of sources with a low percentage of polarization. Correction for polarization bias is done through a Monte Carlo analysis and tested on a simulated survey. We show that the nonlinear relation between the real polarized signal and the detected signal requires knowledge of the shape of the distribution of fractional polarization, which we constrain using the ratio of the upper quartile to the lower quartile of the distribution of stacked polarized intensities. Stacking polarized intensity for NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS) sources down to the detection limit in Stokes I, we find a gradual increase in median fractional polarization that is consistent with a trend that was noticed before for bright NVSS sources, but is much more gradual than found by previous deep surveys of radio polarization. Consequently, the polarized radio source counts derived from our stacking experiment predict fewer polarized radio sources for future surveys with the Square Kilometre Array and its pathfinders.

A radio monitoring survey of ultra-luminous X-ray sources

Science.gov (United States)

Körding, E.; Colbert, E.; Falcke, H.

2005-06-01

We present the results of a radio monitoring campaign to search for radio emission from nearby ultra-luminous X-ray sources (ULXs). These sources are bright off-nuclear X-ray point sources with luminosities exceeding LX > 1039 erg s-1. A well-defined sample of the 9 nearest ULXs has been monitored eight times over 5 months with the Very Large Array in A and B configuration. Our limiting sensitivity is ≈0.15 mJy (4σ) for radio flares and ≈60 μJy for continuous emission. In M 82 two ULXs seem to have coincident compact radio sources, which are probably supernova remnants. No continuous or flaring radio emission has been detected from any other ULX. Thus, ULXs do not generally emit steady-state radio emission above radio powers of 1.5 × 1017 W/Hz. The non-detections of the continuous emission are consistent with beamed or unbeamed radio emission from accreting black holes of ≤ 103 M⊙ based on the radio/X-ray correlation. Other published radio detections (M 82, NGC 5408) are also discussed in this context. Both detections are significantly above our detection limit. If ULXs have flaring radio emission above 4 × 1017 W/Hz we can give an upper limit on the duty cycle of the flares of 6%. This upper limit is in agreement with the observed number of flares in Galactic radio transients. Additionally we present a yet unreported radio double structure in the nearby low-luminosity AGN NGC 4736.

A CLUSTER OF COMPACT RADIO SOURCES IN W40

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

RodrIguez, Luis F.; Rodney, Steven A.; Reipurth, Bo

2010-01-01

We present deep 3.6 cm radio continuum observations of the H II region W40 obtained using the Very Large Array (VLA) in its A and B configurations. We detect a total of 20 compact radio sources in a region of 4' x 4', with 11 of them concentrated in a band with 30'' of extent. We also present JHK photometry of the W40 cluster taken with the QUIRC instrument on the University of Hawaii 2.2 m telescope. These data reveal that 15 of the 20 VLA sources have infrared counterparts, and 10 show radio variability with periods less than 20 days. Based on these combined radio and IR data, we propose that eight of the radio sources are candidate ultracompact H II regions, seven are likely to be young stellar objects, and two may be shocked interstellar gas.

Revisiting the Gamma-Ray Source 2FGL J1823.8+4312

Science.gov (United States)

Stern, Daniel; Assef, Roberto J.

2013-02-01

One of the great challenges of gamma-ray astronomy is identifying the lower energy counterparts to these high-energy sources. Recently, in this journal, Massaro et al. attempted to find the counterpart of 2FGL J1823.8+4312, a gamma-ray active galactic nucleus (AGN) of uncertain type from the Second Fermi Large Area Telescope catalog. After considering mid-infrared data in the field from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), those authors conclude that the preferred identification of 2FGL J1823.8+4312 is WISE J182352.33+431452.5, despite the fact that the mid-infrared source is undetected at radio energies. They claim that WISE J182352.33+431452.5 constitutes the discovery of a new class of extragalactic X-ray source, either a radio-faint blazar or the prototype of a new class of active galaxy with an enigmatic spectral energy distribution. This conclusion is claimed to be independent of whether or not the WISE source is the actual counterpart to 2FGL J1823.8+4312. Based on a re-analysis of public data in this field and new spectroscopy from Palomar, we conclude that WISE J182352.33+431452.5 is a dust-reddened quasar at z = 0.560, a representative example of a very common extragalactic AGN class. Were WISE J182352.33+431452.5 to be associated with the gamma-ray emission, this would be an unusual and exciting discovery. However, we argue that 2FGL J1823.8+4312 is more likely associated with either WISE J182409.25+431404.7 or, more likely, WISE J182419.04+430949.6, two radio-loud sources in the field. The former is a radio-loud quasar and the latter is an optically variable source with a featureless blue spectrum.

High-energy X-ray observations of extragalactic objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pietsch, W.; Reppin, C.; Truemper, J.; Voges, W.; Lewin, W.; Kendziorra, E.; Staubert, R.

1981-01-01

During a balloon flight from Alice Springs, Australia, six extragalactic sources which are known as potential X-ray sources have been observed in hard X-rays (E > 20 keV). We present X-ray spectra of 3C 273 and Cen-A as well as upper limits on 3C 120, MKN 509, NGC 5506, and MR 2251-178. (orig.)

A search for dispersed radio bursts in archival Parkes Multibeam Pulsar Survey data

OpenAIRE

Bagchi, Manjari; Nieves, Angela Cortes; McLaughlin, Maura

2012-01-01

A number of different classes of potentially extra-terrestrial bursts of radio emission have been observed in surveys with the Parkes 64m radio telescope, including "Rotating Radio Transients", the "Lorimer burst" and "perytons". Rotating Radio Transients are radio pulsars which are best detectable in single-pulse searches. The Lorimer burst is a highly dispersed isolated radio burst with properties suggestive of extragalactic origin. Perytons share the frequency-swept nature of the Rotating ...

TEMPORAL SMEARING OF TRANSIENT RADIO SOURCES BY THE INTERGALACTIC MEDIUM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macquart, Jean-Pierre; Koay, Jun Yi

2013-01-01

The temporal smearing of impulsive radio events at cosmological redshifts probes the properties of the ionized intergalactic medium (IGM). We relate the degree of temporal smearing and the profile of a scattered source to the evolution of a turbulent structure in the IGM as a function of redshift. We estimate the degree of scattering expected by analyzing the contributions to the scattering measure of the various components of baryonic matter embedded in the IGM, including the diffuse IGM, intervening galaxies, and intracluster gas. These estimates predict that the amount of temporal smearing expected at 300 MHz is typically as low as ∼1 ms and suggests that these bursts may be detectable with low-frequency widefield arrays. A generalization of the dispersion-measure-scattering-measure relation observed for Galactic scattering to the densities and turbulent conditions relevant to the IGM suggests that scattering measures on the order of 10 –6 kpc m –20/3 would be expected at z ∼ 1. This scattering is sufficiently low enough that its effects would not, for most lines of sight, be manifested in existing observations of the scatter broadening in images of extragalactic compact sources. The redshift dependence on the temporal smearing discriminates between scattering that occurs in the host galaxy of the burst and the IGM, with τ host ∝(1 + z) –3 if the scattering probes length scales below the inner scale of the turbulence or τ host ∝(1 + z) –17/5 if the turbulence follows a Kolmogorov spectrum. This differs strongly from the expected IGM scaling τ IGM ∼ z 2 for z ∼ 0.2–0.5 for z ∼> 1

A search for dispersed radio bursts in archival Parkes Multibeam Pulsar Survey data

Science.gov (United States)

Bagchi, Manjari; Nieves, Angela Cortes; McLaughlin, Maura

2012-10-01

A number of different classes of potentially extra-terrestrial bursts of radio emission have been observed in surveys with the Parkes 64-m radio telescope, including 'rotating radio transients', the 'Lorimer burst' and 'perytons'. Rotating radio transients are radio pulsars which are best detectable in single-pulse searches. The Lorimer burst is a highly dispersed isolated radio burst with properties suggestive of extragalactic origin. Perytons share the frequency-swept nature of the rotating radio transients and Lorimer burst, but unlike these events appear in all 13 beams of the Parkes multibeam receiver and are probably a form of peculiar radio frequency interference. In order to constrain these and other radio source populations further, we searched the archival Parkes Multibeam Pulsar Survey data for events similar to any of these. We did not find any new rotating radio transients or bursts like the Lorimer burst. We did, however, discover four peryton-like events. Similar to the perytons, these four bursts are highly dispersed, detected in all 13 beams of the Parkes multibeam receiver, and have pulse widths between 20 and 30 ms. Unlike perytons, these bursts are not associated with atmospheric events like rain or lightning. These facts may indicate that lightning was not responsible for the peryton phenomenon. Moreover, the lack of highly dispersed celestial signals is the evidence that the Lorimer burst is unlikely to belong to a cosmological source population.

Very-Long-Baseline Radio Interferometry: The Mark III System for Geodesy, Astrometry, and Aperture Synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, A E; Cappallo, R J; Hinteregger, H F; Levine, J I; Nesman, E F; Webber, J C; Whitney, A R; Clark, T A; Ma, C; Ryan, J; Corey, B E; Counselman, C C; Herring, T A; Shapiro, I I; Knight, C A; Shaffer, D B; Vandenberg, N R; Lacasse, R; Mauzy, R; Rayhrer, B; Schupler, B R; Pigg, J C

1983-01-07

The Mark III very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) system allows recording and later processing of up to 112 megabits per second from each radio telescope of an interferometer array. For astrometric and geodetic measurements, signals from two radio-frequency bands (2.2 to 2.3 and 8.2 to 8.6 gigahertz) are sampled and recorded simultaneously at all antenna sites. From these dual-band recordings the relative group delays of signals arriving at each pair of sites can be corrected for the contributions due to the ionosphere. For many radio sources for which the signals are sufficiently intense, these group delays can be determined with uncertainties under 50 picoseconds. Relative positions of widely separated antennas and celestial coordinates of radio sources have been determined from such measurements with 1 standard deviation uncertainties of about 5 centimeters and 3 milliseconds of arc, respectively. Sample results are given for the lengths of baselines between three antennas in the United States and three in Europe as well as for the arc lengths between the positions of six extragalactic radio sources. There is no significant evidence of change in any of these quantities. For mapping the brightness distribution of such compact radio sources, signals of a given polarization, or of pairs of orthogonal polarizations, can be recorded in up to 28 contiguous bands each nearly 2 megahertz wide. The ability to record large bandwidths and to link together many large radio telescopes allows detection and study of compact sources with flux densities under 1 millijansky.

VLBI observations of Infrared-Faint Radio Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Middelberg, Enno; Phillips, Chris; Norris, Ray; Tingay, Steven

2006-10-01

We propose to observe a small sample of radio sources from the ATLAS project (ATLAS = Australia Telescope Large Area Survey) with the LBA, to determine their compactness and map their structures. The sample consists of three radio sources with no counterpart in the co-located SWIRE survey (3.6 um to 160 um), carried out with the Spitzer Space Telescope. This rare class of sources, dubbed Infrared-Faint Radio Sources, or IFRS, is inconsistent with current galaxy evolution models. VLBI observations are an essential way to obtain further clues on what these objects are and why they are hidden from infrared observations: we will map their structure to test whether they resemble core-jet or double-lobed morphologies, and we will measure the flux densities on long baselines, to determine their compactness. Previous snapshot-style LBA observations of two other IFRS yielded no detections, hence we propose to use disk-based recording with 512 Mbps where possible, for highest sensitivity. With the observations proposed here, we will increase the number of VLBI-observed IFRS from two to five, soon allowing us to draw general conclusions about this intriguing new class of objects.

Morphology and power of radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheuer, P.A.G.

1982-01-01

The author discusses two points: 1. Observations suggest that the hot-spots move about either because the beam precesses or more discontinuously, as in sources like 3C351 that have multiple hot-spots. The natural interpretation is that the hot-spot at the end of the beam slides over the inner surface of a 'cavity' filled with very hot dilute ex-hot-spot material, extending the cavity at various places at different times. 2. Most of the radio emission of most really powerful radio sources comes from their hot spots. Contrariwise, straightforward equipartition calculations on models lead to at least as much emission from the 'cavity' as from the hot-spots. (Auth.)

PROSPECTS FOR THE DETECTION OF FAST RADIO BURSTS WITH THE MURCHISON WIDEFIELD ARRAY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trott, Cathryn M.; Tingay, Steven J.; Wayth, Randall B., E-mail: cathryn.trott@curtin.edu.au [International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, Curtin University, Bentley WA 6845 (Australia)

2013-10-10

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are short timescale (<<1 s) astrophysical radio signals, presumed to be a signature of cataclysmic events of extragalactic origin. The discovery of six high-redshift events at ∼1400 MHz from the Parkes radio telescope suggests that FRBs may occur at a high rate across the sky. The Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) operates at low radio frequencies (80-300 MHz) and is expected to detect FRBs due to its large collecting area (∼2500 m{sup 2}) and wide field-of-view (FOV, ∼ 1000 deg{sup 2} at ν = 200 MHz). We compute the expected number of FRB detections for the MWA assuming a source population consistent with the reported detections. Our formalism properly accounts for the frequency-dependence of the antenna primary beam, the MWA system temperature, and unknown spectral index of the source population, for three modes of FRB detection: coherent; incoherent; and fast imaging. We find that the MWA's sensitivity and large FOV combine to provide the expectation of multiple detectable events per week in all modes, potentially making it an excellent high time resolution science instrument. Deviations of the expected number of detections from actual results will provide a strong constraint on the assumptions made for the underlying source population and intervening plasma distribution.

Prospects for the Detection of Fast Radio Bursts with the Murchison Widefield Array

Science.gov (United States)

Trott, Cathryn M.; Tingay, Steven J.; Wayth, Randall B.

2013-10-01

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are short timescale (Lt1 s) astrophysical radio signals, presumed to be a signature of cataclysmic events of extragalactic origin. The discovery of six high-redshift events at ~1400 MHz from the Parkes radio telescope suggests that FRBs may occur at a high rate across the sky. The Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) operates at low radio frequencies (80-300 MHz) and is expected to detect FRBs due to its large collecting area (~2500 m2) and wide field-of-view (FOV, ~ 1000 deg2 at ν = 200 MHz). We compute the expected number of FRB detections for the MWA assuming a source population consistent with the reported detections. Our formalism properly accounts for the frequency-dependence of the antenna primary beam, the MWA system temperature, and unknown spectral index of the source population, for three modes of FRB detection: coherent; incoherent; and fast imaging. We find that the MWA's sensitivity and large FOV combine to provide the expectation of multiple detectable events per week in all modes, potentially making it an excellent high time resolution science instrument. Deviations of the expected number of detections from actual results will provide a strong constraint on the assumptions made for the underlying source population and intervening plasma distribution.

The NSF Undergraduate ALFALFA Team: Partnering with Arecibo Observatory to Offer Undergraduate and Faculty Extragalactic Radio Astronomy Research Opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Ribaudo, Joseph; Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Haynes, Martha P.; Balonek, Thomas J.; Cannon, John M.; Coble, Kimberly A.; Craig, David W.; Denn, Grant R.; Durbala, Adriana; Finn, Rose; Hallenbeck, Gregory L.; Hoffman, G. Lyle; Lebron, Mayra E.; Miller, Brendan P.; Crone-Odekon, Mary; O'Donoghue, Aileen A.; Olowin, Ronald Paul; Pantoja, Carmen; Pisano, Daniel J.; Rosenberg, Jessica L.; Troischt, Parker; Venkatesan, Aparna; Wilcots, Eric M.; ALFALFA Team

2017-01-01

The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team (UAT) is a consortium of 20 institutions across the US and Puerto Rico, founded to promote undergraduate research and faculty development within the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind survey project and follow-up programs. The objective of the UAT is to provide opportunities for its members to develop expertise in the technical aspects of observational radio spectroscopy, its associated data analysis, and the motivating science. Partnering with Arecibo Observatory, the UAT has worked with more than 280 undergraduates and 26 faculty to date, offering 8 workshops onsite at Arecibo (148 undergraduates), observing runs at Arecibo (69 undergraduates), remote observing runs on campus, undergraduate research projects based on Arecibo science (120 academic year and 185 summer projects), and presentation of results at national meetings such as the AAS (at AAS229: Ball et al., Collova et al., Davis et al., Miazzo et al., Ruvolo et al, Singer et al., Cannon et al., Craig et al., Koopmann et al., O'Donoghue et al.). 40% of the students and 45% of the faculty participants have been women and members of underrepresented groups. More than 90% of student alumni are attending graduate school and/or pursuing a career in STEM. 42% of those pursuing graduate degrees in Physics or Astronomy are women.In this presentation, we summarize the UAT program and the current research efforts of UAT members based on Arecibo science, including multiwavelength followup observations of ALFALFA sources, the UAT Collaborative Groups Project, the Survey of HI in Extremely Low-mass Dwarfs (SHIELD), and the Arecibo Pisces-Perseus Supercluster Survey (APPSS). This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918/0902211, AST-075267/0903394, AST-0725380, AST-121105, and AST-1637339.

Magnetic field, reconnection, and particle acceleration in extragalactic jets

Science.gov (United States)

Romanova, M. M.; Lovelace, R. V. E.

1992-01-01

Extra-galactic radio jets are investigated theoretically taking into account that the jet magnetic field is dragged out from the central rotating source by the jet flow. Thus, magnetohydrodynamic models of jets are considered with zero net poloidal current and flux, and consequently a predominantly toroidal magnetic field. The magnetic field naturally has a cylindrical neutral layer. Collisionless reconnection of the magnetic field in the vicinity of the neutral layer acts to generate a non-axisymmetric radial magnetic field. In turn, axial shear-stretching of reconnected toroidal field gives rise to a significant axial magnetic field if the flow energy-density is larger than the energy-density of the magnetic field. This can lead to jets with an apparent longitudinal magnetic field as observed in the Fanaroff-Riley class II jets. In the opposite limit, where the field energy-density is large, the field remains mainly toroidal as observed in Fanaroff-Riley class I jets. Driven collisionless reconnection at neutral layers may lead to acceleration of electrons to relativistic energies in the weak electrostatic field of the neutral layer. A simple model is discussed for particle acceleration at neutral layers in electron/positron and electron/proton plasmas.

The radio-γ-ray connection in Fermi blazars

Science.gov (United States)

Ghirlanda, G.; Ghisellini, G.; Tavecchio, F.; Foschini, L.; Bonnoli, G.

2011-05-01

We study the correlation between the γ-ray flux (Fγ), averaged over the first 11 months of the Fermi survey and integrated above 100 MeV, and the radio flux density (Fr at 20 GHz) of Fermi sources associated with a radio counterpart in the 20-GHz Australia Telescope Compact Array (AT20G) survey. Considering the blazars detected in both bands, the correlation is highly significant and has the form Fγ∝F0.85±0.04r, similar to BL Lacertae objects and flat-spectrum radio quasars. However, only a small fraction (˜1/15) of the AT20G radio sources with flat radio spectra are detected by Fermi. To understand if this correlation is real, we examine the selection effects introduced by the flux limits of both the radio and the γ-ray surveys, and the importance of variability of the γ-ray flux. After accounting for these effects, we find that the radio-γ-ray flux correlation is real, but its slope is steeper than the observed one, that is, Fγ∝Fδr with δ in the range 1.25-1.5. The observed Fγ-Fr correlation and the fraction of radio sources detected by Fermi are reproduced assuming a long-term γ-ray flux variability, following a lognormal probability distribution with standard deviation σ≥ 0.5 (corresponding to Fγ varying by at least a factor of 3). Such a variability is compatible, even if not necessarily equal, with what is observed when comparing, for the sources in common, the EGRET and the Fermi γ-ray fluxes (even if the Fermi fluxes are averaged over ˜1 yr). Another indication of variability is the non-detection of 12 out of 66 EGRET blazars by Fermi, despite its higher sensitivity. We also study the strong linear correlation between the γ-ray and the radio luminosity of the 144 AT20G-Fermi associations with known redshift and show, through partial correlation analysis, that it is statistically robust. Two possible implications of these correlations are discussed: the contribution of blazars to the extragalactic γ-ray background and the prediction

GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE CONSTRAINTS ON THE PROGENITORS OF FAST RADIO BURSTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callister, Thomas; Kanner, Jonah; Weinstein, Alan

2016-01-01

The nature of fast radio bursts (FRBs) remains enigmatic. Highly energetic radio pulses of millisecond duration, FRBs are observed with dispersion measures consistent with an extragalactic source. A variety of models have been proposed to explain their origin. One popular class of theorized FRB progenitor is the coalescence of compact binaries composed of neutron stars and/or black holes. Such coalescence events are strong gravitational-wave emitters. We demonstrate that measurements made by the LIGO and Virgo gravitational-wave observatories can be leveraged to severely constrain the validity of FRB binary coalescence models. Existing measurements constrain the binary black hole rate to approximately 5% of the FRB rate, and results from Advanced LIGO’s O1 and O2 observing runs may place similarly strong constraints on the fraction of FRBs due to binary neutron star and neutron star–black hole progenitors.

INFLUENCE OF THE GALACTIC GRAVITATIONAL FIELD ON THE POSITIONAL ACCURACY OF EXTRAGALACTIC SOURCES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larchenkova, Tatiana I.; Lutovinov, Alexander A.; Lyskova, Natalya S.

2017-01-01

We investigate the influence of random variations of the Galactic gravitational field on the apparent celestial positions of extragalactic sources. The basic statistical characteristics of a stochastic process (first-order moments, an autocorrelation function and a power spectral density) are used to describe a light ray deflection in a gravitational field of randomly moving point masses as a function of the source coordinates. We map a 2D distribution of the standard deviation of the angular shifts in positions of distant sources (including reference sources of the International Celestial Reference Frame) with respect to their true positions. For different Galactic matter distributions the standard deviation of the offset angle can reach several tens of μ as (microarcsecond) toward the Galactic center, decreasing down to 4–6 μ as at high galactic latitudes. The conditional standard deviation (“jitter”) of 2.5 μ as is reached within 10 years at high galactic latitudes and within a few months toward the inner part of the Galaxy. The photometric microlensing events are not expected to be disturbed by astrometric random variations anywhere except the inner part of the Galaxy as the Einstein–Chvolson times are typically much shorter than the jittering timescale. While a jitter of a single reference source can be up to dozens of μ as over some reasonable observational time, using a sample of reference sources would reduce the error in relative astrometry. The obtained results can be used for estimating the physical upper limits on the time-dependent accuracy of astrometric measurements.

INFLUENCE OF THE GALACTIC GRAVITATIONAL FIELD ON THE POSITIONAL ACCURACY OF EXTRAGALACTIC SOURCES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Larchenkova, Tatiana I. [ASC of P.N.Lebedev Physical Institute, Leninskiy prospect 53, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation); Lutovinov, Alexander A.; Lyskova, Natalya S. [Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Profsoyuznaya 84/32, 117997 Moscow (Russian Federation)

2017-01-20

We investigate the influence of random variations of the Galactic gravitational field on the apparent celestial positions of extragalactic sources. The basic statistical characteristics of a stochastic process (first-order moments, an autocorrelation function and a power spectral density) are used to describe a light ray deflection in a gravitational field of randomly moving point masses as a function of the source coordinates. We map a 2D distribution of the standard deviation of the angular shifts in positions of distant sources (including reference sources of the International Celestial Reference Frame) with respect to their true positions. For different Galactic matter distributions the standard deviation of the offset angle can reach several tens of μ as (microarcsecond) toward the Galactic center, decreasing down to 4–6 μ as at high galactic latitudes. The conditional standard deviation (“jitter”) of 2.5 μ as is reached within 10 years at high galactic latitudes and within a few months toward the inner part of the Galaxy. The photometric microlensing events are not expected to be disturbed by astrometric random variations anywhere except the inner part of the Galaxy as the Einstein–Chvolson times are typically much shorter than the jittering timescale. While a jitter of a single reference source can be up to dozens of μ as over some reasonable observational time, using a sample of reference sources would reduce the error in relative astrometry. The obtained results can be used for estimating the physical upper limits on the time-dependent accuracy of astrometric measurements.

Reflection jets and collimation of radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pacholczyk, A.G.

1983-01-01

A discussion of the hydrodynamics of jets formed by discrete portions of materials ejected from the parent galaxy through a channel, and reflected back to it as a result of an encounter with the material accumulated at the end of the channel, is the basis of the present descriptive hypothesis for a class of jets in extended radio sources. The model encompasses the view of extended radio sources as the multiple ejection of plasmoids through a channel, as well as the formation of retrojets through the interaction of a plasmon with the dense relic material at the end of a channel, and the collimation of plasmon material in channels. 14 references

Surveys of radio sources at 5 GHz

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pauliny-Toth, I.I.K.

1977-01-01

A number of surveys have been carried out at a frequency of 5 GHz at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and at the Max-Planck-Institut fuer Radioastronomy (MPIFR) with the aim of determining the number-flux density relation for the sources detected and also of obtaining their radio spectra and optical identifications. The surveys fall into two categories: first, the strong source (S) surveys which are intended in due course to cover the whole northern sky and to be complete above a flux density of about 0.6 Jy; second, surveys of limited areas of sky down to lower levels of the flux density. (Auth.)

Multifrequency VLA observations of PKS 0745-191: the archetypal 'cooling flow' radio source?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baum, S.A.; O'Dea, C.P.

1991-01-01

We present 90-, 20-, 6- and 2-cm VLA observations of the high radio luminosity, cooling flow radio source PKS 0745-191. We find that the radio source has a core with a very steep spectrum and diffuse emission with an even steeper spectrum without clear indications of the jets, hotspots or double lobes found in other radio sources of comparable luminosity. The appearance of the source is highly dependent on frequency and resolution. This dependence reflects both the diffuse nature of the extended emission and the steep, but position-dependent, spectrum of the radio emission. (author)

Extragalactic Gamma Ray Excess from Coma Supercluster Direction ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

a power-law spectrum for γ rays from extragalactic sources and concluded a power- law index between 1.4 and 3 with values between 1.8 and 2 being the most common. Scharf & Mukherjee (2002) used data obtained by the Compton γ ray observatory spacecraft. They found a “fog” of γ rays associated to the galaxy clusters ...

SMC SMP 24: A newly radio-detected planetary nebula in the small Magellanic cloud

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bojičić I.S.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper we report a new radio-continuum detection of an extragalactic planetary nebula (PN: SMC SMP 24. We show the radio-continuum image of this PN and present the measured radio data. The newly reduced radio observations are consistent with the multi-wavelength data and derived parameters found in the literature. SMC SMP 24 appears to be a young and compact PN, optically thick at frequencies below 2 GHz.

SMC SMP 24: A Newly Radio-Detected Planetary Nebula in the Small Magellanic Cloud

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bojicic, I. S.

2010-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper we report a new radio-continuum detection of an extragalactic planetary nebula (PN: SMC~SMP~24. We show the radio-continuum image of this PN and present the measured radio data. The newly reduced radio observations are consistent with the multi-wavelength data and derived parameters found in the literature. SMC~SMP~24 appears to be a young and compact PN, optically thick at frequencies below 2~GHz.

EGRET Unidentified Source Radio Observations and Performance of Receiver Gain Calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niinuma, Kotaro; Asuma, Kuniyuki; Kuniyoshi, Masaya; Matsumura, Nobuo; Takefuji, Kazuhiro; Kida, Sumiko; Takeuchi, Akihiko; Ichikawa, Hajime; Sawano, Akihiro; Yoshimura, Naoya; Suzuki, Shigehiro; Nakamura, Ryosuke; Nakayama, Yu; Daishido, Tsuneaki

2006-01-01

Last year, we have developed the receiver gain calibration system by using Johnson-Nyquist noise, for accuracy flux measurement, because we have been starting radio identification program of transient radio sources, blazars and radio counterpart of The Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) unidentified γ-ray sources in Waseda Nasu Pulsar Observatory. It is shown that there are a few low correlation data between receiver gain and ambient temperature around receiver for anything troubles of receiver, because we can detect gain and ambient temperature through a day by developed system. Estimated fluctuations of daily data of steady sources decrease by removing low correlation data before analysing. As the result of our analysis by using above system, radio counterpart of EGRET identified source showed fading light-curve for a week

Toward Understanding the Fanaroff-Riley Dichotomy in Radio Source Morphology and Power

Science.gov (United States)

Baum, Stefi A.; Zirbel, Esther L.; O'Dea, Christopher P.

1995-09-01

In Paper I we presented the results of a study of the interrelationships between host galaxy magnitude, optical line luminosity, and radio luminosity in a large sample of Fanaroff-Riley classes 1 and 2 (FR 1 and FR 2) radio galaxies. We report several important differences between the FR 1 and FR 2 radio galaxies. At the same host galaxy magnitude or radio luminosity, the FR 2's produce substantially more optical line emission (by roughly an order of magnitude or more) than do FR 1's. Similarly, FR 2 sources produce orders of magnitude more line luminosity than do radio-quiet galaxies of the same optical magnitude, while FR 1 sources and radio-quiet galaxies of the same optical magnitude produce similar line luminosities. Combining these results with previous results from the literature, we conclude that while the emission-line gas in the FR 2's is indeed photoionized by a nuclear UV continuum source from the AGN, the emission-line gas in the FR 1's may be energized predominantly by processes associated with the host galaxy itself. The apparent lack of a strong UV continuum source from the central engine in FR 1 sources can be understood in two different ways. In the first scenario, FR l's are much more efficient at covering jet bulk kinetic energy into radio luminosity than FR 2's, such that an FR 1 has a much lower bolometric AGN luminosity (hence nuclear UV continuum source) than does an FR 2 of the same radio luminosity. We discuss the pros and cons of this model and conclude that the efficiency differences needed between FR 2 and FR 1 radio galaxies are quite large and may lead to difficulties with the interpretation since it would suggest that FR 2 radio source deposit very large amounts of kinetic energy into the ISM Intracluster Medium. However, this interpretation remains viable. Alternatively, it may be that the AGNs in FR 1 sources simply produce far less radiant UV energy than do those in FR 2 sources. That is, FR 1 sources may funnel a higher fraction

Relativistic jets and the most powerful radio sources in the universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bridle, A.

1987-01-01

Relativistic jets, which are beams of particles and magnetic fields emitting synchrotron radiation that emanate from black holes at the centers of galaxies and quasars, have been one of the most exciting discoveries made at the Very Large Array (VLA) operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). The VLA is an array of 27 antennas, each 25 meters in diameter, distributed in a Y-formation with two branches 21 kilometers long and one branch 19 kilometers long. Astronomers can use it to study relativistic jets that generate intense natural radio sources (or transmitters). These sources, associated with regions hundreds of thousands of light years across, are the most powerful in the universe in energy output. In his lecture, Bridle describes how consecutive advances in imaging techniques for radio astronomy have uncovered the properties of the powerful radio sources, culminating in the discovery at the VLA that many of these sources contain radio emitting jets. He then describes some of the NRAO's research on these jets, and discusses the jets' physical properties. He concludes with an outlook for the future: the NRAO's Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) is to be completed in the early 1990's. The VLBA is an array of ten radio telescopes distributed from Hawaii to St. Croix, from the Canadian border to Texas. With the VLBA, astronomers plan to look more deeply into these radio sources. 15 figs

JVLA observations of IC 348 SW: Compact radio sources and their nature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodríguez, Luis F.; Zapata, Luis A.; Palau, Aina, E-mail: l.rodriguez@crya.unam.mx, E-mail: l.zapata@crya.unam.mx, E-mail: a.palau@crya.unam.mx [Centro de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, UNAM, Apdo. Postal 3-72 (Xangari), 58089 Morelia, Michoacán (Mexico)

2014-07-20

We present sensitive 2.1 and 3.3 cm Jansky Very Large Array radio continuum observations of the region IC 348 SW. We detect a total of 10 compact radio sources in the region, 7 of which are first reported here. One of the sources is associated with the remarkable periodic time-variable infrared source LRLL 54361, opening the possibility of monitoring this object at radio wavelengths. Four of the sources appear to be powering outflows in the region, including HH 211 and HH 797. In the case of the rotating outflow HH 797, we detect a double radio source at its center, separated by ∼3''. Two of the sources are associated with infrared stars that possibly have gyrosynchrotron emission produced in active magnetospheres. Finally, three of the sources are interpreted as background objects.

An Optical View of Extragalactic γ-Ray Emitters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paiano, Simona [Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova (INAF), Padua (Italy); Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Padova, Padua (Italy); Falomo, Renato [Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova (INAF), Padua (Italy); Landoni, Marco [Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera (INAF), Merate (Italy); Treves, Aldo [Università degli Studi dell' Insubria, Varese (Italy); Scarpa, Riccardo, E-mail: simona.paiano@oapd.inaf.it [Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spain); Departamento de Astrofsica, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Spain)

2017-11-23

The Fermi Gamma-ray Observatory discovered about a thousand extragalactic sources emitting energy from 100 MeV to 100 GeV. The majority of these sources belong to the class of blazars characterized by a quasi-featureless optical spectrum (BL Lac Objects). This hampers the determination of their redshift and therefore hinders the characterization of this class of objects. To investigate the nature of these sources and to determine their redshift, we are carrying out an extensive campaign using the 10 m Gran Telescopio Canarias to obtain high S/N ratio optical spectra. These observations allow us to confirm the blazar nature of the targets, to find new redshifts or to set stringent limits on the redshift based on the minimum equivalent width of specific absorption features that can be measured in the spectrum and are expected from their host galaxy, assuming it is a massive elliptical galaxy. These results are of importance for the multi-frequencies emission models of the blazars, to test their extreme physics, to shed light on their cosmic evolution and abundance in the far Universe. These gamma emitters are also of great importance for the characterization of the extragalactic background light through the absorption by the IR-optical background photons.

Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2016-01-27

Jan 27, 2016 ... J1159+5820 is an extended radio galaxy with a quite unusual morphology, featuring two pairs of radio lobes. Such sources, called double–double radio galaxies, constitute a very rare class of extragalactic radio sources. Furthermore, the extended radio structure of this source shows an X-shape form.

Evolution of the plasma universe: I. Double radio galaxies, quasars, and extragalactic jets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peratt, A.L.

1986-01-01

Cosmic plasma physics and our concept of the universe is in a state of rapid revision. This change started with in-situ measurements of plasmas in Earth's ionosphere, cometary atmospheres, and planetary magnetospheres; the translation of knowledge from laboratory experiments to astrophysical phenomena; discoveries of helical and filamentary plasma structures in the Galaxy and double radio sources; and the particle simulation of plasmas not accessible to in-situ measurement. Because of these, Birkeland (field-aligned) currents, double layers, and magnetic-field-aligned electric fields are now known to be far more important to the evolution of space plasma, including the acceleration of charged particles to high energies, than previously thought. This paper and its sequel investigate the observational evidence for a plasma universe threaded by Birkeland currents or filaments. This model of the universe was inspired by the advent of three-dimensional fully electromagnetic particle simulations and their application to the study of laboratory z pinches. This study resulted in totally unexpected phenomena in the data post-processed from the simulation particle, field, and history dumps. In particular, when the simulation parameters were scaled to galactic dimensions, the interaction between pinched filaments led to synchrotron radiation whose emission properties were found to share the following characteristics with double radio galaxies and quasars: power magnitude, isophotal morphology, spectra, brightness along source, polarization, and jets. The evolution of these pinched synchrotron emitting plasmas to elliptical, peculiar, and spiral galaxies by continuing the simulation run is addressed in a sequel paper

The galactic position dependence of fast radio bursts and the discovery of FRB011025

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burke-Spolaor, Sarah [California Institute of Technology, 1200 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA (United States); Bannister, Keith W., E-mail: sarahbspolaor@gmail.com [CSIRO Astronomy and Space Sciences, P.O. Box 76, Epping NSW 1710 (Australia)

2014-09-01

We report the detection of a dispersed fast radio burst (FRB) in archival intermediate-latitude Parkes Radio Telescope data. The burst appears to be of the same physical origin as the four purported extragalactic FRBs reported by Thornton et al. This burst's arrival time precedes the Thornton et al. bursts by 10 years. We consider that this survey, and many other archival low-latitude (|gb| < 30°) pulsar surveys, have been searched for FRBs but produced fewer detections than the comparatively brief Thornton et al. search. Such a rate dependence on Galactic position could provide critical supporting evidence for an extragalactic origin for FRBs. To test this, we form an analytic expression to account for Galactic position and survey setup in FRB rate predictions. Employing a sky temperature, scattering, and dispersion model of the Milky Way, we compute the expected number of FRBs if they are isotropically distributed on the sky with respect to the Galactic position (i.e., local), and if they are of extragalactic origin. We demonstrate that the relative detection rates reject a local origin with a confidence of 99.96% (∼3.6σ). The extragalactic predictions provide a better agreement; however, there are still strong discrepancies with the low-latitude detection rate at a confidence of 99.69% (∼2.9σ). However, for the extragalactic population, the differences in predicted versus detected population may be accounted for by a number of factors, which we discuss.

The galactic position dependence of fast radio bursts and the discovery of FRB011025

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burke-Spolaor, Sarah; Bannister, Keith W.

2014-01-01

We report the detection of a dispersed fast radio burst (FRB) in archival intermediate-latitude Parkes Radio Telescope data. The burst appears to be of the same physical origin as the four purported extragalactic FRBs reported by Thornton et al. This burst's arrival time precedes the Thornton et al. bursts by 10 years. We consider that this survey, and many other archival low-latitude (|gb| < 30°) pulsar surveys, have been searched for FRBs but produced fewer detections than the comparatively brief Thornton et al. search. Such a rate dependence on Galactic position could provide critical supporting evidence for an extragalactic origin for FRBs. To test this, we form an analytic expression to account for Galactic position and survey setup in FRB rate predictions. Employing a sky temperature, scattering, and dispersion model of the Milky Way, we compute the expected number of FRBs if they are isotropically distributed on the sky with respect to the Galactic position (i.e., local), and if they are of extragalactic origin. We demonstrate that the relative detection rates reject a local origin with a confidence of 99.96% (∼3.6σ). The extragalactic predictions provide a better agreement; however, there are still strong discrepancies with the low-latitude detection rate at a confidence of 99.69% (∼2.9σ). However, for the extragalactic population, the differences in predicted versus detected population may be accounted for by a number of factors, which we discuss.

Plasma phenomenology in astrophysical systems: Radio-sources and jets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montani, Giovanni; Petitta, Jacopo

2014-01-01

We review the plasma phenomenology in the astrophysical sources which show appreciable radio emissions, namely Radio-Jets from Pulsars, Microquasars, Quasars, and Radio-Active Galaxies. A description of their basic features is presented, then we discuss in some details the links between their morphology and the mechanisms that lead to the different radio-emissions, investigating especially the role played by the plasma configurations surrounding compact objects (Neutron Stars, Black Holes). For the sake of completeness, we briefly mention observational techniques and detectors, whose structure set them apart from other astrophysical instruments. The fundamental ideas concerning angular momentum transport across plasma accretion disks—together with the disk-source-jet coupling problem—are discussed, by stressing their successes and their shortcomings. An alternative scenario is then inferred, based on a parallelism between astrophysical and laboratory plasma configurations, where small-scale structures can be found. We will focus our attention on the morphology of the radio-jets, on their coupling with the accretion disks and on the possible triggering phenomena, viewed as profiles of plasma instabilities

RADIO SOURCE FEEDBACK IN GALAXY EVOLUTION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shabala, Stanislav; Alexander, Paul

2009-01-01

We present a galaxy evolution model which incorporates a physically motivated implementation of active galactic nucleus feedback. Intermittent jets inflate cocoons of radio plasma which then expand supersonically, shock heating the ambient gas. The model reproduces observed star formation histories to the highest redshifts for which reliable data exist, as well as the observed galaxy color bimodality. Intermittent radio source feedback also naturally provides a way of keeping the black hole and spheroid growth in step. We find possible evidence for a top-heavy initial mass function for z > 2, consistent with observations of element abundances, and submillimeter and Lyman break galaxy counts.

The History and Evolution of Young and Distant Radio Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Collier, Jordan

We study two classes of object to gain a better understanding of the evolution of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN): Infrared-Faint Radio Sources (IFRSs) and Gigahertz Peaked Spectrum (GPS) / Compact Steep Spectrum (CSS) sources. IFRSs are a recently discovered rare class of object, which were found to be strong in the radio but undetectable in extremely sensitive infrared observations from the Spitzer Space Telescope, even in stacked images with sigma 3. Therefore, IFRSs may significantly increase the number of known high-redshift galaxies. However, their non-detections in the optical and infrared prevented confirmation of their nature. Previous studies of IFRSs focused on very sensitive observations of a few small regions of the sky, and the largest sample consisted of 55 IFRSs. However, we follow the strategy of combining radio data with IR and optical data for a large region of the sky. Using these data, we discover a population of >1300 brighter IFRSs which are, for the first time, reliably detected in the infrared and optical. We present the first spectroscopic redshifts of IFRSs and show that the brightest IFRSs are at z > 2. Furthermore, we rule out that IFRSs are Star Forming Galaxies, hotspots, lobes or misidentifications. We find the first X-ray counterparts of IFRSs, and increase the number of known polarised IFRSs five-fold. We present an analysis of their radio spectra and show that IFRSs consist of GPS, CSS and ultra-steep-spectrum sources. We follow up >50 of these using VLBI observations, and confirm the AGN status of IFRSs. GPS and CSS sources are compact radio sources with a convex radio spectrum. They are widely thought to represent young and evolving radio galaxies that have recently launched their jets. However, good evidence exists in individual cases that GPS and CSS sources are one of the following: 1) frustrated by interactions with dense gas and dust in their environment; 2) prematurely dying radio sources; 3) recurrent radio galaxies. Their

At what particle energy do extragalactic cosmic rays start to predominate?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wibig, Tadeusz; Wolfendale, Arnold W

2005-01-01

We have previously argued (e.g. Szabelski et al 2002 Astropart. Phys. 17 125) that the well-known 'ankle' in the cosmic ray energy spectrum, at log E (eV) ∼ 18.7-19.0, marks the transition from mainly galactic sources at lower energies to mainly extragalactic above. Recently, however, there have been claims for lower transitional energies, specifically from log E (eV) ∼ 17.0 (Thompson et al 2004 Proc. Catania Cosmic Ray Conf.) via 17.2-17.8 (Berezinsky et al 2004 Astropart. Phys. 21 617) to 18.0 (Hillas 2004 Proc. Leeds Cosmic Ray Conf.). In our model the ankle arises naturally from the sum of simple power law-spectra with slopes differing by Δγ ∼ 1.8; from differential slope γ = -3.8 for galactic particles (near log E = 19) to γ ∼ -2.0 for extragalactic sources. In the other models, on the other hand, the ankle is intrinsic to the extragalactic component alone, and arises from the shape of the rate of energy loss versus energy for the (assumed) protons interacting with the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Our detailed analysis of the world's data on the ultra-high energy spectrum shows that taken together, or separately, the resulting mean sharpness of the ankle (second derivative of the log(intensity x E 3 ) with respect to log E) is consistent with our 'mixed' model. For explanation in terms of extragalactic particles alone, however, the ankle will be at the wrong energy-for reasonable production models and of insufficient magnitude if, as seems likely, there is still a significant fraction of heavy nuclei at the ankle energy

Bending of electromagnetic beams and head-tail radio sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bodo, G; Ferrari, A; Massaglia, S [Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Turin (Italy). Lab. di Cosmo-Geofisica; Turin Univ. (Italy). Ist. di Fisica)

1981-08-01

An interpretation is presented of bridge bending in head-tail radio sources in the framework of an electromagnetic beam model. The physical effect responsible for the structural distortion is proposed to be the refraction of a large-amplitude wave in a medium with a density gradient perpendicular to the wave propagation vector; this gradient is consistently produced by the relative motion of the beam source in the surrounding medium with a velocity higher than the speed of sound. These effects are calculated in some detail and a quantitative fit of model parameters to the typical radio source associated with NGC 1265 is discussed.

Central radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phinney, E.S.

1985-01-01

The compact radio sources in the nuclei of most active galaxies lie closer to their centers of activity than any other region accessible to observation, excepting only the broad emission line region. They provide uniquely strong evidence for bulk motion of matter at relativistic velocities, encouraging the belief that the activity originates in a gravitational potential well whose escape velocity is of the order of the speed of light. The observational facts are reviewed as well as several theoretical pictures of them. Those places where systematic observations could help to distinguish the true theoretical picture from the many competing forgeries are emphasized. 76 references

Stellar candles for the extragalactic distance scale

CERN Document Server

Gieren, Wolfgang

2003-01-01

This volume reviews the current status with respect to both theory and observation of the extragalactic distance scale. A sufficient accuracy is required both for a precise determination of the cosmological parameters and also in order to achieve a better understanding of physical processes in extragalactic systems. The "standard candles", used to set up the extragalactic distance scale, reviewed in this book include cepheid variables, RR Lyrae variables, novae, Type Ia and Type II supernovae as well as globular clusters and planetary nebulae.

FIRST 'WINGED' AND X-SHAPED RADIO SOURCE CANDIDATES. II. NEW REDSHIFTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheung, C. C.; Healey, Stephen E.; Landt, Hermine; Jordan, Andres; Verdoes Kleijn, Gijs

2009-01-01

We report optical spectroscopic observations of X-shaped radio sources with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope and Multiple-Mirror Telescope, focused on the sample of candidates from the FIRST survey presented in a previous paper. A total of 27 redshifts were successfully obtained, 21 of which are new, including a newly identified candidate source of this type which is presented here. With these observations, the sample of candidates from the previous paper is over 50% spectroscopically identified. Two new broad emission-lined X-shaped radio sources are revealed, while no emission lines were detected in about one-third of the observed sources; a detailed study of the line properties is deferred to a future paper. Finally, to explore their relation to the Fanaroff-Riley division, the radio luminosities and host galaxy absolute magnitudes of a spectroscopically identified sample of 50 X-shaped radio galaxies are calculated to determine their placement in the Owen-Ledlow plane.

About the Modeling of Radio Source Time Series as Linear Splines

Science.gov (United States)

Karbon, Maria; Heinkelmann, Robert; Mora-Diaz, Julian; Xu, Minghui; Nilsson, Tobias; Schuh, Harald

2016-12-01

Many of the time series of radio sources observed in geodetic VLBI show variations, caused mainly by changes in source structure. However, until now it has been common practice to consider source positions as invariant, or to exclude known misbehaving sources from the datum conditions. This may lead to a degradation of the estimated parameters, as unmodeled apparent source position variations can propagate to the other parameters through the least squares adjustment. In this paper we will introduce an automated algorithm capable of parameterizing the radio source coordinates as linear splines.

The Bologna complete sample of nearby radio sources. II. Phase referenced observations of faint nuclear sources

Science.gov (United States)

Liuzzo, E.; Giovannini, G.; Giroletti, M.; Taylor, G. B.

2009-10-01

Aims: To study statistical properties of different classes of sources, it is necessary to observe a sample that is free of selection effects. To do this, we initiated a project to observe a complete sample of radio galaxies selected from the B2 Catalogue of Radio Sources and the Third Cambridge Revised Catalogue (3CR), with no selection constraint on the nuclear properties. We named this sample “the Bologna Complete Sample” (BCS). Methods: We present new VLBI observations at 5 and 1.6 GHz for 33 sources drawn from a sample not biased toward orientation. By combining these data with those in the literature, information on the parsec-scale morphology is available for a total of 76 of 94 radio sources with a range in radio power and kiloparsec-scale morphologies. Results: The fraction of two-sided sources at milliarcsecond resolution is high (30%), compared to the fraction found in VLBI surveys selected at centimeter wavelengths, as expected from the predictions of unified models. The parsec-scale jets are generally found to be straight and to line up with the kiloparsec-scale jets. A few peculiar sources are discussed in detail. Tables 1-4 are only available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Bending of electromagnetic beams and head-tail radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bodo, G.; Ferrari, A.; Massaglia, S.; Turin Univ.

1981-01-01

An interpretation is presented of bridge bending in head-tail radio sources in the framework of an electromagnetic beam model. The physical effect responsible for the structural distortion is proposed to be the refraction of a large-amplitude wave in a medium with a density gradient perpendicular to the wave propagation vector; this gradient is consistently produced by the relative motion of the beam source in the surrounding medium with a velocity higher than the speed of sound. These effects are calculated in some detail and a quantitative fit of model parameters to the typical radio source associated with NGC 1265 is discussed. (author)

Constraining the CMB optical depth through the dispersion measure of cosmological radio transients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fialkov, A.; Loeb, A.

2016-01-01

The dispersion measure of extragalactic radio transients can be used to measure the column density of free electrons in the intergalactic medium. The same electrons also scatter the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) photons, affecting precision measurements of cosmological parameters. We explore the connection between the dispersion measure of radio transients existing during the Epoch of Reionization (EoR) and the total optical depth for the CMB showing that the existence of such transients would provide a new sensitive probe of the CMB optical depth. As an example, we consider the population of FRBs. Assuming they exist during the EoR, we show that: (i) such sources can probe the reionization history by measuring the optical depth to sub-percent accuracy, and (ii) they can be detected with high significance by an instrument such as the Square Kilometer Array.

Constraining the CMB optical depth through the dispersion measure of cosmological radio transients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fialkov, A.; Loeb, A., E-mail: anastasia.fialkov@cfa.harvard.edu, E-mail: aloeb@cfa.harvard.edu [Institute for Teory and Computation, Harvard University, 60 Garden Street, MS-51, Cambridge, MA, 02138 (United States)

2016-05-01

The dispersion measure of extragalactic radio transients can be used to measure the column density of free electrons in the intergalactic medium. The same electrons also scatter the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) photons, affecting precision measurements of cosmological parameters. We explore the connection between the dispersion measure of radio transients existing during the Epoch of Reionization (EoR) and the total optical depth for the CMB showing that the existence of such transients would provide a new sensitive probe of the CMB optical depth. As an example, we consider the population of FRBs. Assuming they exist during the EoR, we show that: (i) such sources can probe the reionization history by measuring the optical depth to sub-percent accuracy, and (ii) they can be detected with high significance by an instrument such as the Square Kilometer Array.

Extragalactic background light measurements and applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooray, Asantha

2016-03-01

This review covers the measurements related to the extragalactic background light intensity from γ-rays to radio in the electromagnetic spectrum over 20 decades in wavelength. The cosmic microwave background (CMB) remains the best measured spectrum with an accuracy better than 1%. The measurements related to the cosmic optical background (COB), centred at 1 μm, are impacted by the large zodiacal light associated with interplanetary dust in the inner Solar System. The best measurements of COB come from an indirect technique involving γ-ray spectra of bright blazars with an absorption feature resulting from pair-production off of COB photons. The cosmic infrared background (CIB) peaking at around 100 μm established an energetically important background with an intensity comparable to the optical background. This discovery paved the way for large aperture far-infrared and sub-millimetre observations resulting in the discovery of dusty, starbursting galaxies. Their role in galaxy formation and evolution remains an active area of research in modern-day astrophysics. The extreme UV (EUV) background remains mostly unexplored and will be a challenge to measure due to the high Galactic background and absorption of extragalactic photons by the intergalactic medium at these EUV/soft X-ray energies. We also summarize our understanding of the spatial anisotropies and angular power spectra of intensity fluctuations. We motivate a precise direct measurement of the COB between 0.1 and 5 μm using a small aperture telescope observing either from the outer Solar System, at distances of 5 AU or more, or out of the ecliptic plane. Other future applications include improving our understanding of the background at TeV energies and spectral distortions of CMB and CIB.

Relation between Radio Polarization and Spectral Index of Blazars ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Introduction. Blazars are a very special class of extragalactic objects showing some special proper- ties, including rapid variability, high and variability polarization, high luminosity and superluminal motion, etc. Their optical variability timescales can cover a range of hours to years from radio to γ-rays (Fan et al. 2004; Ulrich ...

Do Unification Models Explain the X-ray Properties of Radio Sources?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wilkes, Belinda J.; Kuraszkiewicz, J.; Haas, M.; Barthel, P.; Willner, S. P.; Leipski, C.; Worrall, D.; Birkinshaw, M.; Antonucci, R. R.; Ashby, M.; Chini, R.; Fazio, G. G.; Lawrence, C. R.; Ogle, P. M.; Schulz, B.

Chandra observations of a complete, flux-limited sample of 38 high-redshift (1 radio selected (and so relatively unbiased in orientation), 3CRR radio sources (21 quasars, 17 narrow line radio galaxies, NLRGs) support Unification models and lead to estimates of the covering

How Fred Hoyle Reconciled Radio Source Counts and the Steady State Cosmology

Science.gov (United States)

Ekers, Ron

2012-09-01

In 1969 Fred Hoyle invited me to his Institute of Theoretical Astronomy (IOTA) in Cambridge to work with him on the interpretation of the radio source counts. This was a period of extreme tension with Ryle just across the road using the steep slope of the radio source counts to argue that the radio source population was evolving and Hoyle maintaining that the counts were consistent with the steady state cosmology. Both of these great men had made some correct deductions but they had also both made mistakes. The universe was evolving, but the source counts alone could tell us very little about cosmology. I will try to give some indication of the atmosphere and the issues at the time and look at what we can learn from this saga. I will conclude by briefly summarising the exponential growth of the size of the radio source counts since the early days and ask whether our understanding has grown at the same rate.

FR-type radio sources in COSMOS: relation of radio structure to size, accretion modes and large-scale environment

Science.gov (United States)

Vardoulaki, Eleni; Faustino Jimenez Andrade, Eric; Delvecchio, Ivan; Karim, Alexander; Smolčić, Vernesa; Magnelli, Benjamin; Bertoldi, Frank; Schinnener, Eva; Sargent, Mark; Finoguenov, Alexis; VLA COSMOS Team

2018-01-01

The radio sources associated with active galactic nuclei (AGN) can exhibit a variety of radio structures, from simple to more complex, giving rise to a variety of classification schemes. The question which still remains open, given deeper surveys revealing new populations of radio sources, is whether this plethora of radio structures can be attributed to the physical properties of the host or to the environment. Here we present an analysis on the radio structure of radio-selected AGN from the VLA-COSMOS Large Project at 3 GHz (JVLA-COSMOS; Smolčić et al.) in relation to: 1) their linear projected size, 2) the Eddington ratio, and 3) the environment their hosts lie within. We classify these as FRI (jet-like) and FRII (lobe-like) based on the FR-type classification scheme, and compare them to a sample of jet-less radio AGN in JVLA-COSMOS. We measure their linear projected sizes using a semi-automatic machine learning technique. Their Eddington ratios are calculated from X-ray data available for COSMOS. As environmental probes we take the X-ray groups (hundreds kpc) and the density fields (~Mpc-scale) in COSMOS. We find that FRII radio sources are on average larger than FRIs, which agrees with literature. But contrary to past studies, we find no dichotomy in FR objects in JVLA-COSMOS given their Eddington ratios, as on average they exhibit similar values. Furthermore our results show that the large-scale environment does not explain the observed dichotomy in lobe- and jet-like FR-type objects as both types are found on similar environments, but it does affect the shape of the radio structure introducing bents for objects closer to the centre of an X-ray group.

FERMI/LAT OBSERVATIONS OF SWIFT/BAT SEYFERT GALAXIES: ON THE CONTRIBUTION OF RADIO-QUIET ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI TO THE EXTRAGALACTIC γ-RAY BACKGROUND

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teng, Stacy H.; Mushotzky, Richard F.; Reynolds, Christopher S.; Sambruna, Rita M.; Davis, David S.

2011-01-01

We present the analysis of 2.1 years of Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) data on 491 Seyfert galaxies detected by the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) survey. Only the two nearest objects, NGC 1068 and NGC 4945, which were identified in the Fermi first year catalog, are detected. Using Swift/BAT and radio 20 cm fluxes, we define a new radio-loudness parameter R X,BAT where radio-loud objects have log R X,BAT > –4.7. Based on this parameter, only radio-loud sources are detected by Fermi/LAT. An upper limit to the flux of the undetected sources is derived to be ∼2 × 10 –11 photons cm –2 s –1 , approximately seven times lower than the observed flux of NGC 1068. Assuming a median redshift of 0.031, this implies an upper limit to the γ-ray (1-100 GeV) luminosity of ∼ 41 erg s –1 . In addition, we identified 120 new Fermi/LAT sources near the Swift/BAT Seyfert galaxies with significant Fermi/LAT detections. A majority of these objects do not have Swift/BAT counterparts, but their possible optical counterparts include blazars, flat-spectrum radio quasars, and quasars.

The Study of Radio Flux Density Variations of the Quasar OJ 287 by the Wavelet and the Singular Spectrum Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donskykh Ganna

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Flux density variations of the extragalactic radio source OJ 287 are studied by applying the wavelet and the singular spectrum methods to the long-term monitoring data at 14.5, 8.0 and 4.8 GHz acquired at the University of Michigan Radio Astronomy Observatory during 40 years. This monitoring significantly supplements the episodic VLBI data. The wavelet analysis at all three frequencies revealed the presence of quasiperiods within the intervals 6.0–7.4 and 1.2–1.8 years. The singular spectrum analysis revealed the presence of quasiperiods within the intervals 6–10 and 1.6–4.0 years. For each quasiperiod the time interval of its existence was determined.

Optical Spectra of Candidate International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) Flat-spectrum Radio Sources. III

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Titov, O.; Stanford, Laura M. [Geoscience Australia, P.O. Box 378, Canberra, ACT 2601 (Australia); Pursimo, T. [Nordic Optical Telescope, Nordic Optical Telescope Apartado 474E-38700 Santa Cruz de La Palma, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spain); Johnston, Helen M.; Hunstead, Richard W. [Sydney Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Jauncey, David L. [CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, ATNF and Mount Stromlo Observatory, Cotter Road, Weston, ACT 2611 (Australia); Zenere, Katrina A., E-mail: oleg.titov@ga.gov.au [School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia)

2017-04-01

In extending our spectroscopic program, which targets sources drawn from the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) Catalog, we have obtained spectra for ∼160 compact, flat-spectrum radio sources and determined redshifts for 112 quasars and radio galaxies. A further 14 sources with featureless spectra have been classified as BL Lac objects. Spectra were obtained at three telescopes: the 3.58 m European Southern Observatory New Technology Telescope, and the two 8.2 m Gemini telescopes in Hawaii and Chile. While most of the sources are powerful quasars, a significant fraction of radio galaxies is also included from the list of non-defining ICRF radio sources.

A radio/optical reference frame. 5: Additional source positions in the mid-latitude southern hemisphere

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, J. L.; Reynolds, J. E.; Jauncey, D. L.; de Vegt, C.; Zacharias, N.; Ma, C.; Fey, A. L.; Johnston, K. J.; Hindsley, R.; Hughes, J. A.; Malin, D. F.; White, G. L.; Kawaguchi, N.; Takahashi, Y.

1994-01-01

We report new accurate radio position measurements for 30 sources, preliminary positions for two sources, improved radio postions for nine additional sources which had limited previous observations, and optical positions and optical-radio differences for six of the radio sources. The Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations are part of the continuing effort to establish a global radio reference frame of about 400 compact, flat spectrum sources, which are evenly distributed across the sky. The observations were made using Mark III data format in four separate sessions in 1988-89 with radio telescopes at Tidbinbilla, Australia, Kauai, USA, and Kashima, Japan. We observed a total of 54 sources, including ten calibrators and three which were undetected. The 32 new source positions bring the total number in the radio reference frame catalog to 319 (172 northern and 147 southern) and fill in the zone -25 deg greater than delta greater than -45 deg which, prior to this list, had the lowest source density. The VLBI positions have an average formal precision of less than 1 mas, although unknown radio structure effects of about 1-2 mas may be present. The six new optical postion measurements are part of the program to obtain positions of the optical counterparts of the radio reference frame source and to map accurately the optical on to the radio reference frames. The optical measurements were obtained from United States Naval Observatory (USNO) Black Birch astrograph plates and source plates from the AAT, and Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) 4 m, and the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Schmidt. The optical positions have an average precision of 0.07 sec, mostly due to the zero point error when adjusted to the FK5 optical frame using the IRS catalog. To date we have measured optical positions for 46 sources.

New results and techniques in space radio astronomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, J. K.

1971-01-01

The methods and results of early space radioastronomy experiments are reviewed, with emphasis on the RAE 1 spacecraft which was designed specifically and exclusively for radio astronomical studies. The RAE 1 carries two gravity-gradient-stabilized 229-m traveling-wave V-antennas, a 37-m dipole antenna, and a number of radiometer systems to provide measurements over the 0.2 to 9.2 MHz frequency range with a time resolution of 0.5 sec and an absolute accuracy of plus or minus 25%. Observations of solar bursts at frequencies down to 0.2 MHz provide new information on the density, plasma velocity, and dynamics of coronal streamers out to distances greater than 50 solar radii. New information on the distribution of the ionized component of the interstellar medium is being obtained from galactic continuum background maps at frequencies around 4 MHz. Cosmic noise background spectra measured down to 0.5 MHz produce new estimates on the interstellar flux of cosmic rays, on magnetic fields in the galactic halo, and on distant extragalactic radio sources.

3D relativistic MHD numerical simulations of X-shaped radio sources

Science.gov (United States)

Rossi, P.; Bodo, G.; Capetti, A.; Massaglia, S.

2017-10-01

Context. A significant fraction of extended radio sources presents a peculiar X-shaped radio morphology: in addition to the classical double lobed structure, radio emission is also observed along a second axis of symmetry in the form of diffuse wings or tails. In a previous investigation we showed the existence of a connection between the radio morphology and the properties of the host galaxies. Motivated by this connection we performed two-dimensional numerical simulations showing that X-shaped radio sources may naturally form as a jet propagates along the major axis a highly elliptical density distribution, because of the fast expansion of the cocoon along the minor axis of the distribution. Aims: We intend to extend our analysis by performing three-dimensional numerical simulations and investigating the role of different parameters in determining the formation of the X-shaped morphology. Methods: The problem is addressed by numerical means, carrying out three-dimensional relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations of bidirectional jets propagating in a triaxial density distribution. Results: We show that only jets with power ≲ 1044 erg s-1 can give origin to an X-shaped morphology and that a misalignment of 30° between the jet axis and the major axis of the density distribution is still favourable to the formation of this kind of morphology. In addition we compute synthetic radio emission maps and polarization maps. Conclusions: In our scenario for the formation of X-shaped radio sources only low power FRII can give origin to such kind of morphology. Our synthetic emission maps show that the different observed morphologies of X-shaped sources can be the result of similar structures viewed under different perspectives.

HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGING OF THE ATLBS REGIONS: THE RADIO SOURCE COUNTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thorat, K.; Subrahmanyan, R.; Saripalli, L.; Ekers, R. D., E-mail: kshitij@rri.res.in [Raman Research Institute, C. V. Raman Avenue, Sadashivanagar, Bangalore 560080 (India)

2013-01-01

The Australia Telescope Low-brightness Survey (ATLBS) regions have been mosaic imaged at a radio frequency of 1.4 GHz with 6'' angular resolution and 72 {mu}Jy beam{sup -1} rms noise. The images (centered at R.A. 00{sup h}35{sup m}00{sup s}, decl. -67 Degree-Sign 00'00'' and R.A. 00{sup h}59{sup m}17{sup s}, decl. -67 Degree-Sign 00'00'', J2000 epoch) cover 8.42 deg{sup 2} sky area and have no artifacts or imaging errors above the image thermal noise. Multi-resolution radio and optical r-band images (made using the 4 m CTIO Blanco telescope) were used to recognize multi-component sources and prepare a source list; the detection threshold was 0.38 mJy in a low-resolution radio image made with beam FWHM of 50''. Radio source counts in the flux density range 0.4-8.7 mJy are estimated, with corrections applied for noise bias, effective area correction, and resolution bias. The resolution bias is mitigated using low-resolution radio images, while effects of source confusion are removed by using high-resolution images for identifying blended sources. Below 1 mJy the ATLBS counts are systematically lower than the previous estimates. Showing no evidence for an upturn down to 0.4 mJy, they do not require any changes in the radio source population down to the limit of the survey. The work suggests that automated image analysis for counts may be dependent on the ability of the imaging to reproduce connecting emission with low surface brightness and on the ability of the algorithm to recognize sources, which may require that source finding algorithms effectively work with multi-resolution and multi-wavelength data. The work underscores the importance of using source lists-as opposed to component lists-and correcting for the noise bias in order to precisely estimate counts close to the image noise and determine the upturn at sub-mJy flux density.

Identification of southern radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savage, A.; Bolton, J.G.; Wright, A.E.

1976-01-01

Identifications are suggested for 36 radio sources from the southern zones of the Parkes 2700 MHz survey, 28 with galaxies, six with confirmed and two with suggested quasi-stellar objects. The identifications were made from the ESO quick blue survey plates, the SRC IIIa-J deep survey plates and the Palomar sky survey prints. Accurate optical positions have also been measured for nine of the objects and for five previously suggested identifications. (author)

Fermi/LAT Observations of Swift/BAT Seyfert Galaxies: On the Contribution of Radio-Quiet Active Galactic Nuclei to the Extragalactic gamma-Ray Background

Science.gov (United States)

Teng, Stacy H.; Mushotzky, Richard F.; Sambruna, Rita M.; Davis, David S.; Reynolds, Christopher S.

2011-01-01

We present the analysis of 2.1 years of Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) data on 491 Seyfert galaxies detected by the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) survey. Only the two nearest objects, NGC 1068 and NGC 4945, which were identified in the Fermi first year catalog, are detected. Using Swift/BAT and radio 20 cm fluxes, we define a new radio-loudness parameter R(sub X,BAT) where radio-loud objects have logR(sub X,BAT) > -4.7. Based on this parameter, only radio-loud sources are detected by Fermi/LAT. An upper limit to the flux of the undetected sources is derived to be approx.2x10(exp -11) photons/sq cm/s, approximately seven times lower than the observed flux of NGC 1068. Assuming a median redshift of 0.031, this implies an upper limit to the gamma-ray (1-100 GeV) luminosity of BAT Seyfert galaxies with significant Fermi/LAT detections. A majority of these objects do not have Swift/BAT counterparts, but their possible optical counterparts include blazars, flat-spectrum radio quasars, and quasars.

The effects of variability on the number-flux-density relationship for radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuch, N.J.

1981-01-01

It has been known for some time that the number-flux-density relationship for radio sources requires a population of sources whose properties evolve with cosmological epoch, at least in models where the redshifts are all taken to be cosmological. In particular, the surveys made at metre wavelengths show, for bright sources, a slope of the log N -log S curve which is steeper than the value -1.5 expected in a static, non-evolving Euclidean universe. Here, N is the number of radio sources brighter than flux density S. Expansion without evolution in conventional geometrical models predicts slopes flatter than -1.5. If the radio survey is carried out at higher frequencies (typically 2.7 or 5 GHz - 11 or 6 cm wavelength), the slope of the log N -log S curve is steeper than -1.5 but not so steep as the slopes found for the low-frequency surveys. Many of the sources found in high-frequency surveys have radio spectra with relatively higher flux-densities in the centimetre range; these sources are frequently variable at high frequencies, with time-scales from a month or two upwards. Some possible effects of the variations on the observed counts of radio sources are considered. (author)

Testing the Young Neutron Star Scenario with Persistent Radio Emission Associated with FRB 121102

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kashiyama, Kazumi; Murase, Kohta

2017-01-01

Recently a repeating fast radio burst (FRB) 121102 has been confirmed to be an extragalactic event and a persistent radio counterpart has been identified. While other possibilities are not ruled out, the emission properties are broadly consistent with Murase et al. that theoretically proposed quasi-steady radio emission as a counterpart of both FRBs and pulsar-driven supernovae. Here, we constrain the model parameters of such a young neutron star scenario for FRB 121102. If the associated supernova has a conventional ejecta mass of M ej ≳ a few M ⊙ , a neutron star with an age of t age ∼ 10–100 years, an initial spin period of P i ≲ a few ms, and a dipole magnetic field of B dip ≲ a few × 10 13 G can be compatible with the observations. However, in this case, the magnetically powered scenario may be favored as an FRB energy source because of the efficiency problem in the rotation-powered scenario. On the other hand, if the associated supernova is an ultra-stripped one or the neutron star is born by the accretion-induced collapse with M ej ∼ 0.1 M ⊙ , a younger neutron star with t age ∼ 1–10 years can be the persistent radio source and might produce FRBs with the spin-down power. These possibilities can be distinguished by the decline rate of the quasi-steady radio counterpart.

Testing the Young Neutron Star Scenario with Persistent Radio Emission Associated with FRB 121102

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kashiyama, Kazumi [Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Murase, Kohta [Department of Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)

2017-04-10

Recently a repeating fast radio burst (FRB) 121102 has been confirmed to be an extragalactic event and a persistent radio counterpart has been identified. While other possibilities are not ruled out, the emission properties are broadly consistent with Murase et al. that theoretically proposed quasi-steady radio emission as a counterpart of both FRBs and pulsar-driven supernovae. Here, we constrain the model parameters of such a young neutron star scenario for FRB 121102. If the associated supernova has a conventional ejecta mass of M {sub ej} ≳ a few M {sub ⊙}, a neutron star with an age of t {sub age} ∼ 10–100 years, an initial spin period of P{sub i} ≲ a few ms, and a dipole magnetic field of B {sub dip} ≲ a few × 10{sup 13} G can be compatible with the observations. However, in this case, the magnetically powered scenario may be favored as an FRB energy source because of the efficiency problem in the rotation-powered scenario. On the other hand, if the associated supernova is an ultra-stripped one or the neutron star is born by the accretion-induced collapse with M {sub ej} ∼ 0.1 M {sub ⊙}, a younger neutron star with t {sub age} ∼ 1–10 years can be the persistent radio source and might produce FRBs with the spin-down power. These possibilities can be distinguished by the decline rate of the quasi-steady radio counterpart.

Deep VLA images of the HH 124 IRS radio cluster and its surroundings, and a new determination of the distance to NGC 2264

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dzib, Sergio A. [Max Planck Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf del Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn (Germany); Loinard, Laurent; Rodríguez, Luis F. [Centro de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, Universidad NacionalAutónoma de México Apartado Postal 3-72, 58090 Morelia, Michoacán (Mexico); Galli, Phillip, E-mail: sdzib@mpifr-bonn.mpg.de [Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão 1226, Cidade Universitária, 05508-900 São Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2014-06-20

We present new deep (σ ∼ 6 μJy) radio images of the HH 124 IRS radio cluster at 4.8 and 7.5 GHz. We detect a total of 50 radio sources, most of them compact. Variability and spectral indices were analyzed in order to determine the nature of the sources and of their radio emission. A proper motion study was also performed for several of these radio sources using previously reported radio observations. Our analysis shows that 11 radio sources can be associated with Galactic objects, most of them probably young stars. Interestingly, 8 of these sources are in an area less than 1 arcmin{sup 2} in size. The importance of such compact clusters resides in that all of its members can be observed in a single pointing with most telescopes and are, therefore, ideal for multi-wavelength studies of variability. Another 4 of the detected sources are clearly extragalactic. Finally, we propose from statistical arguments that out of the remaining sources, about 10 are Galactic, but our study does not allow us to identify which of the sources fall in that specific category. The relatively large proper motions observed for the sources in HH 124 IRS suggest that this region is located at about 400 pc from the Sun. This is significantly smaller than the ∼800-900 pc distance usually assigned to the nearby open cluster NGC 2264 with which HH 124 is thought to be associated. However, a reanalysis of the Hipparcos parallaxes for members of NGC 2264, a convergent point approach, and a kinematic analysis all argue in favor of a distance of the order of 400 pc for NGC 2264 as well.

Probing the intergalactic medium with fast radio bursts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, Z.; Ofek, E. O.; Kulkarni, S. R.; Neill, J. D.; Juric, M.

2014-01-01

The recently discovered fast radio bursts (FRBs), presumably of extragalactic origin, have the potential to become a powerful probe of the intergalactic medium (IGM). We point out a few such potential applications. We provide expressions for the dispersion measure and rotation measure as a function of redshift, and we discuss the sensitivity of these measures to the He II reionization and the IGM magnetic field. Finally, we calculate the microlensing effect from an isolated, extragalactic stellar-mass compact object on the FRB spectrum. The time delays between the two lensing images will induce constructive and destructive interference, leaving a specific imprint on the spectra of FRBs. With a high all-sky rate, a large statistical sample of FRBs is expected to make these applications feasible.

A young source of optical emission from distant radio galaxies.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammer, F; Fèvre, O Le; Angonin, M C

1993-03-25

DISTANT radio galaxies provide valuable insights into the properties of the young Universe-they are the only known extended optical sources at high redshift and might represent an early stage in the formation and evolution of galaxies in general. This extended optical emission often has very complex morphologies, but the origin of the light is still unclear. Here we report spectroscopic observations for several distant radio galaxies (0.75≤ z ≤ 1.1) in which the rest-frame spectra exhibit featureless continua between 2,500 Å and 5,000 Å. We see no evidence for the break in the spectrum at 4,000 Å expected for an old stellar population 1-3 , and suggest that young stars or scattered emissions from the active nuclei are responsible for most of the observed light. In either case, this implies that the source of the optical emission is com-parable in age to the associated radio source, namely 10 7 years or less.

A Clustered Extragalactic Foreground Model for the EoR

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, S. G.; Trott, C. M.; Jordan, C. H.

2018-05-01

We review an improved statistical model of extra-galactic point-source foregrounds first introduced in Murray et al. (2017), in the context of the Epoch of Reionization. This model extends the instrumentally-convolved foreground covariance used in inverse-covariance foreground mitigation schemes, by considering the cosmological clustering of the sources. In this short work, we show that over scales of k ~ (0.6, 40.)hMpc-1, ignoring source clustering is a valid approximation. This is in contrast to Murray et al. (2017), who found a possibility of false detection if the clustering was ignored. The dominant cause for this change is the introduction of a Galactic synchrotron component which shadows the clustering of sources.

Reflection jets and collimation of radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pacholczyk, A.G.

1983-01-01

The author proposes a description of only a certain class of jets in extended radio sources by discussing hydrodynamics of jets formed by discrete portions of material ejected from the parent galaxy through a channel and reflected back into it as a result of an encounter with the material accumulated at the end of the channel. The picture presented here combines some older ideas with recent ones. The older ideas consist of modeling of extended radio sources in terms of multiple ejection of plasmons through a channel ploughed by the first few plasmons in the ambient medium with a resupply of energy in plasmons through the conversion of bulk kinetic energy into relativistic electron energy through instability driven turbulence. The recent ideas concern the formation of retro-jets as the result of interaction of a plasmon with the dense relic material at the end of a channel and the collimation of plasmon material in channels. (Auth.)

Morphology and astrometry of Infrared-Faint Radio Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Middelberg, Enno; Norris, Ray; Randall, Kate; Mao, Minnie; Hales, Christopher

2008-10-01

Infrared-Faint Radio Sources, or IFRS, are an unexpected class of object discovered in the Australia Telescope Large Area Survey, ATLAS. They are compact 1.4GHz radio sources with no visible counterparts in co-located (relatively shallow) Spitzer infrared and optical images. We have detected two of these objects with VLBI, indicating the presence of an AGN. These observations and our ATLAS data indicate that IFRS are extended on scales of arcseconds, and we wish to image their morphologies to obtain clues about their nature. These observations will also help us to select optical counterparts from very deep, and hence crowded, optical images which we have proposed. With these data in hand, we will be able to compare IFRS to known object types and to apply for spectroscopy to obtain their redshifts.

DENSITY OF WARM IONIZED GAS NEAR THE GALACTIC CENTER: LOW RADIO FREQUENCY OBSERVATIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, Subhashis

2013-01-01

We have observed the Galactic center (GC) region at 0.154 and 0.255 GHz with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope. A total of 62 compact likely extragalactic (EG) sources are detected. Their scattering sizes decrease linearly with increasing angular distance from the GC up to about 1°. The apparent scattering sizes of the sources are more than an order of magnitude less than predicted earlier by the NE2001 model of Galactic electron distribution within 359.°5 e is ∼10 cm –3 , which matches the NE2001 model. This model predicts the EG sources to be resolved out from 1.4 GHz interferometric surveys. However, out of 10 EG sources expected in the region, 8 likely EG are present in the 1.4 GHz catalog. Ionized interfaces of dense molecular clouds to the ambient medium are most likely responsible for strong scattering and low radio frequency absorption. However, dense GC clouds traced by CS J = 1-0 emission are found to have a narrow distribution of ∼0.°2 across the Galactic plane. Angular distribution of most EG sources seen through the so-called Hyperstrong Scattering Region are random in b, and typically ∼7 out of 10 sources will not be seen through the dense molecular clouds, which explains why most of them are not scatter broadened at 1.4 GHz

Giant Double Radio Source DA 240: Purveyor of Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ru-Rong; Strom, Richard; Peng, Bo

2018-05-01

Galaxies of stars are building blocks of the baryonic universe. Their composition, structure, and kinematics have been well studied, but details of their origins remain sketchy. The collapse of gas clouds, induced by external forces whereby gravity overcomes internal pressure to form stars, is the likely starting point. Among the perturbing initiators of galaxy formation, radio source beams (jets) are quite effective. Typically, a beam may spawn one galaxy, though instances of several aligned with the radio axis are known. Recently, we found an impressive 14 companions in the lobes of the giant radio galaxy DA 240, which we argue formed as the result of jet instigation. This conclusion is bolstered by the fact that the galaxy groups display Z-shaped symmetry with respect to the radio axis. There is some evidence for star formation among the aligned companions. We also conclude that galaxy alignments at low redshift may derive from line-emitting gas observed in radio components of high-redshift galaxies.

CO Spectral Line Energy Distributions in Galactic Sources: Empirical Interpretation of Extragalactic Observations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Indriolo, Nick; Bergin, E. A. [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 1085 S. University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Goicoechea, J. R.; Cernicharo, J. [Grupo de Astrofísica Molecular, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (CSIC) E-28049 Madrid (Spain); Gerin, M.; Gusdorf, A. [LERMA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, École normale supérieure, F-75005, Paris (France); Lis, D. C. [LERMA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, F-75014, Paris (France); Schilke, P., E-mail: nindriolo@stsci.edu [I. Physikalisches Institut der Universität zu Köln, Zülpicher Str. 77, D-50937 Köln (Germany)

2017-02-10

The relative populations in rotational transitions of CO can be useful for inferring gas conditions and excitation mechanisms at work in the interstellar medium. We present CO emission lines from rotational transitions observed with Herschel /HIFI in the star-forming cores Orion S, Orion KL, Sgr B2(M), and W49N. Integrated line fluxes from these observations are combined with those from Herschel /PACS observations of the same sources to construct CO spectral line energy distributions (SLEDs) from 5≤ J{sub u} ≤ 48. These CO SLEDs are compared to those reported in other galaxies, with the intention of empirically determining which mechanisms dominate excitation in such systems. We find that CO SLEDs in Galactic star-forming cores cannot be used to reproduce those observed in other galaxies, although the discrepancies arise primarily as a result of beam filling factors. The much larger regions sampled by the Herschel beams at distances of several megaparsecs contain significant amounts of cooler gas, which dominate the extragalactic CO SLEDs, in contrast to observations of Galactic star-forming regions, which are focused specifically on cores containing primarily hot molecular gas.

OPTICAL SPECTRA OF CANDIDATE INTERNATIONAL CELESTIAL REFERENCE FRAME (ICRF) FLAT-SPECTRUM RADIO SOURCES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Titov, O.; Stanford, Laura M. [Geoscience Australia, P.O. Box 378, Canberra, ACT 2601 (Australia); Johnston, Helen M.; Hunstead, Richard W. [Sydney Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Pursimo, T. [Nordic Optical Telescope, Nordic Optical Telescope Apartado 474E-38700 Santa Cruz de La Palma, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spain); Jauncey, David L. [CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, ATNF and Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2611 (Australia); Maslennikov, K. [Central Astronomical Observatory at Pulkovo, Pulkovskoye Shosse, 65/1, 196140, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Boldycheva, A., E-mail: oleg.titov@ga.gov.au [Ioffe Physical Technical Institute, 26 Polytekhnicheskaya, St. Petersburg, 194021 (Russian Federation)

2013-07-01

Continuing our program of spectroscopic observations of International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) sources, we present redshifts for 120 quasars and radio galaxies. Data were obtained with five telescopes: the 3.58 m European Southern Observatory New Technology Telescope, the two 8.2 m Gemini telescopes, the 2.5 m Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT), and the 6.0 m Big Azimuthal Telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory in Russia. The targets were selected from the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry candidate International Celestial Reference Catalog which forms part of an observational very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) program to strengthen the celestial reference frame. We obtained spectra of the potential optical counterparts of more than 150 compact flat-spectrum radio sources, and measured redshifts of 120 emission-line objects, together with 19 BL Lac objects. These identifications add significantly to the precise radio-optical frame tie to be undertaken by Gaia, due to be launched in 2013, and to the existing data available for analyzing source proper motions over the celestial sphere. We show that the distribution of redshifts for ICRF sources is consistent with the much larger sample drawn from Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty cm (FIRST) and Sloan Digital Sky Survey, implying that the ultra-compact VLBI sources are not distinguished from the overall radio-loud quasar population. In addition, we obtained NOT spectra for five radio sources from the FIRST and NRAO VLA Sky Survey catalogs, selected on the basis of their red colors, which yielded three quasars with z > 4.

Is 4C+29.48 a γ-ray source?

Science.gov (United States)

Gabányi, K. É.; Frey, S.; An, T.

2018-05-01

Context. The Fermi Large Area Telescope revealed that the extragalactic γ-ray sky is dominated by blazars, active galactic nuclei (AGN) whose jet is seen at very small angle to the line of sight. To associate and then classify the γ-ray sources, data have been collected from lower frequency surveys and observations. Since those have superior angular resolution and positional accuracy compared to the γ-ray observations, some associations are not straightforward. Aims: The γ-ray source 3FGL J1323.0+2942 is associated with the radio source 4C+29.48 and classified as a blazar of unknown type, lacking optical spectrum and redshift. The higher-resolution radio data showed that 4C+29.48 comprises three bright radio-emitting features located within a 1'-diameter area. We aim to reveal their nature and pinpoint the origin of the γ-ray emission. Methods: We (re-)analyzed archival Very Large Array (VLA) and unpublished very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations conducted by the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) and the European VLBI Network of 4C+29.48. We also collected data form optical, infrared and X-ray surveys. Results: According to the VLBI data, the northernmost complex of 4C+29.48 contains a blazar with a high brightness temperature compact core and a steep-spectrum jet feature. The blazar is positionally coincident with an optical source at a redshift of 1.142. Its mid-infrared colors also support its association with a γ-ray emitting blazar. The two other radio complexes have steep radio spectra similar to AGN-related lobes and do not have optical or infrared counterparts in currently available surveys. Based on the radio morphology, they are unlikely to be related to the blazar. There is an optical source between the two radio features, also detected in infrared wavebands. We discuss the possibilities whether the two radio features are lobes of a radio galaxy, or gravitationally lensed images of a background source. Conclusions: We propose to

A statistical study of faint radio sources at 81.5 MHz

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duffett-Smith, P.J.; Purvis, A.; Hewish, A.

1980-01-01

The method of interplanetary scintillations (IPS) together with the technique of background deflection analysis (P(D)) have been used to determine the mean angular size and the sky density of scintillating radio sources in the range 2 to 3 Jy at 81.5 MHz. It is found that the radio power from a high proportion of the sources in this range comes from one or two components of angular diameter about 0.7 arcsec. (author)

Relativistic parametric instabilities in extended extragalactic radio sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferrari, A [Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Turin (Italy). Lab. di Cosmo-Geofisica; Trussoni, E; Zaninetti, L

1978-01-01

A general discussion is presented of parametric instabilities of electromagnetic waves in cold plasmas. Previous results for f = eE/msub(e)c..omega../sub 0/ >> 1 and << 1 are extended and the intermediate range f approximately 1, which could be relevant in some astrophysical applications, is analysed by numerical techniques. In the final section a model for particle acceleration and radiation emission by turbulent plasma modes excited in extended radiosources by parametric absorption of strong electromagnetic waves is tentatively discussed.

The NuSTAR Extragalactic Surveys: Overview And Catalog From The Cosmos Field

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Civano, F.; Hickox, R. C.; Puccetti, S.

2015-01-01

To provide the census of the sources contributing to the X-ray background peak above 10 keV, Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) is performing extragalactic surveys using a three-tier "wedding cake" approach. We present the NuSTAR survey of the COSMOS field, the medium sensitivity...

Radio Galaxy Zoo: compact and extended radio source classification with deep learning

Science.gov (United States)

Lukic, V.; Brüggen, M.; Banfield, J. K.; Wong, O. I.; Rudnick, L.; Norris, R. P.; Simmons, B.

2018-05-01

Machine learning techniques have been increasingly useful in astronomical applications over the last few years, for example in the morphological classification of galaxies. Convolutional neural networks have proven to be highly effective in classifying objects in image data. In the context of radio-interferometric imaging in astronomy, we looked for ways to identify multiple components of individual sources. To this effect, we design a convolutional neural network to differentiate between different morphology classes using sources from the Radio Galaxy Zoo (RGZ) citizen science project. In this first step, we focus on exploring the factors that affect the performance of such neural networks, such as the amount of training data, number and nature of layers, and the hyperparameters. We begin with a simple experiment in which we only differentiate between two extreme morphologies, using compact and multiple-component extended sources. We found that a three-convolutional layer architecture yielded very good results, achieving a classification accuracy of 97.4 per cent on a test data set. The same architecture was then tested on a four-class problem where we let the network classify sources into compact and three classes of extended sources, achieving a test accuracy of 93.5 per cent. The best-performing convolutional neural network set-up has been verified against RGZ Data Release 1 where a final test accuracy of 94.8 per cent was obtained, using both original and augmented images. The use of sigma clipping does not offer a significant benefit overall, except in cases with a small number of training images.

Radio Follow-up on All Unassociated Gamma-Ray Sources from the Third Fermi Large Area Telescope Source Catalog

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schinzel, Frank K. [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box O, Socorro, NM 87801 (United States); Petrov, Leonid [Astrogeo Center, Falls Church, VA 22043 (United States); Taylor, Gregory B. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 (United States); Edwards, Philip G., E-mail: fschinze@nrao.edu [CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, P.O. Box 76, Epping, 1710 NSW (Australia)

2017-04-01

The third Fermi Large Area Telescope γ -ray source catalog (3FGL) contains over 1000 objects for which there is no known counterpart at other wavelengths. The physical origin of the γ -ray emission from those objects is unknown. Such objects are commonly referred to as unassociated and mostly do not exhibit significant γ -ray flux variability. We performed a survey of all unassociated γ -ray sources found in 3FGL using the Australia Telescope Compact Array and Very Large Array in the range 4.0–10.0 GHz. We found 2097 radio candidates for association with γ -ray sources. The follow-up with very long baseline interferometry for a subset of those candidates yielded 142 new associations with active galactic nuclei that are γ -ray sources, provided alternative associations for seven objects, and improved positions for another 144 known associations to the milliarcsecond level of accuracy. In addition, for 245 unassociated γ -ray sources we did not find a single compact radio source above 2 mJy within 3 σ of their γ -ray localization. A significant fraction of these empty fields, 39%, are located away from the Galactic plane. We also found 36 extended radio sources that are candidates for association with a corresponding γ -ray object, 19 of which are most likely supernova remnants or H ii regions, whereas 17 could be radio galaxies.

Identification of southern radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savage, A.

1976-01-01

Identifications are suggested for 32 radio sources from the southern zones of the Parkes 2700 MHz survey, 18 with galaxies, one with a confirmed and 12 with possible quasistellar objects, and one with a supernova remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The identifications were made from the ESO IIa-O quick blue survey plates, the SRC IIIa-J deep survey plates and the Palomar sky survey prints. Accurate optical positions have also been measured for 10 of the objects and for five previously suggested QSOs. (author)

On the redshift cut-off for flat-spectrum radio sources

OpenAIRE

Jarvis, Matt J.; Rawlings, Steve

2000-01-01

We use data from the Parkes Half-Jansky Flat-Spectrum (PHJFS) sample (Drinkwater et al. 1997) to constrain the cosmic evolution in the co-moving space density of radio sources in the top decade of the flat-spectrum radio luminosity function (RLF). A consistent picture for the high-redshift evolution is achieved using both simple parametric models, which are the first to allow for distributions in both radio luminosity and spectral index, and variants of the V / V_max test, some of which incor...

PySE: Software for extracting sources from radio images

Science.gov (United States)

Carbone, D.; Garsden, H.; Spreeuw, H.; Swinbank, J. D.; van der Horst, A. J.; Rowlinson, A.; Broderick, J. W.; Rol, E.; Law, C.; Molenaar, G.; Wijers, R. A. M. J.

2018-04-01

PySE is a Python software package for finding and measuring sources in radio telescope images. The software was designed to detect sources in the LOFAR telescope images, but can be used with images from other radio telescopes as well. We introduce the LOFAR Telescope, the context within which PySE was developed, the design of PySE, and describe how it is used. Detailed experiments on the validation and testing of PySE are then presented, along with results of performance testing. We discuss some of the current issues with the algorithms implemented in PySE and their interaction with LOFAR images, concluding with the current status of PySE and its future development.

The infrared medium-deep survey. II. How to trigger radio AGNs? Hints from their environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karouzos, Marios; Im, Myungshin; Kim, Jae-Woo; Lee, Seong-Kook; Jeon, Yiseul; Choi, Changsu; Hong, Jueun; Hyun, Minhee; Jun, Hyunsung David; Kim, Dohyeong; Kim, Yongjung; Kim, Ji Hoon; Kim, Duho; Park, Won-Kee; Taak, Yoon Chan; Yoon, Yongmin [CEOU—Astronomy Program, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Chapman, Scott [Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada); Pak, Soojong [School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 446-701 (Korea, Republic of); Edge, Alastair, E-mail: mkarouzos@astro.snu.ac.kr [Department of Physics, University of Durham, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE (United Kingdom)

2014-12-10

Activity at the centers of galaxies, during which the central supermassive black hole is accreting material, is nowadays accepted to be rather ubiquitous and most probably a phase of every galaxy's evolution. It has been suggested that galactic mergers and interactions may be the culprits behind the triggering of nuclear activity. We use near-infrared data from the new Infrared Medium-Deep Survey and the Deep eXtragalactic Survey of the VIMOS-SA22 field and radio data at 1.4 GHz from the FIRST survey and a deep Very Large Array survey to study the environments of radio active galactic nuclei (AGNs) over an area of ∼25 deg{sup 2} and down to a radio flux limit of 0.1 mJy and a J-band magnitude of 23 mag AB. Radio AGNs are predominantly found in environments similar to those of control galaxies at similar redshift, J-band magnitude, and (M{sub u} – M{sub r} ) rest-frame color. However, a subpopulation of radio AGNs is found in environments up to 100 times denser than their control sources. We thus preclude merging as the dominant triggering mechanism of radio AGNs. By fitting the broadband spectral energy distribution of radio AGNs in the least and most dense environments, we find that those in the least dense environments show higher radio-loudness, higher star formation efficiencies, and higher accretion rates, typical of the so-called high-excitation radio AGNs. These differences tend to disappear at z > 1. We interpret our results in terms of a different triggering mechanism for these sources that is driven by mass loss through winds of young stars created during the observed ongoing star formation.

FAST RADIO BURSTS: COLLISIONS BETWEEN NEUTRON STARS AND ASTEROIDS/COMETS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geng, J. J.; Huang, Y. F., E-mail: hyf@nju.edu.cn [School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046 (China)

2015-08-10

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are newly discovered radio transient sources. Their high dispersion measures indicate an extragalactic origin. However, due to the lack of observational data in other wavelengths, their progenitors still remain unclear. Here we suggest that the collisions between neutron stars (NSs) and asteroids/comets are promising mechanisms for FRBs. During the impact process, a hot plasma fireball forms after the material of the small body penetrates into the NS surface. The ionized matter inside the fireball then expands along the magnetic field lines. Coherent radiation from the thin shell at the top of the fireball will account for the observed FRBs. Our scenario can reasonably explain the main features of FRBs, such as their durations, luminosities, and the event rate. We argue that for a single NS, FRBs are not likely to happen repeatedly in a forseeable timespan since such impacts are of low probability. We predict that faint remnant X-ray emissions should be associated with FRBs, but it may be too faint to be detected by detectors at work.

FAST RADIO BURSTS: COLLISIONS BETWEEN NEUTRON STARS AND ASTEROIDS/COMETS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geng, J. J.; Huang, Y. F.

2015-01-01

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are newly discovered radio transient sources. Their high dispersion measures indicate an extragalactic origin. However, due to the lack of observational data in other wavelengths, their progenitors still remain unclear. Here we suggest that the collisions between neutron stars (NSs) and asteroids/comets are promising mechanisms for FRBs. During the impact process, a hot plasma fireball forms after the material of the small body penetrates into the NS surface. The ionized matter inside the fireball then expands along the magnetic field lines. Coherent radiation from the thin shell at the top of the fireball will account for the observed FRBs. Our scenario can reasonably explain the main features of FRBs, such as their durations, luminosities, and the event rate. We argue that for a single NS, FRBs are not likely to happen repeatedly in a forseeable timespan since such impacts are of low probability. We predict that faint remnant X-ray emissions should be associated with FRBs, but it may be too faint to be detected by detectors at work

A VLA SURVEY FOR FAINT COMPACT RADIO SOURCES IN THE ORION NEBULA CLUSTER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sheehan, Patrick D.; Eisner, Josh A. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Mann, Rita K. [National Research Council Canada, 5071 West Saanich Road, Victoria, BC, V9E 2E7 (Canada); Williams, Jonathan P., E-mail: psheehan@email.arizona.edu [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)

2016-11-10

We present Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array 1.3, 3.6, and 6 cm continuum maps of compact radio sources in the Orion Nebular Cluster (ONC). We mosaicked 34 arcmin{sup 2} at 1.3 cm, 70 arcmin{sup 2} at 3.6 cm and 109 arcmin{sup 2} at 6 cm, containing 778 near-infrared detected young stellar objects and 190 Hubble Space Telescope -identified proplyds (with significant overlap between those characterizations). We detected radio emission from 175 compact radio sources in the ONC, including 26 sources that were detected for the first time at these wavelengths. For each detected source, we fitted a simple free–free and dust emission model to characterize the radio emission. We extrapolate the free–free emission spectrum model for each source to ALMA bands to illustrate how these measurements could be used to correctly measure protoplanetary disk dust masses from submillimeter flux measurements. Finally, we compare the fluxes measured in this survey with previously measured fluxes for our targets, as well as four separate epochs of 1.3 cm data, to search for and quantify the variability of our sources.

Superluminal motion of extragalactic objects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matveenko, L.I. (AN SSSR, Moscow. Inst. Kosmicheskikh Issledovanij)

1983-07-01

Extragalactic objects with active nuclei are reviewed. Experimental data are obtained with the method of superfar radiointerferometry. The main peculiarities of the complex structure of Seyfert galaxies, quasars and lacertae objects are considered: the distribution of radiobrightness, spectra, alteration of the density of radiation flux and the distance between the components of sources. The superluminal velocities of component divergence observed are explained by different reasons: fast motion of components considerable difference of the Hubble component or non-cosmologic nature of the red shift of objects, effect of echoreflection of radiation, gravitation lens, systematic alteration of the optical thickness of the object, synchronouys radiation of electrons in the dipole magnetic field, as well as different kinematic illusions connected with the final time of signal propagation.

Superluminal motion of extragalactic objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matveenko, L.I.

1983-01-01

Extragalactic objects with active nuclei are reviewed. Experimental data are obtained with the method of superfar radiointerferometry. The main peculiarities of the complex strUcture of Seyfert galaxies quasars and lacertae ob ects are considered: the distribution of radiobrightness, spectra, alteration of the density of radiation flux and the distance between the components of sources. The superluminal velocities of component divergence observed are explained by different reasons: fast motion of components considerable difference of the Hubble component or non-cosmologic nature of the red shift of objects, effect of echoreflection of radiation, gravitation lens, systematic alteration of the optical thickness of the object, synchronoUs radiation of electrons in the dipole magnetic field, as well as different kinematic illusions connected with the final time of signal propagation

A new sample of faint Gigahertz Peaked Spectrum radio sources

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Snellen, IAG; Schilizzi, RT; de Bruyn, AG; Miley, GK; Rengelink, RB; Rottgering, HJ

The Westerbork Northern Sky Survey (WENSS) has been used to select a sample of Gigahertz Peaked Spectrum (GPS) radio sources at flux densities one to two orders of magnitude lower than bright GPS sources investigated in earlier studies. Sources with inverted spectra at frequencies above 325 MHz have

Identification of southern radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savage, A.; Bolton, J.G.; Wright, A.E.

1977-01-01

Identifications are suggested for 53 radio sources from the southern zones of the Parkes 2700-MHz survey, 32 with galaxies, 11 with suggested QSOs and 10 with confirmed QSOs. The identifications were made from the ESO quick blue survey plates, the SRC IIIa-J deep survey plates and the Palomar Sky Survey prints. Accurate optical positions have been measured for four of the new identifications and for two previously suggested identifications. A further nine previously suggested QSO identifications have also been confirmed by two-colour photography or spectroscopy. (author)

Radio Evolution of Supernova Remnants Including Nonlinear Particle Acceleration: Insights from Hydrodynamic Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlović, Marko Z.; Urošević, Dejan; Arbutina, Bojan; Orlando, Salvatore; Maxted, Nigel; Filipović, Miroslav D.

2018-01-01

We present a model for the radio evolution of supernova remnants (SNRs) obtained by using three-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations coupled with nonlinear kinetic theory of cosmic-ray (CR) acceleration in SNRs. We model the radio evolution of SNRs on a global level by performing simulations for a wide range of the relevant physical parameters, such as the ambient density, supernova (SN) explosion energy, acceleration efficiency, and magnetic field amplification (MFA) efficiency. We attribute the observed spread of radio surface brightnesses for corresponding SNR diameters to the spread of these parameters. In addition to our simulations of Type Ia SNRs, we also considered SNR radio evolution in denser, nonuniform circumstellar environments modified by the progenitor star wind. These simulations start with the mass of the ejecta substantially higher than in the case of a Type Ia SN and presumably lower shock speed. The magnetic field is understandably seen as very important for the radio evolution of SNRs. In terms of MFA, we include both resonant and nonresonant modes in our large-scale simulations by implementing models obtained from first-principles, particle-in-cell simulations and nonlinear magnetohydrodynamical simulations. We test the quality and reliability of our models on a sample consisting of Galactic and extragalactic SNRs. Our simulations give Σ ‑ D slopes between ‑4 and ‑6 for the full Sedov regime. Recent empirical slopes obtained for the Galactic samples are around ‑5, while those for the extragalactic samples are around ‑4.

Variability of GPS Radio Sources at 5 GHz

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

GPS) radio sources at 5 GHz and find that about one-third of them show considerable Inter-Month Variability (IMV), and these IMV phenomena are likely to be caused by interstellar scintillation (ISS). Furthermore, we find that those showing IMV ...

ASGARD: A LARGE SURVEY FOR SLOW GALACTIC RADIO TRANSIENTS. I. OVERVIEW AND FIRST RESULTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williams, Peter K. G.; Bower, Geoffrey C.; Croft, Steve; Keating, Garrett K.; Law, Casey J.; Wright, Melvyn C. H., E-mail: pwilliams@astro.berkeley.edu [Department of Astronomy, B-20 Hearst Field Annex 3411, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3411 (United States)

2013-01-10

Searches for slow radio transients and variables have generally focused on extragalactic populations, and the basic parameters of Galactic populations remain poorly characterized. We present a large 3 GHz survey performed with the Allen Telescope Array (ATA) that aims to improve this situation: ASGARD, the ATA Survey of Galactic Radio Dynamism. ASGARD observations spanned two years with weekly visits to 23 deg{sup 2} in two fields in the Galactic plane, totaling 900 hr of integration time on science fields and making it significantly larger than previous efforts. The typical blind unresolved source detection limit was 10 mJy. We describe the observations and data analysis techniques in detail, demonstrating our ability to create accurate wide-field images while effectively modeling and subtracting large-scale radio emission, allowing standard transient-and-variability analysis techniques to be used. We present early results from the analysis of two pointings: one centered on the microquasar Cygnus X-3 and one overlapping the Kepler field of view (l = 76 Degree-Sign , b = +13. Degree-Sign 5). Our results include images, catalog statistics, completeness functions, variability measurements, and a transient search. Out of 134 sources detected in these pointings, the only compellingly variable one is Cygnus X-3, and no transients are detected. We estimate number counts for potential Galactic radio transients and compare our current limits to previous work and our projection for the fully analyzed ASGARD data set.

Problem of spiral galaxies and satellite radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arp, H.; Carpenter, R.; Gulkis, S.; Klein, M.

1976-01-01

A detailed comparison is made between the results of this program and the results of previous investigators. In particular, attention is called to the potentially important implications of an investigation by Tovmasyan, who searched a large number of spirals and found evidence that a small percentage of them apparently have radio satellites located up to 20' from the central galaxy. 15 sources were measured selected from Tovmasyan's list of 43 satellite sources. Results confirm his positions and relative flux densities for each of the sources

Earth as a radio source: terrestrial kilometric radiation. Progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gurnett, D.A.

1974-02-01

Radio wave experiments on the IMP-6 and 8 satellites have shown that the earth emits very intense electromagnetic radiation in the frequency range from about 50 kHz to 500 kHz. A peak intensity the total power emitted in this frequency range is about 1 billion watts. The earth is, therefore, a very intense planetary radio source, with a total power output comparable to the decametric radio emission from Jupiter. This radio emission from the earth is referred to as terrestrial kilometric radiation. Terrestrial kilometric radiation appears to originate from low altitudes (less than 3.0 Re) in the auroral region. Possible mechanisms which can explain the generation and propagation of the terrestrial kilometric radiation are discussed. (U.S.)

White Paper on the Status and Future of Ground-based Gamma-Ray Astronomy - Extragalactic Science Working Group

Science.gov (United States)

Krawczynski, H.; Coppi, P.; Dermer, C.; Dwek, E.; Georganopoulos, M.; Horan, D.; Jones, T.; Krennrich, F.; Mukherjee, R.; Perlman, E.; Vassiliev, V.

2007-04-01

In fall 2006, the Division of Astrophysics of the American Physical Society requested a white paper about the status and future of ground based gamma-ray astronomy. The white paper will largely be written in the year 2007. Interested scientists are invited to join the science working groups. In this contribution, we will report on some preliminary results of the extragalactic science working group. We will discuss the potential of future ground based gamma-ray experiments to elucidate how supermassive black holes accrete matter, form jets, and accelerate particles, and to study in detail the acceleration and propagation of cosmic rays in extragalactic systems like infrared galaxies and galaxy clusters. Furthermore, we discuss avenues to constrain the spectrum of the extragalactic infrared to optical background radiation, and to measure the extragalactic magnetic fields based on gamma-ray observations. Eventually, we discuss the potential of ground based experiments for conducting gamma-ray source surveys. More information about the white paper can be found at: http://cherenkov.physics.iastate.edu/wp/

Very Long Baseline Interferometry: Dependencies on Frequency Stability

Science.gov (United States)

Nothnagel, Axel; Nilsson, Tobias; Schuh, Harald

2018-04-01

Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is a differential technique observing radiation of compact extra-galactic radio sources with pairs of radio telescopes. For these observations, the frequency standards at the telescopes need to have very high stability. In this article we discuss why this is, and we investigate exactly how precise the frequency standards need to be. Four areas where good clock performance is needed are considered: coherence, geodetic parameter estimation, correlator synchronization, and UT1 determination. We show that in order to ensure the highest accuracy of VLBI, stability similar to that of a hydrogen maser is needed for time-scales up to a few hours. In the article, we are considering both traditional VLBI where extra-galactic radio sources are observed, as well as observation of man-made artificial radio sources emitted by satellites or spacecrafts.

A search for radio emission from flare stars in the Pleiades

Science.gov (United States)

Bastian, T. S.; Dulk, G. A.; Slee, O. B.

1988-01-01

The VLA has been used to search for radio emission from flare stars in the Pleiades. Two observational strategies were employed. First, about 1/2 sq deg of cluster, containing about 40 known flare stars, was mapped at 1.4 GHz at two epochs. More than 120 sources with flux densities greater than 0.3 mJy exist on the maps. Detailed analysis shows that all but two of these sources are probably extragalactic. The two sources identified as stellar are probably not Pleiades members as judged by their proper motions; rather, based on their colors and magnitudes, they seem to be foreground G stars. One is a known X-ray source. The second observational strategy, where five rapidly rotating flare stars were observed at three frequencies, yielded no detections. The 0.3 mJy flux-density limit of this survey is such that only the most intense outbursts of flare stars in the solar neighborhood could have been detected if those stars were at the distance of the Pleiades.

The first VLBI image of an infrared-faint radio source

Science.gov (United States)

Middelberg, E.; Norris, R. P.; Tingay, S.; Mao, M. Y.; Phillips, C. J.; Hotan, A. W.

2008-11-01

Context: We investigate the joint evolution of active galactic nuclei and star formation in the Universe. Aims: In the 1.4 GHz survey with the Australia Telescope Compact Array of the Chandra Deep Field South and the European Large Area ISO Survey - S1 we have identified a class of objects which are strong in the radio but have no detectable infrared and optical counterparts. This class has been called Infrared-Faint Radio Sources, or IFRS. 53 sources out of 2002 have been classified as IFRS. It is not known what these objects are. Methods: To address the many possible explanations as to what the nature of these objects is we have observed four sources with the Australian Long Baseline Array. Results: We have detected and imaged one of the four sources observed. Assuming that the source is at a high redshift, we find its properties in agreement with properties of Compact Steep Spectrum sources. However, due to the lack of optical and infrared data the constraints are not particularly strong.

A semianalytical method for calculating the parameters of the electromagnetic halos around extragalactic gamma-ray sources

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kel'ner, [No Value; Khangulyan, DV; Aharonian, FA

2004-01-01

The ultrahigh-energy (>20 TeV) gamma rays emitted by active galactic nuclei can be absorbed in intergalactic space through the production of electron-positron pairs during their interaction with extragalactic background photon fields. The electrons and positrons produced by this interaction form an

A model for superliminal radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milgrom, M.; Bahcall, J.N.

1977-01-01

A geometrical model for superluminal radio sources is described. Six predictions that can be tested by observations are summarized. The results are in agreement with all the available observations. In this model, the Hubble constant is the only numerical parameter that is important in interpreting the observed rates of change of angular separations for small redshifts. The available observations imply that H 0 is less than 55 km/s/Mpc if the model is correct. (author)

The discovery of a microarcsecond quasar : J1819+3845

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dennett-Thorpe, J; De Bruyn, AG

2000-01-01

We report on the discovery of a source that exhibits over 300% amplitude changes in radio flux density on the period of hours. This source, J1819+3845, is the most extremely variable extragalactic source known in the radio sky. We believe these properties are due to interstellar scintillation and

The Advanced Gamma-ray Imaging System (AGIS): Extragalactic Science

Science.gov (United States)

Coppi, Paolo S.; Extragalactic Science Working Group; AGIS Collaboration

2010-03-01

The Advanced Gamma-ray Imaging System (AGIS), a proposed next-generation array of Cherenkov telescopes, will provide an unprecedented view of the high energy universe. We discuss how AGIS, with its larger effective area, improved angular resolution, lower threshold, and an order of magnitude increase in sensitivity, impacts the extragalactic science possible in the very high energy domain. Likely source classes detectable by AGIS include AGN, GRBs, clusters, star-forming galaxies, and possibly the cascade radiation surrounding powerful cosmic accelerators. AGIS should see many of the sources discovered by Fermi. With its better sensitivity and angular resolution, AGIS then becomes a key instrument for identifying and characterizing Fermi survey sources, the majority of which will have limited Fermi photon statistics and localizations.

CHANDRA OBSERVATIONS OF 3C RADIO SOURCES WITH z < 0.3. II. COMPLETING THE SNAPSHOT SURVEY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Massaro, F. [SLAC National Laboratory and Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (United States); Tremblay, G. R. [European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, D-85748 Garching bei Muenchen (Germany); Harris, D. E.; O' Dea, C. P. [Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Kharb, P.; Axon, D. [Department of Physics, Rochester Institute of Technology, Carlson Center for Imaging Science 76-3144, 84 Lomb Memorial Dr., Rochester, NY 14623 (United States); Balmaverde, B.; Capetti, A. [INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Strada Osservatorio 20, I-10025 Pino Torinese (Italy); Baum, S. A. [Carlson Center for Imaging Science 76-3144, 84 Lomb Memorial Dr., Rochester, NY 14623 (United States); Chiaberge, M.; Macchetto, F. D.; Sparks, W. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martine Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Gilli, R. [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, Via Ranzani 1, I-40127 Bologna (Italy); Giovannini, G. [INAF-Istituto di Radioastronomia di Bologna, Via Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna (Italy); Grandi, P.; Torresi, E. [INAF-IASF-Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e fisica Cosmica di Bologna, Via P. Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna (Italy); Risaliti, G. [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Arcetri, Largo E. Fermi 5, I-50125 Firenze (Italy)

2012-12-15

We report on the second round of Chandra observations of the 3C snapshot survey developed to observe the complete sample of 3C radio sources with z < 0.3 for 8 ks each. In the first paper, we illustrated the basic data reduction and analysis procedures performed for the 30 sources of the 3C sample observed during Chandra Cycle 9, while here we present the data for the remaining 27 sources observed during Cycle 12. We measured the X-ray intensity of the nuclei and of any radio hot spots and jet features with associated X-ray emission. X-ray fluxes in three energy bands, i.e., soft, medium, and hard, for all the sources analyzed are also reported. For the stronger nuclei, we also applied the standard spectral analysis, which provides the best-fit values of the X-ray spectral index and absorbing column density. In addition, a detailed analysis of bright X-ray nuclei that could be affected by pile-up has been performed. X-ray emission was detected for all the nuclei of the radio sources in our sample except for 3C 319. Among the current sample, there are two compact steep spectrum radio sources, two broad-line radio galaxies, and one wide angle tail radio galaxy, 3C 89, hosted in a cluster of galaxies clearly visible in our Chandra snapshot observation. In addition, we also detected soft X-ray emission arising from the galaxy cluster surrounding 3C 196.1. Finally, X-ray emission from hot spots has been found in three FR II radio sources and, in the case of 3C 459, we also report the detection of X-ray emission associated with the eastern radio lobe as well as X-ray emission cospatial with radio jets in 3C 29 and 3C 402.

An Indication of Anisotropy in Arrival Directions of Ultra-high-energy Cosmic Rays through Comparison to the Flux Pattern of Extragalactic Gamma-Ray Sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aab, A.; Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.; Albuquerque, I. F. M.; Allekotte, I.; Almela, A.; Castillo, J. Alvarez; Alvarez-Muñiz, J.; Anastasi, G. A.; Anchordoqui, L.; Andrada, B.; Andringa, S.; Aramo, C.; Arsene, N.; Asorey, H.; Assis, P.; Avila, G.; Badescu, A. M.; Balaceanu, A.; Barbato, F.; Luz, R. J. Barreira; Beatty, J. J.; Becker, K. H.; Bellido, J. A.; Berat, C.; Bertaina, M. E.; Bertou, X.; Biermann, P. L.; Biteau, J.; Blaess, S. G.; Blanco, A.; Blazek, J.; Bleve, C.; Boháčová, M.; Bonifazi, C.; Borodai, N.; Botti, A. M.; Brack, J.; Brancus, I.; Bretz, T.; Bridgeman, A.; Briechle, F. L.; Buchholz, P.; Bueno, A.; Buitink, S.; Buscemi, M.; Caballero-Mora, K. S.; Caccianiga, L.; Cancio, A.; Canfora, F.; Caruso, R.; Castellina, A.; Catalani, F.; Cataldi, G.; Cazon, L.; Chavez, A. G.; Chinellato, J. A.; Chudoba, J.; Clay, R. W.; Cerutti, A. C. Cobos; Colalillo, R.; Coleman, A.; Collica, L.; Coluccia, M. R.; Conceição, R.; Consolati, G.; Contreras, F.; Cooper, M. J.; Coutu, S.; Covault, C. E.; Cronin, J.; D’Amico, S.; Daniel, B.; Dasso, S.; Daumiller, K.; Dawson, B. R.; Almeida, R. M. de; Jong, S. J. de; Mauro, G. De; de Mello Neto, J. R. T.; Mitri, I. De; Oliveira, J. de; Souza, V. de; Debatin, J.; Deligny, O.; Castro, M. L. Díaz; Diogo, F.; Dobrigkeit, C.; D’Olivo, J. C.; Dorosti, Q.; Anjos, R. C. dos; Dova, M. T.; Dundovic, A.; Ebr, J.; Engel, R.; Erdmann, M.; Erfani, M.; Escobar, C. O.; Espadanal, J.; Etchegoyen, A.; Falcke, H.; Farmer, J.; Farrar, G.; Fauth, A. C.; Fazzini, N.; Fenu, F.; Fick, B.; Figueira, J. M.; Filipčič, A.; Freire, M. M.; Fujii, T.; Fuster, A.; Gaïor, R.; García, B.; Gaté, F.; Gemmeke, H.; Gherghel-Lascu, A.; Ghia, P. L.; Giaccari, U.; Giammarchi, M.; Giller, M.; Głas, D.; Glaser, C.; Golup, G.; Berisso, M. Gómez; Vitale, P. F. Gómez; González, N.; Gorgi, A.; Grillo, A. F.; Grubb, T. D.; Guarino, F.; Guedes, G. P.; Halliday, R.; Hampel, M. R.; Hansen, P.; Harari, D.; Harrison, T. A.; Haungs, A.; Hebbeker, T.; Heck, D.; Heimann, P.; Herve, A. E.; Hill, G. C.; Hojvat, C.; Holt, E.; Homola, P.; Hörandel, J. R.; Horvath, P.; Hrabovský, M.; Huege, T.; Hulsman, J.; Insolia, A.; Isar, P. G.; Jandt, I.; Johnsen, J. A.; Josebachuili, M.; Jurysek, J.; Kääpä, A.; Kambeitz, O.; Kampert, K. H.; Keilhauer, B.; Kemmerich, N.; Kemp, E.; Kemp, J.; Kieckhafer, R. M.; Klages, H. O.; Kleifges, M.; Kleinfeller, J.; Krause, R.; Krohm, N.; Kuempel, D.; Mezek, G. Kukec; Kunka, N.; Awad, A. Kuotb; Lago, B. L.; LaHurd, D.; Lang, R. G.; Lauscher, M.; Legumina, R.; Oliveira, M. A. Leigui de; Letessier-Selvon, A.; Lhenry-Yvon, I.; Link, K.; Presti, D. Lo; Lopes, L.; López, R.; Casado, A. López; Lorek, R.; Luce, Q.; Lucero, A.; Malacari, M.; Mallamaci, M.; Mandat, D.; Mantsch, P.; Mariazzi, A. G.; Mariş, I. C.; Marsella, G.; Martello, D.; Martinez, H.; Bravo, O. Martínez; Meza, J. J. Masías; Mathes, H. J.; Mathys, S.; Matthews, J.; Matthiae, G.; Mayotte, E.; Mazur, P. O.; Medina, C.; Medina-Tanco, G.; Melo, D.; Menshikov, A.; Merenda, K. -D.; Michal, S.; Micheletti, M. I.; Middendorf, L.; Miramonti, L.; Mitrica, B.; Mockler, D.; Mollerach, S.; Montanet, F.; Morello, C.; Morlino, G.; Mostafá, M.; Müller, A. L.; Müller, G.; Muller, M. A.; Müller, S.; Mussa, R.; Naranjo, I.; Nellen, L.; Nguyen, P. H.; Niculescu-Oglinzanu, M.; Niechciol, M.; Niemietz, L.; Niggemann, T.; Nitz, D.; Nosek, D.; Novotny, V.; Nožka, L.; Núñez, L. A.; Oikonomou, F.; Olinto, A.; Palatka, M.; Pallotta, J.; Papenbreer, P.; Parente, G.; Parra, A.; Paul, T.; Pech, M.; Pedreira, F.; Pȩkala, J.; Pelayo, R.; Peña-Rodriguez, J.; Pereira, L. A. S.; Perlin, M.; Perrone, L.; Peters, C.; Petrera, S.; Phuntsok, J.; Pierog, T.; Pimenta, M.; Pirronello, V.; Platino, M.; Plum, M.; Poh, J.; Porowski, C.; Prado, R. R.; Privitera, P.; Prouza, M.; Quel, E. J.; Querchfeld, S.; Quinn, S.; Ramos-Pollan, R.; Rautenberg, J.; Ravignani, D.; Ridky, J.; Riehn, F.; Risse, M.; Ristori, P.; Rizi, V.; Rodrigues de Carvalho, W.; Rodriguez Fernandez, G.; Rodriguez Rojo, J.; Roncoroni, M. J.; Roth, M.; Roulet, E.; Rovero, A. C.; Ruehl, P.; Saffi, S. J.; Saftoiu, A.; Salamida, F.; Salazar, H.; Saleh, A.; Salina, G.; Sánchez, F.; Sanchez-Lucas, P.; Santos, E. M.; Santos, E.; Sarazin, F.; Sarmento, R.; Sarmiento-Cano, C.; Sato, R.; Schauer, M.; Scherini, V.; Schieler, H.; Schimp, M.; Schmidt, D.; Scholten, O.; Schovánek, P.; Schröder, F. G.; Schröder, S.; Schulz, A.; Schumacher, J.; Sciutto, S. J.; Segreto, A.; Shadkam, A.; Shellard, R. C.; Sigl, G.; Silli, G.; Šmída, R.; Snow, G. R.; Sommers, P.; Sonntag, S.; Soriano, J. F.; Squartini, R.; Stanca, D.; Stanič, S.; Stasielak, J.; Stassi, P.; Stolpovskiy, M.; Strafella, F.; Streich, A.; Suarez, F.; Durán, M. Suarez; Sudholz, T.; Suomijärvi, T.; Supanitsky, A. D.; Šupík, J.; Swain, J.; Szadkowski, Z.; Taboada, A.; Taborda, O. A.; Theodoro, V. M.; Timmermans, C.; Peixoto, C. J. Todero; Tomankova, L.; Tomé, B.; Elipe, G. Torralba; Travnicek, P.; Trini, M.; Ulrich, R.; Unger, M.; Urban, M.; Galicia, J. F. Valdés; Valiño, I.; Valore, L.; van Aar, G.; van Bodegom, P.; Berg, A. M. van den; Vliet, A. van; Varela, E.; Cárdenas, B. Vargas; Vázquez, R. A.; Veberič, D.; Ventura, C.; Quispe, I. D. Vergara; Verzi, V.; Vicha, J.; Villaseñor, L.; Vorobiov, S.; Wahlberg, H.; Wainberg, O.; Walz, D.; Watson, A. A.; Weber, M.; Weindl, A.; Wiedeński, M.; Wiencke, L.; Wilczyński, H.; Wirtz, M.; Wittkowski, D.; Wundheiler, B.; Yang, L.; Yushkov, A.; Zas, E.; Zavrtanik, D.; Zavrtanik, M.; Zepeda, A.; Zimmermann, B.; Ziolkowski, M.; Zong, Z.; Zuccarello, F.

2018-02-01

A new analysis of the dataset from the Pierre Auger Observatory provides evidence for anisotropy in the arrival directions of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays on an intermediate angular scale, which is indicative of excess arrivals from strong, nearby sources. The data consist of 5514 events above 20 EeV with zenith angles up to 80 deg recorded before 2017 April 30. Sky models have been created for two distinct populations of extragalactic gamma-ray emitters: active galactic nuclei from the second catalog of hard Fermi-LAT sources (2FHL) and starburst galaxies from a sample that was examined with Fermi-LAT. Flux-limited samples, which include all types of galaxies from the Swift-BAT and 2MASS surveys, have been investigated for comparison. The sky model of cosmic-ray density constructed using each catalog has two free parameters, the fraction of events correlating with astrophysical objects and an angular scale characterizing the clustering of cosmic rays around extragalactic sources. A maximum-likelihood ratio test is used to evaluate the best values of these parameters and to quantify the strength of each model by contrast with isotropy. It is found that the starburst model fits the data better than the hypothesis of isotropy with a statistical significance of 4.0 sigma, the highest value of the test statistic being for energies above 39 EeV. The three alternative models are favored against isotropy with 2.7-3.2 sigma significance. The origin of the indicated deviation from isotropy is examined and prospects for more sensitive future studies are discussed.

Exploring three faint source detections methods for aperture synthesis radio images

Science.gov (United States)

Peracaula, M.; Torrent, A.; Masias, M.; Lladó, X.; Freixenet, J.; Martí, J.; Sánchez-Sutil, J. R.; Muñoz-Arjonilla, A. J.; Paredes, J. M.

2015-04-01

Wide-field radio interferometric images often contain a large population of faint compact sources. Due to their low intensity/noise ratio, these objects can be easily missed by automated detection methods, which have been classically based on thresholding techniques after local noise estimation. The aim of this paper is to present and analyse the performance of several alternative or complementary techniques to thresholding. We compare three different algorithms to increase the detection rate of faint objects. The first technique consists of combining wavelet decomposition with local thresholding. The second technique is based on the structural behaviour of the neighbourhood of each pixel. Finally, the third algorithm uses local features extracted from a bank of filters and a boosting classifier to perform the detections. The methods' performances are evaluated using simulations and radio mosaics from the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope and the Australia Telescope Compact Array. We show that the new methods perform better than well-known state of the art methods such as SEXTRACTOR, SAD and DUCHAMP at detecting faint sources of radio interferometric images.

Scorpius X-1 - an evolving double radio source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geldzahler, B.J.; Fomalont, E.B.; National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, VA)

1986-01-01

The radio emission from Sco X-1 has been monitored with the VLA over a 5 yr period with 0.4 arcsec resolution at 4.85 GHz. The source contains three components: an unresolved radio core coincident with the stellar binary system; an unresolved lobe northeast of the core; and an extended lobe southwest of the core. All radio components are approximately comoving with the binary system and are thus undoubtedly associated with it. The northeast lobe is moving away from the core at a rate of 0.013-0.017 arcsec/yr, which corresponds to a velocity of 31-41 km/sec, assuming a distance of 500 pc to Sco X-1. The relative velocity of a hot spot in the southwest lobe with respect to the core is less than 70 km/sec. The flux density in the lobes appears to vary by about 20 percent over time scales of 1 yr, and the variations between the lobes may be correlated. The twin-exhaust beam model where energy is transported from the core to the lobes in narrow beams is the most acceptable model for the evolution of the source. However, interstellar density (greater than 0.6/cu cm) is needed to restrain the velocity of the northeast lobe (presumably the working surface of the beam). 16 references

SOURCE REGIONS OF THE TYPE II RADIO BURST OBSERVED DURING A CME–CME INTERACTION ON 2013 MAY 22

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mäkelä, P.; Reiner, M. J.; Akiyama, S.; Gopalswamy, N.; Krupar, V.

2016-01-01

We report on our study of radio source regions during the type II radio burst on 2013 May 22 based on direction-finding analysis of the Wind /WAVES and STEREO /WAVES (SWAVES) radio observations at decameter–hectometric wavelengths. The type II emission showed an enhancement that coincided with the interaction of two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) launched in sequence along closely spaced trajectories. The triangulation of the SWAVES source directions posited the ecliptic projections of the radio sources near the line connecting the Sun and the STEREO-A spacecraft. The WAVES and SWAVES source directions revealed shifts in the latitude of the radio source, indicating that the spatial location of the dominant source of the type II emission varies during the CME–CME interaction. The WAVES source directions close to 1 MHz frequencies matched the location of the leading edge of the primary CME seen in the images of the LASCO/C3 coronagraph. This correspondence of spatial locations at both wavelengths confirms that the CME–CME interaction region is the source of the type II enhancement. Comparison of radio and white-light observations also showed that at lower frequencies scattering significantly affects radio wave propagation.

Multiband Study of Radio Sources of the RCR Catalogue with Virtual Observatory Tools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhelenkova O. P.

2012-09-01

Full Text Available We present early results of our multiband study of the RATAN Cold Revised (RCR catalogue obtained from seven cycles of the “Cold” survey carried with the RATAN-600 radio telescope at 7.6 cm in 1980-1999, at the declination of the SS 433 source. We used the 2MASS and LAS UKIDSS infrared surveys, the DSS-II and SDSS DR7 optical surveys, as well as the USNO-B1 and GSC-II catalogues, the VLSS, TXS, NVSS, FIRST and GB6 radio surveys to accumulate information about the sources. For radio sources that have no detectable optical candidate in optical or infrared catalogues, we additionally looked through images in several bands from the SDSS, LAS UKIDSS, DPOSS, 2MASS surveys and also used co-added frames in different bands. We reliably identified 76% of radio sources of the RCR catalogue. We used the ALADIN and SAOImage DS9 scripting capabilities, interoperability services of ALADIN and TOPCAT, and also other Virtual Observatory (VO tools and resources, such as CASJobs, NED, Vizier, and WSA, for effective data access, visualization and analysis. Without VO tools it would have been problematic to perform our study.

Ultra-Fast Outflows in Radio-Loud AGN: New Constraints on Jet-Disk Connection

Science.gov (United States)

Sambruna, Rita

There is strong observational and theoretical evidence that outflows/jets are coupled to accretion disks in black hole accreting systems, from Galactic to extragalactic sizes. While in radio-quiet AGN there is ample evidence for the presence of Ultra-Fast Outflows (UFOs) from the presence of blue-shifted absorption features in their 4-10~keV spectra, sub-relativistic winds are expected on theoretical basis in radio-loud AGN but have not been observed until now. Our recent Suzaku observations of 5 bright Broad- Line Radio Galaxies (BLRGs, the radio-loud counterparts of Seyferts) has started to change this picture. We found strong evidence for UFOs in 3 out of 5 BLRGs, with ionization parameters, column densities, and velocities of the absorber similar to Seyferts. Moreover, the outflows in BLRGs are likely to be energetically very significant: from the Suzaku data of the three sources, outflow masses similar to the accretion masses and kinetic energies of the wind similar to the X-ray luminosity and radio power of the jet are inferred. Clearly, UFOs in radio-loud AGN represent a new key ingredient to understand their central engines and in particular, the jet-disk linkage. Our discovery of UFOs in a handful of BLRGs raises the questions of how common disk winds are in radio-loud AGN, what the absorber physical and dynamical characteristics are, and what is the outflow role in broader picture of galaxy-black hole connection for radio sources, i.e., for large-scale feedback models. To address these and other issues, we propose to use archival XMM-Newton and Suzaku spectra to search for Ultra-Fast Outflows in a large number of radio sources. Over a period of two years, we will conduct a systematic, uniform analysis of the archival X-ray data, building on our extensive experience with a similar previous project for Seyferts, and using robust analysis and statistical methodologies. As an important side product, we will also obtain accurate, self- consistent measurements

THE WISE BLAZAR-LIKE RADIO-LOUD SOURCES: AN ALL-SKY CATALOG OF CANDIDATE γ-RAY BLAZARS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D' Abrusco, R.; Paggi, A.; Smith, H. A. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Massaro, F. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Torino, via Pietro Giuria 1, I-10125 Torino (Italy); Masetti, N. [INAF/IASF di Bologna, via Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna (Italy); Landoni, M. [INAF/Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, Via E. Bianchi 46, I-23807 Merate (Italy); Tosti, G. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Perugia, I-06123 Perugia (Italy)

2014-11-01

We present a catalog of radio-loud candidate γ-ray emitting blazars with WISE mid-infrared colors similar to the colors of confirmed γ-ray blazars. The catalog is assembled from WISE sources detected in all four WISE filters, with colors compatible with the three-dimensional locus of the WISE γ-ray emitting blazars, and which can be spatially cross-matched with radio sources from one of the three radio surveys: NVSS, FIRST, and/or SUMSS. Our initial WISE selection uses a slightly modified version of previously successful algorithms. We then select only the radio-loud sources using a measure of the radio-to-IR flux, the q {sub 22} parameter, which is analogous to the q {sub 24} parameter known in the literature but which instead uses the WISE band-four flux at 22 μm. Our final catalog contains 7855 sources classified as BL Lacs, FSRQs, or mixed candidate blazars; 1295 of these sources can be spatially re-associated as confirmed blazars. We describe the properties of the final catalog of WISE blazar-like radio-loud sources and consider possible contaminants. Finally, we discuss why this large catalog of candidate γ-ray emitting blazars represents a new and useful resource to address the problem of finding low-energy counterparts to currently unidentified high-energy sources.

THE VLA SURVEY OF CHANDRA DEEP FIELD SOUTH. V. EVOLUTION AND LUMINOSITY FUNCTIONS OF SUB-MILLIJANSKY RADIO SOURCES AND THE ISSUE OF RADIO EMISSION IN RADIO-QUIET ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padovani, P.; Mainieri, V.; Rosati, P.; Miller, N.; Kellermann, K. I.; Tozzi, P.

2011-01-01

We present the evolutionary properties and luminosity functions of the radio sources belonging to the Chandra Deep Field South Very Large Array survey, which reaches a flux density limit at 1.4 GHz of 43 μJy at the field center and redshift ∼5 and which includes the first radio-selected complete sample of radio-quiet active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We use a new, comprehensive classification scheme based on radio, far- and near-IR, optical, and X-ray data to disentangle star-forming galaxies (SFGs) from AGNs and radio-quiet from radio-loud AGNs. We confirm our previous result that SFGs become dominant only below 0.1 mJy. The sub-millijansky radio sky turns out to be a complex mix of SFGs and radio-quiet AGNs evolving at a similar, strong rate; non-evolving low-luminosity radio galaxies; and declining radio powerful (P ∼> 3 x 10 24 W Hz -1 ) AGNs. Our results suggest that radio emission from radio-quiet AGNs is closely related to star formation. The detection of compact, high brightness temperature cores in several nearby radio-quiet AGNs can be explained by the coexistence of two components, one non-evolving and AGN related and one evolving and star formation related. Radio-quiet AGNs are an important class of sub-millijansky sources, accounting for ∼30% of the sample and ∼60% of all AGNs, and outnumbering radio-loud AGNs at ∼< 0.1 mJy. This implies that future, large area sub-millijansky surveys, given the appropriate ancillary multiwavelength data, have the potential of being able to assemble vast samples of radio-quiet AGNs, bypassing the problems of obscuration that plague the optical and soft X-ray bands.

First detection in gamma-rays of a young radio galaxy: Fermi -LAT observations of the compact symmetric object PKS 1718−649

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Migliori, G.; Loh, A.; Corbel, S. [Laboratoire AIM (CEA/IRFU—CNRS/INSU—Université Paris Diderot), CEA DSM/SAp, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Siemiginowska, A.; Sobolewska, M. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Ostorero, L. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Torino and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Via P. Giuria 1, I-10125 Torino (Italy); Stawarz, Ł., E-mail: giulia.migliori@cea.fr [Astronomical Observatory, Jagiellonian University, ul. Orla 171, 30-244 Kraków (Poland)

2016-04-20

We report the γ -ray detection of a young radio galaxy, PKS 1718−649, belonging to the class of compact symmetric objects (CSOs), with the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi satellite. The third Fermi Gamma-ray LAT catalog (3FGL) includes an unassociated γ -ray source, 3FGL J1728.0−6446, located close to PKS 1718−649. Using the latest Pass 8 calibration, we confirm that the best-fit 1 σ position of the γ -ray source is compatible with the radio location of PKS 1718−649. Cross-matching of the γ -ray source position with the positions of blazar sources from several catalogs yields negative results. Thus, we conclude that PKS 1718−649 is the most likely counterpart to the unassociated LAT source. We obtain a detection test statistics TS ∼ 36 (>5 σ ) with a best-fit photon spectral index Γ = 2.9 ± 0.3 and a 0.1–100 GeV photon flux density F {sub 0.1−100} {sub GeV} = (11.5 ± 0.3) × 10{sup −9} ph cm{sup −2} s{sup −1}. We argue that the linear size (∼2 pc), the kinematic age (∼100 years), and the source distance ( z = 0.014) make PKS 1718−649 an ideal candidate for γ -ray detection in the framework of the model proposing that the most compact and the youngest CSOs can efficiently produce GeV radiation via inverse-Compton scattering of the ambient photon fields by the radio lobe non-thermal electrons. Thus, our detection of the source in γ -rays establishes young radio galaxies as a distinct class of extragalactic high-energy emitters and yields a unique insight on the physical conditions in compact radio lobes interacting with the interstellar medium of the host galaxy.

The contribution of unresolved radio-loud AGN to the extragalactic diffuse gamma-ray background

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mucke, A.; Pohl, M.

2000-01-01

, and on the unification scheme of radio-loud AGN. According to this picture, blazars represent the beamed fraction of the Fanaroff-Riley radio galaxies (FR galaxies). The observed log N-log S distribution and redshift distribution of both FSRQs and BL Lacs constrain our model. Depending slightly on the evolutionary...

Inverse problem for extragalactic transport of ultra-high energy cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ptuskin, V.S.; Rogovaya, S.I.; Zirakashvili, V.N.

2015-01-01

The energy spectra and composition of ultra-high energy cosmic rays are changing in a course of propagation in the expanding Universe filled with background radiation. We developed a numerical code for solution of inverse problem for cosmic-ray transport equations that allows the determination of average source spectra of different nuclei from the cosmic ray spectra observed at the Earth. Employing this approach, the injection spectra of protons and Iron nuclei in extragalactic sources are found assuming that only these species are accelerated at the source. The data from the Auger experiment and the combined data from the Telescope Array + HiRes experiments are used to illustrate the method

Inverse problem for extragalactic transport of ultra-high energy cosmic rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ptuskin, V.S.; Rogovaya, S.I.; Zirakashvili, V.N., E-mail: vptuskin@izmiran.ru, E-mail: rogovaya@izmiran.ru, E-mail: zirak@izmiran.ru [Pushkov Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IZMIRAN), Troitsk, Moscow, 142190 (Russian Federation)

2015-03-01

The energy spectra and composition of ultra-high energy cosmic rays are changing in a course of propagation in the expanding Universe filled with background radiation. We developed a numerical code for solution of inverse problem for cosmic-ray transport equations that allows the determination of average source spectra of different nuclei from the cosmic ray spectra observed at the Earth. Employing this approach, the injection spectra of protons and Iron nuclei in extragalactic sources are found assuming that only these species are accelerated at the source. The data from the Auger experiment and the combined data from the Telescope Array + HiRes experiments are used to illustrate the method.

Evolution in linear sizes and the Faraday effects in radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anene, G.; Ugwoke, A.C.

2001-05-01

It is still a matter of conjecture whether the observed depolarization in radio sources originate from an external Faraday screen lying in our line of sight, or is largely due to internal processes occurring within these sources. This paper argues for an external origin. By applying recent evidences from the evolution of linear sizes while allowing for selection effects, it is shown that the density parameters within radio sources do not depend on redshift, implying that the observed depolarizations is epoch independent and may therefore, be largely external in origin. We also show that the observed low correlation between λ 1/2 and linear size(D) cannot be improved much even when allowance is made for evolution in D. (author)

RADIO MONITORING OF THE PERIODICALLY VARIABLE IR SOURCE LRLL 54361: NO DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN THE RADIO AND IR EMISSIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Forbrich, Jan, E-mail: jan.forbrich@univie.ac.at [University of Vienna, Department of Astrophysics, Türkenschanzstraße 17, A-1180 Vienna (Austria); Rodríguez, Luis F.; Palau, Aina; Zapata, Luis A. [Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, UNAM, Apdo. Postal 3-72 (Xangari), 58089 Morelia, Michoacán (Mexico); Muzerolle, James [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Gutermuth, Robert A. [Department of Astronomy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003 (United States)

2015-11-20

LRLL 54361 is an infrared source located in the star-forming region IC 348 SW. Remarkably, its infrared luminosity increases by a factor of 10 over roughly one week every 25.34 days. To understand the origin of these remarkable periodic variations, we obtained sensitive 3.3 cm JVLA radio continuum observations of LRLL 54361 and its surroundings in six different epochs: three of them during the IR-on state and three during the IR-off state. The radio source associated with LRLL 54361 remained steady and did not show a correlation with the IR variations. We suggest that the IR is tracing the results of fast (with a timescale of days) pulsed accretion from an unseen binary companion, while the radio traces an ionized outflow with an extent of ∼100 AU that smooths out the variability over a period of the order of a year. The average flux density measured in these 2014 observations, 27 ± 5 μJy, is about a factor of two less than that measured about 1.5 years before, 53 ± 11 μJy, suggesting that variability in the radio is present, but over larger timescales than in the IR. We discuss other sources in the field, in particular two infrared/X-ray stars that show rapidly varying gyrosynchrotron emission.

HEAO A-2 extragalactic results

Science.gov (United States)

Boldt, E. A.

1979-01-01

The all-sky surveys made with the A-2 instrument aboard HEAO-1 involved spectroscopy over a broad enough band width, with sufficient resolution, to obtain the basic spectral characteristics for two extreme aspects of the extragalactic X-ray sky. The overall spectrum (above 3 KeV) is remarkably well decribed by a thermal model. At the other extreme, the detailed broad-band observations of individual sources are restricted to objects within the present epoch. The objects include several individual active galaxies studied in detail for the first time as well as clusters of galaxies. Relating these results to the vast spatially unresolved hard X-ray flux measured with this instruments as well as the softer X-rays (at less than 3 keV) spatially resolved to high redshifts with the Einstein Observatory remains a challenge.

A Fast Radio Burst Every Second?

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2017-09-01

How frequently do fast radio busts occur in the observable universe? Two researchers have now developed a new estimate.Extragalactic SignalsIn 2007, scientists looking through archival pulsar data discovered a transient radio pulse a flash that lasted only a few milliseconds. Since then, weve found another 22 such fast radio bursts (FRBs), yet we still dont know what causes these energetic signals.Artists illustration of the Very Large Array pinpointing the location of FRB 121102. [Bill Saxton/NRAO/AUI/NSF/Hubble Legacy Archive/ESA/NASA]Recently, some clues have finally come from FRB 121102, the only FRB ever observed to repeat. The multiple pulses detected from this source over the last five years have allowed us to confirm its extragalactic origin and pinpoint an origin for this FRB: a small, low-mass, metal-poor dwarf galaxy located about three billion light-years away.Is FRB 121102 typical? How frequently do such bursts occur, and how frequently can we hope to be able to detect them in the future? And what might these rates tell us about their origins? Two scientists from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Anastasia Fialkov and Abraham Loeb, have now taken a phenomenological approach to answering these questions.Influencing FactorsFialkov and Loeb arguethat there are three main factors that influence the rate of observable FRBs in the universe:The spectral shape of the individual FRBsFRB 121102 had a Gaussian-like spectral profile, which means it peaks in a narrow range of frequencies and may not be detectable outside of that band. If this is typical for FRBs, then signals of distant FRBs may become redshifted to outside of the frequency band that we observe, making them undetectable.FRB detection rates in the 1.253.5GHz band predicted by the authors models (red and blue solid and dashed lines), as a function of the flux limit for detection (top) and as a function of the FRB hosts redshift (bottom). Grey circles mark our detections of FRBs thus

Radio Observations of Ultra-Luminous X-Ray Sources and their Implication for Models

Science.gov (United States)

Koerding, E. G.; Colbert, E. J. M.; Falcke, H.

2004-05-01

We present the results of a radio monitoring campaign to search for radio emission from nearby ultra-luminous X-ray sources (ULXs). These intriguing sources are bright off-nuclear X-ray point sources with luminosities exceeding LX > 1039 erg/sec. Assuming isotropic emission the Eddington Limit suggests that they harbor intermediate mass black holes. Due to the problems of this explanation also other possibilities are currently discussed, among them are anisotropic emission, super-Eddington accretion flows or relativistically beamed emission from microquasars. Detections of compact radio cores at the positions of ULXs would be a direct hint to jet-emission. However, as the ULX phenomenom is connected to star formation we have to assume that they are strongly accreting objects. Thus, similar to their nearest Galactic cousins, the very high state X-ray binaries (see e.g., GRS 1915), ULXs may show radio flares. A well-defined sample of the 9 nearest ULXs has been monitored eight times during 5 months with the Very Large Array in A and B configuration. Our limiting sensitivity is 0.15 mJy (4 σ ) for flares and 68 μ Jy for continuous emission. In M82 some ULXs seem to be connected to radio supernova remnants. Besides that no flare or continuous emission has been detected. As the timescales of radio flares in ULXs are highly uncertain, it could well be that we have undersampled the lightcurve. However, upper bounds for the probability to detect a flare can be given. The upper limits for the continuous emission are compared with the emission found in NGC 5408 X-1 and with quasars and microquasars. We show that these limits are well in agreement with the microblazar model using the Radio/X-ray correlation of XRBs and AGN. Thus, it could well be that ULXs are microblazers which may be radio loud.

Infrared-faint radio sources in the SERVS deep fields. Pinpointing AGNs at high redshift

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maini, A.; Prandoni, I.; Norris, R. P.; Spitler, L. R.; Mignano, A.; Lacy, M.; Morganti, R.

2016-01-01

Context. Infrared-faint radio sources (IFRS) represent an unexpected class of objects which are relatively bright at radio wavelength, but unusually faint at infrared (IR) and optical wavelengths. A recent and extensive campaign on the radio-brightest IFRSs (S1.4 GHz≳ 10 mJy) has provided evidence

Spectroscopic and polarimetric study of radio-quiet weak emission line quasars

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Parveen; Chand, Hum; Gopal-Krishna; Srianand, Raghunathan; Stalin, Chelliah Subramonian; Petitjean, Patrick

2018-04-01

A small subset of optically selected radio-quiet QSOs with weak or no emission lines may turn out to be the elusive radio-quiet BL Lac objects, or simply be radio-quiet QSOs with an infant/shielded broad line region (BLR). High polarisation (p > 3-4%), a hallmark of BL Lacs, can be used to test whether some optically selected ‘radio-quiet weak emission line QSOs’ (RQWLQs) show a fractional polarisation high enough to qualify as radio-quiet analogues of BL Lac objects. To check this possibility, we have made optical spectral and polarisation measurements of a sample of 19 RQWLQs. Out of these, only 9 sources show a non-significant proper motion (hence very likely extragalactic) and only two of them are found to have p > 1%. For these two RQWLQs, namely J142505.59+035336.2 and J154515.77+003235.2, we found the highest polarization to be 1.59±0.53%, which is again too low to classify them as (radio-quiet) BL Lacs, although one may recall that even genuine BL Lacs sometimes appear weakly polarised. We also present a statistical comparison of the optical spectral index, for a sample of 45 RQWLQs with redshift-luminosity matched control samples of 900 QSOs and an equivalent sample of 120 blazars, assembled from the literature. The spectral index distribution of RQWLQs is found to differ, at a high significance level, from that of blazars. This, too, is consistent with the common view that the mechanism of the central engine in RQWLQs, as a population, is close to that operating in normal QSOs and the primary difference between them is related to the BLR.

Astronomers Detect Powerful Bursting Radio Source Discovery Points to New Class of Astronomical Objects

Science.gov (United States)

2005-03-01

Astronomers at Sweet Briar College and the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) have detected a powerful new bursting radio source whose unique properties suggest the discovery of a new class of astronomical objects. The researchers have monitored the center of the Milky Way Galaxy for several years and reveal their findings in the March 3, 2005 edition of the journal, “Nature”. This radio image of the central region of the Milky Way Galaxy holds a new radio source, GCRT J1745-3009. The arrow points to an expanding ring of debris expelled by a supernova. CREDIT: N.E. Kassim et al., Naval Research Laboratory, NRAO/AUI/NSF Principal investigator, Dr. Scott Hyman, professor of physics at Sweet Briar College, said the discovery came after analyzing some additional observations from 2002 provided by researchers at Northwestern University. “"We hit the jackpot!” Hyman said referring to the observations. “An image of the Galactic center, made by collecting radio waves of about 1-meter in wavelength, revealed multiple bursts from the source during a seven-hour period from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1, 2002 — five bursts in fact, and repeating at remarkably constant intervals.” Hyman, four Sweet Briar students, and his NRL collaborators, Drs. Namir Kassim and Joseph Lazio, happened upon transient emission from two radio sources while studying the Galactic center in 1998. This prompted the team to propose an ongoing monitoring program using the National Science Foundation’s Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope in New Mexico. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory, which operates the VLA, approved the program. The data collected, laid the groundwork for the detection of the new radio source. “Amazingly, even though the sky is known to be full of transient objects emitting at X- and gamma-ray wavelengths,” NRL astronomer Dr. Joseph Lazio pointed out, “very little has been done to look for radio bursts, which are often easier for astronomical objects to produce

A Reverse Shock and Unusual Radio Properties in GRB 160625B

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, K. D.; Laskar, T.; Berger, E.; Guidorzi, C.; Dichiara, S.; Fong, W.; Gomboc, A.; Kobayashi, S.; Kopac, D.; Mundell, C. G.; Tanvir, N. R.; Williams, P. K. G.

2017-10-01

We present multi-wavelength observations and modeling of the exceptionally bright long γ-ray burst GRB 160625B. The optical and X-ray data are well fit by synchrotron emission from a collimated blastwave with an opening angle of {θ }j≈ 3\\buildrel{\\circ}\\over{.} 6 and kinetic energy of {E}K≈ 2× {10}51 erg, propagating into a low-density (n≈ 5× {10}-5 cm-3) medium with a uniform profile. The forward shock is sub-dominant in the radio band; instead, the radio emission is dominated by two additional components. The first component is consistent with emission from a reverse shock, indicating an initial Lorentz factor of {{{Γ }}}0≳ 100 and an ejecta magnetization of {R}B≈ 1{--}100. The second component exhibits peculiar spectral and temporal evolution and is most likely the result of scattering of the radio emission by the turbulent Milky Way interstellar medium (ISM). Such scattering is expected in any sufficiently compact extragalactic source and has been seen in GRBs before, but the large amplitude and long duration of the variability seen here are qualitatively more similar to extreme scattering events previously observed in quasars, rather than normal interstellar scintillation effects. High-cadence, broadband radio observations of future GRBs are needed to fully characterize such effects, which can sensitively probe the properties of the ISM and must be taken into account before variability intrinsic to the GRB can be interpreted correctly.

Two-Component Structure of the Radio Source 0014+813 from VLBI Observations within the CONT14 Program

Science.gov (United States)

Titov, O. A.; Lopez, Yu. R.

2018-03-01

We consider a method of reconstructing the structure delay of extended radio sources without constructing their radio images. The residuals derived after the adjustment of geodetic VLBI observations are used for this purpose. We show that the simplest model of a radio source consisting of two point components can be represented by four parameters (the angular separation of the components, the mutual orientation relative to the poleward direction, the flux-density ratio, and the spectral index difference) that are determined for each baseline of a multi-baseline VLBI network. The efficiency of this approach is demonstrated by estimating the coordinates of the radio source 0014+813 observed during the two-week CONT14 program organized by the International VLBI Service (IVS) in May 2014. Large systematic deviations have been detected in the residuals of the observations for the radio source 0014+813. The averaged characteristics of the radio structure of 0014+813 at a frequency of 8.4 GHz can be calculated from these deviations. Our modeling using four parameters has confirmed that the source consists of two components at an angular separation of 0.5 mas in the north-south direction. Using the structure delay when adjusting the CONT14 observations leads to a correction of the average declination estimate for the radio source 0014+813 by 0.070 mas.

An Indication of Anisotropy in Arrival Directions of Ultra-high-energy Cosmic Rays through Comparison to the Flux Pattern of Extragalactic Gamma-Ray Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Aab, A.; Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.; Albuquerque, I. F. M.; Allekotte, I.; Almela, A.; Alvarez Castillo, J.; Alvarez-Muñiz, J.; Anastasi, G. A.; Anchordoqui, L.; Andrada, B.; Andringa, S.; Aramo, C.; Arsene, N.; Asorey, H.; Assis, P.; Avila, G.; Badescu, A. M.; Balaceanu, A.; Barbato, F.; Barreira Luz, R. J.; Beatty, J. J.; Becker, K. H.; Bellido, J. A.; Berat, C.; Bertaina, M. E.; Bertou, X.; Biermann, P. L.; Biteau, J.; Blaess, S. G.; Blanco, A.; Blazek, J.; Bleve, C.; Boháčová, M.; Bonifazi, C.; Borodai, N.; Botti, A. M.; Brack, J.; Brancus, I.; Bretz, T.; Bridgeman, A.; Briechle, F. L.; Buchholz, P.; Bueno, A.; Buitink, S.; Buscemi, M.; Caballero-Mora, K. S.; Caccianiga, L.; Cancio, A.; Canfora, F.; Caruso, R.; Castellina, A.; Catalani, F.; Cataldi, G.; Cazon, L.; Chavez, A. G.; Chinellato, J. A.; Chudoba, J.; Clay, R. W.; Cobos Cerutti, A. C.; Colalillo, R.; Coleman, A.; Collica, L.; Coluccia, M. R.; Conceição, R.; Consolati, G.; Contreras, F.; Cooper, M. J.; Coutu, S.; Covault, C. E.; Cronin, J.; D’Amico, S.; Daniel, B.; Dasso, S.; Daumiller, K.; Dawson, B. R.; de Almeida, R. M.; de Jong, S. J.; De Mauro, G.; de Mello Neto, J. R. T.; De Mitri, I.; de Oliveira, J.; de Souza, V.; Debatin, J.; Deligny, O.; Díaz Castro, M. L.; Diogo, F.; Dobrigkeit, C.; D’Olivo, J. C.; Dorosti, Q.; dos Anjos, R. C.; Dova, M. T.; Dundovic, A.; Ebr, J.; Engel, R.; Erdmann, M.; Erfani, M.; Escobar, C. O.; Espadanal, J.; Etchegoyen, A.; Falcke, H.; Farmer, J.; Farrar, G.; Fauth, A. C.; Fazzini, N.; Fenu, F.; Fick, B.; Figueira, J. M.; Filipčič, A.; Freire, M. M.; Fujii, T.; Fuster, A.; Gaïor, R.; García, B.; Gaté, F.; Gemmeke, H.; Gherghel-Lascu, A.; Ghia, P. L.; Giaccari, U.; Giammarchi, M.; Giller, M.; Głas, D.; Glaser, C.; Golup, G.; Gómez Berisso, M.; Gómez Vitale, P. F.; González, N.; Gorgi, A.; Grillo, A. F.; Grubb, T. D.; Guarino, F.; Guedes, G. P.; Halliday, R.; Hampel, M. R.; Hansen, P.; Harari, D.; Harrison, T. A.; Haungs, A.; Hebbeker, T.; Heck, D.; Heimann, P.; Herve, A. E.; Hill, G. C.; Hojvat, C.; Holt, E.; Homola, P.; Hörandel, J. R.; Horvath, P.; Hrabovský, M.; Huege, T.; Hulsman, J.; Insolia, A.; Isar, P. G.; Jandt, I.; Johnsen, J. A.; Josebachuili, M.; Jurysek, J.; Kääpä, A.; Kambeitz, O.; Kampert, K. H.; Keilhauer, B.; Kemmerich, N.; Kemp, E.; Kemp, J.; Kieckhafer, R. M.; Klages, H. O.; Kleifges, M.; Kleinfeller, J.; Krause, R.; Krohm, N.; Kuempel, D.; Kukec Mezek, G.; Kunka, N.; Kuotb Awad, A.; Lago, B. L.; LaHurd, D.; Lang, R. G.; Lauscher, M.; Legumina, R.; Leigui de Oliveira, M. A.; Letessier-Selvon, A.; Lhenry-Yvon, I.; Link, K.; Lo Presti, D.; Lopes, L.; López, R.; López Casado, A.; Lorek, R.; Luce, Q.; Lucero, A.; Malacari, M.; Mallamaci, M.; Mandat, D.; Mantsch, P.; Mariazzi, A. G.; Mariş, I. C.; Marsella, G.; Martello, D.; Martinez, H.; Martínez Bravo, O.; Masías Meza, J. J.; Mathes, H. J.; Mathys, S.; Matthews, J.; Matthiae, G.; Mayotte, E.; Mazur, P. O.; Medina, C.; Medina-Tanco, G.; Melo, D.; Menshikov, A.; Merenda, K.-D.; Michal, S.; Micheletti, M. I.; Middendorf, L.; Miramonti, L.; Mitrica, B.; Mockler, D.; Mollerach, S.; Montanet, F.; Morello, C.; Morlino, G.; Mostafá, M.; Müller, A. L.; Müller, G.; Muller, M. A.; Müller, S.; Mussa, R.; Naranjo, I.; Nellen, L.; Nguyen, P. H.; Niculescu-Oglinzanu, M.; Niechciol, M.; Niemietz, L.; Niggemann, T.; Nitz, D.; Nosek, D.; Novotny, V.; Nožka, L.; Núñez, L. A.; Oikonomou, F.; Olinto, A.; Palatka, M.; Pallotta, J.; Papenbreer, P.; Parente, G.; Parra, A.; Paul, T.; Pech, M.; Pedreira, F.; Pȩkala, J.; Pelayo, R.; Peña-Rodriguez, J.; Pereira, L. A. S.; Perlin, M.; Perrone, L.; Peters, C.; Petrera, S.; Phuntsok, J.; Pierog, T.; Pimenta, M.; Pirronello, V.; Platino, M.; Plum, M.; Poh, J.; Porowski, C.; Prado, R. R.; Privitera, P.; Prouza, M.; Quel, E. J.; Querchfeld, S.; Quinn, S.; Ramos-Pollan, R.; Rautenberg, J.; Ravignani, D.; Ridky, J.; Riehn, F.; Risse, M.; Ristori, P.; Rizi, V.; Rodrigues de Carvalho, W.; Rodriguez Fernandez, G.; Rodriguez Rojo, J.; Roncoroni, M. J.; Roth, M.; Roulet, E.; Rovero, A. C.; Ruehl, P.; Saffi, S. J.; Saftoiu, A.; Salamida, F.; Salazar, H.; Saleh, A.; Salina, G.; Sánchez, F.; Sanchez-Lucas, P.; Santos, E. M.; Santos, E.; Sarazin, F.; Sarmento, R.; Sarmiento-Cano, C.; Sato, R.; Schauer, M.; Scherini, V.; Schieler, H.; Schimp, M.; Schmidt, D.; Scholten, O.; Schovánek, P.; Schröder, F. G.; Schröder, S.; Schulz, A.; Schumacher, J.; Sciutto, S. J.; Segreto, A.; Shadkam, A.; Shellard, R. C.; Sigl, G.; Silli, G.; Šmída, R.; Snow, G. R.; Sommers, P.; Sonntag, S.; Soriano, J. F.; Squartini, R.; Stanca, D.; Stanič, S.; Stasielak, J.; Stassi, P.; Stolpovskiy, M.; Strafella, F.; Streich, A.; Suarez, F.; Suarez Durán, M.; Sudholz, T.; Suomijärvi, T.; Supanitsky, A. D.; Šupík, J.; Swain, J.; Szadkowski, Z.; Taboada, A.; Taborda, O. A.; Theodoro, V. M.; Timmermans, C.; Todero Peixoto, C. J.; Tomankova, L.; Tomé, B.; Torralba Elipe, G.; Travnicek, P.; Trini, M.; Ulrich, R.; Unger, M.; Urban, M.; Valdés Galicia, J. F.; Valiño, I.; Valore, L.; van Aar, G.; van Bodegom, P.; van den Berg, A. M.; van Vliet, A.; Varela, E.; Vargas Cárdenas, B.; Vázquez, R. A.; Veberič, D.; Ventura, C.; Vergara Quispe, I. D.; Verzi, V.; Vicha, J.; Villaseñor, L.; Vorobiov, S.; Wahlberg, H.; Wainberg, O.; Walz, D.; Watson, A. A.; Weber, M.; Weindl, A.; Wiedeński, M.; Wiencke, L.; Wilczyński, H.; Wirtz, M.; Wittkowski, D.; Wundheiler, B.; Yang, L.; Yushkov, A.; Zas, E.; Zavrtanik, D.; Zavrtanik, M.; Zepeda, A.; Zimmermann, B.; Ziolkowski, M.; Zong, Z.; Zuccarello, F.; The Pierre Auger Collaboration

2018-02-01

A new analysis of the data set from the Pierre Auger Observatory provides evidence for anisotropy in the arrival directions of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays on an intermediate angular scale, which is indicative of excess arrivals from strong, nearby sources. The data consist of 5514 events above 20 {EeV} with zenith angles up to 80° recorded before 2017 April 30. Sky models have been created for two distinct populations of extragalactic gamma-ray emitters: active galactic nuclei from the second catalog of hard Fermi-LAT sources (2FHL) and starburst galaxies from a sample that was examined with Fermi-LAT. Flux-limited samples, which include all types of galaxies from the Swift-BAT and 2MASS surveys, have been investigated for comparison. The sky model of cosmic-ray density constructed using each catalog has two free parameters, the fraction of events correlating with astrophysical objects, and an angular scale characterizing the clustering of cosmic rays around extragalactic sources. A maximum-likelihood ratio test is used to evaluate the best values of these parameters and to quantify the strength of each model by contrast with isotropy. It is found that the starburst model fits the data better than the hypothesis of isotropy with a statistical significance of 4.0σ, the highest value of the test statistic being for energies above 39 {EeV}. The three alternative models are favored against isotropy with 2.7σ–3.2σ significance. The origin of the indicated deviation from isotropy is examined and prospects for more sensitive future studies are discussed. Any correspondence should be addressed to .

EXTRAGALACTIC DARK MATTER AND DIRECT DETECTION EXPERIMENTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baushev, A. N.

2013-01-01

Recent astronomical data strongly suggest that a significant part of the dark matter content of the Local Group and Virgo Supercluster is not incorporated into the galaxy halos and forms diffuse components of these galaxy clusters. A portion of the particles from these components may penetrate the Milky Way and make an extragalactic contribution to the total dark matter containment of our Galaxy. We find that the particles of the diffuse component of the Local Group are apt to contribute ∼12% to the total dark matter density near Earth. The particles of the extragalactic dark matter stand out because of their high speed (∼600 km s –1 ), i.e., they are much faster than the galactic dark matter. In addition, their speed distribution is very narrow (∼20 km s –1 ). The particles have an isotropic velocity distribution (perhaps, in contrast to the galactic dark matter). The extragalactic dark matter should provide a significant contribution to the direct detection signal. If the detector is sensitive only to the fast particles (v > 450 km s –1 ), then the signal may even dominate. The density of other possible types of the extragalactic dark matter (for instance, of the diffuse component of the Virgo Supercluster) should be relatively small and comparable with the average dark matter density of the universe. However, these particles can generate anomaly high-energy collisions in direct dark matter detectors.

Probing the bias of radio sources at high redshift

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Passmoor, S

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The relationship between the clustering of dark matter and that of luminous matter is often described using the bias parameter. Here, we provide a new method to probe the bias of intermediate-to-high-redshift radio continuum sources for which...

Extragalactic Gamma-Ray Astrophysics

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2016-01-01

During the last decades, various classes of radio-loud active galactic nuclei have been established as sources of high-energy radiation extending over a very broad range from soft gamma-rays (photon energies E~MeV) up to very-high-energy gamma-rays (E>100 GeV). These include blazars of different types, as well as young and evolved radio galaxies. The observed gamma-ray emission from such implies efficient particle acceleration processes taking place in highly magnetized and relativistic jets produced by supermassive black holes, processes that have yet to be identified and properly understood. In addition, nearby starforming and starburst galaxies, some of which host radio-quiet Seyfert-type nuclei, have been detected in the gamma-ray range as well. In their cases, the observed gamma-ray emission is due to non-thermal activity in the interstellar medium, possibly including also a contribution from accretion disks and nuclear outflows. Finally, the high-energy emission from clusters of galaxies remains elusive...

Transition from galactic to extra-galactic cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aloisio, Roberto

2006-01-01

In this paper we review the main features of the observed Cosmic Rays spectrum in the energy range 10 17 eV to 10 20 eV. We present a theoretical model that explains the main observed features of the spectrum, namely the second Knee and Dip, and implies a transition from Galactic to Extra-Galactic cosmic rays at energy E ≅ 10 18 eV, with a proton dominated Extra-Galactic spectrum

Compact radio sources as a plasma turbulent reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atoyan, A.M.; Nagapetyan, A.

1987-01-01

The electromagnetic raiation spectra of a homogeneous cosmic radio source (CRS) wherein the relativistic electron acceleration on the langmuir waves leads to the formation of Maxwell-like spectra with characteristic value of the Lorentz-factor γ 0 ∼ 10 3 are considered. It has been shown that due to synchrotron radiation of relativistic electrons, usually observed from CRSs flat radiosepctra, gradually steepening at submillimeter wavelengths are naturally formed in the optically thin range of frequencies. The electromagnetic radiation at the scattering of the electron on the turbulence produces significant nonthermal infrared radiation. Inverse compton scattering of the relativistic electrons on the radio-infrared photons leads the production of X-rays. The characteristic of the electromagnetic radiation spectra obtained in the model are compared with the observational ones

Recent Advances and Coming Attractions in the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzarella, Joseph M.; Baker, Kay; Pan Chan, Hiu; Chen, Xi; Ebert, Rick; Frayer, Cren; Helou, George; Jacobson, Jeffery D.; Lo, Tak M.; Madore, Barry; Ogle, Patrick M.; Pevunova, Olga; Steer, Ian; Schmitz, Marion; Terek, Scott

2017-01-01

We review highlights of recent advances and developments underway at the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED). Extensive updates have been made to the infrastructure and processes essential for scaling NED for the next steps in its evolution. A major overhaul of the data integration pipeline provides greater modularity and parallelization to increase the rate of source cross-matching and data integration. The new pipeline was used recently to fold in data for nearly 300,000 sources published in over 900 recent journal articles, as well as fundamental parameters for 42 million sources in the Spitzer Enhanced Imaging Products Source List. The latter has added over 360 million photometric measurements at 3.6, 4.5, 5.8. 8.0 (IRAC) and 24 microns (MIPS) to the spectral energy distributions of affected objects in NED. The recent discovery of super-luminous spiral galaxies (Ogle et al. 2016) exemplifies the opportunities for science discovery and data mining available directly from NED’s unique data synthesis, spanning the spectrum from gamma ray through radio frequencies. The number of references in NED has surpassed 103,000. In the coming year, cross-identifications of sources in the 2MASS Point Source Catalog and in the AllWISE Source Catalog with prior objects in the database (including GALEX) will increase the holdings to over a billion distinct objects, providing a rich resource for multi-wavelength analysis. Information about a recent surge in growth of redshift-independent distances in NED is presented at this meeting by Steer et al. (2017). Website updates include a ’simple search’ to perform common queries in a single entry field, an interface to query the image repository with options to sort and filter the initial results, connectivity to the IRSA Finder Chart service, as well as a program interface to query images using the international virtual observatory Simple Image Access protocol. Graphical characterizations of NED content and completeness are

Radio Frequency Energy Harvesting Sources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Action NECHIBVUTE

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This radio frequency (RF energy harvesting is an emerging technology and research area that promises to produce energy to run low-power wireless devices. The great interest that has recently been paid to RF harvesting is predominantly driven by the great progress in both wireless communication systems and broadcasting technologies that have availed a lot of freely propagating ambient RF energy. The principle aim of an RF energy harvesting system is to convert the received ambient RF energy into usable DC power. This paper presents a state of the art concise review of RF energy harvesting sources for low power applications, and also discusses open research questions and future research directions on ambient RF energy harvesting.

RESOLUTION OF THE COMPACT RADIO CONTINUUM SOURCES IN Arp220

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batejat, Fabien; Conway, John E.; Hurley, Rossa; Parra, Rodrigo; Diamond, Philip J.; Lonsdale, Colin J.; Lonsdale, Carol J.

2011-01-01

We present 2 cm and 3.6 cm wavelength very long baseline interferometry images of the compact radio continuum sources in the nearby ultra-luminous infrared galaxy Arp220. Based on their radio spectra and variability properties, we confirm these sources to be a mixture of supernovae (SNe) and supernova remnants (SNRs). Of the 17 detected sources we resolve 7 at both wavelengths. The SNe generally only have upper size limits. In contrast all the SNRs are resolved with diameters ≥0.27 pc. This size limit is consistent with them having just entered their Sedov phase while embedded in an interstellar medium (ISM) of density 10 4 cm -3 . These objects lie on the diameter-luminosity correlation for SNRs (and so also on the diameter-surface brightness relation) and extend these correlations to very small sources. The data are consistent with the relation L∝D -9/4 . Revised equipartition arguments adjusted to a magnetic field to a relativistic particle energy density ratio of 1% combined with a reasonable synchrotron-emitting volume filling factor of 10% give estimated magnetic field strengths in the SNR shells of ∼15-50 mG. The SNR shell magnetic fields are unlikely to come from compression of ambient ISM fields and must instead be internally generated. We set an upper limit of 7 mG for the ISM magnetic field. The estimated energy in relativistic particles, 2%-20% of the explosion kinetic energy, is consistent with estimates from models that fit the IR-radio correlation in compact starburst galaxies.

Guaranteed Unresolved Point Source Emission and the Gamma-ray Background

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavlidou, Vasiliki; Siegal-Gaskins, Jennifer M.; Brown, Carolyn; Fields, Brian D.; Olinto, Angela V.

2007-01-01

The large majority of EGRET point sources remain without an identified low-energy counterpart, and a large fraction of these sources are most likely extragalactic. Whatever the nature of the extragalactic EGRET unidentified sources, faint unresolved objects of the same class must have a contribution to the diffuse extragalactic gamma-ray background (EGRB). Understanding this component of the EGRB, along with other guaranteed contributions from known sources (blazars and normal galaxies), is essential if we are to use this emission to constrain exotic high-energy physics. Here, we follow an empirical approach to estimate whether the contribution of unresolved unidentified sources to the EGRB is likely to be important. Additionally, we discuss how upcoming GLAST observations of EGRET unidentified sources, their fainter counterparts, and the Galactic and extragalactic diffuse backgrounds, will shed light on the nature of the EGRET unidentified sources even without any positional association of such sources with low-energy counterparts

Automated detection of extended sources in radio maps: progress from the SCORPIO survey

Science.gov (United States)

Riggi, S.; Ingallinera, A.; Leto, P.; Cavallaro, F.; Bufano, F.; Schillirò, F.; Trigilio, C.; Umana, G.; Buemi, C. S.; Norris, R. P.

2016-08-01

Automated source extraction and parametrization represents a crucial challenge for the next-generation radio interferometer surveys, such as those performed with the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and its precursors. In this paper, we present a new algorithm, called CAESAR (Compact And Extended Source Automated Recognition), to detect and parametrize extended sources in radio interferometric maps. It is based on a pre-filtering stage, allowing image denoising, compact source suppression and enhancement of diffuse emission, followed by an adaptive superpixel clustering stage for final source segmentation. A parametrization stage provides source flux information and a wide range of morphology estimators for post-processing analysis. We developed CAESAR in a modular software library, also including different methods for local background estimation and image filtering, along with alternative algorithms for both compact and diffuse source extraction. The method was applied to real radio continuum data collected at the Australian Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) within the SCORPIO project, a pathfinder of the Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU) survey at the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP). The source reconstruction capabilities were studied over different test fields in the presence of compact sources, imaging artefacts and diffuse emission from the Galactic plane and compared with existing algorithms. When compared to a human-driven analysis, the designed algorithm was found capable of detecting known target sources and regions of diffuse emission, outperforming alternative approaches over the considered fields.

Electron energy spectrum produced in radio sources by turbulent, resonant acceleration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eilek, J.A.; Henriksen, R.N.

1984-01-01

We consider relativistic particle acceleration by resonant Alfven waves which are driven internally in a radio source from fully developed fluid turbulence. We find that self-similar behavior as described by Lacombe, f(p)proportionalp - /sup s/ but with sroughly-equal4.5, arises self-consistently when this turbulent wave driving coexists with synchrotron losses. The coupling of the wave and particle distributions provides feedback which drives an arbitrary initial distribution to the form-stable, self-similar form. The model predicts that turbulent plasma in a radio source should evolve toward a synchrotron spectral index, 0.5< or approx. =α< or approx. =1.0 in one particle lifetime, and that the average spectrum of most sources should also be in this range. The theory may also be applicable to other turbulent sites, such as cosmic-ray reaccelertion in the interstellar medium

A search for AGN activity in Infrared-Faint Radio Sources (IFRS)

Science.gov (United States)

Lenc, Emil; Middelberg, Enno; Norris, Ray; Mao, Minnie

2010-04-01

We propose to observe a large sample of radio sources from the ATLAS (Australia Telescope Large Area Survey) source catalogue with the LBA, to determine their compactness. The sample consists of 36 sources with no counterpart in the co-located SWIRE survey (3.6 um to 160 um), carried out with the Spitzer Space Telescope. This rare class of sources, dubber Infrared-Faint Radio Sources (IFRS), is inconsistent with current galaxy evolution models. VLBI observations are an essential way to obtain further clues on what these objects are and why they are hidden from infrared observations. We will measure the flux densities on long baselines to determine their compactness. Only five IFRS have been previously targeted with VLBI observations (resulting in two detections). We propose using single baseline (Parkes-ATCA) eVLBI observations with the LBA at 1 Gbps to maximise sensitivity. With the observations proposed here we will increase the number of VLBI-observed IFRS from 5 to 36, allowing us to draw statistical conclusions about this intriguing new class of objects.

Double radio sources and the new approach to cosmic plasma physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alfven, H.

1977-08-01

The methodology of cosmic plasma physics is discussed. A summary is given of laboratory investigations of electric double layers, a phenomenon which is known to be very important in laboratory discharges. The importance of electric double layers in the Earth's surrounding is established. The scaling laws between laboratory and magnetospheric double layers are studied. A further extrapolation to galactic phenomena leads to a theory of double radio sources. From analogy with laboratory and magnetospheric current systems it is argued that the galactic current might produce double layers where a large energy dissipation takes place. This leads to a theory of the double radio sources which within the necessary wide limits of uncertainty is quantitatively reconcilable with observations. (author)

What Are “X-shaped” Radio Sources Telling Us? II. Properties of a Sample of 87

Science.gov (United States)

Saripalli, Lakshmi; Roberts, David H.

2018-01-01

In an earlier paper, we presented Jansky Very Large Array multi-frequency, multi-array continuum imaging of a unique sample of low-axial ratio radio galaxies. In this paper, the second in the series, we examine the images to learn the phenomenology of how the off-axis emission relates to the main radio source. Inversion-symmetric offset emission appears to be bimodal and to originate from one of two strategic locations: outer ends of radio lobes (outer-deviation) or from inner ends (inner-deviation). The latter sources are almost always associated with edge-brightened sources. With S- and Z-shaped sources being a subset of outer-deviation sources, this class lends itself naturally to explanations involving black hole axis precession. Our data allow us to present a plausible model for the more enigmatic inner-deviation sources with impressive wings; as for outer-deviation sources these too require black hole axis shifts, although they also require plasma backflows into relic channels. Evolution in morphology over time relates the variety in structures in inner-deviation sources including XRGs. With features such as non-collinearities, central inner-S “spine,” corresponding lobe emission peaks, double and protruding hotspots not uncommon, black hole axis precession, drifts, or flips could be active in a significant fraction of radio sources with prominent off-axis emission. At least 4% of radio galaxies appear to undergo black hole axis rotation. Quasars offer a key signature for recognizing rotating axes. With a rich haul of sources that have likely undergone axis rotation, our work shows the usefulness of low-axial ratio sources in pursuing searches for binary supermassive black holes.

Magnetic field structures in active compact radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, T.W.; Rudnick, L.; Fiedler, R.L.; Aller, H.D.; Aller, M.F.; Hodge, P.E.

1985-01-01

The analysis of simultaneous multifrequency linear polarimetry data between 1.4 GHz and 90 GHz for about 20 active, compact radio sources at six epochs from 1977 December 10 1980 July is presented. In addition, monthly 8 Ghz polarization data on the same sources were examined. The general polarization characteristics of these sources can be well described in terms of magnetic fields which are largely turbulent and slightly anisotropic. The magnetic field symmetry axes are generally aligned with the source structural axes on the milli-arcsecond scale (OJ 287 is a notable exception.) Monte Carlo calculations indicate that observed polarization variations and in particular rotator polarization events can be produced in this model as a consequence of random walks generated through evolution of the turbulent magnetic field. 43 references

Novel reconfigurable wide-beam radio interferometer for space physics instrumentation

Science.gov (United States)

Dekoulis, George; Honary, Farideh

2008-07-01

This paper describes the instrumentation design of a novel wide-beam interferometer system for radio astronomy studies. The system measures the Earth's or another planet's atmospheric layers attenuation of the highly energetic galactic electron emissions superimposed on the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) and other last scattering surface galactic and extragalactic radio astronomical background emissions. Right ascension coordinates are surveyed in a unique manner in terms of digital signal processing flexibility, compared to existing wide-beam instrumentations, allowing higher resolution analysis of the captured Space Physics events. The system provides a prototyping platform for other Space Physics projects, since a modular software and hardware design approach has been followed. The system is reconfigurable to meet a variety of testing scenarios.

THE FLUENCE AND DISTANCE DISTRIBUTIONS OF FAST RADIO BURSTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vedantham, H. K.; Ravi, V.; Hallinan, G.; Shannon, R. M.

2016-01-01

Fast radio bursts (FRB) are millisecond-duration radio pulses with apparent extragalactic origins. All but two of the FRBs have been discovered using the Parkes dish, which employs multiple beams formed by an array of feed horns on its focal plane. In this paper, we show that (i) the preponderance of multiple-beam detections and (ii) the detection rates for varying dish diameters can be used to infer the index α of the cumulative fluence distribution function (the log N –log F function: α = 1.5 for a non-evolving population in a Euclidean universe). If all detected FRBs arise from a single progenitor population, multiple-beam FRB detection rates from the Parkes telescope yield the constraint 0.52 < α < 1.0 with 90% confidence. Searches at other facilities with different dish sizes refine the constraint to 0.5 < α < 0.9. Our results favor FRB searches with smaller dishes, because for α < 1 the gain in field of view for a smaller dish is more important than the reduction in sensitivity. Further, our results suggest that (i) FRBs are not standard candles, and (ii) the distribution of distances to the detected FRBs is weighted toward larger distances. If FRBs are extragalactic, these results are consistent with a cosmological population, which would make FRBs excellent probes of the baryonic content and geometry of the universe.

THE EXTRAGALACTIC DISTANCE DATABASE: ALL DIGITAL H I PROFILE CATALOG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Courtois, Helene M.; Bonhomme, Nicolas; Tully, R. Brent; Zavodny, Maximilian; Barnes, Austin; Fisher, J. Richard

2009-01-01

An important component of the Extragalactic Distance Database is a group of catalogs related to the measurement of H I line profile parameters. One of these is the All Digital H I catalog which contains an amalgam of information from new data and old. The new data result from observations with Arecibo and Parkes Telescopes and with the Green Bank Telescope, including continuing input since the award of the NRAO Cosmic Flows Large Program. The old data have been collected from archives, wherever available, particularly the Cornell University Digital H I Archive, the Nancay Telescope extragalactic H I archive, and the Australia Telescope H I archive. The catalog currently contains information on ∼15, 000 profiles relating to ∼13, 000 galaxies. The channel-flux per channel files, from whatever source, is carried through a common pipeline. The derived parameter of greatest interest is W m50 , the profile width at 50% of the mean flux. After appropriate adjustment, the parameter W mx is derived, the line width that statistically approximates the peak-to-peak maximum rotation velocity before correction for inclination, 2V max sini.

FROM GALACTIC TO EXTRAGALACTIC JETS: A REVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James H. Beall

2013-12-01

Full Text Available An analysis of the data that have recently become available from observing campaigns, including VLA, VLBA, and satellite instruments, shows some remarkable similarities and significant differences in the data from some epochs of galactic microquasars, including GRS 1915+105, the concurrent radio and X-ray data [3] on Centaurus A (NGC 5128, 3C120 [35], and 3C454.3 as reported by Bonning et al. [16], which showed the first results from the Fermi Space Telescope for the concurrent variability at optical, UV, IR, and g-ray variability of that source. In combination with observations from microquasars and quasars from the MOJAVE Collaboration [32], these data provide time-dependent evolutions of radio data at mas (i.e., parsec for AGNs, and Astronomical Unit scales for microquasars. These sources all show a remarkable richness of patterns of variability for astrophysical jets across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. It is likely that these patterns of variability arise from the complex structures through which the jets propagate, but it is also possible that the jets constitution, initial energy, and collimation have significant observational consequences. On the other hand, Ulrich et al. [42] suggest that this picture is complicated for radio-quiet AGN by the presence of significant emission from accretion disks in those sources. Consistent with the jet-ambient-medium hypothesis, the observed concurrent radio and X-ray variability of Centaurus A [3] could have been caused by the launch of a jet element from Cen A’s central source and that jet’s interaction with the interstellar medium in the core region of that galaxy.

Do the enigmatic ``Infrared-Faint Radio Sources'' include pulsars?

Science.gov (United States)

Hobbs, George; Middelberg, Enno; Norris, Ray; Keith, Michael; Mao, Minnie; Champion, David

2009-04-01

The Australia Telescope Large Area Survey (ATLAS) team have surveyed seven square degrees of sky at 1.4GHz. During processing some unexpected infrared-faint radio sources (IFRS sources) were discovered. The nature of these sources is not understood, but it is possible that some of these sources may be pulsars within our own galaxy. We propose to observe the IFRS sources with steep spectral indices using standard search techniques to determine whether or not they are pulsars. A pulsar detection would 1) remove a subset of the IFRS sources from the ATLAS sample so they would not need to be observed with large optical/IR telescopes to find their hosts and 2) be intrinsically interesting as the pulsar would be a millisecond pulsar and/or have an extreme spatial velocity.

Radio measurements in the fields of gamma-ray sources. Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sieber, W.; Schlickeiser, R.

1982-01-01

The γ-ray source CG 195+04 has been searched for radio counterparts at wavelengths between 2.8 cm and 18 cm with the 100-m telescope of the Max-Planck-Institut fuer Radioastronomie, Bonn. We have detected a number of sources and measured their spectra. Our positions may form the basis for future surveys in other frequency ranges. Different physical emission models suggest compactness of the γ-ray source. (orig.)

Fundamental limits of radio interferometers: calibration and source parameter estimation

OpenAIRE

Trott, Cathryn M.; Wayth, Randall B.; Tingay, Steven J.

2012-01-01

We use information theory to derive fundamental limits on the capacity to calibrate next-generation radio interferometers, and measure parameters of point sources for instrument calibration, point source subtraction, and data deconvolution. We demonstrate the implications of these fundamental limits, with particular reference to estimation of the 21cm Epoch of Reionization power spectrum with next-generation low-frequency instruments (e.g., the Murchison Widefield Array -- MWA, Precision Arra...

Star Formation Rates in Lyman Break Galaxies: Radio Stacking of LBGs in the COSMOS Field and the Sub-μJy Radio Source Population

Science.gov (United States)

Carilli, C. L.; Lee, Nicholas; Capak, P.; Schinnerer, E.; Lee, K.-S.; McCraken, H.; Yun, M. S.; Scoville, N.; Smolčić, V.; Giavalisco, M.; Datta, A.; Taniguchi, Y.; Urry, C. Megan

2008-12-01

We present an analysis of the radio properties of large samples of Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) at z ~ 3, 4, and 5 from the COSMOS field. The median stacking analysis yields a statistical detection of the z ~ 3 LBGs (U-band dropouts), with a 1.4 GHz flux density of 0.90 +/- 0.21 μJy. The stacked emission is unresolved, with a size = 3 is smaller than at lower redshifts. Conversely, the radio luminosity for a given star formation rate may be systematically lower at very high redshift. Two possible causes for a suppressed radio luminosity are (1) increased inverse Compton cooling of the relativistic electron population due to scattering off the increasing CMB at high redshift or (2) cosmic-ray diffusion from systematically smaller galaxies. The radio detections of individual sources are consistent with a radio-loud AGN fraction of 0.3%. One source is identified as a very dusty, extreme starburst galaxy (a "submillimeter galaxy"). Based on observations in the COSMOS Legacy Survey including those taken on the HST, Keck, NRAO-VLA, Subaru, KPNO 4 m, CTIO 4 m, and CFHT 3.6 m. The Very Large Array of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope Observations of Head–Tail Radio Galaxies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sebastian, Biny; Lal, Dharam V.; Rao, A. Pramesh, E-mail: biny@ncra.tifr.res.in [National Center for Radio Astrophysics—Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Post Box 3, Ganeshkhind P.O., Pune 41007 (India)

2017-10-01

We present results from a study of seven large known head–tail radio galaxies based on observations using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope at 240 and 610 MHz. These observations are used to study the radio morphologies and distribution of the spectral indices across the sources. The overall morphology of the radio tails of these sources is suggestive of random motions of the optical host around the cluster potential. The presence of multiple bends and wiggles in several head–tail sources is possibly due to the precessing radio jets. We find steepening of the spectral index along the radio tails. The prevailing equipartition magnetic field also decreases along the radio tails of these sources. These steepening trends are attributed to the synchrotron aging of plasma toward the ends of the tails. The dynamical ages of these sample sources have been estimated to be ∼10{sup 8} yr, which is a factor of six more than the age estimates from the radiative losses due to synchrotron cooling.

The excess radio background and fast radio transients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kehayias, John; Kephart, Thomas W.; Weiler, Thomas J.

2015-01-01

In the last few years ARCADE 2, combined with older experiments, has detected an additional radio background, measured as a temperature and ranging in frequency from 22 MHz to 10 GHz, not accounted for by known radio sources and the cosmic microwave background. One type of source which has not been considered in the radio background is that of fast transients (those with event times much less than the observing time). We present a simple estimate, and a more detailed calculation, for the contribution of radio transients to the diffuse background. As a timely example, we estimate the contribution from the recently-discovered fast radio bursts (FRBs). Although their contribution is likely 6 or 7 orders of magnitude too small (though there are large uncertainties in FRB parameters) to account for the ARCADE 2 excess, our development is general and so can be applied to any fast transient sources, discovered or yet to be discovered. We estimate parameter values necessary for transient sources to noticeably contribute to the radio background

Modeling radio circular polarization in the Crab nebula

Science.gov (United States)

Bucciantini, N.; Olmi, B.

2018-03-01

In this paper, we present, for the first time, simulated maps of the circularly polarized synchrotron emission from the Crab nebula, using multidimensional state of the art models for the magnetic field geometry. Synchrotron emission is the signature of non-thermal emitting particles, typical of many high-energy astrophysical sources, both Galactic and extragalactic ones. Its spectral and polarization properties allow us to infer key information on the particles distribution function and magnetic field geometry. In recent years, our understanding of pulsar wind nebulae has improved substantially thanks to a combination of observations and numerical models. A robust detection or non-detection of circular polarization will enable us to discriminate between an electron-proton plasma and a pair plasma, clarifying once for all the origin of the radio emitting particles, setting strong constraints on the pair production in pulsar magnetosphere, and the role of turbulence in the nebula. Previous attempts at measuring the circular polarization have only provided upper limits, but the lack of accurate estimates, based on reliable models, makes their interpretation ambiguous. We show here that those results are above the expected values, and that current polarimetric techniques are not robust enough for conclusive result, suggesting that improvements in construction and calibration of next generation radio facilities are necessary to achieve the desired sensitivity.

The symmetry, misalignment and kinematic evolution of double radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macklin, J.T.

1981-01-01

The symmetry properties of a carefully selected sample of 76 double radio sources have been examined. It is found that: (1) The average intrinsic misalignment (the ratio of the displacement of the optical object to the source size, before projection) of these sources is 0.038, independent of the intrinsic size; (2) sources which are most misaligned tend to have the highest values of D, the ratio of hot-spot separations from the nucleus; (3) hot spots are more asymmetric in brightness than are tails; and (4) the relative brightness of hot spots is not correlated with D, but the relation between D and F, the ratio of total flux densities in components, implies that most of the diffuse structure tends to be associated with the hot spot closer to the optical identification. Computer simulations have been used to examine (2); this is best explained if the major contribution to the D distribution is independent of orientation and is correlated with the intrinsic misalignment. It is shown that (2) is in conflict with the hypothesis that motion of the parent galaxy relative to the intergalactic medium makes the dominant contribution to the observed misalignment. (3) and (4) can be explained in terms of a beam model of double radio sources which includes the effects of the external environment. (author)

Understanding (Galactic) Foreground Emission: A Road To Success For The LOFAR-EoR Experiment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jelic, Vibor; Lofar Eor Team, [Unknown

The LOFAR-EoR experiment will use the innovative technology and capabilities of the radio telescope LOFAR to study the Epoch of Reionization (EoR). However, feeble cosmological radiation is swamped by the prominent foreground emission of our Galaxy and other extragalactic radio sources. This

PySE: Python Source Extractor for radio astronomical images

Science.gov (United States)

Spreeuw, Hanno; Swinbank, John; Molenaar, Gijs; Staley, Tim; Rol, Evert; Sanders, John; Scheers, Bart; Kuiack, Mark

2018-05-01

PySE finds and measures sources in radio telescope images. It is run with several options, such as the detection threshold (a multiple of the local noise), grid size, and the forced clean beam fit, followed by a list of input image files in standard FITS or CASA format. From these, PySe provides a list of found sources; information such as the calculated background image, source list in different formats (e.g. text, region files importable in DS9), and other data may be saved. PySe can be integrated into a pipeline; it was originally written as part of the LOFAR Transient Detection Pipeline (TraP, ascl:1412.011).

J1649+2635: A Grand-Design Spiral with a Large Double-Lobed Radio Source

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Minnie Y.; Owen, Frazer; Duffin, Ryan; Keel, Bill; Lacy, Mark; Momjian, Emmanuel; Morrison, Glenn; Mroczkowski, Tony; Neff, Susan; Norris, Ray P.;

NEW DISCOVERIES FROM THE ARECIBO 327 MHz DRIFT PULSAR SURVEY RADIO TRANSIENT SEARCH

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deneva, J. S. [National Research Council, resident at the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Stovall, K. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 (United States); McLaughlin, M. A.; Bagchi, M.; Garver-Daniels, N. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506 (United States); Bates, S. D. [The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, 600113 (India); Freire, P. C. C.; Martinez, J. G. [Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn (Germany); Jenet, F. [Center for Advanced Radio Astronomy, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Texas at Brownsville, Brownsville, TX 78520 (United States)

2016-04-10

We present Clusterrank, a new algorithm for identifying dispersed astrophysical pulses. Such pulses are commonly detected from Galactic pulsars and rotating radio transients (RRATs), which are neutron stars with sporadic radio emission. More recently, isolated, highly dispersed pulses dubbed fast radio bursts (FRBs) have been identified as the potential signature of an extragalactic cataclysmic radio source distinct from pulsars and RRATs. Clusterrank helped us discover 14 pulsars and 8 RRATs in data from the Arecibo 327 MHz Drift Pulsar Survey (AO327). The new RRATs have DMs in the range 23.5–86.6 pc cm{sup −3} and periods in the range 0.172–3.901 s. The new pulsars have DMs in the range 23.6–133.3 pc cm{sup −3} and periods in the range 1.249–5.012 s, and include two nullers and a mode-switching object. We estimate an upper limit on the all-sky FRB rate of 10{sup 5} day{sup −1} for bursts with a width of 10 ms and flux density ≳83 mJy. The DMs of all new discoveries are consistent with a Galactic origin. In comparing statistics of the new RRATs with sources from the RRATalog, we find that both sets are drawn from the same period distribution. In contrast, we find that the period distribution of the new pulsars is different from the period distributions of canonical pulsars in the ATNF catalog or pulsars found in AO327 data by a periodicity search. This indicates that Clusterrank is a powerful complement to periodicity searches and uncovers a subset of the pulsar population that has so far been underrepresented in survey results and therefore in Galactic pulsar population models.

NEW DISCOVERIES FROM THE ARECIBO 327 MHz DRIFT PULSAR SURVEY RADIO TRANSIENT SEARCH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deneva, J. S.; Stovall, K.; McLaughlin, M. A.; Bagchi, M.; Garver-Daniels, N.; Bates, S. D.; Freire, P. C. C.; Martinez, J. G.; Jenet, F.

2016-01-01

We present Clusterrank, a new algorithm for identifying dispersed astrophysical pulses. Such pulses are commonly detected from Galactic pulsars and rotating radio transients (RRATs), which are neutron stars with sporadic radio emission. More recently, isolated, highly dispersed pulses dubbed fast radio bursts (FRBs) have been identified as the potential signature of an extragalactic cataclysmic radio source distinct from pulsars and RRATs. Clusterrank helped us discover 14 pulsars and 8 RRATs in data from the Arecibo 327 MHz Drift Pulsar Survey (AO327). The new RRATs have DMs in the range 23.5–86.6 pc cm −3 and periods in the range 0.172–3.901 s. The new pulsars have DMs in the range 23.6–133.3 pc cm −3 and periods in the range 1.249–5.012 s, and include two nullers and a mode-switching object. We estimate an upper limit on the all-sky FRB rate of 10 5  day −1 for bursts with a width of 10 ms and flux density ≳83 mJy. The DMs of all new discoveries are consistent with a Galactic origin. In comparing statistics of the new RRATs with sources from the RRATalog, we find that both sets are drawn from the same period distribution. In contrast, we find that the period distribution of the new pulsars is different from the period distributions of canonical pulsars in the ATNF catalog or pulsars found in AO327 data by a periodicity search. This indicates that Clusterrank is a powerful complement to periodicity searches and uncovers a subset of the pulsar population that has so far been underrepresented in survey results and therefore in Galactic pulsar population models

MERLIN observations of steep-spectrum radio sources at 6 cm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akujor, C.E.; Zhang, F.J.; Fanti, C.

1991-01-01

We present high-resolution observations of steep-spectrum radio sources made with MERLIN at 5 GHz. Thirty-one objects, comprising 11 quasars and 20 galaxies, most of them being 'Compact Steep-Spectrum' sources (CSSs), have been mapped with resolutions from 80 to 150 mas. This completes the current series of observations of CSS sources made with MERLIN at 5 GHz. We find that the majority of the quasars have complex structures, while galaxies tend to have double or triple structures, consistent with other recent studies of CSSs. (author)

The ALFALFA Extragalactic Catalog and Data Processing Pipeline

Science.gov (United States)

Kent, Brian R.; Haynes, Martha P.; Giovanelli, Riccardo; ALFALFA Team

2018-06-01

The Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA 21cm HI Survey has reached completion. The observations and data are used by team members and the astronomical community in a variety of scientific initiatives with gas-rich galaxies, cluster environments, and studies of low redshift cosmology. The survey covers nearly 7000 square degrees of high galactic latitude sky visible from Arecibo, Puerto Rico and ~4400 hours of observations from 2005 to 2011. We present the extragalactic HI source catalog of over ~31,000 detections, their measured properties, and associated derived parameters. The observations were carefully reduced using a custom made data reduction pipeline and interface. Team members interacted with this pipeline through observation planning, calibration, imaging, source extraction, and cataloging. We describe this processing workflow as it pertains to the complexities of the single-dish multi-feed data reduction as well as known caveats of the source catalog and spectra for use in future astronomical studies and analysis. The ALFALFA team at Cornell has been supported by NSF grants AST-0607007, AST-1107390 and AST-1714828 and by grants from the Brinson Foundation.

The Very Large Array: Pioneering New Directions in Radio Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

McKinnon, Mark

2018-01-01

The Very Large Array (VLA) started science operations in 1980 and was rechristened the Jansky VLA after a major upgrade to its electronics system was completed in 2012. The VLA plays a prominent role in scientific discovery through studies of the Solar System, star and planet formation, galaxy formation, and time domain astronomy. It has attained iconic status as one of the most scientifically productive telescopes on EarthIn 2017, three major initiatives were launched at the VLA with the goal of maintaining its leadership role and impact in radio astronomy in the near and long term future:1. In September, the VLA embarked upon the VLA Sky Survey (VLASS), the highest resolution survey ever undertaken at radio wavelengths. The survey was planned in consultation with the astronomy community and will be used to search for transients, study the polarization properties of extragalactic radio sources, and study highly obscured sources in our Galaxy.2. Detailed planning for a next generation VLA (ngVLA) began in earnest in 2017. The ngVLA will open a new window on the Universe through ultra-sensitive imaging of thermal line and continuum emission down to milliarcsecond resolution, as well as unprecedented broad-band continuum polarimetric imaging of non-thermal processes. A proposal for the instrument will be submitted to the 2020 Decadal Survey.3. A multi-year program to replace the 40+ year old infrastructure at the VLA site was initiated in 2017. The program includes the replacement of the VLA’s electrical infrastructure in 2018, improvements to the VLA rail system, and the replacement of heavy maintenance equipment.The VLA continued to play a major role in discovering and explaining the physics of transient phenomena in 2017, to include fast transients, such as fast radio bursts, and long time scale transients, such as novae, tidal disruption events, and gamma-ray bursts.More thorough descriptions of the VLASS and ngVLA, along with the science that can be done with

FIRST Bent-Double Radio Sources: Tracers of High-Redshift Clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanton, E. L.; Gregg, M. D.; Helfand, D. J.; Becker, R. H.; White, R. L.

2000-01-01

Bent-double radio sources can act as tracers for clusters of galaxies. We present imaging and spectroscopic observations of the environments surrounding 10 of these sources (most of them wide-angle tails [WATs]) selected from the VLA FIRST survey. Our results reveal a previously unknown cluster associated with eight of the radio sources with redshifts in the range 0.33< z<0.85; furthermore, we cannot rule out that the other two bent doubles may be associated with clusters at higher redshift. Richness measurements indicate that these clusters are typical of the majority of those found in the Abell catalog, with a range of Abell richness classes from 0 to 2. The line-of-sight velocity dispersions are very different from cluster to cluster, ranging from approximately 300 to 1100 km s-1. At the upper end of these intervals, we may be sampling some of the highest redshift massive clusters known. Alternatively, the large velocity dispersions measured in some of the clusters may indicate that they are merging systems with significant substructure, consistent with recent ideas concerning WAT formation (Burns et al.). (c) 2000 The American Astronomical Society

A search for HI in elliptical galaxies with nuclear radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dressel, L.L.; Bania, T.M.; O'Connell, R.W.

1982-01-01

Two of the galaxies with large HI mass, NGC 1052 and 4278, are known to have powerful nuclear continuum radio sources (P 2380 approximately 10 22 WHz -1 ). Since both of these attributes are fairly rare among elliptical galaxies, their coexistence in these galaxies is not likely to have occurred by chance. The authors have therefore observed twelve other elliptical galaxies with nuclear radio power P 2380 > 10 22 WHz -1 at Arecibo Observatory, to determine whether a large mass of HI is a necessary auxillary to nuclear continuum emission. (Auth.)

Black hole gravitohydromagnetics

CERN Document Server

Punsly, Brian

2008-01-01

Black hole gravitohydromagnetics (GHM) is developed from the rudiments to the frontiers of research in this book. GHM describes plasma interactions that combine the effects of gravity and a strong magnetic field, in the vicinity (ergosphere) of a rapidly rotating black hole. This topic was created in response to the astrophysical quest to understand the central engines of radio loud extragalactic radio sources. The theory describes a "torsional tug of war" between rotating ergospheric plasma and the distant asymptotic plasma that extracts the rotational inertia of the black hole. The recoil from the struggle between electromagnetic and gravitational forces near the event horizon is manifested as a powerful pair of magnetized particle beams (jets) that are ejected at nearly the speed of light. These bipolar jets feed large-scale magnetized plasmoids on scales as large as millions of light years (the radio lobes of extragalactic radio sources). This interaction can initiate jets that transport energy fluxes exc...

The gaseous haloes of evolving galaxies: a probe using the linear sizes of radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Subramanian, K.; Swarup, G.

1990-01-01

As galaxies form and evolve, their gaseous haloes are expected to undergo corresponding evolution. We examine here whether observations of the linear sizes of radio sources can be used to probe such evolution. For this purpose we first represent the gas density at various stages of galaxy formation and evolution by means of simple model density profiles, and then work out the expected linear sizes (l) of radio sources in these models. (author)

The Extragalactic Lens VLBI Imaging Survey (ELVIS): Investigating galaxy cores and black holes with gravitational lens central images

Science.gov (United States)

Boyce, Edward R.

This thesis describes the Extragalactic Lens VLBI Imaging Survey (ELVIS), a search for central images in gravitational lenses. We present the first four ELVIS targets, for which we have radio VLBI observations with resolutions of a few milli-arcseconds and sensitivities of 15 - 38mJy. For PMN J1838-3427, CLASS B0739+366 and CLASS B0445+123 we have not detected any central images, but have set stringent upper limits on their flux densities. For CLASS B2319+051 we have made a tentative detection of a third radio source, which may be either a central image or radio emission from the lens galaxy. Using the upper limits on the central image flux densities, we gain new information about the matter distributions in the lens galaxies of these systems. We fit a broken power law model for the matter profile, and constrain the allowed break radii and inner index of this model. To demagnify the central images to the observed level the matter profiles must be slightly shallower than or steeper than isothermal, which is consistent with previous studies of early type galaxy profiles. The presence of a super-massive black hole weakens the constraints somewhat, but the profiles are still close to isothermal. Relative to previous work, we reduce the maximum sizes of shallow cores by factors of 2 to 3, and raise the indices of r 0( r -g central cusps by g = 0.05 - 0.35. If we take the source in B2319+051 to be a central image, then we select a narrow band of allowed break radii and inner indices, finding that a constant density core has size 150--380 pc, and a pure power law has index g = 1.5 - 1.67. Our constraints still allow sufficiently shallow profiles that some super-massive black holes may form central image pairs rather than eliminating the central image, and these image pairs may be detected with future instruments. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)

Extragalactic astronomy and cosmology an introduction

CERN Document Server

Schneider, Peter

2015-01-01

Accounting for the astonishing developments in the field of Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology, this second edition has been updated and substantially expanded. Starting with the description of our home galaxy, the Milky Way, this cogently written textbook introduces the reader to the astronomy of galaxies, their structure, active galactic nuclei, evolution and large scale distribution in the Universe. After an extensive and thorough introduction to modern observational and theoretical cosmology, the focus turns to the formation of structures and astronomical objects in the early Universe. The basics of classical astronomy and stellar astrophysics needed for extragalactic astronomy are provided in the appendix. The new edition incorporates some of the most spectacular results from new observatories like the Galaxy Evolution Explorer, Herschel, ALMA, WMAP and Planck, as well as new instruments and multi-wavelength campaigns which have expanded our understanding of the Universe and the objects populating it....

Note: A versatile radio-frequency source for cold atom experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Na; Wu, Yu-Ping; Min, Hao; Yang, Tao; Jiang, Xiao, E-mail: jiangx@ustc.edu.cn [Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale and Department of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); CAS Center for Excellence and Synergetic Innovation Center in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China)

2016-08-15

A radio-frequency (RF) source designed for cold atom experiments is presented. The source uses AD9858, a direct digital synthesizer, to generate the sine wave directly, up to 400 MHz, with sub-Hz resolution. An amplitude control circuit consisting of wideband variable gain amplifier and high speed digital to analog converter is integrated into the source, capable of 70 dB off isolation and 4 ns on-off keying. A field programmable gate array is used to implement a versatile frequency and amplitude co-sweep logic. Owing to modular design, the RF sources have been used on many cold atom experiments to generate various complicated RF sequences, enriching the operation schemes of cold atoms, which cannot be done by standard RF source instruments.

On the radio source scintillations caused by plasma inhomogeneities behind a shock wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pimenov, S.F.

1984-01-01

The turbulence in the interplanetary and interstellar medium is shown to become anisotropic and statistically inhomogeneous after a shock wave passing. Scintillation intensity spectra of radio sources are estimated. The possibilities to derive the inhomogeneity spectra and source brightness distribution from scintillation changes are discussed

FAINT RADIO-SOURCES WITH PEAKED SPECTRA .1. VLA OBSERVATIONS OF A NEW SAMPLE WITH INTERMEDIATE FLUX-DENSITIES

NARCIS (Netherlands)

SNELLEN, IAG; ZHANG, M; SCHILIZZI, RT; ROTTGERING, HJA; DEBRUYN, AG; MILEY, GK

We present 2 and 20 cm observations with the VLA of 25 candidate peaked spectrum radio sources. These data combined with those from earlier surveys have allowed us to construct radio spectra spanning a range of frequency from 0.3 to 15 GHz. Ten of the 25 sources are found to be variable with no

Occultations of Astrophysical Radio Sources as Probes of Planetary Environments: A Case Study of Jupiter and Possible Applications to Exoplanets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Withers, Paul [Astronomy Department, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 (United States); Vogt, Marissa F. [Center for Space Physics, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 (United States)

2017-02-10

Properties of planetary atmospheres, ionospheres, and magnetospheres are difficult to measure from Earth. Radio occultations are a common method for measuring these properties, but they traditionally rely on radio transmissions from a spacecraft near the planet. Here, we explore whether occultations of radio emissions from a distant astrophysical radio source can be used to measure magnetic field strength, plasma density, and neutral density around planets. In a theoretical case study of Jupiter, we find that significant changes in polarization angle due to Faraday rotation occur for radio signals that pass within 10 Jupiter radii of the planet and that significant changes in frequency and power occur from radio signals that pass through the neutral atmosphere. There are sufficient candidate radio sources, such as pulsars, active galactic nuclei, and masers, that occultations are likely to occur at least once per year. For pulsars, time delays in the arrival of their emitted pulses can be used to measure plasma density. Exoplanets, whose physical properties are very challenging to observe, may also occult distant astrophysical radio sources, such as their parent stars.

Multi-epoch intranight optical monitoring of eight radio-quiet BL Lac candidates

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, P.; Gopal-Krishna; Stalin, C. S.; Chand, H.; Srianand, R.; Petitjean, P.

2017-10-01

For a new sample of eight weak-line quasars (WLQs) we report a sensitive search in 20 intranight monitoring sessions, for blazar-like optical flux variations on hour-like and longer time-scale (day/month/year-like). The sample consists exclusively of the WLQs that are not radio-loud and either have been classified as 'radio-weak probable BL Lac candidates' and/or are known to have exhibited at least one episode of large, blazar-like optical variability. Whereas only a hint of intranight variability is seen for two of these WLQs, J104833.5+620305.0 (z = 0.219) and J133219.6+622715.9 (z = 3.15), statistically significant internight variability at a few per cent level is detected for three of the sources, including the radio-intermediate WLQ J133219.6+622715.9 (z = 3.15) and the well-known bona fide radio-quiet WLQs J121221.5+534128.0 (z = 3.10) and WLQ J153259.9-003944.1 (z = 4.62). In the rest frame, this variability is intraday and in the far-ultraviolet band. On the time-scale of a decade, we find for three of the WLQs large brightness changes, amounting to 1.655 ± 0.009, 0.163 ± 0.010 and 0.144 ± 0.018 mag, for J104833.5+620305.0, J123743.1+630144.9 and J232428.4+144324.4, respectively. Whereas the latter two are confirmed radio-quiet WLQs, the extragalactic nature of J104833.5+620305.0 remains to be well established, thanks to the absence of any feature(s) in its available optical spectra. This study forms a part of our ongoing campaign of intranight optical monitoring of radio-quiet WLQs, in order to improve the understanding of this enigmatic class of active galactic nuclei and to look among them for a possible tiny, elusive population of radio-quiet BL Lacs.

The radio and optical counterpart of the new Fermi LAT flaring source J0109+6134

Science.gov (United States)

Paredes, J. M.; Martí, J.; Peracaula, M.

2010-02-01

Following the recent ATELs #2414, #2416 and #2420 concerning the Fermi-LAT, AGILE and Swift/XRT consistent detections of the new gamma-ray flaring source J0109+6134, we wish to remind that the proposed radio counterpart (VCS2 J0109+6133/GT 0106+613) was extensively observed nearly two decades ago by different authors in the context of the GT catalogue of Galactic Plane radio sources (Taylor and Gregory 1983, AJ, 88, 1784; Gregory and Taylor 1986, AJ 92, 371).

Model of the Sgr B2 radio source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gosachinskij, I.V.; Khersonskij, V.K.

1981-01-01

The dynamical model of the gas cloud around the radio source Sagittarius B2 is suggested. This model describes the kinematic features of the gas in this source: contraction of the core and rotation of the envelope. The stability of the cloud at the initial stage is supported by the turbulent motion of the gas, turbulence energy dissipates due to magnetic viscosity. This process is occurring more rapidly in the dense core and the core begins to collapse but the envelope remains stable. The parameters of the primary cloud and some parameters (mass, density and size) of the collapse are calculated. The conditions in the core at the moment of its fragmentation into masses of stellar order are established [ru

Determination of the properties of magnetic turbulence in radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spangler, S.R.

1983-01-01

We have considered the transport of polarized synchrotron radiation in a source possessing a highly irregular magnetic field, as proposed by Laing. The transport equation has been solved in a special case, relating the observable correlation functions in the Stokes parameters Q and U to the correlation functions of magnetic field and plasma density in the source. A rough application of our results to observations of the radio galaxy 3C 166 indicates that the turbulent scale length may be a few percent of the lobe size

Radio astronomy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagnibeda, V.G.

1981-01-01

The history of radio astronomical observations at the Astronomical Observatory of Leningrad State University is reviewed. Various facilities are described, and methods and instruments used are discussed. Some results are summarized for radio observations of the sun, including observations of local sources of solar radio emission, the absolute solar radio flux, and radio emission from filaments and prominences.

THE COMPACT, TIME-VARIABLE RADIO SOURCE PROJECTED INSIDE W3(OH): EVIDENCE FOR A PHOTOEVAPORATED DISK?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dzib, Sergio A.; Rodríguez-Garza, Carolina B.; Rodríguez, Luis F.; Kurtz, Stan E.; Loinard, Laurent; Zapata, Luis A.; Lizano, Susana

2013-01-01

We present new Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) observations of the compact (∼0.''05), time-variable radio source projected near the center of the ultracompact H II region W3(OH). The analysis of our new data as well as of VLA archival observations confirms the variability of the source on timescales of years and for a given epoch indicates a spectral index of α = 1.3 ± 0.3 (S ν ∝ν α ). This spectral index and the brightness temperature of the source (∼6500 K) suggest that we are most likely detecting partially optically thick free-free radiation. The radio source is probably associated with the ionizing star of W3(OH), but an interpretation in terms of an ionized stellar wind fails because the detected flux densities are orders of magnitude larger than expected. We discuss several scenarios and tentatively propose that the radio emission could arise in a static ionized atmosphere around a fossil photoevaporated disk

Dissecting the Gamma-Ray Background in Search of Dark Matter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cholis, Ilias; Hooper, Dan; McDermott, Samuel D.

2014-02-01

Several classes of astrophysical sources contribute to the approximately isotropic gamma-ray background measured by the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope. In this paper, we use Fermi's catalog of gamma-ray sources (along with corresponding source catalogs at infrared and radio wavelengths) to build and constrain a model for the contributions to the extragalactic gamma-ray background from astrophysical sources, including radio galaxies, star-forming galaxies, and blazars. We then combine our model with Fermi's measurement of the gamma-ray background to derive constraints on the dark matter annihilation cross section, including contributions from both extragalactic and galactic halos and subhalos. The resulting constraints are competitive with the strongest current constraints from the Galactic Center and dwarf spheroidal galaxies. As Fermi continues to measure the gamma-ray emission from a greater number of astrophysical sources, it will become possible to more tightly constrain the astrophysical contributions to the extragalactic gamma-ray background. We project that with 10 years of data, Fermi's measurement of this background combined with the improved constraints on the astrophysical source contributions will yield a sensitivity to dark matter annihilations that exceeds the strongest current constraints by a factor of ~ 5 - 10.

CANDELS: The Cosmic Assembly Near-Infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Grogin, Norman A.; Koekemoer, anton M.; Faber, S. M.; Ferguson, Henry C.; Kocevski, Dale D.; Riess, Adam G.; Acquaviva, Viviana; Alexander, David M.; Almaini, Omar; Ashby, Matthew L. N.;

Laser jets in extra-galactic radio sources. | SIGALO | Global Journal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

org/10.4314/gjpas.v6i2.16128 · AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for Librarians · for Authors · FAQ's · More about AJOL · AJOL's Partners · Terms and Conditions of Use · Contact AJOL · News. OTHER ...

The Compact Radio Sources in the Nucleus of NGC 1068

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, A. L.; Colbert, E. J. M.; Wilson, A. S.; Ulvestad, J. S.

1998-09-01

We report VLBA images of the nucleus of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 1068 at 1.7, 5, and 15 GHz, with resolutions between 3 and 10 mas (0.2-0.7 pc) and a sensitivity of ~106 K at all three frequencies. Our goals are to study the morphology of the radio emission at subparsec resolution and to investigate thermal gas in the putative obscuring disk or torus and in the narrow-line region clouds through free-free absorption of the radio emission. All four known radio components in the central arcsecond (S2, S1, C, and NE, from south to north) have been detected at either 1.7 or 5 GHz, or both. No radio emission was detected at 15 GHz. Component S1 is probably associated with the active nucleus, with radio emission originating from the inner edge of the obscuring torus according to Gallimore et al. Our observed flux densities at 1.7 and 5 GHz are in agreement with their thermal bremsstrahlung emission model, and we find that the nuclear radiation may be strong enough to heat the gas in S1 to the required temperature of ~4 × 106 K. The bremsstrahlung power would be 0.15(frefl/0.01) times the bolometric luminosity of the nucleus between 1014.6 and 1018.4 Hz (where frefl is the fraction of radiation reflected into our line of sight by the electron-scattering mirror) and so the model is energetically reasonable. We also discuss two other models for S1 that also match the observed radio spectrum: electron scattering by the torus of radio emission from a compact synchrotron self-absorbed source and synchrotron radiation from the torus itself. Components NE and S2 have spectra consistent with optically thin synchrotron emission, without significant absorption. Both of these components are elongated roughly perpendicular to the larger scale radio jet, suggesting that their synchrotron emission is related to transverse shocks in the jet or to bow shocks in the external medium. Component C has a nonthermal spectrum absorbed at low frequency. This absorption is consistent with free

Origin of the ankle in the ultrahigh energy cosmic ray spectrum, and of the extragalactic protons below it

Science.gov (United States)

Unger, Michael; Farrar, Glennys R.; Anchordoqui, Luis A.

2015-12-01

The sharp change in slope of the ultrahigh energy cosmic ray (UHECR) spectrum around 1 018.6 eV (the ankle), combined with evidence of a light but extragalactic component near and below the ankle and intermediate composition above, has proved exceedingly challenging to understand theoretically, without fine-tuning. We propose a mechanism whereby photo-disintegration of ultrahigh energy nuclei in the region surrounding a UHECR accelerator accounts for the observed spectrum and inferred composition at Earth. For suitable source conditions, the model reproduces the spectrum and the composition over the entire extragalactic cosmic ray energy range, i.e. above 1 017.5 eV . Predictions for the spectrum and flavors of neutrinos resulting from this process are also presented.

On the nature of emission of the star-gas-dust complex of the W1 radio source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Udal'tsov, V.A.; Kovalenko, A.V.

1982-01-01

The brightness distribution of the radio source W 1 at 102 MHz has been investigated with the 187x384 m radio telescope in Pushchino. It is shown that W 1 is genetically connected with the stellar association Ceph IV as well as with the extended emission nebula GS 285 which consists of numerous nebulae, including two bright ones, Sharpless (S) 171 and NGC 7822. The radio emission of the nebula S 171 is shown to be thermal, and there is no Supernova remnant in it, in contrast with the other authors' suggestion. By two independent methods, the distance to S 171 has been evaluated to be 840 pc. The emission of NGC 7822 is mainly thermal. The extended nebula GS 285 is a thermal source, not a remnant of a Supernova that had exploded in a dense gas - dust medium, as was believed by other authors. Attention is drawn to the wrong identification by many authors of the radio source in the S 171 region with the nebula NGC 7822. It is shown that when measuring the difference of spectral indices of two sources, the calibration error may be eliminated if their calibration at given frequency is made by means of the same source [ru

AN X-RAY COOLING-CORE CLUSTER SURROUNDING A LOW-POWER COMPACT STEEP SPECTRUM RADIO SOURCE 1321+045

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kunert-Bajraszewska, M.; Siemiginowska, A.; Labiano, A.

2013-01-01

We discovered an X-ray cluster in a Chandra observation of the compact steep spectrum (CSS) radio source 1321+045 (z = 0.263). CSS sources are thought to be young radio objects at the beginning of their evolution and can potentially test the cluster heating process. 1321+045 is a relatively low-luminosity source and its morphology consists of two radio lobes on the opposite sides of a radio core with no evidence for jets or hotspots. The optical emission line ratios are consistent with an interstellar medium dominated by active galactic nucleus photoionization with a small contribution from star formation, and no contributions from shocks. Based on these ratios, we classify 1321+045 as a low excitation galaxy (LEG) and suggest that its radioactivity is in a coasting phase. The X-ray emission associated with the radio source is detected with 36.1 ± 8.3 counts, but the origin of this emission is highly uncertain. The current X-ray image of the cluster does not show any signatures of a radio source impact on the cluster medium. Chandra detects the cluster emission at >3σ level out to ∼60'' (240 kpc). We obtain the best-fit beta model parameters of the surface brightness profile of β = 0.58 ± 0.2 and a core radius of 9.4 +1.1 -0.9 arcsec. The average temperature of the cluster is equal to kT = 4.4 +0.5 -0.3 keV, with a temperature and cooling profile indicative of a cooling core. We measure the cluster luminosity L (0.5-2 k eV) = 3 × 10 44 erg s –1 and mass 1.5 × 10 14 M ☉

AN X-RAY COOLING-CORE CLUSTER SURROUNDING A LOW-POWER COMPACT STEEP SPECTRUM RADIO SOURCE 1321+045

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kunert-Bajraszewska, M. [Torun Centre for Astronomy, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, NCU, Grudziacka 5, 87-100 Torun (Poland); Siemiginowska, A. [Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden St, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Labiano, A., E-mail: magda@astro.uni.torun.pl [Centro de Astrobiologia (CSIC-INTA), Carretera de Ajalvir km. 4, E-28850 Torrejon de Ardoz, Madrid (Spain)

2013-07-20

We discovered an X-ray cluster in a Chandra observation of the compact steep spectrum (CSS) radio source 1321+045 (z = 0.263). CSS sources are thought to be young radio objects at the beginning of their evolution and can potentially test the cluster heating process. 1321+045 is a relatively low-luminosity source and its morphology consists of two radio lobes on the opposite sides of a radio core with no evidence for jets or hotspots. The optical emission line ratios are consistent with an interstellar medium dominated by active galactic nucleus photoionization with a small contribution from star formation, and no contributions from shocks. Based on these ratios, we classify 1321+045 as a low excitation galaxy (LEG) and suggest that its radioactivity is in a coasting phase. The X-ray emission associated with the radio source is detected with 36.1 {+-} 8.3 counts, but the origin of this emission is highly uncertain. The current X-ray image of the cluster does not show any signatures of a radio source impact on the cluster medium. Chandra detects the cluster emission at >3{sigma} level out to {approx}60'' (240 kpc). We obtain the best-fit beta model parameters of the surface brightness profile of {beta} = 0.58 {+-} 0.2 and a core radius of 9.4{sup +1.1}{sub -0.9} arcsec. The average temperature of the cluster is equal to kT = 4.4{sup +0.5}{sub -0.3} keV, with a temperature and cooling profile indicative of a cooling core. We measure the cluster luminosity L{sub (0.5-2{sub keV)}} = 3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 44} erg s{sup -1} and mass 1.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 14} M{sub Sun}.

Is the polarization of NGC1068 evidence for a non-thermal source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLean, I.S.; Aspin, C.; Heathcote, S.R.; McCaughrean, M.J.

1983-01-01

NGC1068 is one of the brightest galaxies included by Seyfert in his list of extragalactic objects having compact, luminous nuclei within which broad, high-excitation emission lines occur. It has been the subject of intensive studies at UV, optical, IR and radio wavelengths. Unresolved questions concern the nature and relationship of the sources of the excess flux seen in the UV and IR, their connection with the collimated jets apparent in high-resolution radio maps and their association with the extended region responsible for the broad emission lines. A further question is the location of any dust and its role in modifying the optical and UV spectrum. Observations are reported with two high-resolution optical spectro-polarimeters which throw new light on these questions. From detailed structure found in the linear polarization spectrum of the nucleus it is concluded that dilution by starlight modifies the polarization to an extent not previously appreciated. In fact the polarization of the non-stellar flux in the optical and near IR is approximately independent of wavelength (as expected for synchrotron emission or electron scattering) with a direction orthogonal to that of the radio jets; such an arrangement is reminiscent of certain quasars and radio galaxies. (author)

The rotation measures of radio sources and their interpretation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vallee, J.P.; Kronberg, P.P.

1975-01-01

Rotation measures of 251 discrete radio sources have been determined after incorporating new polarization data at short wavelenghts. These have been applied to a 'slab' model-fitting technique to determine the most likely spiral arm magnetic field structure. The best agreement is obtained for a longitudinal spiral arm magnetic field, directed toward (lII approximately 90 0 , bII approximately 0 0 ), but perturbed by an anomaly towards the North Galactic Spur. (orig.) [de

Capabilities of the NASA/IPAC extragalactic database in the era of a global virtual observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzarella, Joseph M.; Madore, Barry F.; Helou, George

2001-11-01

We review the capabilities of the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED, http://ned.ipac.caltech.edu) for information retrieval and knowledge discovery in the context of a globally distributed virtual observatory. Since it's inception in 1990, NED has provided astronomers world-wide with the results of a systematic cross-correlation of catalogs covering all wavelengths, along with thousands of extragalactic observations culled from published journal articles. NED is continuously being expanded and revised to include new catalogs and published observations, each undergoing a process of cross-identification to capture the current state of knowledge about extragalactic sources in a panchromatic fashion. In addition to assimilating data from the literature, the team in incrementally folding in millions of observations from new large-scale sky surveys such as 2MASS, NVSS, APM, and SDSS. At the time of writing the system contains over 3.3 million unique objects with 4.2 million cross-identifications. We summarize the recent evolution of NED from its initial emphasis on object name-, position-, and literature-based queries into a research environment that also assists statistical data exploration and discovery using large samples of objects. Newer capabilities enable intelligent Web mining of entries in geographically distributed astronomical archives that are indexed by object names and positions in NED, sample building using constraints on redshifts, object types and other parameters, as well as image and spectral archives for targeted or serendipitous discoveries. A pilot study demonstrates how NED is being used in conjunction with linked survey archives to characterize the properties of galaxy classes to form a training set for machine learning algorithms; an initial goal is production of statistical likelihoods that newly discovered sources belong to known classes, represent statistical outliers, or candidates for fundamentally new types of objects. Challenges and

Relativistic jet with shock waves like model of superluminal radio source. Jet relativista con ondas de choque como modelo de radio fuentes superluminales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alberdi, A.; Gomez, J.L.; Marcaide, J.M.

1993-01-01

The structure of the compact radio sources at milliarcsecond angular resolution can be explained in terms of shock waves propagating along bent jets. These jets consist of narrow-angle cones of plasma flowing at bulk relativistic velocities, within tangled magnetic fields, emitting synchrotron radiation. We have developed a numerical code which solves the synchrotron radiation transfer equations to compute the total and polarized emission of bent shocked relativistic jets, and we have applied it to reproduce the compact structure, kenimatic evolution and time flux density evolution of the superluminal radio source 4C 39.25 and to obtain its jet physical parameters. (Author) 23 ref.

H- radio frequency source development at the Spallation Neutron Source.

Science.gov (United States)

Welton, R F; Dudnikov, V G; Gawne, K R; Han, B X; Murray, S N; Pennisi, T R; Roseberry, R T; Santana, M; Stockli, M P; Turvey, M W

2012-02-01

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) now routinely operates nearly 1 MW of beam power on target with a highly persistent ∼38 mA peak current in the linac and an availability of ∼90%. H(-) beam pulses (∼1 ms, 60 Hz) are produced by a Cs-enhanced, multicusp ion source closely coupled with an electrostatic low energy beam transport (LEBT), which focuses the 65 kV beam into a radio frequency quadrupole accelerator. The source plasma is generated by RF excitation (2 MHz, ∼60 kW) of a copper antenna that has been encased with a thickness of ∼0.7 mm of porcelain enamel and immersed into the plasma chamber. The ion source and LEBT normally have a combined availability of ∼99%. Recent increases in duty-factor and RF power have made antenna failures a leading cause of downtime. This report first identifies the physical mechanism of antenna failure from a statistical inspection of ∼75 antennas which ran at the SNS, scanning electron microscopy studies of antenna surface, and cross sectional cuts and analysis of calorimetric heating measurements. Failure mitigation efforts are then described which include modifying the antenna geometry and our acceptance∕installation criteria. Progress and status of the development of the SNS external antenna source, a long-term solution to the internal antenna problem, are then discussed. Currently, this source is capable of delivering comparable beam currents to the baseline source to the SNS and, an earlier version, has briefly demonstrated unanalyzed currents up to ∼100 mA (1 ms, 60 Hz) on the test stand. In particular, this paper discusses plasma ignition (dc and RF plasma guns), antenna reliability, magnet overheating, and insufficient beam persistence.

New complete sample of identified radio sources. Part 2. Statistical study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soltan, A.

1978-01-01

Complete sample of radio sources with known redshifts selected in Paper I is studied. Source counts in the sample and the luminosity - volume test show that both quasars and galaxies are subject to the evolution. Luminosity functions for different ranges of redshifts are obtained. Due to many uncertainties only simplified models of the evolution are tested. Exponential decline of the liminosity with time of all the bright sources is in a good agreement both with the luminosity- volume test and N(S) realtion in the entire range of observed flux densities. It is shown that sources in the sample are randomly distributed in scales greater than about 17 Mpc. (author)

Spectrum of the extragalactic background light

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruzual A, G [Centro de Investigacion de Astronomia, Merida (Venezuela)

1981-01-01

The observed spectrum of the extragalactic background light in the range from ultraviolet to optical wavelengths is compared with a model prediction. The model uses the locally observed luminosity function of galaxies as well as evolutionary models for galaxy spectral energy distributions. The predicition is too faint by a factor of about 10.

Information Sources on U. S. Radio Regulations in the Law Library.

Science.gov (United States)

Lockwood, James D.

An annotated bibliography gives the radio regulations in the U.S., using sources available in the University of Michigan Law Library as well as the University of Michigan Libraries. Information is applicable to other law, university and public libraries. Relevant material on television regulations is included. Listings cover federal agencies, card…

The use of radio and television as sources of agricultural information ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study examined the use of radio and television as sources of agricultural information among poultry farmers in Egbeda Local Government area of Oyo State. Sixty farmers from 4 villages namely: Egbeda, Erunmu, Olode and Owobale were selected for this study. Primary data were collected from the respondents by ...

Differences in the size-internal velocity relation of galactic and extragalactic HII regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Odell, C.R.

1990-01-01

The nature of the size-internal velocity relation in extragalactic HII regions is examined in order to improve their use as distance determinants. The relation between the linear size and the internal velocity was compared for HII regions in the Galaxy and in external galaxies. Data for the former are from the researcher's own studies at high spatial resolution, while the latter have been the subject of spectroscopy that includes almost the entire objects. The Galactic HII regions are corrected to values of the internal velocity that would be observed if they were at extragalactic distances. A very different size-internal velocity relation was found for the two types of objects in the sense that the extragalactic objects are some ten times larger at the same internal velocity. This is interpreted to mean that the extragalactic HII regions are actually complexes of small HII regions comparable in size to their Galactic counterparts

THE COMPACT, TIME-VARIABLE RADIO SOURCE PROJECTED INSIDE W3(OH): EVIDENCE FOR A PHOTOEVAPORATED DISK?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dzib, Sergio A.; Rodriguez-Garza, Carolina B.; Rodriguez, Luis F.; Kurtz, Stan E.; Loinard, Laurent; Zapata, Luis A.; Lizano, Susana, E-mail: s.dzib@crya.unam.mx [Centro de Radiostronomia y Astrofisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Morelia 58089 (Mexico)

2013-08-01

We present new Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) observations of the compact ({approx}0.''05), time-variable radio source projected near the center of the ultracompact H II region W3(OH). The analysis of our new data as well as of VLA archival observations confirms the variability of the source on timescales of years and for a given epoch indicates a spectral index of {alpha} = 1.3 {+-} 0.3 (S{sub {nu}}{proportional_to}{nu}{sup {alpha}}). This spectral index and the brightness temperature of the source ({approx}6500 K) suggest that we are most likely detecting partially optically thick free-free radiation. The radio source is probably associated with the ionizing star of W3(OH), but an interpretation in terms of an ionized stellar wind fails because the detected flux densities are orders of magnitude larger than expected. We discuss several scenarios and tentatively propose that the radio emission could arise in a static ionized atmosphere around a fossil photoevaporated disk.

Fast radio bursts and their possible neutron star origins

Science.gov (United States)

Hessels, J. W. T.

2017-12-01

The discovery of the ‘Lorimer Burst’, a little over a decade ago, ignited renewed interest in searching for short-duration radio transients (Lorimer et al 2007 Science 318 777). This event is now considered to be the first established Fast Radio Burst (FRB), which is a class of millisecond-duration radio transients (Thornton et al 2013 Science 341 53). The large dispersive delays observed in FRBs distinguish them from the individual bright pulses from Galactic pulsars, and suggests that they originate deep in extragalactic space. Amazingly, FRBs are not rare: the implied event rate ranges up to many thousands of events per sky, per day (Champion et al 2016 MNRAS 460 L30). The fact that only two dozen FRBs have been discovered to date is a consequence of the limited sensitivity and field of view of current radio telescopes (Petroff et al 2016 PASA 33 e045). The precise localization of FRB 121102, the first and currently only FRB observed to repeat (Spitler et al 2014 ApJ 790 101; Spitler et al 2016 Nature 531 202; Scholz et al 2016 ApJ 833 177), has led to the unambiguous identification of its host galaxy and thus proven its extragalactic origin and large energy scale (Chatterjee et al 2017 Nature 541 58; Tendulkar et al 2017 ApJL 834 L7; Marcote et al 2017 ApJL 834 L8). It remains unclear, however, whether all FRBs are capable of repeating [many appear far less active (Petroff et al 2015 MNRAS 454 457)] or whether FRB 121102 implies that there are multiple sub-classes. Regardless, the repetitive nature of FRB 121102 and its localization to within a star-forming region in the host galaxy (Bassa et al 2017 ApJL 843 L8) imply that the bursts might originate from an exceptionally powerful neutron star - one necessarily quite unlike any we have observed in the Milky Way. In these proceedings, I give a very brief introduction to the FRB phenomenon and focus primarily on the insights that FRB 121102 has provided thus far.

The contribution of the Georges Heights Experimental Radar Antenna to Australian radio astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Orchiston, Wayne; Wendt, Harry

2017-12-01

During the late 1940s and throughout the1950s Australia was one of the world’s foremost astronomical nations owing primarily to the dynamic Radio Astronomy Group within the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Organisation’s Division of Radiophysics based in Sydney. The earliest celestial observations were made with former WWII radar antennas and simple Yagi aerials attached to recycled radar receivers, before more sophisticated purpose-built radio telescopes of various types were designed and developed. One of the recycled WWII antennas that was used extensively for pioneering radio astronomical research was an experimental radar antenna that initially was located at the Division’s short-lived Georges Heights Field Station but in 1948 was relocated to the new Potts Hill Field Station in suburban Sydney. In this paper we describe this unique antenna, and discuss the wide-ranging solar, galactic and extragalactic research programs that it was used for.

UNVEILING THE NATURE OF THE UNIDENTIFIED GAMMA-RAY SOURCES. III. GAMMA-RAY BLAZAR-LIKE COUNTERPARTS AT LOW RADIO FREQUENCIES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Massaro, F.; Funk, S. [SLAC National Laboratory and Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (United States); D' Abrusco, R.; Paggi, A. [Harvard-Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Giroletti, M. [INAF Istituto di Radioastronomia, via Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna (Italy); Masetti, N. [INAF-Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Bologna, via Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna (Italy); Tosti, G. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita degli Studi di Perugia, I-06123 Perugia (Italy); Nori, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Bologna, viale Berti Pichat 6/2, I-40127 Bologna (Italy)

2013-07-01

About one-third of the {gamma}-ray sources listed in the second Fermi Large Area Telescope catalog (2FGL) have no firmly established counterpart at lower energies and so are classified as unidentified gamma-ray sources (UGSs). Here, we propose a new approach to find candidate counterparts for the UGSs based on the 325 MHz radio survey performed with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope in the northern hemisphere. First, we investigate the low-frequency radio properties of blazars, the largest known population of {gamma}-ray sources; then we search for sources with similar radio properties combining the information derived from the Westerbork Northern Sky Survey (WENSS) with those of the NRAO Very Large Array Sky Survey. We present a list of candidate counterparts for 32 UGSs with at least one counterpart in the WENSS. We also performed an extensive research in the literature to look for infrared and optical counterparts of the {gamma}-ray blazar candidates selected using the low-frequency radio observations to confirm their nature. On the basis of our multifrequency research, we identify 23 new {gamma}-ray blazar candidates out of the 32 UGSs investigated. Comparison with previous results on the UGSs is also presented. Finally, we speculate on the advantages of using low-frequency radio observations to associate UGSs and to search for {gamma}-ray pulsar candidates.

THE PROPER MOTIONS OF THE DOUBLE RADIO SOURCE n IN THE ORION BN/KL REGION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodríguez, Luis F.; Loinard, Laurent; Zapata, Luis; Lizano, Susana; Dzib, Sergio A.; Menten, Karl M.; Gómez, Laura

2017-01-01

We have extended the time baseline for observations of the proper motions of radio sources in the Orion BN/KL region from 14.7 to 22.5 years. We present improved determinations for the sources BN and I. In addition, we address the proper motions of the double radio source n, that have been questioned in the literature. We confirm that all three sources are moving away at transverse velocities of tens of kilometers per second from a region in-between them, where they were located about 500 years ago. Source n exhibits a new component that we interpret as due to a one-sided ejection of free–free emitting plasma that took place after 2006.36. We used the highly accurate relative proper motions between sources BN and I to determine that their closest separation took place in the year 1475 ± 6, when they were within ∼100 au or less from each other in the plane of the sky.

THE PROPER MOTIONS OF THE DOUBLE RADIO SOURCE n IN THE ORION BN/KL REGION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodríguez, Luis F.; Loinard, Laurent; Zapata, Luis; Lizano, Susana [Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, UNAM, Apdo. Postal 3-72 (Xangari), 58089 Morelia, Michoacán, México (Mexico); Dzib, Sergio A.; Menten, Karl M. [Max Planck Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn (Germany); Gómez, Laura, E-mail: l.rodriguez@crya.unam.mx [Joint ALMA Observatory, Alonso de Córdoba 3107, Vitacura, Santiago (Chile)

2017-01-10

We have extended the time baseline for observations of the proper motions of radio sources in the Orion BN/KL region from 14.7 to 22.5 years. We present improved determinations for the sources BN and I. In addition, we address the proper motions of the double radio source n, that have been questioned in the literature. We confirm that all three sources are moving away at transverse velocities of tens of kilometers per second from a region in-between them, where they were located about 500 years ago. Source n exhibits a new component that we interpret as due to a one-sided ejection of free–free emitting plasma that took place after 2006.36. We used the highly accurate relative proper motions between sources BN and I to determine that their closest separation took place in the year 1475 ± 6, when they were within ∼100 au or less from each other in the plane of the sky.

Kinetic Alfven Waves and the Depletion of the Thermal Population in Extragalactic Jets

Science.gov (United States)

Jafelice, L. C.; Opher, R.

1990-11-01

RESUMEN. Chorros Extragalacticos (CE) y Fuentes Radio Extendidas (FRE) son locales de ricos y complejos procesos de plasma magnetizado. Recien tes observaciones indican que esas fuentes son estructuradas en filamen tos. Nos concentramos aqui en el analisis de dos problemas: 1) el prob[e ma de injecci6n,queespropuesto porlas teorias de aceleraci6n de p ? las en plasmas de CE e FRE, que necesitan partfculas que ya tengan ener gfas moderadamente relativisticas para que los procesos de Fermi sean efectivos; y 2) la reciente evidencia observacional de la ausencia de partfculas termicas en CE. El presente modelo pone en evidencia que ambos problemas estan 1ntimamente relacionados uno con el otro. Jafelice y Opher (1987a) (Astrophys. Space Sci. 137, 303) muestram que es espera da una abundante generaci6n de olas Alf cineticas (OAC) en CE y FRE. En el presente trabajo estudiamos Ia cadena de procesos: a) OAC aceleran electrons termicos al largo del campo magnetico de fondo producien- do electrones supratermicos fugitivos; b) que generan olas Langmuir; y c) las cuales por su vez aceleran una fraccion de los electrones fugi- tivos hasta energias moderadamente relativfsticas. Mostramos que supo - niendo que no haya otra fuente de poblaci6n termica a no ser la , la secuencia de procesos arriba puede encargarse delconsumo de los elec- trones termicos en una escala de tiempo %< que el tiempo de vida de la fuente. ABSTRACT: Extragalactic Jets (EJ) and Extended Radio Sources (ERS) are sites of rich and complex magnetized plasma processes.Recent observa - tions indicate that these sources are filamentary structured. We concentrate here on the analysis of two problems:i) the injection problem, faced by theories of particle acceleration in EJ and ERS plasmas, which need particles with already moderately relativistic energies for the Fer mi processes `to be effective; and 2) the recent observational evidence of the abscence of thermal particles within EJ. The present model makes

Superconducting cosmic strings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chudnovsky, E.M.; Field, G.B.; Spergel, D.N.; Vilenkin, A.

1986-01-01

Superconducting loops of string formed in the early Universe, if they are relatively light, can be an important source of relativistic particles in the Galaxy. They can be observed as sources of synchrotron radiation at centimeter wavelengths. We propose a string model for two recently discovered radio sources, the ''thread'' in the galactic center and the source G357.7-0.1, and predict that the filaments in these sources should move at relativistic speeds. We also consider superheavy superconducting strings, and the possibility that they be observed as extragalactic radio sources

Lessons Learned from Six Decades of Radio Polarimetry

Science.gov (United States)

Wiesemeyer, Helmut; Güsten, R.; Kreysa, E.; Menten, K. M.; Morris, D.; Paubert, G.; Pillai, T.; Sievers, A.; Thum, C.

2018-01-01

The characterization of polarized emission from continuum radiation and spectral lines across large-scale galactic and extragalactic fields is a typical application of single-dish telescopes, from radio to far-infrared wavelengths. Despite its high analytical value, in many cases polarimetry was added to the design specifications of telescopes and their frontends only in advanced development stages. While in some situations the instrumental contamination of the Stokes parameters can be corrected, this becomes increasingly difficult for extended fields. This contribution summarizes the current situation at mm/submm telescopes. Strategies for post-observing polarization calibration are presented as well as methods to optimize the components in the beam path.

A SEARCH FOR RAPIDLY SPINNING PULSARS AND FAST TRANSIENTS IN UNIDENTIFIED RADIO SOURCES WITH THE NRAO 43 METER TELESCOPE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmidt, Deborah; Crawford, Fronefield; Gilpin, Claire [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Franklin and Marshall College, P.O. Box 3003, Lancaster, PA 17604 (United States); Langston, Glen [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box 2, Green Bank, WV 24944 (United States)

2013-04-15

We have searched 75 unidentified radio sources selected from the NRAO VLA Sky Survey catalog for the presence of rapidly spinning pulsars and short, dispersed radio bursts. The sources are radio bright, have no identifications or optical source coincidences, are more than 5% linearly polarized, and are spatially unresolved in the catalog. If these sources are fast-spinning pulsars (e.g., sub-millisecond pulsars), previous large-scale pulsar surveys may have missed detection due to instrumental and computational limitations, eclipsing effects, or diffractive scintillation. The discovery of a sub-millisecond pulsar would significantly constrain the neutron star equation of state and would have implications for models predicting a rapid slowdown of highly recycled X-ray pulsars to millisecond periods from, e.g., accretion disk decoupling. These same sources were previously searched unsuccessfully for pulsations at 610 MHz with the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank. This new search was conducted at a different epoch with a new 800 MHz backend on the NRAO 43 m Telescope at a center frequency of 1200 MHz. Our search was sensitive to sub-millisecond pulsars in highly accelerated binary systems and to short transient pulses. No periodic or transient signals were detected from any of the target sources. We conclude that diffractive scintillation, dispersive smearing, and binary acceleration are unlikely to have prevented detection of the large majority of the sources if they are pulsars, though we cannot rule out eclipsing, nulling or intermittent emission, or radio interference as possible factors for some non-detections. Other (speculative) possibilities for what these sources might include radio-emitting magnetic cataclysmic variables or older pulsars with aligned magnetic and spin axes.

Infrared-faint radio sources are at high redshifts. Spectroscopic redshift determination of infrared-faint radio sources using the Very Large Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Herzog, A.; Middelberg, E.; Norris, R. P.; Sharp, R.; Spitler, L. R.; Parker, Q. A.

2014-07-01

Context. Infrared-faint radio sources (IFRS) are characterised by relatively high radio flux densities and associated faint or even absent infrared and optical counterparts. The resulting extremely high radio-to-infrared flux density ratios up to several thousands were previously known only for high-redshift radio galaxies (HzRGs), suggesting a link between the two classes of object. However, the optical and infrared faintness of IFRS makes their study difficult. Prior to this work, no redshift was known for any IFRS in the Australia Telescope Large Area Survey (ATLAS) fields which would help to put IFRS in the context of other classes of object, especially of HzRGs. Aims: This work aims at measuring the first redshifts of IFRS in the ATLAS fields. Furthermore, we test the hypothesis that IFRS are similar to HzRGs, that they are higher-redshift or dust-obscured versions of these massive galaxies. Methods: A sample of IFRS was spectroscopically observed using the Focal Reducer and Low Dispersion Spectrograph 2 (FORS2) at the Very Large Telescope (VLT). The data were calibrated based on the Image Reduction and Analysis Facility (IRAF) and redshifts extracted from the final spectra, where possible. This information was then used to calculate rest-frame luminosities, and to perform the first spectral energy distribution modelling of IFRS based on redshifts. Results: We found redshifts of 1.84, 2.13, and 2.76, for three IFRS, confirming the suggested high-redshift character of this class of object. These redshifts and the resulting luminosities show IFRS to be similar to HzRGs, supporting our hypothesis. We found further evidence that fainter IFRS are at even higher redshifts. Conclusions: Considering the similarities between IFRS and HzRGs substantiated in this work, the detection of IFRS, which have a significantly higher sky density than HzRGs, increases the number of active galactic nuclei in the early universe and adds to the problems of explaining the formation of

Outer heliospheric radio emissions. II - Foreshock source models

Science.gov (United States)

Cairns, Iver H.; Kurth, William S.; Gurnett, Donald A.

1992-01-01

Observations of LF radio emissions in the range 2-3 kHz by the Voyager spacecraft during the intervals 1983-1987 and 1989 to the present while at heliocentric distances greater than 11 AU are reported. New analyses of the wave data are presented, and the characteristics of the radiation are reviewed and discussed. Two classes of events are distinguished: transient events with varying starting frequencies that drift upward in frequency and a relatively continuous component that remains near 2 kHz. Evidence for multiple transient sources and for extension of the 2-kHz component above the 2.4-kHz interference signal is presented. The transient emissions are interpreted in terms of radiation generated at multiples of the plasma frequency when solar wind density enhancements enter one or more regions of a foreshock sunward of the inner heliospheric shock. Solar wind density enhancements by factors of 4-10 are observed. Propagation effects, the number of radiation sources, and the time variability, frequency drift, and varying starting frequencies of the transient events are discussed in terms of foreshock sources.

Radio weak lensing shear measurement in the visibility domain - II. Source extraction

Science.gov (United States)

Rivi, M.; Miller, L.

2018-05-01

This paper extends the method introduced in Rivi et al. (2016b) to measure galaxy ellipticities in the visibility domain for radio weak lensing surveys. In that paper, we focused on the development and testing of the method for the simple case of individual galaxies located at the phase centre, and proposed to extend it to the realistic case of many sources in the field of view by isolating visibilities of each source with a faceting technique. In this second paper, we present a detailed algorithm for source extraction in the visibility domain and show its effectiveness as a function of the source number density by running simulations of SKA1-MID observations in the band 950-1150 MHz and comparing original and measured values of galaxies' ellipticities. Shear measurements from a realistic population of 104 galaxies randomly located in a field of view of 1 \\deg ^2 (i.e. the source density expected for the current radio weak lensing survey proposal with SKA1) are also performed. At SNR ≥ 10, the multiplicative bias is only a factor 1.5 worse than what found when analysing individual sources, and is still comparable to the bias values reported for similar measurement methods at optical wavelengths. The additive bias is unchanged from the case of individual sources, but it is significantly larger than typically found in optical surveys. This bias depends on the shape of the uv coverage and we suggest that a uv-plane weighting scheme to produce a more isotropic shape could reduce and control additive bias.

A wide low-mass binary model for the origin of axially symmetric non-thermal radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kool, M. de; Heuvel, E.P.J. van den

1985-01-01

An accreting binary model has been proposed by recent workers to account for the origin of the axially symmetric non-thermal radio sources. The authors show that the only type of binary system that can produce the observed structural properties, is a relatively wide neutron star binary, in which the companion of the neutron star is a low-mass giant. Binaries of this type are expected to resemble closely the eight brightest galactic bulge X-ray sources as well as the progenitors of the two wide radio pulsar binaries. (U.K.)

Physics of compact radio sources. I. Particle acceleration and flux variations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pacholczyk, A.G.; Scott, J.S.

1976-01-01

The observed patterns of variability of compact radio sources may be explained by assuming that the radio components are plasmons containing relativistic particles, and by applying a model with the following features: (1) the plasmons are ejected at high speed into the interstellar medium in the nuclei of active galaxies: (2) ram pressure confinement of the plasmons leads to Rayleigh-Taylor and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities therein; (3) turbulence is thereby introduced into the plasmons; (4) the turbulence amplifies the plasmon magnetic field (for a short period) and this leads to betatron aceleration of the relativistic particles; (5) the turbulence vortices continue to accelerate the particles by the second-order Fermi acceleration mechanism. The emission patterns are the result of the combination of these accelerations and adiabatic losses

Stabilized operation of the Spallation Neutron Source radio-frequency quadrupole

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sang-ho Kim

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ had resonance control instabilities at duty factors higher than approximately 4%. Systematic investigations have been carried out to understand the cause of the instability and to ensure the operational stability of the RFQ. The most critical source of the instability is revealed to be an interaction between hydrogen released by beam bombardments and the RFQ rf field resulting in a discharge, which consumes additional rf power and could cause the RFQ to operate in an unstable region. This paper reports improvement of the SNS RFQ operational stability based on the findings during the SNS operation.

Extragalactic Astronomy: The Universe Beyond Our Galaxy.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, Kenneth Charles

This booklet is part of an American Astronomical Society curriculum project designed to provide teaching materials to teachers of secondary school chemistry, physics, and earth science. The material is presented in three parts: one section provides the fundamental content of extragalactic astronomy, another section discusses modern discoveries in…

Radio News Source Preference by Residents of UYO Urban, Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CHARLES OBOT

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Exposure to broadcast news by audience members is part of human information processing.  Radio is believed to be a major source of news on many local and national issues for many people in many countries. But it was uncertain whether the assumption was tenable in Nigeria. Selectivity plays significant role in audience members’ exposure to broadcast news.  The study set out to investigate which radio station(s residents of Uyo residents tune to for news on important local and national issues. It also studied what factors influence their choice of radio station for news on socio-political crises in Nigeria. The findings showed that majority of the respondents prefer foreign radio stations – Voice of America (VOA and British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC for news on socio-political crises in Nigeria. The survey also revealed that media credibility exerted great influence on audience exposure to broadcast news and choice of broadcast medium for news. It is the submission of this work that the continuous presentation of one-sided point of view, whether in government-controlled media or privately-owned ones not only makes the audience hold their news content suspect but also makes such mass medium to rank low in terms of perceived credibility. One of the implications of that situation is that mass mobilization through such media would be difficult to achieve.  Consequently, it is the submission of this research that if broadcast media in Nigeria are to be reckoned trustworthy and reliable, diverse and balanced views on all issues in the news should always be presented.

The Herschel Multi-Tiered Extragalactic Survey: SPIRE-mm Photometric Redshifts

Science.gov (United States)

Roseboom, I. G.; Ivison, R. J.; Greve, T. R.; Amblard, A.; Arumugam, V.; Auld, R.; Aussel, H.; Bethermin, M.; Blain, A.; Bock, J.;

MULTI-MESSENGER ASTRONOMY OF GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE SOURCES WITH FLEXIBLE WIDE-AREA RADIO TRANSIENT SURVEYS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yancey, Cregg C.; Shawhan, Peter [Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Bear, Brandon E.; Akukwe, Bernadine; Simonetti, John H.; Tsai, Jr-Wei [Department of Physics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 (United States); Chen, Kevin [Department of Physics, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ 08628 (United States); Dowell, Jayce; Obenberger, Kenneth; Taylor, Gregory B. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM, 87131 (United States); Gough, Jonathan D. [Department of Chemistry, Lehman College, Bronx, NY 10468 (United States); Kanner, Jonah [LIGO-California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California CA 91125 (United States); Kavic, Michael [Department of Physics, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY 11201 (United States)

2015-10-20

We explore opportunities for multi-messenger astronomy using gravitational waves (GWs) and prompt, transient low-frequency radio emission to study highly energetic astrophysical events. We review the literature on possible sources of correlated emission of GWs and radio transients, highlighting proposed mechanisms that lead to a short-duration, high-flux radio pulse originating from the merger of two neutron stars or from a superconducting cosmic string cusp. We discuss the detection prospects for each of these mechanisms by low-frequency dipole array instruments such as LWA1, the Low Frequency Array and the Murchison Widefield Array. We find that a broad range of models may be tested by searching for radio pulses that, when de-dispersed, are temporally and spatially coincident with a LIGO/Virgo GW trigger within a ∼30 s time window and ∼200–500 deg{sup 2} sky region. We consider various possible observing strategies and discuss their advantages and disadvantages. Uniquely, for low-frequency radio arrays, dispersion can delay the radio pulse until after low-latency GW data analysis has identified and reported an event candidate, enabling a prompt radio signal to be captured by a deliberately targeted beam. If neutron star mergers do have detectable prompt radio emissions, a coincident search with the GW detector network and low-frequency radio arrays could increase the LIGO/Virgo effective search volume by up to a factor of ∼2. For some models, we also map the parameter space that may be constrained by non-detections.

A new non-thermal galactic radio source with a possible binary system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuerst, E.; Reich, W.; Reich, P.; Sofue, Y.; Handa, T.

1985-01-01

A galactic object [G18.95-1.1], detected recently in a galactic plane survey, may belong to a new class of non-thermal radio sources that originate in accreting binary systems. The data on integrated flux density spectral index and the polarization, proves the non-thermal nature of the source. The morphology defies any classification as a supernova remnant. The authors suggest that the object is a binary system containing a compact component. (U.K.)

H{sup -} radio frequency source development at the Spallation Neutron Source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Welton, R. F.; Gawne, K. R.; Han, B. X.; Murray, S. N.; Pennisi, T. R.; Roseberry, R. T.; Santana, M.; Stockli, M. P. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830-6471 (United States); Dudnikov, V. G. [Muons, Inc., 552 N. Batavia Avenue, Batavia, Illinois 60510 (United States); Turvey, M. W. [Villanova University, 800E. Lancaster Ave, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085 (United States)

2012-02-15

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) now routinely operates nearly 1 MW of beam power on target with a highly persistent {approx}38 mA peak current in the linac and an availability of {approx}90%. H{sup -} beam pulses ({approx}1 ms, 60 Hz) are produced by a Cs-enhanced, multicusp ion source closely coupled with an electrostatic low energy beam transport (LEBT), which focuses the 65 kV beam into a radio frequency quadrupole accelerator. The source plasma is generated by RF excitation (2 MHz, {approx}60 kW) of a copper antenna that has been encased with a thickness of {approx}0.7 mm of porcelain enamel and immersed into the plasma chamber. The ion source and LEBT normally have a combined availability of {approx}99%. Recent increases in duty-factor and RF power have made antenna failures a leading cause of downtime. This report first identifies the physical mechanism of antenna failure from a statistical inspection of {approx}75 antennas which ran at the SNS, scanning electron microscopy studies of antenna surface, and cross sectional cuts and analysis of calorimetric heating measurements. Failure mitigation efforts are then described which include modifying the antenna geometry and our acceptance/installation criteria. Progress and status of the development of the SNS external antenna source, a long-term solution to the internal antenna problem, are then discussed. Currently, this source is capable of delivering comparable beam currents to the baseline source to the SNS and, an earlier version, has briefly demonstrated unanalyzed currents up to {approx}100 mA (1 ms, 60 Hz) on the test stand. In particular, this paper discusses plasma ignition (dc and RF plasma guns), antenna reliability, magnet overheating, and insufficient beam persistence.

THE SEARCH FOR BLAZARS AMONG THE UNIDENTIFIED EGRET gamma-RAY SOURCES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pieter J. Meintjes

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper we report the results of a multi-wavelength follow-up study of selected flat spectrum extragalactic radio-optical counterparts within the error boxes of 13 unidentified EGRET sources. Two of these previously unidentified counterparts have been selected for optical photometric and spectroscopic follow-up studies. Spectroscopic observations made with the 4.1m SOAR telescope at Cerro Pachón, Chile, showed that the spectra of the optical counterparts of 3EG J0821−5814 (PKS J0820−5705 and 3EG J0706−3837 (PMN J0710−3835 correspond to a flat spectrum radio quasar (FSRQ and LINER-Seyfert I galaxy respectively. Optical photometry of these sources, performed with the 1.0m telescope at Sutherland (South-Africa shows noticeable intranight variability for PKS J0820−5705, as well as a 5 sigma variation of the mean brightness in the R-filter over a timescale of three nights. Significant variability has been detected in the B-band for PMN J0710−3835 as well. The gamma-ray spectral indices of all 13 candidates range between 2–3, correlating well with the BL Lacs and FSRQs detected with Fermi-LAT in the first 11 months of operation.

Detection of anomalies in radio tomography of asteroids: Source count and forward errors

Science.gov (United States)

Pursiainen, S.; Kaasalainen, M.

2014-09-01

The purpose of this study was to advance numerical methods for radio tomography in which asteroid's internal electric permittivity distribution is to be recovered from radio frequency data gathered by an orbiter. The focus was on signal generation via multiple sources (transponders) providing one potential, or even essential, scenario to be implemented in a challenging in situ measurement environment and within tight payload limits. As a novel feature, the effects of forward errors including noise and a priori uncertainty of the forward (data) simulation were examined through a combination of the iterative alternating sequential (IAS) inverse algorithm and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation of time evolution data. Single and multiple source scenarios were compared in two-dimensional localization of permittivity anomalies. Three different anomaly strengths and four levels of total noise were tested. Results suggest, among other things, that multiple sources can be necessary to obtain appropriate results, for example, to distinguish three separate anomalies with permittivity less or equal than half of the background value, relevant in recovery of internal cavities.

Scintillating confusion: Evaluation of a technique for measuring compact structure in weak radio sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spangler, S.R.; Cordes, J.M.; Meyers, K.A.

1979-01-01

An attractive scheme for investigating compact structure in weak radio sources is to study the scintillation properties of confusion in a large single-dish radio telescope. We have investigated the utility of this technique by observing the scintillations of 860-MHz confusion of the NRAO 300' (91 m) telescope. Analysis of these data indicated a reduction in the mean scintillation index with decreasing flux density which implied that weaker sources possessed less compact structure. More direct observations indicated that the weak sources of interest were not significantly deficient in compact structure, so the first result is probably due to properties of the IPS process in the strong scintillation regime. Our results may be due to overresolution (by the IPS process in the strong scintillation regime) of the ''hot spots'' responsible for scintillation in most strong sources at frequencies below 1000 MHz, or may indicate abnormally strong turbulence in the solar wind during August, 1977. Future applications of this method would be best conducted at lower frequencies with larger reflectors or short-spacing interferometers

Interstellar scattering of the compact radio source 2005 + 403

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mutel, R.L.; Lestrade, J.

1990-01-01

Analysis of Mk III VLBI visibility amplitudes of the compact radio source 2005 + 403 shows an excess at baselines greater than a few diffractive scale lengths compared with that expected from formulas using ensemble-averaged quantities and power-law turbulence with quasi-Kolmogorov spectral indices. The data are in good agreement with the 1989 analysis of Goodman and Narayan, who find that measured visibility amplitudes correspond to the average visibility regime, which differs significantly from the ensemble-averaged results for baselines much longer than one diffractive scale length. 20 refs

INVESTIGATING PARTICLE ACCELERATION IN PROTOSTELLAR JETS: THE TRIPLE RADIO CONTINUUM SOURCE IN SERPENS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodríguez-Kamenetzky, Adriana; Valotto, Carlos [Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental, (IATE-UNC), X5000BGR Córdoba (Argentina); Carrasco-González, Carlos; Rodríguez, Luis F. [Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica (IRyA-UNAM), 58089 Morelia, México (Mexico); Araudo, Anabella [University of Oxford, Astrophysics, Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Torrelles, José M. [Institut de Ciències de l’Espai (CSIC-IEEC) and Institut de Ciències del Cosmos (UB-IEEC), Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain); Anglada, Guillem [Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, CSIC, Camino Bajo de Huétor 50, E-18008 Granada (Spain); Martí, Josep [Dept. de Física, EPS de Jaén, Universidad de Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, A3-402, E-23071 Jaén (Spain)

2016-02-10

While most protostellar jets present free–free emission at radio wavelengths, synchrotron emission has also been proposed to be present in a handful of these objects. The presence of nonthermal emission has been inferred by negative spectral indices at centimeter wavelengths. In one case (the HH 80-81 jet arising from a massive protostar), its synchrotron nature was confirmed by the detection of linearly polarized radio emission. One of the main consequences of these results is that synchrotron emission implies the presence of relativistic particles among the nonrelativistic material of these jets. Therefore, an acceleration mechanism should be taking place. The most probable scenario is that particles are accelerated when the jets strongly impact against the dense envelope surrounding the protostar. Here we present an analysis of radio observations obtained with the Very Large Array of the triple radio source in the Serpens star-forming region. This object is known to be a radio jet arising from an intermediate-mass protostar. It is also one of the first protostellar jets where the presence of nonthermal emission was proposed. We analyze the dynamics of the jet and the nature of the emission and discuss these issues in the context of the physical parameters of the jet and the particle acceleration phenomenon.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Infrared-faint radio sources catalog (Collier+, 2014)

Science.gov (United States)

Collier, J. D.; Banfield, J. K.; Norris, R. P.; Schnitzeler, D. H. F. M.; Kimball, A. E.; Filipovic, M. D.; Jarrett, T. H.; Lonsdale, C. J.; Tothill, N. F. H.

2014-11-01

The 20cm radio data come from the Unified Radio Catalog (URC) compiled by Kimball & Ivezic (2008AJ....136..684K). This radio catalogue combines data from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) VLA Sky Survey (NVSS; Condon et al., 1998, Cat. VIII/65), Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty Centimeters (FIRST; Becker, White & Helfand, 1995, cat. VIII/92), Green Bank 6cm survey (GB6; Gregory et al., 1996, Cat. VIII/40), the Westerbork Northern Sky Survey (WENSS; Rengelink et al. 1997; de Bruyn et al. 2000, Cat. VIII/62) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 6 (SDSS DR6; Adelman-McCarthy et al., 2008, Cat. II/282). We use updated NVSS and FIRST data from the URC version 2.0 (Kimball & Ivezic, in preparation), which includes a number of new sources as well as updated positions and flux densities. The IR data come from WISE (Wright et al. (WISE Team) 2009, Cat. II/311), which is an all-sky survey centred at 3.4, 4.6, 12 and 22um (referred to as bands W1, W2, W3 and W4), with respective angular resolutions of 6.1, 6.4, 6.5 and 12.0-arcsec (full width at half-maximum, FWHM), and typical 5σ sensitivity levels of 0.08, 0.11, 1 and 6mJy, with sensitivity increasing towards the ecliptic poles. (1 data file).

Variability of GPS Radio Sources at 5 GHz Lang Cui , Xiang Liu ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2010-02-07

Feb 7, 2010 ... Abstract. We carry out flux monitoring on a sample of 169 Gigahertz. Peaked Spectrum (GPS) radio sources at 5 GHz and find that about one- third of them show considerable Inter-Month Variability (IMV), and these. IMV phenomena are likely to be caused by interstellar scintillation (ISS). Furthermore, we ...

The Extragalactic Background Light and the Gamma-ray Opacity of the Universe

Science.gov (United States)

Dwek, Eli; Krennrich, Frank

2012-01-01

The extragalactic background light (EBL) is one of the fundamental observational quantities in cosmology. All energy releases from resolved and unresolved extragalactic sources, and the light from any truly diffuse background, excluding the cosmic microwave background (CMB), contribute to its intensity and spectral energy distribution. It therefore plays a crucial role in cosmological tests for the formation and evolution of stellar objects and galaxies, and for setting limits on exotic energy releases in the universe. The EBL also plays an important role in the propagation of very high energy gamma-rays which are attenuated en route to Earth by pair producing gamma-gamma interactions with the EBL and CMB. The EBL affects the spectrum of the sources, predominantly blazars, in the approx 10 GeV to 10 TeV energy regime. Knowledge of the EBL intensity and spectrum will allow the determination of the intrinsic blazar spectrum in a crucial energy regime that can be used to test particle acceleration mechanisms and VHE gamma-ray production models. Conversely, knowledge of the intrinsic gamma-ray spectrum and the detection of blazars at increasingly higher redshifts will set strong limits on the EBL and its evolution. This paper reviews the latest developments in the determination of the EBL and its impact on the current understanding of the origin and production mechanisms of gamma-rays in blazars, and on energy releases in the universe. The review concludes with a summary and future directions in Cherenkov Telescope Array techniques and in infrared ground-based and space observatories that will greatly improve our knowledge of the EBL and the origin and production of very high energy gamma-rays.

The Herschel Multi-Tiered Extragalactic Survey: SPIRE-mm Photometric Redshifts

Science.gov (United States)

Roseboom, I. G.; Ivison, R. J.; Greve, T. R.; Amblard, A.; Arumugam, V.; Auld, R.; Aussel, H.; Bethermin, M.; Blain, A.; Block, J.;

Observation of extragalactic X-ray sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bui-Van, Andre.

1973-01-01

A narrow angular resolution detection apparatus using a high performance collimator has proved particularly well suited for the programs of observation of X ray sources. The experimental set-up and its performance are described. One chapter deals with the particular problems involved in the observation of X ray sources with the aid of sounding balloons. The absorption of extraterrestrial photons by the earth atmosphere is taken into account in the procesing of the observation data using two methods of calculation: digital and with simulation techniques. The results of three balloon flights are then presented with the interpretation of the observations carried out using both thermal and non thermal emission models. This analysis leads to some possible characteristics of structure of the Perseus galaxy cluster [fr

10C survey of radio sources at 15.7 GHz - II. First results

Science.gov (United States)

AMI Consortium; Davies, Mathhew L.; Franzen, Thomas M. O.; Waldram, Elizabeth M.; Grainge, Keith J. B.; Hobson, Michael P.; Hurley-Walker, Natasha; Lasenby, Anthony; Olamaie, Malak; Pooley, Guy G.; Riley, Julia M.; Rodríguez-Gonzálvez, Carmen; Saunders, Richard D. E.; Scaife, Anna M. M.; Schammel, Michel P.; Scott, Paul F.; Shimwell, Timothy W.; Titterington, David J.; Zwart, Jonathan T. L.

2011-08-01

In a previous paper (Paper I), the observational, mapping and source-extraction techniques used for the Tenth Cambridge (10C) Survey of Radio Sources were described. Here, the first results from the survey, carried out using the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager Large Array (LA) at an observing frequency of 15.7 GHz, are presented. The survey fields cover an area of ≈27 deg2 to a flux-density completeness of 1 mJy. Results for some deeper areas, covering ≈12 deg2, wholly contained within the total areas and complete to 0.5 mJy, are also presented. The completeness for both areas is estimated to be at least 93 per cent. The 10C survey is the deepest radio survey of any significant extent (≳0.2 deg2) above 1.4 GHz. The 10C source catalogue contains 1897 entries and is available online. The source catalogue has been combined with that of the Ninth Cambridge Survey to calculate the 15.7-GHz source counts. A broken power law is found to provide a good parametrization of the differential count between 0.5 mJy and 1 Jy. The measured source count has been compared with that predicted by de Zotti et al. - the model is found to display good agreement with the data at the highest flux densities. However, over the entire flux-density range of the measured count (0.5 mJy to 1 Jy), the model is found to underpredict the integrated count by ≈30 per cent. Entries from the source catalogue have been matched with those contained in the catalogues of the NRAO VLA Sky Survey and the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-cm survey (both of which have observing frequencies of 1.4 GHz). This matching provides evidence for a shift in the typical 1.4-GHz spectral index to 15.7-GHz spectral index of the 15.7-GHz-selected source population with decreasing flux density towards sub-mJy levels - the spectra tend to become less steep. Automated methods for detecting extended sources, developed in Paper I, have been applied to the data; ≈5 per cent of the sources are found to be extended

Optical monitoring of QSO in the framework of the Gaia space mission

Science.gov (United States)

Taris, F.; Damljanovic, G.; Andrei, A.; Klotz, A.; Vachier, F.

2015-08-01

The Gaia astrometric mission of the European Space Agency has been launched the 19th December 2013. It will provide an astrometric catalogue of 500 000 extragalactic sources that could be the basis of a new optical reference frame. On the other hand, the current International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) is based on the observations of extragalactic sources at radio wavelength. The astrometric coordinates of sources in these two reference systems will have roughly the same uncertainty. It is then mandatory to observe a set of common targets at both optical and radio wavelength to link the ICRF with what could be called the GCRF (Gaia Celestial Reference Frame). We will show in this paper some results obtained with the TJO, Telescopi Juan Oro, from Observatori Astronomic del Montsec in Spain. It also presents some results obtained with the Lomb-Scargle and CLEAN algorithm methods applied to optical magnitude obtained with the TAROT telescopes.

Browse Title Index

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Items 701 - 750 of 1255 ... Vol 13, No 1 (2007), Infrared spectroscopy of the different types of second ... Of Drug Substances Using Inverse Gas Chromatography (IGC), Abstract PDF ... Vol 6, No 2 (2000), Laser jets in extra-galactic radio sources.

The distribution of polarized radio sources >15 μJy IN GOODS-N

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudnick, L.; Owen, F. N.

2014-01-01

We present deep Very Large Array observations of the polarization of radio sources in the GOODS-N field at 1.4 GHz at resolutions of 1.''6 and 10''. At 1.''6, we find that the peak flux cumulative number count distribution is N(> p) ∼ 45*(p/30 μJy) –0.6 per square degree above a detection threshold of 14.5 μJy. This represents a break from the steeper slopes at higher flux densities, resulting in fewer sources predicted for future surveys with the Square Kilometer Array and its precursors. It provides a significant challenge for using background rotation measures (RMs) to study clusters of galaxies or individual galaxies. Most of the polarized sources are well above our detection limit, and they are also radio galaxies that are well-resolved even at 10'', with redshifts from ∼0.2-1.9. We determined a total polarized flux for each source by integrating the 10'' polarized intensity maps, as will be done by upcoming surveys such as POSSUM. These total polarized fluxes are a factor of two higher, on average, than the peak polarized flux at 1.''6; this would increase the number counts by ∼50% at a fixed flux level. The detected sources have RMs with a characteristic rms scatter of ∼11 rad m –2 around the local Galactic value, after eliminating likely outliers. The median fractional polarization from all total intensity sources does not continue the trend of increasing at lower flux densities, as seen for stronger sources. The changes in the polarization characteristics seen at these low fluxes likely represent the increasing dominance of star-forming galaxies.

THE RADIO PROPERTIES OF RADIO-LOUD NARROW-LINE SEYFERT 1 GALAXIES ON PARSEC SCALES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gu, Minfeng; Chen, Yongjun; Shen, Zhiqiang [Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200030 (China); Komossa, S.; Zensus, J. A. [Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn (Germany); Yuan, Weimin [Key Lab for Space Astronomy and Technology, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China); Wajima, Kiyoaki [Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, 776 Daedeokdae-ro, Yuseong, Daejeon 305-348 (Korea, Republic of); Zhou, Hongyan, E-mail: gumf@shao.ac.cn [Polar Research Institute of China, 451 Jinqiao Road, Shanghai 200136 (China)