Unusual Metals in Galactic Center Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Hensley, Kerry

2018-03-01

while one star is only slightly above solar metallicity, the other is likely more than four times as metal-rich as the Sun.The features in the observed and synthetic spectra generally matched well, but the absorption lines of scandium, vanadium, and yttrium were consistently stronger in the observed spectra than in the synthetic spectra. This led the authors to conclude that these galactic center stars are unusually rich in these metals trace elements that could reveal the formation history of the galactic nucleus.Old Stars, New Trends?Scandium to iron ratio versusiron abundance for stars in the disk of the Milky Way (blue) and the stars in this sample (orange). The value reported for this sample is a 95% lower limit. [Do et al. 2018]For stars in the disk of the Milky Way, the abundance of scandium relative to iron tends to decrease as the overall metallicity increases, but the stars investigated in this study are both iron-rich and anomalously high in scandium. This hints that the nuclear star cluster might represent a distinct stellar population with different metallicity trends.However, its not yet clear what could cause the elevated abundances of scandium, vanadium, and yttrium relative to other metals. Each of these elements is linked to a different source; scandium and vanadium are mainly produced in Type II and Type Ia supernovae, respectively, while yttrium is likely synthesized in asymptotic giant branch stars. Future observations of stars near the center of the Milky Way may help answer this question and further constrain the origin of our galaxys nuclear star cluster.CitationTuan Do et al 2018 ApJL 855 L5. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/aaaec3

Conversion of gas into stars in the Galactic center

Science.gov (United States)

Longmore, S. N.

2014-05-01

The star formation rate in the central 500 pc of the Milky Way is lower by a factor of > 10 than expected for the substantial amount of dense gas it contains, which challenges current star formation theories. I discuss which physical mechanisms could be causing this observation and put forward a self-consistent cycle of star formation in the Galactic center, in which the plausible star formation inhibitors are combined. Their ubiquity suggests that the perception of a lowered central SFR should be a common phenomenon in other galaxies with direct implications for galactic star formation and also potentially supermassive black hole growth. I then describe a scenario to explain the presence of super star clusters in the Galactic center environment, in which their formation is triggered by gas streams passing close to the minimum of the global Galactic gravitational potential at the location of the central supermassive black hole, Sgr A*. If this triggering mechanism can be verified, we can use the known time interval since closest approach to Sgr A* to study the physics of stellar mass assembly in an extreme environment as a function of absolute time. I outline the first results from detailed numerical simulations testing this scenario. Finally, I describe a study showing that in terms of the baryonic composition, kinematics, and densities, the gas in the Galactic center is indistinguishable from high-redshift clouds and galaxies. As such, the Galactic center clouds may be used as a template to understand the evolution (and possibly the life cycle) of high-redshift clouds and galaxies.

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.

Constraints on Galactic populations from the unidentified EGRET sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2007-01-01

A significant fraction of the sources in the third EGRET catalog have not yet been identified with a low-energy counterpart. We evaluate the plausibility of a Galactic population accounting for some or all of the unidentified EGRET sources by making the simple assumption that galaxies similar to the Milky Way host comparable populations of gamma-ray emitters. Rather than focusing on the properties of a specific candidate emitter, we constrain the abundance and spatial distribution of proposed Galactic populations. We find that it is highly improbable that the unidentified EGRET sources contain more than a handful of members of a Galactic halo population, but that current observations are consistent with all of these sources being Galactic objects if they reside entirely in the disk and bulge. We discuss the additional constraints and new insights into the nature of Galactic gamma-ray emitting populations that GLAST is expected to provide

Dark Matter Annihilation in The Galactic Center As Seen by the Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hooper, Dan; /Fermilab /Chicago U., Astron. Astrophys. Ctr.; Goodenough, Lisa; /New York U.

2010-10-01

We analyze the first two years of data from the Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope from the direction of the inner 10{sup o} around the Galactic Center with the intention of constraining, or finding evidence of, annihilating dark matter. We find that the morphology and spectrum of the emission between 1.25{sup o} and 10{sup o} from the Galactic Center is well described by a the processes of decaying pions produced in cosmic ray collisions with gas, and the inverse Compton scattering of cosmic ray electrons in both the disk and bulge of the Inner Galaxy, along with gamma rays from known points sources in the region. The observed spectrum and morphology of the emission within approximately 1.25{sup o} ({approx}175 parsecs) of the Galactic Center, in contrast, cannot be accounted for by these processes or known sources. We find that an additional component of gamma ray emission is clearly present which is highly concentrated around the Galactic Center, but is not point-like in nature. The observed morphology of this component is consistent with that predicted from annihilating dark matter with a cusped (and possibly adiabatically contracted) halo distribution ({rho} {proportional_to} r{sup -1.34{+-}0.04}). The observed spectrum of this component, which peaks at energies between 2-4 GeV (in E{sup 2} units), is well fit by that predicted for a 7.3-9.2 GeV dark matter particle annihilating primarily to tau leptons with a cross section in the range of <{sigma}{nu}> = 3.3 x 10{sup -27} to 1.5 x 10{sup -26} cm{sup 3}/s, depending on how the dark matter distribution is normalized. We discuss other possible sources for this component, but argue that they are unlikely to account for the observed emission.

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

High-resolution spectrum of the Galactic center

Science.gov (United States)

Mahoney, W. A.; Ling, J. C.; Wheaton, W. A.

1993-01-01

Recent observations of the Galactic center region indicate the presence of a narrow gamma-ray line feature at 170 keV, and theoretical speculations suggest it may result from Compton backscattering of the 511 keV annihilation radiation. The high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometer on HEAO 3 observed the Galactic center in the fall of 1979 and in the spring of 1980. In view of the recent developments, the HEAO data were re-examined to search for this new feature and to look for possible correlations with the 511 keV line emisison. No evidence for such Compton backscattered radiation was found and the derived upper limits for emission in a line feature near 170 keV were well below previously reported fluxes, indicating possible time variability.

Study with the sigma data base of the galactic bulge hard x-ray and gamma-ray sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vargas, Marielle

1997-01-01

The Sigma coded-mask telescope on board the Granat spacecraft produces sky images in the hard X-ray and soft gamma-ray energy domain (30-1300 keV) with an angular resolution of 15 arc minutes. The observations of the 18 Angstroms x 17 Angstroms region around the Galactic Center, performed with Sigma regularly during seven years, allowed the detection of a cluster of 17 sources showing activity beyond 40 ke V. This cluster is identified with the Galactic Bulge and its core coincides with the Galactic Center. Each of these sources reveals matter accretion by a collapse star in binary system. Its nature is determined by the luminosity and the spectral behavior recorded beyond 40 keV. Three accreting black holes show peculiar transient activities and comparable flare luminosities providing a criterion to evaluate distance of other specimens located elsewhere in the Galaxy. No sign of activity has been detected from the very center of the Galaxy where a supermassive black hole would be placed and would accrete the surrounding matter. (author) [fr

Radio pulsars and transients in the Galactic center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lazio, Joseph; Deneva, J S; Bower, Geoffrey C; Cordes, J M; Hyman, Scott D; Backer, D C; Bhat, R; Chatterjee, S; Demorest, P; Ransom, S M; Vlemmings, W

2006-01-01

Radio pulsars and transients provide powerful probes of the star formation history, interstellar medium, and gravitational potential of the Galactic center. Historical radio observations of the Galactic center have not emphasized the time domain aspect of observing this region. We summarize a series of recent searches for and observations of radio transients and pulsars that make use of two advances in technology. The first is the formation of large fields of view (∼> 1 0 ) at relatively longer wavelengths (λ > 1 m), and the second is the construction of receivers and instruments capable of collecting data on microsecond time scales at relatively short wavelengths (∼ 3 cm)

Phosphorus-bearing molecules in the Galactic Center

Science.gov (United States)

Rivilla, V. M.; Jiménez-Serra, I.; Zeng, S.; Martín, S.; Martín-Pintado, J.; Armijos-Abendaño, J.; Viti, S.; Aladro, R.; Riquelme, D.; Requena-Torres, M.; Quénard, D.; Fontani, F.; Beltrán, M. T.

2018-03-01

Phosphorus (P) is one of the essential elements for life due to its central role in biochemical processes. Recent searches have shown that P-bearing molecules (in particular PN and PO) are present in star-forming regions, although their formation routes remain poorly understood. In this letter, we report observations of PN and PO towards seven molecular clouds located in the Galactic Center, which are characterized by different types of chemistry. PN is detected in five out of seven sources, whose chemistry is thought to be shock-dominated. The two sources with PN non-detections correspond to clouds exposed to intense UV/X-rays/cosmic ray (CR) radiation. PO is detected only towards the cloud G+0.693-0.03, with a PO/PN abundance ratio of ˜1.5. We conclude that P-bearing molecules likely form in shocked gas as a result of dust grain sputtering, while are destroyed by intense UV/X-ray/CR radiation.

Supermassive dark-matter Q-balls in galactic centers?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Troitsky, Sergey [Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences,60th October Anniversary Prospect 7a, Moscow 117312 (Russian Federation); Moscow Institute for Physics and Technology,Institutskii per. 9, 141700, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region (Russian Federation)

2016-11-11

Though widely accepted, it is not proven that supermassive compact objects (SMCOs) residing in galactic centers are black holes. In particular, the Milky Way’s SMCO can be a giant nontopological soliton, Q-ball, made of a scalar field: this fits perfectly all observational data. Similar but tiny Q-balls produced in the early Universe may constitute, partly or fully, the dark matter. This picture explains in a natural way, why our SMCO has very low accretion rate and why the observed angular size of the corresponding radio source is much smaller than expected. Interactions between dark-matter Q-balls may explain how SMCOs were seeded in galaxies and resolve well-known problems of standard (non-interacting) dark matter.

Recent results on galactic sources with MAGIC telescope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De los Reyes, R.

2009-01-01

Located at the Canary island of La Palma, the single-dish MAGIC telescope currently has the lowest energy threshold achieved by any Cherenkov telescope, which can be as low as 25 GeV. In the last two years, the MAGIC telescope has detected a significant amount of galactic sources that emit at very high energies (up to several TeV). Here we present the most recent results that have yielded important scientific highlights in astrophysics, which include the first detection of gamma-ray emission from a pulsar, an X-ray binary system and a stellar-mass black hole. We also make a review of the latest results of the MAGIC observations on galactic sources, which will include also γ-ray unidentified sources (TeV J2032+4130), the Galactic Centre, X-ray binaries (LSI +61 303), pulsars (Crab pulsar) and SNRs (IC443).

Apoastron shift constraints on dark matter distribution at the Galactic Center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakharov, A. F.; Nucita, A. A.; De Paolis, F.; Ingrosso, G.

2007-01-01

The existence of dark matter (DM) at scales of a few parsecs down to ≅10 -5 pc around the centers of galaxies and, in particular, in the Galactic Center region has been considered in the literature. Under the assumption that such a DM clump, principally constituted by nonbaryonic matter (like weakly interacting massive particles) does exist at the center of our galaxy, the study of the γ-ray emission from the Galactic Center region allows us to constrain both the mass and the size of this DM sphere. Further constraints on the DM distribution parameters may be derived by observations of bright infrared stars around the Galactic Center. Hall and Gondolo [J. Hall and P. Gondolo, Phys. Rev. D 74, 063511 (2006)] used estimates of the enclosed mass obtained in various ways and tabulated by Ghez et al. [A. M. Ghez et al., Astron. Nachr. 324, 527 (2003); A. M. Ghez et al., Astrophys. J. 620, 744 (2005)]. Moreover, if a DM cusp does exist around the Galactic Center it could modify the trajectories of stars moving around it in a sensible way depending on the DM mass distribution. Here, we discuss the constraints that can be obtained with the orbit analysis of stars (as S2 and S16) moving inside the DM concentration with the present and next generations of large telescopes. In particular, consideration of the S2 star apoastron shift may allow improving limits on the DM mass and size

Kinematics of HI near the galactic center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinha, R.P.

1979-01-01

The results of a survey of 21-cm line emission in the Milky Way Galaxy from 338. 0 5 through 360 0 to 11 0 longitude and from -2 0 to +2 0 latitude are presented. The latitude coverage is complete over this range for a given longitude. Points are observed at an interval of 15 arcmin (0.7 beamwidth). The longitude coverage is complete between 1 = 357 0 and 1 = 3 0 . Outside this range points have been observed at intervals of 0. 0 5 in longitude. The symmetry properties of the distribution of HI in the region around the galactic center have been explored. Inside a radius of 1 kpc the HI appears to be distributed in the shape of an elongated non-circular slowly rotating disk which is inclined to the galactic equator. This disk is separate from the general galactic disk of HI. In the central disk the density of HI decreases steeply as the distance from the center increases. The density of HI in the annular space between the central disk and the general galactic disk is very low. The velocity dispersion of the HI distribution in the central elongated disk is of the order of 100 km/s. The isovelocity contours on the longitude-latitude plane of the HI associated with this elongated central disk have the characteristic shape such that the angle between the minor axis and the zero-Doppler velocity contour is different than zero. Such a phenomenon has been observed in the central regions of elliptical galaxies and has been attributed to the triaxial nature of the mass distribution

INTEGRAL/IBIS observations of the Galactic center region at the epoch of the short Fermi/LAT flare

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fiocchi, M.; Sanchez-Fernandez, C.; Natalucci, L.

2011-01-01

, the second one was selected because the source position was most optimal, i.e., about 6-8 degrees off-axis, the closest to the Galactic center region. The second slot is only a few hours apart from the Swift/XRT observation of SAX J1747.0-2853 (ATEL #3163), during which very bright emission from this source...

Some observational aspects of compact galactic X-ray sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heise, J.

1982-01-01

This thesis contains the following observations of compact galactic X-ray sources: i) the X-ray experiments onboard the Astronomical Netherlands Satellite ANS, ii) a rocket-borne ultra soft X-ray experiment and iii) the Objective Grating Spectrometer onboard the EINSTEIN observatory. In Chapter I the various types of compact galactic X-ray sources are reviewed and put into the perspective of earlier and following observations. In Chapter II the author presents some of the observations of high luminosity X-ray sources, made with ANS, including the detection of soft X-rays from the compact X-ray binary Hercules X-1 and the ''return to the high state'' of the black hole candidate Cygnus X-1. Chapter III deals with transient X-ray phenomena. Results on low luminosity galactic X-ray sources are collected in Chapter IV. (Auth.)

The Fermi Galactic Center GeV Excess and Implications for Dark Matter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ackermann, M.; Buehler, R. [Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, D-15738 Zeuthen (Germany); Ajello, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Kinard Lab of Physics, Clemson, SC 29634-0978 (United States); Albert, A. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Atwood, W. B. [Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics, Department of Physics and Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Baldini, L. [Università di Pisa and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa I-56127 Pisa (Italy); Ballet, J. [Laboratoire AIM, CEA-IRFU/CNRS/Université Paris Diderot, Service d’Astrophysique, CEA Saclay, F-91191 Gif sur Yvette (France); Barbiellini, G. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Trieste, I-34127 Trieste (Italy); Bastieri, D. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Padova, I-35131 Padova (Italy); Bellazzini, R. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa (Italy); Bissaldi, E. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari (Italy); Blandford, R. D.; Bloom, E. D.; Bottacini, E. [W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Bonino, R. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Torino, I-10125 Torino (Italy); Brandt, T. J. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Bregeon, J. [Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier, Université Montpellier, CNRS/IN2P3, F-34095 Montpellier (France); Bruel, P. [Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet, École polytechnique, CNRS/IN2P3, F-91128 Palaiseau (France); Collaboration: (The Fermi LAT Collaboration); and others

2017-05-01

The region around the Galactic Center (GC) is now well established to be brighter at energies of a few GeV than what is expected from conventional models of diffuse gamma-ray emission and catalogs of known gamma-ray sources. We study the GeV excess using 6.5 yr of data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope. We characterize the uncertainty of the GC excess spectrum and morphology due to uncertainties in cosmic-ray source distributions and propagation, uncertainties in the distribution of interstellar gas in the Milky Way, and uncertainties due to a potential contribution from the Fermi bubbles. We also evaluate uncertainties in the excess properties due to resolved point sources of gamma rays. The GC is of particular interest, as it would be expected to have the brightest signal from annihilation of weakly interacting massive dark matter (DM) particles. However, control regions along the Galactic plane, where a DM signal is not expected, show excesses of similar amplitude relative to the local background. Based on the magnitude of the systematic uncertainties, we conservatively report upper limits for the annihilation cross-section as a function of particle mass and annihilation channel.

The Chandra Dust-scattering Halo of Galactic Center Transient Swift J174540.7–290015

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corrales, L. R. [Einstein Fellow, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 475 North Charter Street, Madison, WI, 53706 (United States); Mon, B.; Haggard, D. [McGill Space Institute, McGill University, 3550 University Street, Montreal, QC, H3A 2A7 (Canada); Baganoff, F. K. [MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139 (United States); Garmire, G. [Huntingdon Institute for X-ray Astronomy, 10677 Franks Road Huntingdon, PA, 16652 (United States); Degenaar, N. [Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 OHA (United Kingdom); Reynolds, M. [University of Michigan, 1085 S. University, 311 West Hall, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)

2017-04-20

We report the detection of a dust-scattering halo around a recently discovered X-ray transient, Swift J174540.7–290015, which in early 2016 February underwent one of the brightest outbursts ( F {sub X} ≈ 5 × 10{sup −10} erg cm{sup −2} s{sup −1}) observed from a compact object in the Galactic Center field. We analyze four Chandra images that were taken as follow-up observations to Swift discoveries of new Galactic Center transients. After adjusting our spectral extraction for the effects of detector pile-up, we construct a point-spread function for each observation and compare it to the GC field before the outburst. We find residual surface brightness around Swift J174540.7–290015, which has a shape and temporal evolution consistent with the behavior expected from X-rays scattered by foreground dust. We examine the spectral properties of the source, which shows evidence that the object transitioned from a soft to hard spectral state as it faded below L {sub X} ∼ 10{sup 36} erg s{sup −1}. This behavior is consistent with the hypothesis that the object is a low-mass X-ray binary in the Galactic Center.

Dynamical Processes Near the Super Massive Black Hole at the Galactic Center

Science.gov (United States)

Antonini, Fabio

2011-01-01

Observations of the stellar environment near the Galactic center provide the strongest empirical evidence for the existence of massive black holes in the Universe. Theoretical models of the Milky Way nuclear star cluster fail to explain numerous properties of such environment, including the presence of very young stars close to the super massive black hole (SMBH) and the more recent discovery of a parsec-scale core in the central distribution of the bright late-type (old) stars. In this thesis we present a theoretical study of dynamical processes near the Galactic center, strongly related to these issues. Using different numerical techniques we explore the close environment of a SMBH as catalyst for stellar collisions and mergers. We study binary stars that remain bound for several revolutions around the SMBH, finding that in the case of highly inclined binaries the Kozai resonance can lead to large periodic oscillations in the internal binary eccentricity and inclination. Collisions and mergers of the binary elements are found to increase significantly for multiple orbits around the SMBH. In collisions involving a low-mass and a high-mass star, the merger product acquires a high core hydrogen abundance from the smaller star, effectively resetting the nuclear evolution clock to a younger age. This process could serve as an important source of young stars at the Galactic center. We then show that a core in the old stars can be naturally explained in a scenario in which the Milky Way nuclear star cluster (NSC) is formed via repeated inspiral of globular clusters into the Galactic center. We present results from a set of N -body simulations of this process, which show that the fundamental properties of the NSC, including its mass, outer density profile and velocity structure, are also reproduced. Chandrasekhar's dynamical friction formula predicts no frictional force on a test body in a low-density core, regardless of its density, due to the absence of stars moving

Detecting dark matter with imploding pulsars in the galactic center.

Science.gov (United States)

Bramante, Joseph; Linden, Tim

2014-11-07

The paucity of old millisecond pulsars observed at the galactic center of the Milky Way could be the result of dark matter accumulating in and destroying neutron stars. In regions of high dark matter density, dark matter clumped in a pulsar can exceed the Schwarzschild limit and collapse into a natal black hole which destroys the pulsar. We examine what dark matter models are consistent with this hypothesis and find regions of parameter space where dark matter accumulation can significantly degrade the neutron star population within the galactic center while remaining consistent with observations of old millisecond pulsars in globular clusters and near the solar position. We identify what dark matter couplings and masses might cause a young pulsar at the galactic center to unexpectedly extinguish. Finally, we find that pulsar collapse age scales inversely with the dark matter density and linearly with the dark matter velocity dispersion. This implies that maximum pulsar age is spatially dependent on position within the dark matter halo of the Milky Way. In turn, this pulsar age spatial dependence will be dark matter model dependent.

Revelations in our own backyard: Chandra’s unique Galactic Center discoveries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Markoff, S.

2010-01-01

Before the launch of Chandra, our Galactic Center supermassive black hole, Sgr A*, had never been positively identified outside the radio bands. A great deal has changed in the past decade, starting with the discovery that our own backyard harbors a very weak, yet clearly active, galactic nucleus. I

Dark matter and pulsar model constraints from Galactic center Fermi/LAT γ-ray observations

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Chris; Macias, Oscar

2014-05-01

Employing Fermi/LAT γ-ray observations, several independent groups have found excess extended γ-ray emission at the Galactic center (GC). Both, annihilating dark matter (DM) or a population of ~ 103 unresolved millisecond pulsars (MSPs) are regarded as well motivated possible explanations. However, there is significant uncertainties in the diffuse Galactic background at the GC. We have performed a revaluation of these two models for the extended γ-ray source at the GC by accounting for the systematic uncertainties of the Galactic diffuse emission model. We also marginalize over point source and diffuse background parameters in the region of interest. We show that the excess emission is significantly more extended than a point source. We find that the DM (or pulsar population) signal is larger than the systematic errors and therefore proceed to determine the sectors of parameter space that provide an acceptable fit to the data. We found that a population of several thousand MSPs with parameters consistent with the average spectral shape of Fermi/LAT measured MSPs was able to fit the GC excess emission. For DM, we found that a pure τ+τ- annihilation channel is not a good fit to the data. But a mixture of τ+τ- and bb with a of order the thermal relic value and a DM mass of around 20 to 60 GeV provides an adequate fit.

Dark matter distribution and annihilation at the Galactic center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dokuchaev, V I; Eroshenko, Yu N

2016-01-01

We describe a promising method for measuring the total dark matter mass near a supermassive black hole at the Galactic center based on observations of nonrelativistic precession of the orbits of fast S0 stars. An analytical expression for the precession angle has been obtained under the assumption of a power-law profile of the dark matter density. The awaited weighing of the dark matter at the Galactic center provides the strong constraints on the annihilation signal from the neuralino dark matter particle candidate. The mass of the dark matter necessary for the explanation of the observed excess of gamma-radiation owing to the annihilation of the dark matter particles has been calculated with allowance for the Sommerfeld effect. (paper)

Distribution of Si II in the Galactic center

Science.gov (United States)

Graf, P.; Herter, T.; Gull, G. E.; Houck, J. R.

1988-01-01

A map of the Galactic center region in the forbidden Si II 34.8-micron line is presented. The line emission arises from within the photodissociation region (PDR) associated with the neutral gas ring surrounding an ionized gas core confined within 2 pc of the Galactic center. Si II is a useful probe of the inner regions of the ring since it is always optically thin. The Si II data, when analyzed in conjunction with O I, C II, and molecular measurements, outlines the transition region between the PDR and the surrounding molecular cloud. The Si II emission is found to extend beyond that of the O II into the neutral gas ring. Although the interpretation is not unique, the data are consistent with a constant gas-phase abundance of silicon within the inner part of the PDR while the gaseous silicon is depleted by molecule formation in the transition region.

Measures of gamma rays between 0,3 MeV and 3,0 MeV and of the 0,511 MeV annihilation line coming from Galactic Center Region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jardim, M.V.A.

1982-04-01

The detection of the flux of the electron-positron annihilation line coming from the Galactic Center direction allows one to estimate the rate of positrons production and the corresponding luminosity. The results of measurements of the annihilation line flux intensity at 0.511 MeV, obtained with a balloon borne experiment to measure gamma rays in the energy interval 0.3 to 3 MeV are presented. The detector looked at the galactic disk in the longitude interval -31 0 0 and observed a flux intensity of (6.70 +- 0.85) x 10 -3 photons cm -2 s -1 , which is in good agreement with the flux value estimated assuming that the Galactic Center is a line source emitting uniformly. Some likely sources of positrons and annhilation regions are also discussed. The results for the continuum spectrum emitted from the Galactic Center in the energy interval 0.3 to 0.67 MeV are presented and compared with measurements had already made. (Author) [pt

Observations of galactic center for annihilation line at 0.511 MeV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jayanthi, U.B.; Martin, I.M.; Braga, J.; Neri, J.A.C.F.; Jardim, M.V.A.; Rao, K.R.

1983-10-01

The presence of the 0.511 MeV gamma line emission from galactic center is well-established from various balloon experiments. Recent results in 1980-82 from balloon and satellite experiments show significant decrease in this line intensity. To confirm these results a fly on balloon is performed with a large area sodium iodide detector to measure 0.511 MeV line from galactic center. The preliminary results indicate flux -3 photons cm -2 s -1 . (Author) [pt

Detection of extended galactic sources with an underwater neutrino telescope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leisos, A.; Tsirigotis, A. G.; Tzamarias, S. E.; Lenis, D.

2014-01-01

In this study we investigate the discovery capability of a Very Large Volume Neutrino Telescope to Galactic extended sources. We focus on the brightest HESS gamma rays sources which are considered also as very high energy neutrino emitters. We use the unbinned method taking into account both the spatial and the energy distribution of high energy neutrinos and we investigate parts of the Galactic plane where nearby potential neutrino emitters form neutrino source clusters. Neutrino source clusters as well as isolated neutrino sources are combined to estimate the observation period for 5 sigma discovery of neutrino signals from these objects

DEVELOPMENT OF THE MODEL OF GALACTIC INTERSTELLAR EMISSION FOR STANDARD POINT-SOURCE ANALYSIS OF FERMI LARGE AREA TELESCOPE DATA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Acero, F.; Ballet, J. [Laboratoire AIM, CEA-IRFU/CNRS/Université Paris Diderot, Service d’Astrophysique, CEA Saclay, F-91191 Gif sur Yvette (France); Ackermann, M.; Buehler, R. [Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, D-15738 Zeuthen (Germany); Ajello, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Kinard Lab of Physics, Clemson, SC 29634-0978 (United States); Albert, A.; Baldini, L.; Bloom, E. D.; Bottacini, E.; Caliandro, G. A.; Cameron, R. A. [W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Barbiellini, G. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Trieste, I-34127 Trieste (Italy); Bastieri, D. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Padova, I-35131 Padova (Italy); Bellazzini, R. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa (Italy); Bissaldi, E. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari (Italy); Bonino, R. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Torino, I-10125 Torino (Italy); Brandt, T. J.; Buson, S. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Bregeon, J. [Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier, Université Montpellier, CNRS/IN2P3, Montpellier (France); Bruel, P., E-mail: isabelle.grenier@cea.fr, E-mail: casandjian@cea.fr [Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet, École polytechnique, CNRS/IN2P3, Palaiseau (France); and others

2016-04-01

Most of the celestial γ rays detected by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope originate from the interstellar medium when energetic cosmic rays interact with interstellar nucleons and photons. Conventional point-source and extended-source studies rely on the modeling of this diffuse emission for accurate characterization. Here, we describe the development of the Galactic Interstellar Emission Model (GIEM), which is the standard adopted by the LAT Collaboration and is publicly available. This model is based on a linear combination of maps for interstellar gas column density in Galactocentric annuli and for the inverse-Compton emission produced in the Galaxy. In the GIEM, we also include large-scale structures like Loop I and the Fermi bubbles. The measured gas emissivity spectra confirm that the cosmic-ray proton density decreases with Galactocentric distance beyond 5 kpc from the Galactic Center. The measurements also suggest a softening of the proton spectrum with Galactocentric distance. We observe that the Fermi bubbles have boundaries with a shape similar to a catenary at latitudes below 20° and we observe an enhanced emission toward their base extending in the north and south Galactic directions and located within ∼4° of the Galactic Center.

Dark matter and pulsar model constraints from Galactic Center Fermi-LAT gamma-ray observations

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Chris; Macías, Oscar

2013-10-01

Employing Fermi-LAT gamma-ray observations, several independent groups have found excess extended gamma-ray emission at the Galactic Center (GC). Both annihilating dark matter (DM) or a population of ˜103 unresolved millisecond pulsars (MSPs) are regarded as well-motivated possible explanations. However, there are significant uncertainties in the diffuse galactic background at the GC. We have performed a revaluation of these two models for the extended gamma-ray source at the GC by accounting for the systematic uncertainties of the Galactic diffuse emission model. We also marginalize over point-source and diffuse background parameters in the region of interest. We show that the excess emission is significantly more extended than a point source. We find that the DM (or pulsar-population) signal is larger than the systematic errors and therefore proceed to determine the sectors of parameter space that provide an acceptable fit to the data. We find that a population of 1000-2000 MSPs with parameters consistent with the average spectral shape of Fermi-LAT measured MSPs is able to fit the GC excess emission. For DM, we find that a pure τ+τ- annihilation channel is not a good fit to the data. But a mixture of τ+τ- and bb¯ with a ⟨σv⟩ of order the thermal relic value and a DM mass of around 20 to 60 GeV provides an adequate fit.

Galactic distribution of X-ray burst sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewin, W.H.G.; Hoffman, J.A.; Doty, J.; Clark, G.W.; Swank, J.H.; Becker, R.H.; Pravdo, S.H.; Serlemitsos, P.J.

1977-01-01

It is stated that 18 X-ray burst sources have been observed to date, applying the following definition for these bursts - rise times of less than a few seconds, durations of seconds to minutes, and recurrence in some regular pattern. If single burst events that meet the criteria of rise time and duration, but not recurrence are included, an additional seven sources can be added. A sky map is shown indicating their positions. The sources are spread along the galactic equator and cluster near low galactic longitudes, and their distribution is different from that of the observed globular clusters. Observations based on the SAS-3 X-ray observatory studies and the Goddard X-ray Spectroscopy Experiment on OSO-9 are described. The distribution of the sources is examined and the effect of uneven sky exposure on the observed distribution is evaluated. It has been suggested that the bursts are perhaps produced by remnants of disrupted globular clusters and specifically supermassive black holes. This would imply the existence of a new class of unknown objects, and at present is merely an ad hoc method of relating the burst sources to globular clusters. (U.K.)

X-ray bursters and the X-ray sources of the galactic bulge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewin, W.H.G.; Joss, P.C.; Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge; Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge

1981-01-01

In this article we shall discuss the observed X-ray, optical, infrared and radio properties of the galactic bulge sources, with an emphasis on those that produce type I X-ray bursts. There is persuasive evidence that these burst sources and many other galactic bulge sources are neutron stars in low-mass, close-binary stellar systems. (orig./WL)

VERITAS Galactic Observations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hughes, Gareth

2013-06-15

We report on recent Galactic results and discoveries made by the VERITAS collaboration. The Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) is a ground-based gamma-ray observatory, located in southern Arizona, able to detect gamma rays of energies from 100 GeV up to 30 TeV. VERITAS has been fully operational since 2007 and its current sensitivity enables the detection of a 1% Crab Nebula flux at 5 sigma in under 30 hours. The observatory is well placed to view large parts of the galactic plane including its center, resulting in a strong galactic program. Objects routinely observed include Pulsars, Pulsar Wind Nebula, X-ray binaries and sources with unidentified counterparts in other wavelengths.

HERSCHEL OBSERVATIONS REVEAL ANOMALOUS MOLECULAR ABUNDANCES TOWARD THE GALACTIC CENTER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sonnentrucker, P. [Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Neufeld, D. A.; Indriolo, N. [Physics and Astronomy Department, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Gerin, M.; De Luca, M. [LERMA-LRA, UMR 8112 du CNRS, Observatoire de Paris, Ecole Normale Superieure, UPMC and UCP, 24 rue Lhomond, F-75231, Paris Cedex 05 (France); Lis, D. C. [Astronomy Department, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Goicoechea, J. R., E-mail: sonnentr@stsci.edu [Centro de Astrobiologia, CSIC/INTA, E-28850, Madrid (Spain)

2013-01-20

We report the Herschel detections of hydrogen fluoride (HF) and para-water (p-H{sub 2}O) in gas intercepting the sight lines to two well-studied molecular clouds in the vicinity of the Sgr A complex: G-0.02-0.07 (the {sup +}50 km s{sup -1} cloud{sup )} and G-0.13-0.08 (the {sup +}20 km s{sup -1} cloud{sup )}. Toward both sight lines, HF and water absorption components are detected over a wide range of velocities covering {approx}250 km s{sup -1}. For all velocity components with V{sub LSR} > -85 km s{sup -1}, we find that the HF and water abundances are consistent with those measured toward other sight lines probing the Galactic disk gas. The velocity components with V{sub LSR} {<=} -85 km s{sup -1}, which are known to trace gas residing within {approx}200 pc of the Galactic center, however, exhibit water vapor abundances with respect to HF at least a factor three higher than those found in the Galactic disk gas. Comparison with CH data indicates that our observations are consistent with a picture where HF and a fraction of the H{sub 2}O absorption arise in diffuse molecular clouds showing Galactic disk-like abundances while the bulk of the water absorption arises in warmer (T {>=} 400 K) diffuse molecular gas for V{sub LSR} {<=} -85 km s{sup -1}. This diffuse Interstellar Medium (ISM) phase has also been recently revealed through observations of CO, HF, H{sup +}{sub 3}, and H{sub 3}O{sup +} absorption toward other sight lines probing the Galactic center inner region.

A 1420 MHz Catalog of Compact Sources in the Northern Galactic Plane

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor, A. R. [Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy, and Department of Astronomy, University of Cape Town Department of Physics, University of the Western Cape (South Africa); Leahy, D. A.; Sunstrum, C. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary (Canada); Tian, W. W. [National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing Shi (China); Kothes, R.; Landecker, T. L.; Ransom, R. R; Higgs, L. A. [Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory, Herzberg Programs in Astronomy and Astrophysics National Research Council of Canada (Canada)

2017-03-01

We present a catalog of compact sources of radio emission at 1420 MHz in the northern Galactic plane from the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey. The catalog contains 72,758 compact sources with an angular size less than 3′ within the Galactic longitude range 52° <  ℓ  < 192° down to a 5 σ detection level of ∼1.2 mJy. Linear polarization properties are included for 12,368 sources with signals greater than 4 σ{sub QU} in the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey (CGPS) Stokes Q and U images at the position of the total intensity peak. We compare CGPS flux densities with cataloged flux densities in the Northern VLA Sky Survey catalog for 10,897 isolated unresolved sources with CGPS flux density greater than 4 mJy to search for sources that show variable flux density on timescales of several years. We identify 146 candidate variables that exhibit high fractional variations between the two surveys. In addition, we identify 13 candidate transient sources that have CGPS flux density above 10 mJy but are not detected in the Northern VLA Sky Survey.

Active Galactic Nuclei: Sources for ultra high energy cosmic rays?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Biermann, Peter L. [MPI for Radioastronomy, Bonn (Germany); Dept. of Phys. and Astron., Univ. of Bonn (Germany); Dept. of Phys. and Astr., Univ. of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL (United States); Dept. of Phys., Univ. of Alabama at Huntsville, AL (United States); Inst. Nucl. Phys. FZ, Karlsruhe Inst. of Techn. (KIT) (Germany); Becker, Julia K. [Institution foer Fysik, Goeteborgs Univ. (Sweden); Dept. of Phys., Univ. Dortmund, Dortmund (Germany); Caramete, Laurentiu [MPI for Radioastronomy, Bonn (Germany); Institute for Space Studies, Bucharest (Romania); Curutiu, Alex [MPI for Radioastronomy, Bonn (Germany); Engel, Ralph [Inst. Nucl. Phys. FZ, Karlsruhe Inst. of Techn. (KIT) (Germany); Falcke, Heino [Dept. of Astrophys., IMAP, Radboud Univ., Nijmegen (Netherlands); ASTRON, Dwingeloo (Netherlands); Gergely, Laszlo A. [Dept. Appl. Sci., London South Bank University (United Kingdom); Dept. of Theoret. and Exp. Phys., Univ. of Szeged, Szeged (Hungary); Isar, P. Gina [Inst. Nucl. Phys. FZ, Karlsruhe Inst. of Techn. (KIT) (Germany); Institute for Space Studies, Bucharest (Romania); Maris, Ioana C. [Inst. Nucl. Phys. FZ, Karlsruhe Inst. of Techn. (KIT) (Germany); Meli, Athina [Physik. Inst. Univ. Erlangen-Nuernberg (Germany); Kampert, Karl-Heinz [Phys. Dept., Univ. Wuppertal (Germany); Stanev, Todor [Bartol Research Inst., Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States); Tascau, Oana [Phys. Dept., Univ. Wuppertal (Germany); Zier, Christian [MPI for Radioastronomy, Bonn (Germany); Raman Res. Inst., Bangalore (India)

2009-05-15

The origin of ultra high energy cosmic rays promises to lead us to a deeper understanding of the structure of matter. This is possible through the study of particle collisions at center-of-mass energies in interactions far larger than anything possible with the Large Hadron Collider, albeit at the substantial cost of no control over the sources and interaction sites. For the extreme energies we have to identify and understand the sources first, before trying to use them as physics laboratories. Here we describe the current stage of this exploration. The most promising contenders as sources are radio galaxies and gamma ray bursts. The sky distribution of observed events yields a hint favoring radio galaxies. Key in this quest are the intergalactic and galactic magnetic fields, whose strength and structure are not yet fully understood. Current data and statistics do not yet allow a final judgement. We outline how we may progress in the near future.

Active Galactic Nuclei: Sources for ultra high energy cosmic rays?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biermann, Peter L.; Becker, Julia K.; Caramete, Laurentiu; Curutiu, Alex; Engel, Ralph; Falcke, Heino; Gergely, Laszlo A.; Isar, P. Gina; Maris, Ioana C.; Meli, Athina; Kampert, Karl-Heinz; Stanev, Todor; Tascau, Oana; Zier, Christian

2009-01-01

The origin of ultra high energy cosmic rays promises to lead us to a deeper understanding of the structure of matter. This is possible through the study of particle collisions at center-of-mass energies in interactions far larger than anything possible with the Large Hadron Collider, albeit at the substantial cost of no control over the sources and interaction sites. For the extreme energies we have to identify and understand the sources first, before trying to use them as physics laboratories. Here we describe the current stage of this exploration. The most promising contenders as sources are radio galaxies and gamma ray bursts. The sky distribution of observed events yields a hint favoring radio galaxies. Key in this quest are the intergalactic and galactic magnetic fields, whose strength and structure are not yet fully understood. Current data and statistics do not yet allow a final judgement. We outline how we may progress in the near future.

Constraining the Stellar Mass Function in the Galactic Center via Mass Loss from Stellar Collisions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Douglas Rubin

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The dense concentration of stars and high-velocity dispersions in the Galactic center imply that stellar collisions frequently occur. Stellar collisions could therefore result in significant mass loss rates. We calculate the amount of stellar mass lost due to indirect and direct stellar collisions and find its dependence on the present-day mass function of stars. We find that the total mass loss rate in the Galactic center due to stellar collisions is sensitive to the present-day mass function adopted. We use the observed diffuse X-ray luminosity in the Galactic center to preclude any present-day mass functions that result in mass loss rates >10-5M⨀yr−1 in the vicinity of ~1″. For present-day mass functions of the form, dN/dM∝M-α, we constrain the present-day mass function to have a minimum stellar mass ≲7M⨀ and a power-law slope ≳1.25. We also use this result to constrain the initial mass function in the Galactic center by considering different star formation scenarios.

Radio Wavelength Studies of the Galactic Center Source N3, Spectroscopic Instrumentation For Robotic Telescope Systems, and Developing Active Learning Activities for Astronomy Laboratory Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Ludovici, Dominic Alesio

2017-08-01

The mysterious radio source N3 appears to be located within the vicinity of the Radio Arc region of the Galactic Center. To investigate the nature of this source, we have conducted radio observations with the VLA and the VLBA. Continuum observations between 2 and 50 GHz reveal that N3 is an extremely compact and bright source with a non-thermal spectrum. Molecular line observations with the VLA reveal a compact molecular cloud adjacent to N3 in projection. The properties of this cloud are consistent with other galactic center clouds. We are able to rule out several hypotheses for the nature of N3, though a micro-blazar origin cannot be ruled out. Robotic Telescope systems are now seeing widespread deployment as both teaching and research instruments. While these systems have traditionally been able to produce high quality images, these systems have lacked the capability to conduct spectroscopic observations. To enable spectroscopic observations on the Iowa Robotic Observatory, we have developed a low cost (˜ 500), low resolution (R ˜ 300) spectrometer which mounts inside a modified filter wheel and a moderate cost (˜ 5000), medium resolution (R ˜ 8000) fiber-fed spectrometer. Software has been developed to operate both instruments robotically and calibration pipelines are being developed to automate calibration of the data. The University of Iowa offers several introductory astronomy laboratory courses taken by many hundreds of students each semester. To improve student learning in these laboratory courses, we have worked to integrate active learning into laboratory activities. We present the pedagogical approaches used to develop and update the laboratory activities and present an inventory of the current laboratory exercises. Using the inventory, we make observations of the strengths and weaknesses of the current exercises and provide suggestions for future refinement of the astronomy laboratory curriculum.

Evolution of Supernova Remnants Near the Galactic Center

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yalinewich, A.; Piran, T.; Sari, R. [Racah Institute of Physics, the Hebrew University, 91904, Jerusalem (Israel)

2017-03-20

Supernovae near the Galactic center (GC) evolve differently from regular Galactic supernovae. This is mainly due to the environment into which the supernova remnants (SNRs) propagate. SNRs near the GC propagate into a wind swept environment with a velocity directed away from the GC, and a graded density profile. This causes these SNRs to be non-spherical, and to evolve faster than their Galactic counterparts. We develop an analytic theory for the evolution of explosions within a stellar wind, and verify it using a hydrodynamic code. We show that such explosions can evolve in one of three possible morphologies. Using these results we discuss the association between the two SNRs (SGR East and SGR A’s bipolar radio/X-ray lobes) and the two neutron stars (the Cannonball and SGR J1745-2900) near the GC. We show that, given the morphologies of the SNR and positions of the neutron stars, the only possible association is between SGR A’s bipolar radio/X-ray lobes and SGR J1745-2900. If a compact object was created in the explosion of SGR East, it remains undetected, and the SNR of the supernova that created the Cannonball has already disappeared.

NuSTAR Hard X-ray Survey of the Galactic Center Region. I. Hard X-ray Morphology and Spectroscopy of the Diffuse Emission

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mori, Kaya; Hailey, Charles J.; Krivonos, Roman

2015-01-01

We present the first sub-arcminute images of the Galactic Center above 10 keV, obtained with NuSTAR. NuSTAR resolves the hard X-ray source IGR J17456-2901 into non-thermal X-ray filaments, molecular clouds, point sources, and a previously unknown central component of hard X-ray emission (CHXE). Nu...

Star Formation at the Galactic Center

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2015-08-01

Could stars be forming in the inhospitable environment near Sagittarius A* in the heart of the Milky Way? A possible signature of low-mass star formation has recently been found just two light-years from the black hole at the center of our galaxy — a region that was previously thought to be too hostile for such activity. Searching for Signatures: Previous observations of the central few light-years of the Milky Way had focused on a population of about 200 massive, young and very bright stars in tight orbits around Sgr A*. These stars are only a few million years old and prompted scientists to wonder: have they somehow managed to form in situ, in spite of their close proximity to the black hole, or did they form further out and then migrate in? Motivated by this mystery, Farhad Yusef-Zadeh of Northwestern University and collaborators looked for evidence of even younger stars close to Sagittarius A*, which would demonstrate that star formation in the area is an ongoing process. Using the Very Large Array (VLA), the collaboration discovered several small sources in one arm of activity near Sgr A*. This 34-GHz image provides a close-up view of two protoplanetary disk candidates (labeled P26 and P8) located near Sgr A*. These objects are outlined on the right side by a bow shock caused by impacting stellar wind that streams from the young, hot stars closer to the Galactic center. The disks are thought to contain recently-formed, low-mass stars. (Credit: Yusef-Zadeh et al., 2015) Heated Disks: The team identified these sources as candidate photoevaporative protoplanetary disks, or “proplyds” — areas of dense, ionized gas and dust surrounding young, newly formed stars. The proplyd candidates are between 10,000 and 100,000 years old, and they lie along the edge of a large molecular cloud. It is likely that this cloud produced the disks by providing a reservoir of gas to feed the star-formation activity. The region surrounding these proplyds is blasted with harsh

Chandra Discovers X-ray Source at the Center of Our Galaxy

Science.gov (United States)

2000-01-01

Culminating 25 years of searching by astronomers, researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology say that a faint X-ray source, newly detected by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, may be the long-sought X-ray emission from a known supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy. Frederick K. Baganoff and colleagues from Pennsylvania State University, University Park, and the University of California, Los Angeles, will present their findings today in Atlanta at the 195th national meeting of the American Astronomical Society. Baganoff, lead scientist for the Chandra X-ray Observatory's Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS) team's "Sagittarius A* and the Galactic Center" project and postdoctoral research associate at MIT, said that the precise positional coincidence between the new X-ray source and the radio position of a long-known source called Sagittarius A* "encourages us to believe that the two are the same." Sagittarius A* is a point-like, variable radio source at the center of our galaxy. It looks like a faint quasar and is believed to be powered by gaseous matter falling into a supermassive black hole with 2.6 million times the mass of our Sun. Chandra's remarkable detection of this X-ray source has placed astronomers within a couple of years of a coveted prize: measuring the spectrum of energy produced by Sagittarius A* to determine in detail how the supermassive black hole that powers it works. "The race to be the first to detect X-rays from Sagittarius A* is one of the hottest and longest-running in all of X-ray astronomy," Baganoff said. "Theorists are eager to hear the results of our observation so they can test their ideas." But now that an X-ray source close to Sagittarius A* has been found, it has taken researchers by surprise by being much fainter than expected. "There must be something unusual about the environment around this black hole that affects how it is fed and how the gravitational energy released from the infalling matter is

Harmonizing the MSSM with the Galactic Center excess

Science.gov (United States)

Butter, Anja; Murgia, Simona; Plehn, Tilman; Tait, Tim M. P.

2017-08-01

The minimal supersymmetric setup offers a comprehensive framework to interpret the Fermi-LAT Galactic Center excess. Taking into account experimental, theoretical, and astrophysical uncertainties we can identify valid parameter regions linked to different annihilation channels. They extend to dark matter masses above 250 GeV. There exists a very mild tension between the observed relic density and the annihilation rate in the center of our Galaxy for specific channels. The strongest additional constraints come from the new generation of direct detection experiments, ruling out much of the light and intermediate dark matter mass regime and giving preference to heavier dark matter annihilating into a pair of top quarks.

Theoretical galactic cosmic ray electron spectrum obtained for sources of varying geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, M.E.

1969-01-01

Jokipii and Meyer have recently obtained an electron density energy spectrum of the cosmic rays, originating in the Galaxy, using integral solutions of the steady state transfer equations, by considering a circular cylindric galactic disc as source and approximating the resulting fourth order integral. In this report, we present general results, obtained by using an arbitrary circular cylindric source, without restricting ourselves to the galactic disc. The integrals are treated exactly. The conclusions of Jokipii and Meyer form special cases of these results. We also obtain an exponential energy variation which, at the moment, is not observed experimentally. The second part of this work deals with more complicated, but perhaps more realistic models of elliptic cylindric and ellipsoidal galactic disc sources. One may also note that a very large source concentrated in a very small region gives a spectrum not unlike that for a small source distributed throughout a large volume. Finally, it may be remarked that the model adopted is much less restrictive than the artificial conception of 'leakage time' followed by other workers. (author) [fr

Positrons from supernova and the origin of the galactic-center positron-annihilation radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colgate, S.A.

1983-01-01

The emission of positrons from supernova ejecta is dicussed in terms of the galactic-center annihilation radiation. The positrons from the radioactive sequences 56 Ni→ 56 Co→ 56 Fe are the most numerous source from supernova. Only type I supernova will allow a significant fraction to escape the expanding ejecta. For a neutron star model of a type I SN a fraction 4 x 10 -3 of the escaped positron is enough to create the observed several year fluctuation of the annihilation radiation. The likelihood of this model is discussed in terms of other astrophysical evidence as well as the type I SN light curve

HI Clouds Near the Galactic Center: Possible Tracers of the Nuclear Wind

Science.gov (United States)

Lockman, Felix J.; McClure-Griffiths, Naomi; DiTeodoro, Enrico

2017-01-01

We have used the Green Bank Telescope to discover more than one hundred neutral hydrogen clouds that appear to be embedded in the Fermi Bubble -- the Milky Way’s nuclear wind. With the other members of this population that were previously found with the Australia Telescope Compact Array, we now have a sample of about 200 such clouds. They are identified by their peculiar velocities. The cloud kinematics show no trace of Galactic rotation or association with the Galactic bar. Near longitude zero the clouds can have values of VLSR = +-200 km/s. No clouds have been detected with |VLSR| > 350 km/s. The clouds are concentrated toward the Galactic plane, but some are still found to |b|=10 degrees, or z > 1 kpc at the Galactic Center, where the current surveys end. These clouds are important tracers of conditions in the nuclear wind of the Milky Way.

The Galactic Center: A Petaelectronvolt Cosmic-ray Acceleration Factory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Yi-Qing; Tian, Zhen; Wang, Zhen [Key Laboratory of Particle Astrophysics, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Li, Hai-Jin; Chen, Tian-Lu [Physics Department of the Science School, Tibet University, Lhasa 850000 (China)

2017-02-20

The multiteraelectronvolt γ -rays from the galactic center (GC) have a cutoff at tens of teraelectronvolts, whereas the diffuse emission has no such cutoff, which is regarded as an indication of petaelectronvolt proton acceleration by the HESS experiment. It is important to understand the inconsistency and study the possibility that petaelectronvolt cosmic-ray acceleration could account for the apparently contradictory point and diffuse γ -ray spectra. In this work, we propose that the cosmic rays are accelerated up to greater than petaelectronvolts in the GC. The interaction between cosmic rays and molecular clouds is responsible for the multiteraelectronvolt γ -ray emissions from both the point and diffuse sources today. Enhanced by the small volume filling factor (VFF) of the clumpy structure, the absorption of the γ -rays leads to a sharp cutoff spectrum at tens of teraelectronvolts produced in the GC. Away from the GC, the VFF grows, and the absorption enhancement becomes negligible. As a result, the spectra of γ -ray emissions for both point and diffuse sources can be successfully reproduced under such a self-consistent picture. In addition, a “surviving tail” at ∼100 TeV is expected from the point source, which can be observed by future projects CTA and LHAASO. Neutrinos are simultaneously produced during proton-proton (PP) collision. With 5–10 years of observations, the KM3Net experiment will be able to detect the petaelectronvolt source according to our calculation.

Galactic Sources Detected in the NuSTAR Serendipitous Survey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tomsick, John A.; Clavel, Maïca; Chiu, Jeng-Lun [Space Sciences Laboratory, 7 Gauss Way, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-7450 (United States); Lansbury, George B.; Aird, James [Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom); Rahoui, Farid [Department of Astronomy, Harvard University, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Fornasini, Francesca M.; Hong, JaeSub; Grindlay, Jonathan E. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Alexander, David M. [Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy, Department of Physics, University of Durham, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Bodaghee, Arash [Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville, GA 31061 (United States); Hailey, Charles J.; Mori, Kaya [Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Harrison, Fiona A. [California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Krivonos, Roman A. [Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Profsoyuznaya Str. 84/32, 117997, Moscow (Russian Federation); Stern, Daniel [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States)

2017-06-01

The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) provides an improvement in sensitivity at energies above 10 keV by two orders of magnitude over non-focusing satellites, making it possible to probe deeper into the Galaxy and universe. Lansbury and collaborators recently completed a catalog of 497 sources serendipitously detected in the 3–24 keV band using 13 deg{sup 2} of NuSTAR coverage. Here, we report on an optical and X-ray study of 16 Galactic sources in the catalog. We identify 8 of them as stars (but some or all could have binary companions), and use information from Gaia to report distances and X-ray luminosities for 3 of them. There are 4 CVs or CV candidates, and we argue that NuSTAR J233426–2343.9 is a relatively strong CV candidate based partly on an X-ray spectrum from XMM-Newton . NuSTAR J092418–3142.2, which is the brightest serendipitous source in the Lansbury catalog, and NuSTAR J073959–3147.8 are low-mass X-ray binary candidates, but it is also possible that these 2 sources are CVs. One of the sources is a known high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB), and NuSTAR J105008–5958.8 is a new HMXB candidate that has strong Balmer emission lines in its optical spectrum and a hard X-ray spectrum. We discuss the implications of finding these HMXBs for the surface density (log N –log S ) and luminosity function of Galactic HMXBs. We conclude that with the large fraction of unclassified sources in the Galactic plane detected by NuSTAR in the 8–24 keV band, there could be a significant population of low-luminosity HMXBs.

Infrared imaging spectroscopy of the Galactic center - Distribution and motions of the ionized gas

Science.gov (United States)

Herbst, T. M.; Beckwith, S. V. W.; Forrest, W. J.; Pipher, J. L.

1993-01-01

High spatial spectral resolution IR images of the Galactic center in the Br-gamma recombination line of hydrogen were taken. A coherent filament of gas extending from north of IRS 1, curving around IRS 16/Sgr A complex, and continuing to the southwest, is seen. Nine stellar sources have associated Br-gamma emission. The total Br-gamma line flux in the filament is approximately 3 x 10 exp -15 W/sq m. The distribution and kinematics of the northern arm suggest orbital motion; the observations are accordingly fit with elliptical orbits in the field of a central point of mass.

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.)

Positron annihilation radiation from the Galactic center - Cheshire cat' Compton scattering and the origin of excess continuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bildsten, L.; Zurek, W.H.

1988-01-01

Two observations of the gamma-ray spectrum from the direction of the Galactic center were made by HEAO 3 in the fall of 1979 and the spring of 1980. The 2-gamma 511 keV annihilation line flux decreased by a factor of about three during the 6 months between these observations, while the excess gamma-ray continuum below the annihilation line, often interpreted as 3-gamma decay of orthopositronium, barely changed. This discrepancy in temporal behavior makes the identification of the bulk of excess continuum as 3-gamma decay of positronium difficult. It is shown that Compton scattering of the line and high-energy radiation provides a natural explanation for the surprisingly small changes seen in the excess continuum. Scattered photons are delayed by a time corresponding to the size of the scattering region. For the annihilation source in the Galactic center, this distance is probably a fraction of a parsec. Thus, even after the high-energy continuum and annihilation line are gone, low-energy Compton-scattered photons can still be detected with an almost unchanged flux. 23 references

Cosmic ray injection spectrum at the galactic sources

Science.gov (United States)

Lagutin, Anatoly; Tyumentsev, Alexander; Volkov, Nikolay

The spectra of cosmic rays measured at Earth are different from their source spectra. A key to understanding this difference, being crucial for solving the problem of cosmic-ray origin, is the determination of how cosmic-ray (CR) particles propagate through the turbulent interstellar medium (ISM). If the medium is a quasi-homogeneous the propagation process can be described by a normal diffusion model. However, during a last few decades many evidences, both from theory and observations, of the existence of multiscale structures in the Galaxy have been found. Filaments, shells, clouds are entities widely spread in the ISM. In such a highly non-homogeneous (fractal-like) ISM the normal diffusion model certainly is not kept valid. Generalization of this model leads to what is known as "anomalous diffusion". The main goal of the report is to retrieve the cosmic ray injection spectrum at the galactic sources in the framework of the anomalous diffusion (AD) model. The anomaly in this model results from large free paths ("Levy flights") of particles between galactic inhomogeneities. In order to evaluate the CR spectrum at the sources, we carried out new calculation of the CR spectra at Earth. AD equation in terms of fractional derivatives have been used to describe CR propagation from the nearby (r≤1 kpc) young (t≤ 1 Myr) and multiple old distant (r > 1 kpc) sources. The assessment of the key model parameters have been based on the results of the particles diffusion in the cosmic and laboratory plasma. We show that in the framework of the anomalous diffusion model the locally observed basic features of the cosmic rays (difference between spectral exponents of proton, He and other nuclei, "knee" problem, positron to electron ratio) can be explained if the injection spectrum at the main galactic sources of cosmic rays has spectral exponent p˜ 2.85. The authors acknowledge support from The Russian Foundation for Basic Research grant No. 14-02-31524.

A persistent high-energy flux from the heart of the Milky Way: Integral's view of the Galactic center

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Belanger, G.; Goldwurm, A.; Renaud, M.

2006-01-01

Highly sensitive imaging observations of the Galactic center ( GC) at high energies with an angular resolution of order 100 is a very recent development in the field of high-energy astrophysics. The IBIS/ISGRI imager on the INTEGRAL observatory detected for the first time a hard X-ray source, IGR......-rays to the overall spectrum from this region. There is also evidence for hard emission from a region located between the central black hole and the radio arc near l similar to 0.degrees 1 along the Galactic plane and known to contain giant molecular clouds....... sigma upper limit on the flux at the electron-positron annihilation energy of 511 keV from the direction of Sgr A* is set at 1.9 x 10(-4) photons cm(-2) s(-1). Very recently, the HESS collaboration presented the detection of a source of similar to TeV gamma-rays also located within an arcminute of Sgr A...

The Galactic Center View with Simbol-X

Science.gov (United States)

Raimondi, L.; Malaguti, G.; Angelini, L.; Cappi, M.; Grandi, P.; Palumbo, G. G. C.; Puccetti, S.

2009-05-01

The nature of the hard X-ray emission above 3 keV of the Galactic Centre (GC) is still source of controversy. Recent observations with Chandra are consistent with either a population of discrete sources or with a diffuse non thermal emission or, most likely, a combination of the two. The Simbol-X mission will be equipped with a grazing incident telescope imaging up to ~80 keV, providing an improvement of three orders of magnitude in sensitivity and angular resolution compared with the instruments that have operated so far above 10 keV. This capability will enable to directly disentangle between the discrete source versus the diffuse emission scenarios. This is demonstrated by the Simbol-X simulations of the GC shown here, where the input model includes a list of both diffuse and point sources (both resolved and unresolved) using the input spectrum observed with presently operating X-ray telescopes.

Sensitivity of CTA to dark matter signals from the Galactic Center

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pierre, Mathias [Département Physique, École Normale Supérieure de Cachan, 61 Avenue du Président Wilson, Cachan, 94230 France (France); Siegal-Gaskins, Jennifer M. [California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91125 (United States); Scott, Pat, E-mail: mathias.pierre@ens-cachan.fr, E-mail: jsg@tapir.caltech.edu, E-mail: patscott@physics.mcgill.ca [Department of Physics, McGill University, 3600 Rue University, Montréal, Québec, H3A 2T8 Canada (Canada)

2014-06-01

The Galactic Center is one of the most promising targets for indirect detection of dark matter with gamma rays. We investigate the sensitivity of the upcoming Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) to dark matter annihilation and decay in the Galactic Center. As the inner density profile of the Milky Way's dark matter halo is uncertain, we study the impact of the slope of the Galactic density profile, inwards of the Sun, on the prospects for detecting a dark matter signal with CTA. Adopting the Ring Method to define the signal and background regions in an ON-OFF analysis approach, we find that the sensitivity achieved by CTA to annihilation signals is strongly dependent on the inner profile slope, whereas the dependence is more mild in the case of dark matter decay. Surprisingly, we find that the optimal choice of signal and background regions is virtually independent of the assumed density profile. For the fiducial case of a Navarro-Frenk-White profile, we find that CTA will be able to probe annihilation cross-sections well below the canonical thermal relic value for dark matter masses from a few tens of GeV up to ∼ 5 TeV for annihilation to τ{sup +}τ{sup −}, and will achieve only a slightly weaker sensitivity for annihilation to b b-bar or μ{sup +}μ{sup −}. CTA will improve significantly on current sensitivity to annihilation signals for dark matter masses above ∼ 100 GeV, covering parameter space that is complementary to that probed by searches with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. The interpretation of apparent excesses in the measured cosmic-ray electron and positron spectra as signals of dark matter decay will also be testable with CTA observations of the Galactic Center. We demonstrate that both for annihilation and for decay, including spectral information for hard channels (such as μ{sup +}μ{sup −} and τ{sup +}τ{sup −}) leads to enhanced sensitivity for dark matter masses above m{sub DM} ∼ 200 GeV.

Sensitivity of CTA to dark matter signals from the Galactic Center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pierre, Mathias; Siegal-Gaskins, Jennifer M.; Scott, Pat

2014-01-01

The Galactic Center is one of the most promising targets for indirect detection of dark matter with gamma rays. We investigate the sensitivity of the upcoming Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) to dark matter annihilation and decay in the Galactic Center. As the inner density profile of the Milky Way's dark matter halo is uncertain, we study the impact of the slope of the Galactic density profile, inwards of the Sun, on the prospects for detecting a dark matter signal with CTA. Adopting the Ring Method to define the signal and background regions in an ON-OFF analysis approach, we find that the sensitivity achieved by CTA to annihilation signals is strongly dependent on the inner profile slope, whereas the dependence is more mild in the case of dark matter decay. Surprisingly, we find that the optimal choice of signal and background regions is virtually independent of the assumed density profile. For the fiducial case of a Navarro-Frenk-White profile, we find that CTA will be able to probe annihilation cross-sections well below the canonical thermal relic value for dark matter masses from a few tens of GeV up to ∼ 5 TeV for annihilation to τ + τ − , and will achieve only a slightly weaker sensitivity for annihilation to b b-bar or μ + μ − . CTA will improve significantly on current sensitivity to annihilation signals for dark matter masses above ∼ 100 GeV, covering parameter space that is complementary to that probed by searches with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. The interpretation of apparent excesses in the measured cosmic-ray electron and positron spectra as signals of dark matter decay will also be testable with CTA observations of the Galactic Center. We demonstrate that both for annihilation and for decay, including spectral information for hard channels (such as μ + μ − and τ + τ − ) leads to enhanced sensitivity for dark matter masses above m DM ∼ 200 GeV

360-degree video and X-ray modeling of the Galactic center's inner parsec

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Christopher Michael Post; Wang, Daniel; Cuadra, Jorge

2017-08-01

360-degree videos, which render an image over all 4pi steradian, provide a unique and immersive way to visualize astrophysical simulations. Video sharing sites such as YouTube allow these videos to be shared with the masses; they can be viewed in their 360° nature on computer screens, with smartphones, or, best of all, in virtual-reality (VR) goggles. We present the first such 360° video of an astrophysical simulation: a hydrodynamics calculation of the Wolf-Rayet stars and their ejected winds in the inner parsec of the Galactic center. Viewed from the perspective of the super-massive black hole (SMBH), the most striking aspect of the video, which renders column density, is the inspiraling and stretching of clumps of WR-wind material as they makes their way towards the SMBH. We will brielfy describe how to make 360° videos and how to publish them online in their desired 360° format. Additionally we discuss computing the thermal X-ray emission from a suite of Galactic-center hydrodynamic simulations that have various SMBH feedback mechanisms, which are compared to Chandra X-ray Visionary Program observations of the region. Over a 2-5” ring centered on Sgr A*, the spectral shape is well matched, indicating that the WR winds are the dominant source of the thermal X-ray emission. Furthermore, the X-ray flux depends on the SMBH feedback due to the feedback's ability to clear out material from the central parsec. A moderate outburst is necessary to explain the current thermal X-ray flux, even though the outburst ended ˜100 yr ago.

Galactic center gamma-ray excess from dark matter annihilation: is there a black hole spike?

Science.gov (United States)

Fields, Brian D; Shapiro, Stuart L; Shelton, Jessie

2014-10-10

If the supermassive black hole Sgr A* at the center of the Milky Way grew adiabatically from an initial seed embedded in a Navarro-Frenk-White dark matter (DM) halo, then the DM profile near the hole has steepened into a spike. We calculate the dramatic enhancement to the gamma-ray flux from the Galactic center (GC) from such a spike if the 1-3 GeV excess observed in Fermi data is due to DM annihilations. We find that for the parameter values favored in recent fits, the point-source-like flux from the spike is 35 times greater than the flux from the inner 1° of the halo, far exceeding all Fermi point source detections near the GC. We consider the dependence of the spike signal on astrophysical and particle parameters and conclude that if the GC excess is due to DM, then a canonical adiabatic spike is disfavored by the data. We discuss alternative Galactic histories that predict different spike signals, including (i) the nonadiabatic growth of the black hole, possibly associated with halo and/or black hole mergers, (ii) gravitational interaction of DM with baryons in the dense core, such as heating by stars, or (iii) DM self-interactions. We emphasize that the spike signal is sensitive to a different combination of particle parameters than the halo signal and that the inclusion of a spike component to any DM signal in future analyses would provide novel information about both the history of the GC and the particle physics of DM annihilations.

A MID-INFRARED CENSUS OF STAR FORMATION ACTIVITY IN BOLOCAM GALACTIC PLANE SURVEY SOURCES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunham, Miranda K.; Robitaille, Thomas P.; Evans, Neal J. II; Schlingman, Wayne M.; Cyganowski, Claudia J.; Urquhart, James

2011-01-01

We present the results of a search for mid-infrared signs of star formation activity in the 1.1 mm sources in the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey (BGPS). We have correlated the BGPS catalog with available mid-IR Galactic plane catalogs based on the Spitzer Space Telescope GLIMPSE legacy survey and the Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) Galactic plane survey. We find that 44% (3712 of 8358) of the BGPS sources contain at least one mid-IR source, including 2457 of 5067 (49%) within the area where all surveys overlap (10 deg. s tarlessBGPS sources which were not matched to any mid-IR sources. The mean 1.1 mm flux of each group increases with increasing probability of active star formation. We also find that the 'starless' BGPS sources are the most compact, while the sources with the highest probability of star formation activity are on average more extended with large skirts of emission. A subsample of 280 BGPS sources with known distances demonstrates that mass and mean H 2 column density also increase with probability of star formation activity.

Galactic sprinklers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vandeusen, W.

1984-01-01

It is believed by many astronomers that gravitation is responsible for holding a strong whirlpool of hot, dense material together at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. However, the galactic-sprinkler model suggests that the whirlpool is not being held together, and that the stars, gas and dust within the spirals are being thrown outward. It is also suggested that much of the ejected material eventually returns to the galactic center, as do stars within our stellar neighborhood. The material is believed to be subjected to extreme changes in the gravitational time rate which may cause it to follow an inbound spiral that is basically similar to the outbound spiral. Radio studies also indicate that the galactic arms on either side of the galactic center move at different velocities and in different directions with respect to our location and that the whole group of stars in the vicinity of the solar system may be moving outward from the galactic center at a velocity of about 40 kps. Through the use of velocity data in kps, and distance data in light years, the radial component of the sun's trajectory can be estimated with respect to time by a parabola. The spiral trajectory of the sun can be calculated and plotted on polar coordinates by combining both the radial component and tangential component (230 kps)

Supernova Remnants as the Sources of Galactic Cosmic Rays

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vink, J.

2013-01-01

The origin of cosmic rays holds still manymysteries hundred years after they were first discovered. Supernova remnants have for long been the most likely sources of Galactic cosmic rays. I discuss here some recent evidence that suggests that supernova remnants can indeed efficiently accelerate

Examining Sites of Recent Star Formation in the Galactic Center: A Closer Look at the Arched Filaments and H HII Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Hankins, Matthew; Herter, Terry; Lau, Ryan; Morris, Mark; Mills, Elisabeth

2018-01-01

In this dissertation presentation, we analyze mid-infrared imaging of the Arched Filaments and H HII regions in the Galactic center taken with the Faint Object Infrared Camera for the SOFIA Telescope (FORCAST). Examining these regions are of great interest because they provide insights on star formation in the Galactic center and the interactions massive stars have with the ISM. The Arched Filaments are a collection of molecular cloud ridges which are ionized by the nearby Arches star cluster, and give the appearance of large (~25 pc) arch-like structures. The H HII regions are a collection of HII regions just to the west of the Arches cluster (~5-15 pc). The origin of the stars powering the H HII regions is uncertain, as they may have formed in a nearby molecular cloud or could be ejected members of the Arches cluster. FORCAST observations of these regions were used to study the morphology and heating structure of the HII regions, as well as constrain their luminosities.Color-temperature maps of the Arched Filaments created with the FORCAST data reveals fairly uniform dust temperatures (~70-100 K) across the length filaments. The temperature uniformity of the clouds can be explained if they are heated by the Arches cluster but are located at a larger distance from the cluster than they appear. The density of the Arched Filaments clouds was estimated from the FORCAST data and was found to be below the threshold for tidal shearing, indicating that that the clouds will be destroyed by the strong tidal field near the Galactic center. To the west of the Arched Filaments, there is an interesting collection of HII regions, referred to as the H HII regions. These regions are likely heated by massive O/B type stars, and the morphology of the dust emission associated with these objects indicate a mixture of potential in situ formation mechanisms and interlopers. Interestingly, FORCAST imaging of the H HII regions also reveal several compact sources, which may be young

Boxes, Boosts, and Energy Duality: Understanding the Galactic-Center Gamma-Ray Excess through Dynamical Dark Matter

CERN Document Server

Boddy, Kimberly K.

2017-03-28

Many models currently exist which attempt to interpret the excess of gamma rays emanating from the Galactic Center in terms of annihilating or decaying dark matter. These models typically exhibit a variety of complicated cascade mechanisms for photon production, leading to a non-trivial kinematics which obscures the physics of the underlying dark sector. In this paper, by contrast, we observe that the spectrum of the gamma-ray excess may actually exhibit an intriguing "energy-duality" invariance under $E_\\gamma \\rightarrow E_\\ast^2/E_\\gamma$ for some $E_\\ast$. As we shall discuss, such an energy duality points back to a remarkably simple alternative kinematics which in turn is realized naturally within the Dynamical Dark Matter framework. Observation of this energy duality could therefore provide considerable information about the properties of the dark sector from which the Galactic-Center gamma-ray excess might arise, and highlights the importance of acquiring more complete data for the Galactic-Center exce...

Galactic sources of high energy neutrinos: Expectation from gamma-ray data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sahakyan N.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The recent results from ground based γ-ray detectors (HESS, MAGIC, VERITAS provide a population of TeV galactic γ-ray sources which are potential sources of High Energy (HE neutrinos. Since the γ-rays and ν-s are produced from decays of neutral and charged pions, the flux of TeV γ-rays can be used to estimate the upper limit of ν flux and vice versa; the detectability of ν flux implies a minimum flux of the accompanying γ-rays (assuming the internal and the external absorption of γ-rays is negligible. Using this minimum flux, it is possible to find the sources which can be detected with cubic-kilometer telescopes. I will discuss the possibility to detect HE neutrinos from powerful galactic accelerators, such as Supernova Remnants (SNRs and Pulsar Wind Nebulae (PWNe and show that likely only RX J1713.7-3946, RX J0852.0-4622 and Vela X can be detected by current generation of instruments (IceCube and Km3Net. It will be shown also, that galactic binary systems could be promising sources of HE ν-s. In particular, ν-s and γ-rays from Cygnus X-3 will be discussed during recent gamma-ray activity, showing that in the future such kind of activities could produce detectable flux of HE ν-s.

Search for dark matter annihilation in the Galactic Center with IceCube-79

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aartsen, M.G.; Hill, G.C.; Robertson, S.; Whelan, B.J.; Abraham, K.; Bernhard, A.; Coenders, S.; Gross, A.; Holzapfel, K.; Huber, M.; Jurkovic, M.; Krings, K.; Resconi, E.; Veenkamp, J.; Ackermann, M.; Berghaus, P.; Bernardini, E.; Bretz, H.P.; Cruz Silva, A.H.; Gluesenkamp, T.; Gora, D.; Jacobi, E.; Kaminsky, B.; Karg, T.; Middell, E.; Mohrmann, L.; Nahnhauer, R.; Schoenwald, A.; Shanidze, R.; Spiering, C.; Stasik, A.; Stoessl, A.; Strotjohann, N.L.; Terliuk, A.; Usner, M.; Yanez, J.P.; Adams, J.; Brown, A.M.; Aguilar, J.A.; Heereman, D.; Meagher, K.; Meures, T.; O'Murchadha, A.; Pinat, E.; Ahlers, M.; Arguelles, C.; Beiser, E.; BenZvi, S.; Braun, J.; Chirkin, D.; Day, M.; Desiati, P.; Diaz-Velez, J.C.; Fadiran, O.; Fahey, S.; Feintzeig, J.; Ghorbani, K.; Gladstone, L.; Halzen, F.; Hanson, K.; Hoshina, K.; Jero, K.; Karle, A.; Kelley, J.L.; Kheirandish, A.; McNally, F.; Merino, G.; Middlemas, E.; Morse, R.; Richter, S.; Sabbatini, L.; Tobin, M.N.; Tosi, D.; Vandenbroucke, J.; Van Santen, J.; Wandkowsky, N.; Weaver, C.; Wendt, C.; Westerhoff, S.; Whitehorn, N.; Wille, L.; Ahrens, M.; Bohm, C.; Dumm, J.P.; Finley, C.; Flis, S.; Hulth, P.O.; Hultqvist, K.; Walck, C.; Wolf, M.; Zoll, M.; Altmann, D.; Classen, L.; Kappes, A.; Tselengidou, M.; Anderson, T.; Arlen, T.C.; Dunkman, M.; Eagan, R.; Groh, J.C.; Huang, F.; Keivani, A.; Lanfranchi, J.L.; Quinnan, M.; Smith, M.W.E.; Stanisha, N.A.; Tesic, G.; Archinger, M.; Baum, V.; Boeser, S.; Eberhardt, B.; Ehrhardt, T.; Koepke, L.; Kroll, G.; Luenemann, J.; Sander, H.G.; Schatto, K.; Wiebe, K.; Auffenberg, J.; Bissok, M.; Blumenthal, J.; Glagla, M.; Gier, D.; Gretskov, P.; Haack, C.; Hansmann, B.; Hellwig, D.; Kemp, J.; Konietz, R.; Koob, A.; Leuermann, M.; Leuner, J.; Paul, L.; Puetz, J.; Raedel, L.; Reimann, R.; Rongen, M.; Schimp, M.; Schoenen, S.; Schukraft, A.; Stahlberg, M.; Vehring, M.; Wallraff, M.; Wichary, C.; Wiebusch, C.H.; Bai, X.; Barwick, S.W.; Yodh, G.; Bay, R.; Filimonov, K.; Price, P.B.; Woschnagg, K.; Beatty, J.J.; Becker Tjus, J.; Bos, F.; Eichmann, B.; Fedynitch, A.; Kroll, M.; Saba, S.M.; Schoeneberg, S.; Becker, K.H.; Bindig, D.; Fischer-Wasels, T.; Helbing, K.; Hickford, S.; Hoffmann, R.; Klaes, J.; Kopper, S.; Naumann, U.; Obertacke, A.; Omairat, A.; Posselt, J.; Soldin, D.; Berley, D.; Blaufuss, E.; Cheung, E.; Christy, B.; Felde, J.; Hellauer, R.; Hoffman, K.D.; Huelsnitz, W.; Maunu, R.; Olivas, A.; Redl, P.; Schmidt, T.; Sullivan, G.W.; Wissing, H.; Besson, D.Z.; Binder, G.; Gerhardt, L.; Ha, C.; Klein, S.R.; Miarecki, S.; Boersma, D.J.; Botner, O.; Euler, S.; Hallgren, A.

2015-01-01

The Milky Way is expected to be embedded in a halo of dark matter particles, with the highest density in the central region, and decreasing density with the halo-centric radius. Dark matter might be indirectly detectable at Earth through a flux of stable particles generated in dark matter annihilations and peaked in the direction of the Galactic Center. We present a search for an excess flux of muon (anti-) neutrinos from dark matter annihilation in the Galactic Center using the cubic-kilometer-sized IceCube neutrino detector at the South Pole. There, the Galactic Center is always seen above the horizon. Thus, new and dedicated veto techniques against atmospheric muons are required to make the southern hemisphere accessible for IceCube. We used 319.7 live-days of data from IceCube operating in its 79-string configuration during 2010 and 2011. No neutrino excess was found and the final result is compatible with the background. We present upper limits on the self-annihilation cross-section, left angle σ A right angle, for WIMP masses ranging from 30 GeV up to 10 TeV, assuming cuspy (NFW) and flat-cored (Burkert) dark matter halo profiles, reaching down to ≅ 4 . 10 -24 cm 3 s -1 , and ≅ 2.6 . 10 -23 cm 3 s -1 for the νanti ν channel, respectively. (orig.)

Magnetic braking in galactic flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sparke, L.S.

1982-01-01

The nuclear fireworks of active galaxies are believed to derive their power from the kinetic energy of gas falling onto a massive central objects; mass shed from evolving galactic stars is an obvious source of fuel for this process. But this ejected material shares the galactic rotation, and a centrifugal barrier will prevent it from reaching the nucleus, if its angular momentum is not removed. This paper shows that, if the large-scale galactic magnetic field has a strong enough radial component, magnetic torques can act to spin down the infalling matter. Rotation of the interstellar gas induces a toroidal magnetic field, and Maxwell stresses remove angular momentum from the flow; gas can then fall inward to the galactic center. In this way, the monster in the nucleus can be fed on gas from a galaxy's own stars. The magnetic fields in M87 and NGC 1275, giant elliptical galaxies which are accreting from an intracluster medium, appear to be strong enough to allow magnetic braking

Insights into the Galactic Cosmic-ray Source from the TIGER Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Link, Jason T.; Barbier, L. M.; Binns, W. R.; Christian, E. R.; Cummings, J. R.; Geier, S.; Israel, M. H.; Lodders, K.; Mewaldt,R. A.; Mitchell, J. W.;

Diffuse γ-ray emission from galactic pulsars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calore, F.; Di Mauro, M.; Donato, F.

2014-01-01

Millisecond pulsars (MSPs) are old fast-spinning neutron stars that represent the second most abundant source population discovered by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi). As guaranteed γ-ray emitters, they might contribute non-negligibly to the diffuse emission measured at high latitudes by Fermi-LAT (i.e., the Isotropic Diffuse γ-Ray Background (IDGRB)), which is believed to arise from the superposition of several components of galactic and extragalactic origin. Additionally, γ-ray sources also contribute to the anisotropy of the IDGRB measured on small scales by Fermi-LAT. In this manuscript we aim to assess the contribution of the unresolved counterpart of the detected MSPs population to the IDGRB and the maximal fraction of the measured anisotropy produced by this source class. To this end, we model the MSPs' spatial distribution in the Galaxy and the γ-ray emission parameters by considering observational constraints coming from the Australia Telescope National Facility pulsar catalog and the Second Fermi-LAT Catalog of γ-ray pulsars. By simulating a large number of MSP populations through a Monte Carlo simulation, we compute the average diffuse emission and the anisotropy 1σ upper limit. We find that the emission from unresolved MSPs at 2 GeV, where the peak of the spectrum is located, is at most 0.9% of the measured IDGRB above 10° in latitude. The 1σ upper limit on the angular power for unresolved MSP sources turns out to be about a factor of 60 smaller than Fermi-LAT measurements above 30°. Our results indicate that this galactic source class represents a negligible contributor to the high-latitude γ-ray sky and confirm that most of the intensity and geometrical properties of the measured diffuse emission are imputable to other extragalactic source classes (e.g., blazars, misaligned active galactic nuclei, or star-forming galaxies). Nevertheless, because MSPs are more concentrated toward the

SMM detection of diffuse Galactic 511 keV annihilation radiation

Science.gov (United States)

Share, G. H.; Kinzer, R. L.; Kurfess, J. D.; Messina, D. C.; Purcell, W. R.

1988-01-01

Observations of the 511 keV annihilation line from the vicinity of the Galactic center from October to February for 1980/1981, 1981/1982, 1982/1983, 1984/1985, and 1985/1986 are presented. The measurements were made with the gamma-ray spectrometer on the SMM. The design of the instrument and some of its properties used in the analysis are described, and the methods used for accumulating, fitting, and analyzing the data are outlined. It is shown how the Galactic 511 keV line was separated from the intense and variable background observed in orbit. The SMM observations are compared with previous measurements of annihilation radiation from the Galactic center region, and the astrophysical implications are discussed. It is argued that most of the measurements made to date suggest the presence of an extended Galactic source of annihilation radiation.

Millisecond Pulsars, TeV Halos, and Implications For The Galactic Center Gamma-Ray Excess

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hooper, Dan [Fermilab; Linden, Tim [UC, Santa Cruz, Inst. Part. Phys.

2018-03-21

Observations by HAWC indicate that many young pulsars (including Geminga and Monogem) are surrounded by spatially extended, multi-TeV emitting regions. It is not currently known, however, whether TeV emission is also produced by recycled, millisecond pulsars (MSPs). In this study, we perform a stacked analysis of 24 MSPs within HAWC's field-of-view, finding between 2.6-3.2 sigma evidence that these sources are, in fact, surrounded by TeV halos. The efficiency with which these MSPs produce TeV halos is similar to that exhibited by young pulsars. This result suggests that several dozen MSPs will ultimately be detectable by HAWC, including many "invisible" pulsars without radio beams oriented in our direction. The TeV halos of unresolved MSPs could also dominate the TeV-scale diffuse emission observed at high galactic latitudes. We also discuss the possibility that TeV and radio observations could be used to constrain the population of MSPs that is present in the inner Milky Way, thereby providing us with a new way to test the hypothesis that MSPs are responsible for the Galactic Center GeV excess.

Search for dark matter annihilation in the Galactic Center with IceCube-79

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aartsen, M.G.; Hill, G.C.; Robertson, S.; Whelan, B.J. [University of Adelaide, School of Chemistry and Physics, Adelaide, SA (Australia); Abraham, K.; Bernhard, A.; Coenders, S.; Gross, A.; Holzapfel, K.; Huber, M.; Jurkovic, M.; Krings, K.; Resconi, E.; Veenkamp, J. [Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Garching (Germany); Ackermann, M.; Berghaus, P.; Bernardini, E.; Bretz, H.P.; Cruz Silva, A.H.; Gluesenkamp, T.; Gora, D.; Jacobi, E.; Kaminsky, B.; Karg, T.; Middell, E.; Mohrmann, L.; Nahnhauer, R.; Schoenwald, A.; Shanidze, R.; Spiering, C.; Stasik, A.; Stoessl, A.; Strotjohann, N.L.; Terliuk, A.; Usner, M.; Yanez, J.P. [DESY, Zeuthen (Germany); Adams, J.; Brown, A.M. [University of Canterbury, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch (New Zealand); Aguilar, J.A.; Heereman, D.; Meagher, K.; Meures, T.; O' Murchadha, A.; Pinat, E. [Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Science Faculty CP230, Brussels (Belgium); Ahlers, M.; Arguelles, C.; Beiser, E.; BenZvi, S.; Braun, J.; Chirkin, D.; Day, M.; Desiati, P.; Diaz-Velez, J.C.; Fadiran, O.; Fahey, S.; Feintzeig, J.; Ghorbani, K.; Gladstone, L.; Halzen, F.; Hanson, K.; Hoshina, K.; Jero, K.; Karle, A.; Kelley, J.L.; Kheirandish, A.; McNally, F.; Merino, G.; Middlemas, E.; Morse, R.; Richter, S.; Sabbatini, L.; Tobin, M.N.; Tosi, D.; Vandenbroucke, J.; Van Santen, J.; Wandkowsky, N.; Weaver, C.; Wendt, C.; Westerhoff, S.; Whitehorn, N.; Wille, L. [Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center, University of Wisconsin, Department of Physics, Madison, WI (United States); Ahrens, M.; Bohm, C.; Dumm, J.P.; Finley, C.; Flis, S.; Hulth, P.O.; Hultqvist, K.; Walck, C.; Wolf, M.; Zoll, M. [Oskar Klein Centre, Stockholm University, Department of Physics, Stockholm (Sweden); Altmann, D.; Classen, L.; Kappes, A.; Tselengidou, M. [Friedrich-Alexander-Universitaet Erlangen-Nuernberg, Erlangen Centre for Astroparticle Physics, Erlangen (Germany); Anderson, T.; Arlen, T.C.; Dunkman, M.; Eagan, R.; Groh, J.C.; Huang, F.; Keivani, A.; Lanfranchi, J.L.; Quinnan, M.; Smith, M.W.E.; Stanisha, N.A.; Tesic, G. [Pennsylvania State University, Department of Physics, University Park, PA (United States); Archinger, M.; Baum, V.; Boeser, S.; Eberhardt, B.; Ehrhardt, T.; Koepke, L.; Kroll, G.; Luenemann, J.; Sander, H.G.; Schatto, K.; Wiebe, K. [University of Mainz, Institute of Physics, Mainz (Germany); Auffenberg, J.; Bissok, M.; Blumenthal, J.; Glagla, M.; Gier, D.; Gretskov, P.; Haack, C.; Hansmann, B.; Hellwig, D.; Kemp, J.; Konietz, R.; Koob, A.; Leuermann, M.; Leuner, J.; Paul, L.; Puetz, J.; Raedel, L.; Reimann, R.; Rongen, M.; Schimp, M.; Schoenen, S.; Schukraft, A.; Stahlberg, M.; Vehring, M.; Wallraff, M.; Wichary, C.; Wiebusch, C.H. [RWTH Aachen University, III. Physikalisches Institut, Aachen (Germany); Bai, X. [South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Physics Department, Rapid City, SD (United States); Barwick, S.W.; Yodh, G. [University of California, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Irvine, CA (United States); Bay, R.; Filimonov, K.; Price, P.B.; Woschnagg, K. [University of California, Department of Physics, Berkeley, CA (United States); Beatty, J.J. [Ohio State University, Department of Physics and Center for Cosmology and Astro-Particle Physics, Columbus, OH (United States); Ohio State University, Department of Astronomy, Columbus, OH (United States); Becker Tjus, J.; Bos, F.; Eichmann, B.; Fedynitch, A.; Kroll, M.; Saba, S.M.; Schoeneberg, S. [Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum, Fakultaet fuer Physik and Astronomie, Bochum (Germany); Becker, K.H.; Bindig, D.; Fischer-Wasels, T.; Helbing, K.; Hickford, S.; Hoffmann, R.; Klaes, J.; Kopper, S.; Naumann, U.; Obertacke, A.; Omairat, A.; Posselt, J.; Soldin, D. [University of Wuppertal, Department of Physics, Wuppertal (Germany); Berley, D.; Blaufuss, E.; Cheung, E.; Christy, B.; Felde, J.; Hellauer, R.; Hoffman, K.D.; Huelsnitz, W.; Maunu, R.; Olivas, A.; Redl, P.; Schmidt, T.; Sullivan, G.W.; Wissing, H. [University of Maryland, Department of Physics, College Park, MD (United States); Besson, D.Z. [University of Kansas, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Lawrence, KS (United States); Binder, G.; Gerhardt, L.; Ha, C.; Klein, S.R.; Miarecki, S. [University of California, Department of Physics, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (United States); Boersma, D.J.; Botner, O.; Euler, S.; Hallgren, A.; Collaboration: IceCube Collaboration; and others

2015-10-15

The Milky Way is expected to be embedded in a halo of dark matter particles, with the highest density in the central region, and decreasing density with the halo-centric radius. Dark matter might be indirectly detectable at Earth through a flux of stable particles generated in dark matter annihilations and peaked in the direction of the Galactic Center. We present a search for an excess flux of muon (anti-) neutrinos from dark matter annihilation in the Galactic Center using the cubic-kilometer-sized IceCube neutrino detector at the South Pole. There, the Galactic Center is always seen above the horizon. Thus, new and dedicated veto techniques against atmospheric muons are required to make the southern hemisphere accessible for IceCube. We used 319.7 live-days of data from IceCube operating in its 79-string configuration during 2010 and 2011. No neutrino excess was found and the final result is compatible with the background. We present upper limits on the self-annihilation cross-section, left angle σ{sub A} right angle, for WIMP masses ranging from 30 GeV up to 10 TeV, assuming cuspy (NFW) and flat-cored (Burkert) dark matter halo profiles, reaching down to ≅ 4 . 10{sup -24} cm{sup 3}s{sup -1}, and ≅ 2.6 . 10{sup -23} cm{sup 3}s{sup -1} for the νanti ν channel, respectively. (orig.)

C II forbidden-line 158 micron mapping in Sagittarius A Rotation curve and mass distribution in the galactic center

Science.gov (United States)

Lugten, J. B.; Genzel, R.; Crawford, M. K.; Townes, C. H.

1986-01-01

Based on data obtained with the NASA Kuiper Airborne Observatory 91.4 cm telescope, the 158-micron fine structure line emission of C(+) is mapped near the galactic center. The strongest emission comes from a 10-pc FWHM diameter disk centered on Sgr A West whose dominant motion is rotation. Extended C(+) emission is also found from the +50 km/s galactic center molecular cloud, and a second cloud at v(LSR) of about -35 km/s. The rotation curve and mass distribution within 10 pc of the galactic center are derived, and the C(+) profiles show a drop-off of rotation velocity between 2 and 10 pc. A mass model is suggested with 2-4 million solar masses in a central point mass, and a M/L ratio of the central stellar cluster of 0.5 solar masses/solar luminosities, suggesting a large abundance of giants and relatively recent star formation in the center.

Gamma-Rays from Galactic Compact Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Kaaret, Philip

2007-04-01

Recent discoveries have revealed many sources of TeV photons in our Mikly Way galaxy powered by compact objects, either neutron stars or black holes. These objects must be powerful particle accelerators, some with peak energies of at least 100 TeV, and may be neutrino, as well as photon, sources. Future TeV observations will enable us to address key questions concerning particle acceleration by compact objects including the fraction of energy which accreting black holes channel into relativstic jet production, whether the compact object jets are leptonic or hadronic, and the mechanism by which pulsar winds accelerate relativistic particles. We report on work done related to compact Galactic objects in preparation of a White Paper on the status and future of ground-based gamma-ray astronomy requested by the Division of Astrophysics of the American Physical Society.

X-ray bursters and the X-ray sources of the galactic bulge

Science.gov (United States)

Lewin, W. H. G.; Joss, P. C.

An attempt is made to distill from observational and theoretical information on the galactic bulge X-ray sources in general, and on the X-ray burst sources in particular, those aspects which seem to have the greatest relevance to the understanding of these sources. Galactic bulge sources appear to be collapsed objects of roughly solar mass, in most cases neutron stars, which are accreting matter from low-mass stellar companions. Type I bursts seem to result from thermonuclear flashes in the surface layers of some of these neutron stars, while the type II bursts from the Rapid Burster are almost certainly due to an instability in the accretion flow onto a neutron star. It is concluded that the studies cited offer a new and powerful observational handle on the fundamental properties of neutron stars and of the interacting binary systems in which they are often contained.

LSS-GAC - A LAMOST Spectroscopic Survey of the Galactic Anti-center

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, X.-W.; Yuan, H.-B.; Huo, Z.-Y.; Deng, L.-C.; Hou, J.-L.; Zhao, Y.-H.; Zhao, G.; Shi, J.-R.; Luo, A.-L.; Xiang, M.-S.; Zhang, H.-H.; Huang, Y.; Zhang, H.-W.

2014-01-01

As a major component of the LAMOST Galactic surveys, the LAMOST Spectroscopic Survey of the Galactic Anti-center (LSS-GAC) will survey a significant volume of the Galactic thin/thick disks and halo in a contiguous sky area of ~3,400 sq.deg., centered on the Galactic anti-center (|b| ~ 3 M stars of all colors, uniformly and randomly selected from (r, g - r) and (r, r - i) Hess diagrams obtained from a CCD imaging photometric survey of ~5,400 sq.deg. with the Xuyi 1.04/1.20 m Schmidt Telescope, ranging from r = 14.0 to a limiting magnitude of r = 17.8 (18.5 for limited fields). The survey will deliver spectral classification, radial velocity (V r) and stellar parameters (effective temperature (T eff), surface gravity (log g) and metallicity [Fe/H]) for millions of Galactic stars. Together with Gaia which will provide accurate distances and tangential velocities for a billion stars, the LSS-GAC will yield a unique data set to study the stellar populations, chemical composition, kinematics and structure of the disks and their interface with the halo, identify streams of debris of tidally disrupted dwarf galaxies and clusters, probe the gravitational potential and dark matter distribution, map the 3D distribution of interstellar dust extinction, search for rare objects (e.g. extremely metal-poor or hyper-velocity stars), and ultimately advance our understanding of the assemblage of the Milky Way and other galaxies and the origin of regularity and diversity of their properties. The survey was initiated in the fall of 2012 and expected to complete in the spring of 2017. Hitherto, about 0.4 M spectra of S/N(λ7450) >= 10 per pixel have been accumulated. In addition, bright nights have been used to target stars brighter than 14 mag and have so far generated over 0.4 M spectra, yielding an excellent sample of local stars to probe the solar neighborhood. LSP3, a set of pipelines tailored to the need of LSS-GAC, for spectral flux-calibration, and radial velocity and stellar

X-ray spectral models of Galactic bulge sources - the emission-line factor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vrtilek, S.D.; Swank, J.H.; Kallman, T.R.

1988-01-01

Current difficulties in finding unique and physically meaningful models for the X-ray spectra of Galactic bulge sources are exacerbated by the presence of strong, variable emission and absorption features that are not resolved by the instruments observing them. Nine Einstein solid state spectrometer (SSS) observations of five Galactic bulge sources are presented for which relatively high resolution objective grating spectrometer (OGS) data have been published. It is found that in every case the goodness of fit of simple models to SSS data is greatly improved by adding line features identified in the OGS that cannot be resolved by the SSS but nevertheless strongly influence the spectra observed by SSS. 32 references

MODELING THE GAMMA-RAY EMISSION IN THE GALACTIC CENTER WITH A FADING COSMIC-RAY ACCELERATOR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Ruo-Yu; Wang, Xiang-Yu; Prosekin, Anton [Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Chang, Xiao-Chuan, E-mail: ruoyu@mpi-hd.mpg.de, E-mail: xywang@nju.edu.cn [School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China)

2016-12-20

Recent HESS observations of the ∼200 pc scale diffuse gamma-ray emission from the central molecular zone (CMZ) suggest the presence of a PeV cosmic-ray accelerator (PeVatron) located in the inner 10 pc region of the Galactic center. Interestingly, the gamma-ray spectrum of the point-like source (HESS J1745-290) in the Galactic center shows a cutoff at ∼10 TeV, implying a cutoff around 100 TeV in the cosmic-ray proton spectrum. Here we propose that the gamma-ray emission from the inner and the outer regions may be explained self-consistently by run-away protons from a single yet fading accelerator. In this model, gamma-rays from the CMZ region are produced by protons injected in the past, while gamma-rays from the inner region are produced by protons injected more recently. We suggest that the blast wave formed in a tidal disruption event (TDE) caused by the supermassive black hole (Sgr A*) could serve as such a fading accelerator. With typical parameters of the TDE blast wave, gamma-ray spectra of both the CMZ region and HESS J1745-290 can be reproduced simultaneously. Meanwhile, we find that the cosmic-ray energy density profile in the CMZ region may also be reproduced in the fading accelerator model when appropriate combinations of the particle injection history and the diffusion coefficient of cosmic rays are adopted.

Sagittarius A* High-energy X-Ray Flare Properties during NuStar Monitoring of the Galactic Center from 2012 to 2015

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Shuo; Baganoff, Frederick K.; Ponti, Gabriele

2017-01-01

Understanding the origin of the flaring activity from the Galactic center supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* is a major scientific goal of the NuSTAR Galactic plane survey campaign. We report on the data obtained between 2012 July and 2015 April, including 27 observations on Sgr A*, with a to......Understanding the origin of the flaring activity from the Galactic center supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* is a major scientific goal of the NuSTAR Galactic plane survey campaign. We report on the data obtained between 2012 July and 2015 April, including 27 observations on Sgr A...

Fossil imprint of a powerful flare at the galactic center along the Magellanic stream

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bland-Hawthorn, J. [Sydney Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics A28, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Maloney, Philip R. [CASA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0389 (United States); Sutherland, Ralph S. [Mount Stromlo Observatory, Australia National University, Woden, ACT 2611 (Australia); Madsen, G. J. [Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom)

2013-11-20

The Fermi satellite discovery of the gamma-ray emitting bubbles extending 50° (10 kpc) from the Galactic center has revitalized earlier claims that our Galaxy has undergone an explosive episode in the recent past. We now explore a new constraint on such activity. The Magellanic Stream is a clumpy gaseous structure free of stars trailing behind the Magellanic Clouds, passing over the south Galactic pole (SGP) at a distance of at least 50-100 kpc from the Galactic center. Several groups have detected faint Hα emission along the Magellanic Stream (1.1 ± 0.3 × 10{sup –18} erg cm{sup –2} s{sup –1} arcsec{sup –2}) which is a factor of five too bright to have been produced by the Galactic stellar population. The brightest emission is confined to a cone with half angle θ{sub 1/2} ≈ 25° roughly centered on the SGP. Time-dependent models of Stream clouds exposed to a flare in ionizing photon flux show that the ionized gas must recombine and cool for a time interval T{sub o} = 0.6 – 2.9 Myr for the emitted Hα surface brightness to drop to the observed level. A nuclear starburst is ruled out by the low star formation rates across the inner Galaxy, and the non-existence of starburst ionization cones in external galaxies extending more than a few kiloparsecs. Sgr A{sup *} is a more likely candidate because it is two orders of magnitude more efficient at converting gas to UV radiation. The central black hole (M {sub •} ≈ 4 × 10{sup 6} M {sub ☉}) can supply the required ionizing luminosity with a fraction of the Eddington accretion rate (f{sub E} ∼ 0.03-0.3, depending on uncertain factors, e.g., Stream distance) typical of Seyfert galaxies. In support of nuclear activity, the Hα emission along the Stream has a polar angle dependence peaking close to the SGP. Moreover, it is now generally accepted that the Stream over the SGP must be farther than the Magellanic Clouds. At the lower halo gas densities, shocks become too ineffective and are unlikely to

Simulation of the annihilation emission of galactic positrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillard, W.

2008-01-01

Positrons annihilate in the central region of our Galaxy. This has been known since the detection of a strong emission line centered on an energy of 511 keV in the direction of the Galactic center. This gamma-ray line is emitted during the annihilation of positrons with electrons from the interstellar medium. The spectrometer SPI, onboard the INTEGRAL observatory, performed spatial and spectral analyses of the positron annihilation emission. This thesis presents a study of the Galactic positron annihilation emission based on models of the different interactions undergone by positrons in the interstellar medium. The models are relied on our present knowledge of the properties of the interstellar medium in the Galactic bulge, where most of the positrons annihilate, and of the physics of positrons (production, propagation and annihilation processes). In order to obtain constraints on the positrons sources and physical characteristics of the annihilation medium, we compared the results of the models to measurements provided by the SPI spectrometer. (author)

OSO-7 observations of high galactic latitude x-ray sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markert, T.H.; Canizares, C.R.; Clark, G.W.; Li, F.K.; Northridge, P.L.; Sprott, G.F.; Wargo, G.F.

1976-01-01

Six hundred days of observations by the MIT X-ray detectors aboard OSO-7 have been analyzed. All-sky maps of X-ray intensity have been constructed from these data. A sample map is displayed. Seven sources with galactic latitude vertical-barb/subi//subi/vertical-bar>10degree, discovered during the mapping process, are reported, and upper limits are set on other high-latitude sources. The OSO-7 results are compared with those of Uhuru and an implication of this comparison, that many of the high-latitude sources may be variable, is discussed

The nature of the Galactic Center source IRS 13 revealed by high spatial resolution in the infrared

Science.gov (United States)

Maillard, J. P.; Paumard, T.; Stolovy, S. R.; Rigaut, F.

2004-08-01

High spatial resolution observations in the 1 to 3.5 μm/ region of the Galactic Center source known historically as IRS 13 are presented. They include ground-based adaptive optics images in the H, Kp (2.12/0.4 μm) and L bands, HST-NICMOS data in filters between 1.1 and 2.2 μm, and integral field spectroscopic data from BEAR, an Imaging FTS, in the He I 2.06 μm/ and the Brγ line regions. Analysis of all these data provides a completely new picture of the main component, IRS 13E, which appears as a cluster of seven individual stars within a projected diameter of ˜0.5 arcsec (0.02 pc). The brightest sources, 13E1, 13E2, 13E3 which is detected as a binary, and 13E4, are all massive stars of different type. The star 13E1 is a luminous, blue object, with no detected emission line. 13E2 and 13E4 are two hot, high-mass emission line stars, 13E2 being at the WR stage and 13E4 a massive O-type star. In contrast, 13E3A and B are extremely red objects, proposed as other examples of dusty WR stars, like IRS 21 (Tanner et al. \\cite{tanner}). All these sources have a common westward proper motion (Ott et al. \\cite{ott2}) indicating they are bounded. Two other sources, detected after deconvolution of the AO images in the H and Kp bands, are also identified. One, that we call 13E5, is a red source similar to 13E3A and B, while the other one, 13E6, is probably a main sequence O star in front of the cluster. Considering this exceptional concentration of comoving massive hot stars, IRS 13E is proposed as the remaining core of a massive star cluster, which could harbor an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) (Portegies Zwart & McMillan \\cite{zwart2)} of ˜1300 M⊙. This detection plays in favor of a scenario, first suggested by Gerhard (\\cite{gerhard}), in which the helium stars and the other hot stars in the central parsec originate from the stripping of a massive cluster formed several tens of pc from the center. This cluster would have spiraled towards SgrA*, and IRS 13E

Compressional heating in magnetized disks neighborhood: from the galactic center to micro-quasars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belmont, Renaud

2005-01-01

Faint, magnetized and energetic plasmas are very common media in Astrophysics. This thesis is dedicated to two specific cases characterized by a thin disk geometry: the Galactic center and the corona of micro-quasars. In both cases, observations show evidence for a faint and very hot plasma (at 100 million and 1 billion degrees) whose origin is unknown; some clues seem also to indicate a strong, large scale bipolar magnetic field. At the Galactic Center, the gas temperature is such that, if it were collisional and mostly composed by hydrogen, it would escape quickly, so that the power required to sustain the related energy losses would be huge. We however show that the specific conditions of this region can lead to form a helium plasma that is confined by the Galactic potential. In this favorable situation, we study a possible heating mechanism based on the high viscosity of the hot plasma and friction with cold molecular clouds flowing in this region. The corona of micro-quasars is a very similar issue but it is probably weakly collisional. In this regime we study a heating by magnetic pumping, by which the resonance between the periodic motion of some coronal ions and the periodic excitation by an instability in the disc itself can energize the corona. We show that this mechanism is inefficient to explain the hot temperature. (author) [fr

γ-ray spectrum of the Galactic Center region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riegler, G.R.; Ling, J.C.; Mahoney, W.A.; Wheaton, W.A.; Jacobson, A.S.

1983-01-01

The HEAO-3 High Resolution γ-Ray Spectrometer observed the Galactic Center region in fall 1979 and in the spring of 1980. Variation of the positron annihilation line at 511 keV has been reported previously. The fall 1979 observations show a significant high-energy continuum at energies above 511 keV. The intensity of a possible positronium triplet-state continuum is found to be less than that expected for direct positron annihilation and positronium decay in an ionized, warm (T 5 K) plasma; depending on assumption for the shape of the high-energy continuum spectrum, positronium fractions between 0.0 and 0.75 (at 90% statistical confidence level) are consistent with the observations. 18 references

The H.E.S.S. Galactic plane survey

Science.gov (United States)

H. E. S. S. Collaboration; Abdalla, H.; Abramowski, A.; Aharonian, F.; Benkhali, F. Ait; Angüner, E. O.; Arakawa, M.; Arrieta, M.; Aubert, P.; Backes, M.; Balzer, A.; Barnard, M.; Becherini, Y.; Tjus, J. Becker; Berge, D.; Bernhard, S.; Bernlöhr, K.; Blackwell, R.; Böttcher, M.; Boisson, C.; Bolmont, J.; Bonnefoy, S.; Bordas, P.; Bregeon, J.; Brun, F.; Brun, P.; Bryan, M.; Büchele, M.; Bulik, T.; Capasso, M.; Carrigan, S.; Caroff, S.; Carosi, A.; Casanova, S.; Cerruti, M.; Chakraborty, N.; Chaves, R. C. G.; Chen, A.; Chevalier, J.; Colafrancesco, S.; Condon, B.; Conrad, J.; Davids, I. D.; Decock, J.; Deil, C.; Devin, J.; deWilt, P.; Dirson, L.; Djannati-Ataï, A.; Domainko, W.; Donath, A.; Drury, L. O.'C.; Dutson, K.; Dyks, J.; Edwards, T.; Egberts, K.; Eger, P.; Emery, G.; Ernenwein, J.-P.; Eschbach, S.; Farnier, C.; Fegan, S.; Fernandes, M. V.; Fiasson, A.; Fontaine, G.; Förster, A.; Funk, S.; Füßling, M.; Gabici, S.; Gallant, Y. A.; Garrigoux, T.; Gast, H.; Gaté, F.; Giavitto, G.; Giebels, B.; Glawion, D.; Glicenstein, J. F.; Gottschall, D.; Grondin, M.-H.; Hahn, J.; Haupt, M.; Hawkes, J.; Heinzelmann, G.; Henri, G.; Hermann, G.; Hinton, J. A.; Hofmann, W.; Hoischen, C.; Holch, T. L.; Holler, M.; Horns, D.; Ivascenko, A.; Iwasaki, H.; Jacholkowska, A.; Jamrozy, M.; Jankowsky, D.; Jankowsky, F.; Jingo, M.; Jouvin, L.; Jung-Richardt, I.; Kastendieck, M. A.; Katarzyński, K.; Katsuragawa, M.; Katz, U.; Kerszberg, D.; Khangulyan, D.; Khélifi, B.; King, J.; Klepser, S.; Klochkov, D.; Kluźniak, W.; Komin, Nu.; Kosack, K.; Krakau, S.; Kraus, M.; Krüger, P. P.; Laffon, H.; Lamanna, G.; Lau, J.; Lees, J.-P.; Lefaucheur, J.; Lemière, A.; Lemoine-Goumard, M.; Lenain, J.-P.; Leser, E.; Lohse, T.; Lorentz, M.; Liu, R.; López-Coto, R.; Lypova, I.; Marandon, V.; Malyshev, D.; Marcowith, A.; Mariaud, C.; Marx, R.; Maurin, G.; Maxted, N.; Mayer, M.; Meintjes, P. J.; Meyer, M.; Mitchell, A. M. W.; Moderski, R.; Mohamed, M.; Mohrmann, L.; Morå, K.; Moulin, E.; Murach, T.; Nakashima, S.; de Naurois, M.; Ndiyavala, H.; Niederwanger, F.; Niemiec, J.; Oakes, L.; O'Brien, P.; Odaka, H.; Ohm, S.; Ostrowski, M.; Oya, I.; Padovani, M.; Panter, M.; Parsons, R. D.; Paz Arribas, M.; Pekeur, N. W.; Pelletier, G.; Perennes, C.; Petrucci, P.-O.; Peyaud, B.; Piel, Q.; Pita, S.; Poireau, V.; Poon, H.; Prokhorov, D.; Prokoph, H.; Pühlhofer, G.; Punch, M.; Quirrenbach, A.; Raab, S.; Rauth, R.; Reimer, A.; Reimer, O.; Renaud, M.; de los Reyes, R.; Rieger, F.; Rinchiuso, L.; Romoli, C.; Rowell, G.; Rudak, B.; Rulten, C. B.; Safi-Harb, S.; Sahakian, V.; Saito, S.; Sanchez, D. A.; Santangelo, A.; Sasaki, M.; Schandri, M.; Schlickeiser, R.; Schüssler, F.; Schulz, A.; Schwanke, U.; Schwemmer, S.; Seglar-Arroyo, M.; Settimo, M.; Seyffert, A. S.; Shafi, N.; Shilon, I.; Shiningayamwe, K.; Simoni, R.; Sol, H.; Spanier, F.; Spir-Jacob, M.; Stawarz, Ł.; Steenkamp, R.; Stegmann, C.; Steppa, C.; Sushch, I.; Takahashi, T.; Tavernet, J.-P.; Tavernier, T.; Taylor, A. M.; Terrier, R.; Tibaldo, L.; Tiziani, D.; Tluczykont, M.; Trichard, C.; Tsirou, M.; Tsuji, N.; Tuffs, R.; Uchiyama, Y.; van der Walt, D. J.; van Eldik, C.; van Rensburg, C.; van Soelen, B.; Vasileiadis, G.; Veh, J.; Venter, C.; Viana, A.; Vincent, P.; Vink, J.; Voisin, F.; Völk, H. J.; Vuillaume, T.; Wadiasingh, Z.; Wagner, S. J.; Wagner, P.; Wagner, R. M.; White, R.; Wierzcholska, A.; Willmann, P.; Wörnlein, A.; Wouters, D.; Yang, R.; Zaborov, D.; Zacharias, M.; Zanin, R.; Zdziarski, A. A.; Zech, A.; Zefi, F.; Ziegler, A.; Zorn, J.; Żywucka, N.

2018-04-01

We present the results of the most comprehensive survey of the Galactic plane in very high-energy (VHE) γ-rays, including a public release of Galactic sky maps, a catalog of VHE sources, and the discovery of 16 new sources of VHE γ-rays. The High Energy Spectroscopic System (H.E.S.S.) Galactic plane survey (HGPS) was a decade-long observation program carried out by the H.E.S.S. I array of Cherenkov telescopes in Namibia from 2004 to 2013. The observations amount to nearly 2700 h of quality-selected data, covering the Galactic plane at longitudes from ℓ = 250° to 65° and latitudes |b|≤ 3°. In addition to the unprecedented spatial coverage, the HGPS also features a relatively high angular resolution (0.08° ≈ 5 arcmin mean point spread function 68% containment radius), sensitivity (≲1.5% Crab flux for point-like sources), and energy range (0.2-100 TeV). We constructed a catalog of VHE γ-ray sources from the HGPS data set with a systematic procedure for both source detection and characterization of morphology and spectrum. We present this likelihood-based method in detail, including the introduction of a model component to account for unresolved, large-scale emission along the Galactic plane. In total, the resulting HGPS catalog contains 78 VHE sources, of which 14 are not reanalyzed here, for example, due to their complex morphology, namely shell-like sources and the Galactic center region. Where possible, we provide a firm identification of the VHE source or plausible associations with sources in other astronomical catalogs. We also studied the characteristics of the VHE sources with source parameter distributions. 16 new sources were previously unknown or unpublished, and we individually discuss their identifications or possible associations. We firmly identified 31 sources as pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe), supernova remnants (SNRs), composite SNRs, or gamma-ray binaries. Among the 47 sources not yet identified, most of them (36) have possible

The Galactic Distribution of Massive Star Formation from the Red MSX Source Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Figura, Charles C.; Urquhart, J. S.

2013-01-01

Massive stars inject enormous amounts of energy into their environments in the form of UV radiation and molecular outflows, creating HII regions and enriching local chemistry. These effects provide feedback mechanisms that aid in regulating star formation in the region, and may trigger the formation of subsequent generations of stars. Understanding the mechanics of massive star formation presents an important key to understanding this process and its role in shaping the dynamics of galactic structure. The Red MSX Source (RMS) survey is a multi-wavelength investigation of ~1200 massive young stellar objects (MYSO) and ultra-compact HII (UCHII) regions identified from a sample of colour-selected sources from the Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) point source catalog and Two Micron All Sky Survey. We present a study of over 900 MYSO and UCHII regions investigated by the RMS survey. We review the methods used to determine distances, and investigate the radial galactocentric distribution of these sources in context with the observed structure of the galaxy. The distribution of MYSO and UCHII regions is found to be spatially correlated with the spiral arms and galactic bar. We examine the radial distribution of MYSOs and UCHII regions and find variations in the star formation rate between the inner and outer Galaxy and discuss the implications for star formation throughout the galactic disc.

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.

Search for PeVatrons at the Galactic Center using a radio air-shower array at the South Pole

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balagopal V, A.; Schroeder, F.G. [Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie (KIT), Institut fuer Experimentelle Teilchenphysik, Karlsruhe (Germany); Haungs, A.; Huege, T. [Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie (KIT), Institut fuer Kernphysik, Karlsruhe (Germany)

2018-02-15

The South Pole, which hosts the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, has a complete and around-the-clock exposure to the Galactic Center. Hence, it is an ideal location to search for gamma rays of PeV energy coming from the Galactic Center. However, it is hard to detect air showers initiated by these gamma rays using cosmic-ray particle detectors due to the low elevation of the Galactic Center. The use of antennas to measure the radio footprint of these air showers will help in this case, and would allow for a 24/7 operation time. So far, only air showers with energies well above 10{sup 16} eV have been detected with the radio technique. Thus, the energy threshold has to be lowered for the detection of gamma-ray showers of PeV energy. This can be achieved by optimizing the frequency band in order to obtain a higher level of signal-to-noise ratio. With such an approach, PeV gamma-ray showers with high inclination can be measured at the South Pole. (orig.)

S2 like Star Orbits near the Galactic Center in Rn and Yukawa Gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Borka, Dusko; Jovanović, Predrag; Jovanović Vesna Borka; Zakharov, Alexander F.

2015-01-01

In this chapter we investigate the possibility to provide theoretical explanation for the observed deviations of S2 star orbit around the Galactic Center using gravitational potentials derived from extended gravity models, but in absence of dark matter. Extended Theories of Gravity are alternative theories of gravitational interaction developed from the exact starting points investigated first by Einstein and Hilbert and aimed from one side to extend the positive results of General Relativity and, on the other hand, to cure its shortcomings. One of the aims of these theories is to explain galactic and extragalactic dynamics without introduction of dark matter. They are based on straightforward generalizations of the Einstein theory where the gravitational action (the Hilbert-Einstein action) is assumed to be linear in the Ricci curvature scalar R. The f(R) gravity is a type of modified gravity which generalizes Einstein's General Relativity, i.e. the simplest case is just the General Relativity. It is actually a family of models, each one defined by a different function of the Ricci scalar. Here, we consider Rn (power-law fourth-order theories of gravity) and Yukawa-like modified gravities in the weak field limit and discuss the constrains on these theories. For that purpose we simulate the orbit of S2 star around the Galactic Center in Rn and Yukawa-like gravity potentials and compare it with New Technology Telescope/Very Large Telescope (NTT/VLT) as well as by Keck telescope observations. Our simulations result in strong constraints on the range of gravity interaction and showed that both Rn and Yukawa gravity could satisfactorily explain the observed orbits of S2 star. However, we concluded that parameters of Rn and Yukawa gravity theories must be very close to those corresponding to the Newtonian limit of the theory. Besides, in contrast to Newtonian gravity, these two modified theories induce orbital precession, even in the case of point-like central mass. The

Observations of Galactic gamma-radiation with the SMM spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Share, G. H.; Kinzer, R. L.; Messina, D. C.; Purcell, W. R.; Chupp, E. L.

1986-01-01

Preliminary results from the SMM gamma-ray spectrometer are reported which indicate the detection of a constant source of 0.511-MeV annihilation radiation from the Galaxy. Year-to-year variability appears to be less than 30 percent. The radiation probably comes from a diffuse source and is not associated with the reported compact object at the Galactic center.

Galactic Bulge Giants: Probing Stellar and Galactic Evolution. 1. Catalogue of Spitzer IRAC and MIPS Sources (PREPRINT)

Science.gov (United States)

Uttenthaler, Stefan; Stute, Matthias; Sahai, Raghvendra; Blommaert, Joris A.; Schultheis, Mathias; Kraemer, Kathleen E.; Groenewegen, Martin A.; Price, Stephan D.

2010-01-01

Aims. We aim at measuring mass-loss rates and the luminosities of a statistically large sample of Galactic bulge stars at several galactocentric radii. The sensitivity of previous infrared surveys of the bulge has been rather limited, thus fundamental questions for late stellar evolution, such as the stage at which substantial mass-loss begins on the red giant branch and its dependence on fundamental stellar properties, remain unanswered. We aim at providing evidence and answers to these questions. Methods. To this end, we observed seven 15 15 arcmin2 fields in the nuclear bulge and its vicinity with unprecedented sensitivity using the IRAC and MIPS imaging instruments on-board the Spitzer Space Telescope. In each of the fields, tens of thousands of point sources were detected. Results. In the first paper based on this data set, we present the observations, data reduction, the final catalogue of sources, and a detailed comparison to previous mid-IR surveys of the Galactic bulge, as well as to theoretical isochrones. We find in general good agreement with other surveys and the isochrones, supporting the high quality of our catalogue.

Galactic radio astronomy

CERN Document Server

Sofue, Yoshiaki

2017-01-01

This book is a concise primer on galactic radio astronomy for undergraduate and graduate students, and provides wide coverage of galactic astronomy and astrophysics such as the physics of interstellar matter and the dynamics and structure of the Milky Way Galaxy and galaxies. Radio astronomy and its technological development have led to significant progress in galactic astronomy and contributed to understanding interstellar matter and galactic structures. The book begins with the fundamental physics of radio-wave radiation, i.e., black body radiation, thermal emission, synchrotron radiation, and HI and molecular line emissions. The author then gives overviews of ingredients of galactic physics, including interstellar matter such as the neutral (HI), molecular hydrogen, and ionized gases, as well as magnetic fields in galaxies. In addition, more advanced topics relevant to the Galaxy and galaxies are also contained here: star formation, supernova remnants, the Galactic Center and black holes, galactic dynamics...

ISOLATED WOLF-RAYET STARS AND O SUPERGIANTS IN THE GALACTIC CENTER REGION IDENTIFIED VIA PASCHEN-α EXCESS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mauerhan, J. C.; Stolovy, S. R.; Cotera, A.; Dong, H.; Wang, Q. D.; Morris, M. R.; Lang, C.

2010-01-01

We report the discovery of 19 hot, evolved, massive stars near the Galactic center region (GCR). These objects were selected for spectroscopy owing to their detection as strong sources of Paschen-α (Pα) emission-line excess, following a narrowband imaging survey of the central 0. 0 65 x 0. 0 25 (l, b) around Sgr A* with the Hubble Space Telescope. Discoveries include six carbon-type (WC) and five nitrogen-type (WN) Wolf-Rayet stars, six O supergiants, and two B supergiants. Two of the O supergiants have X-ray counterparts having properties consistent with solitary O stars and colliding-wind binaries. The infrared photometry of 17 stars is consistent with the Galactic center distance, but 2 of them are located in the foreground. Several WC stars exhibit a relatively large infrared excess, which is possibly thermal emission from hot dust. Most of the stars appear scattered throughout the GCR, with no relation to the three known massive young clusters; several others lie near the Arches and Quintuplet clusters and may have originated within one of these systems. The results of this work bring the total sample of Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars in the GCR to 88. All sources of strong Pα excess have been identified in the area surveyed with HST, which implies that the sample of WN stars in this region is near completion, and is dominated by late (WNL) types. The current WC sample, although probably not complete, is almost exclusively dominated by late (WCL) types. The observed WR subtype distribution in the GCR is a reflection of the intrinsic rarity of early subtypes (WNE and WCE) in the inner Galaxy, an effect that is driven by metallicity.

Molecular Gas Feeding the Circumnuclear Disk of the Galactic Center

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hsieh, Pei-Ying; Koch, Patrick M.; Ho, Paul T. P.; Tang, Ya-Wen [Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Kim, Woong-Tae [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Wang, Hsiang-Hsu [Department of Physics and Institute of Theoretical Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong (China); Yen, Hsi-Wei [European Southern Observatory (ESO), Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Hwang, Chorng-Yuan, E-mail: pyhsieh@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw [Institute of Astronomy, National Central University, No.300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli City, Taoyuan County 32001, Taiwan (China)

2017-09-20

The interaction between a supermassive black hole (SMBH) and the surrounding material is of primary importance in modern astrophysics. The detection of the molecular 2 pc circumnuclear disk (CND) immediately around the Milky Way SMBH, SgrA*, provides a unique opportunity to study SMBH accretion at subparsec scales. Our new wide-field CS( J = 2 − 1) map toward the Galactic center (GC) reveals multiple dense molecular streamers that originated from the ambient clouds 20 pc further out, and that are connected to the central 2 pc of the CND. These dense gas streamers appear to carry gas directly toward the nuclear region and might be captured by the central potential. Our phase-plot analysis indicates that these streamers show a signature of rotation and inward radial motion with progressively higher velocities as the gas approaches the CND and finally ends up corotating with the CND. Our results might suggest a possible mechanism of gas feeding the CND from 20 pc around 2 pc in the GC. In this paper, we discuss the morphology and the kinematics of these streamers. As the nearest observable Galactic nucleus, this feeding process may have implications for understanding the processes in extragalactic nuclei.

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

Spectroscopy and astronomy: H3+ from the laboratory to the Galactic center.

Science.gov (United States)

Oka, Takeshi

2011-01-01

Since the serendipitous discovery of the Fraunhofer spectrum in the Sun in 1814 which initiated spectroscopy and astrophysics, spectroscopy developed hand in hand with astronomy. I discuss my own work on the infrared spectrum of H3+ from its discovery in the laboratory in 1980, in interstellar space in 1996, to recent studies in the Galactic center as an example of astronomical spectroscopy. Its spin-off, the spectroscopy of simple molecular ions, is also briefly discussed.

High Spectral Resolution Observation of the Soft Diffuse X-ray Background in the Direction of the Galactic Anti-Center

Science.gov (United States)

Wulf, Dallas; Eckart, Mega E.; Galeazzi, Massimiliano; Jaeckel, Felix; Kelley, Richard L.; Kilbourne, Caroline A.; McCammon, Dan; Morgan, Kelsey M.; Porter, Frederick S.; Szymkowiak, Andrew E.

2018-01-01

High spectral resolution observations in the soft x-rays are necessary for understanding and modelling the hot component of the interstellar medium and its contribution to the Soft X-ray Background (SXRB). This extended source emission cannot be resolved with most wavelength dispersive spectrometers, making energy dispersive microcalorimeters the ideal choice for these observations. We present here the analysis of the most recent sounding rocket flight of the University of Wisconsin-Madison/Goddard Space Flight Center X-ray Quantum Calorimeter (XQC), a large area silicon thermistor microcalorimeter. This 111 second observation integrates a nearly 1 steradian field of view in the direction of the galactic anti-center (l, b = 165°, -5°) and features ~5 eV spectral resolution below 1 keV. Direct comparison will also be made to the previous, high-latitude observations.

Strong Support for the Millisecond Pulsar Origin of the Galactic Center GeV Excess.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartels, Richard; Krishnamurthy, Suraj; Weniger, Christoph

2016-02-05

Using γ-ray data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope, various groups have identified a clear excess emission in the Inner Galaxy, at energies around a few GeV. This excess resembles remarkably well a signal from dark-matter annihilation. One of the most compelling astrophysical interpretations is that the excess is caused by the combined effect of a previously undetected population of dim γ-ray sources. Because of their spectral similarity, the best candidates are millisecond pulsars. Here, we search for this hypothetical source population, using a novel approach based on wavelet decomposition of the γ-ray sky and the statistics of Gaussian random fields. Using almost seven years of Fermi-LAT data, we detect a clustering of photons as predicted for the hypothetical population of millisecond pulsar, with a statistical significance of 10.0σ. For plausible values of the luminosity function, this population explains 100% of the observed excess emission. We argue that other extragalactic or Galactic sources, a mismodeling of Galactic diffuse emission, or the thick-disk population of pulsars are unlikely to account for this observation.

The Einstein objective grating spectrometer survey of galactic binary X-ray sources

Science.gov (United States)

Vrtilek, S. D.; Mcclintock, J. E.; Seward, F. D.; Kahn, S. M.; Wargelin, B. J.

1991-01-01

The results of observations of 22 bright Galactic X-ray point sources are presented, and the most reliable measurements to date of X-ray column densities to these sources are derived. The results are consistent with the idea that some of the objects have a component of column density intrinsic to the source in addition to an interstellar component. The K-edge absorption due to oxygen is clearly detected in 10 of the sources and the Fe L and Ne K edges are detected in a few. The spectra probably reflect emission originating in a collisionally excited region combined with emission from a photoionized region excited directly by the central source.

XMM-Newton Survey of Local O VII Absorption Lines in the Spectra of Galactic X-Ray Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Yang; Fang, Taotao; Ma, Renyi

2018-04-01

The detection of highly ionized metal absorption lines in the X-ray spectra of the Galactic X-ray binaries (XRBs) implies the distribution of hot gas along the sightline toward the background sources. However, the origin of this hot gas is still unclear: it can arise in the hot interstellar medium (ISM), or is intrinsic to the XRBs. In this paper, we present an XMM-Newton survey of the O VII absorption lines in the spectra of Galactic XRBs. A total of 33 XRBs were selected, with 29 low-mass XRBs and 4 high-mass XRBs. At a more than 3σ threshold, O VII absorption line was detected in 16 targets, among which 4 were newly discovered in this work. The average line equivalent width is centered around ∼20 mÅ. Additionally, we do not find strong correlations between the O VII EWs and the Galactic neutral absorption N H, the Galactic coordinates, or the distance of background targets. Such non-correlation may suggest contamination of the circumstellar material, or a lack of constraints on the line Doppler-b parameter. We also find that regardless of the direction of the XRBs, the O VII absorption lines are always detected when the flux of the background XRBs reaches a certain level, suggesting a uniform distribution of this hot gas. We estimate a ratio of 0.004–0.4 between the hot and neutral phases of the ISM. This is the second paper in the series following Fang et al. (2015), in which we focused on the local O VII absorption lines detected in the background AGN spectra. Detailed modeling of the hot ISM distribution will be investigated in a future paper.

Discovery of a Nonblazar Gamma-Ray Transient Source Near the Galactic Plane: GRO J1838-04

Science.gov (United States)

Tavani, M.; Oliversen, Ronald (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

We report the discovery of a remarkable gamma-ray transient source near the Galactic plane, GRO J1838-04. This source was serendipitously discovered by EGRET in 1995 June with a peak intensity of approx. (4 +/- 1) x 10(exp -6) photons/sq cm s (for photon energies larger than 100 MeV) and a 5.9 sigma significance. At that time, GRO J1838-04 was the second brightest gamma-ray source in the sky. A subsequent EGRET pointing in 1995 late September detected the source at a flux smaller than its peak value by a factor of approx. 7. We determine that no radio-loud spectrally flat blazar is within the error box of GRO J1838-04. We discuss the origin of the gamma-ray transient source and show that interpretations in terms of active galactic nuclei or isolated pulsars are highly problematic. GRO J1838-04 provides strong evidence for the existence of a new class of variable gamma-ray sources.

Identification of Hard X-ray Sources in Galactic Globular Clusters: Simbol-X Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Servillat, M.

2009-05-01

Globular clusters harbour an excess of X-ray sources compared to the number of X-ray sources in the Galactic plane. It has been proposed that many of these X-ray sources are cataclysmic variables that have an intermediate magnetic field, i.e. intermediate polars, which remains to be confirmed and understood. We present here several methods to identify intermediate polars in globular clusters from multiwavelength analysis. First, we report on XMM-Newton, Chandra and HST observations of the very dense Galactic globular cluster NGC 2808. By comparing UV and X-ray properties of the cataclysmic variable candidates, the fraction of intermediate polars in this cluster can be estimated. We also present the optical spectra of two cataclysmic variables in the globular cluster M 22. The HeII (4868 Å) emission line in these spectra could be related to the presence of a magnetic field in these objects. Simulations of Simbol-X observations indicate that the angular resolution is sufficient to study X-ray sources in the core of close, less dense globular clusters, such as M 22. The sensitivity of Simbol-X in an extended energy band up to 80 keV will allow us to discriminate between hard X-ray sources (such as magnetic cataclysmic variables) and soft X-ray sources (such as chromospherically active binaries).

The galactic center GeV excess from a series of leptonic cosmic-ray outbursts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cholis, Ilias [Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States); Evoli, Carmelo [Univ. Hamburg, Hamburg (Germany); Calore, Francesca [Univ. of Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Linden, Tim [Univ. of Chicago, Chicago, IL (United States); Weniger, Christoph [Univ. of Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Hooper, Dan [Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States); Univ. of Chicago, Chicago, IL (United States)

2015-06-16

It has been proposed that a recent outburst of cosmic-ray electrons could account for the excess of GeV-scale gamma rays observed from the region surrounding the Galactic Center. After studying this possibility in some detail, we identify scenarios in which a series of leptonic cosmic-ray outbursts could plausibly generate the observed excess. The morphology of the emission observed outside of ~1° – 2° from the Galactic Center can be accommodated with two outbursts, one which took place approximately ~10⁶ years ago, and another (injecting only about 10% as much energy as the first) about ~10⁵ years ago. The emission observed from the innermost ~1° – 2° requires one or more additional recent outbursts and/or a contribution from a centrally concentrated population of unresolved millisecond pulsars. Furthermore, in order to produce a spectrum that is compatible with the measured excess (whose shape is approximately uniform over the region of the excess), the electrons from the older outburst must be injected with significantly greater average energy than those injected more recently, enabling their spectra to be similar after ~10⁶ years of energy losses.

Graviton mass bounds from an analysis of bright star trajectories at the Galactic Center

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zakharov Alexander

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In February 2016 the LIGO & VIRGO collaboration reported the discovery of gravitational waves in merging black holes, therefore, the team confirmed GR predictions about an existence of black holes and gravitational waves in the strong gravitational field limit. Moreover, in their papers the joint LIGO & VIRGO team presented an upper limit on graviton mass such as mg < 1.2 × 10−22 eV (Abbott et al. 2016. So, the authors concluded that their observational data do not show any violation of classical general relativity. We show that an analysis of bright star trajectories could constrain graviton mass with a comparable accuracy with accuracies reached with gravitational wave interferometers and the estimate is consistent with the one obtained by the LIGO & VIRGO collaboration. This analysis gives an opportunity to treat observations of bright stars near the Galactic Center as a useful tool to obtain constraints on the fundamental gravity law such as modifications of the Newton gravity law in a weak field approximation. In that way, based on a potential reconstruction at the Galactic Center we obtain bounds on a graviton mass.

THE EFFICIENCY AND WAVELENGTH DEPENDENCE OF NEAR-INFRARED INTERSTELLAR POLARIZATION TOWARD THE GALACTIC CENTER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hatano, Hirofumi; Kurita, Mikio; Kanai, Saori; Sato, Shuji [Department of Astrophysics, Nagoya University, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8602 (Japan); Nishiyama, Shogo; Nakajima, Yasushi; Tamura, Motohide; Kandori, Ryo [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8858 (Japan); Nagata, Tetsuya; Yoshikawa, Tatsuhito [Department of Astronomy, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Kato, Daisuke [Department of Astronomy, School of Science, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Sato, Yaeko; Suenaga, Takuya, E-mail: hattan@z.phys.nagoya-u.ac.jp, E-mail: shogo.nishiyama@nao.ac.jp [Department of Astronomical Sciences, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8858 (Japan)

2013-04-15

Near-infrared polarimetric imaging observations toward the Galactic center (GC) have been carried out to examine the efficiency and wavelength dependence of interstellar polarization. A total area of about 5.7 deg{sup 2} is covered in the J, H, and K{sub S} bands. We examined the polarization efficiency, defined as the ratio of the degree of polarization to color excess. The interstellar medium between the GC and us shows a polarization efficiency lower than that in the Galactic disk by a factor of three. Moreover we investigated the spatial variation of the polarization efficiency by comparing it with that of the color excess, degree of polarization, and position angle. The spatial variations of color excess and degree of polarization depend on the Galactic latitude, while the polarization efficiency varies independently of the Galactic structure. Position angles are nearly parallel to the Galactic plane, indicating a longitudinal magnetic field configuration between the GC and us. The polarization efficiency anticorrelates with dispersions of position angles. The low polarization efficiency and its spatial variation can be explained by the differences in the magnetic field directions along the line of sight. From the lower polarization efficiency, we suggest a higher strength of a random component relative to a uniform component of the magnetic field between the GC and us. We also derived the ratios of degree of polarization p{sub H} /p{sub J} = 0.581 {+-} 0.004 and p{sub K{sub S}}/p{sub H} = 0.620 {+-} 0.002. The power-law indices of the wavelength dependence of polarization are {beta}{sub JH} = 2.08 {+-} 0.02 and {beta}{sub HK{sub S}} = 1.76 {+-} 0.01. Therefore, the wavelength dependence of interstellar polarization exhibits flattening toward longer wavelengths in the range of 1.25-2.14 {mu}m. The flattening would be caused by aligned large-size dust grains.

Obscured flat spectrum radio active galactic nuclei as sources of high-energy neutrinos

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maggi, G.; Buitink, S.; Correa, P.; de Vries, K. D.; Gentile, G.; Tavares, J. León; Scholten, O.; van Eijndhoven, N.; Vereecken, M.; Winchen, T.

2016-01-01

Active galactic nuclei (AGN) are believed to be one of the main source candidates for the high-energy (TeV-PeV) cosmic neutrino flux recently discovered by the IceCube neutrino observatory. Nevertheless, several correlation studies between AGN and the cosmic neutrinos detected by IceCube show no

Observations of the galactic center and search for exotic signals with H.E.S.S

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vivier, M.

2009-06-01

Very high energy γ-ray astronomy is a new and young physics field which aims to study the origin of cosmic rays and their acceleration process inside various astrophysical objects such as pulsars, black holes or supernovae remnants. This is also a promising way to search for exotic high energy phenomena and unknown physics. This dissertation deals with three fundamental physics topics closely connected to very high energy γ-ray astronomy: particle acceleration in the vicinity of a supermassive black hole, primordial black holes evaporation, and indirect searches for (dark matter. Each of these topics is studied with data collected by the H.E.S.S (High Energy Stereoscopic System) instrument, an imaging Cherenkov array dedicated for the detection of very high energy γ-rays above 100 GeV. In the first part of the dissertation, we present a rapid overview of the field of very high energy γ-ray astronomy. A precise description of the H.E.S.S detector is then given as well as the data analysis techniques used to derive the results that are subsequently presented. The first subject is related to black hole astrophysics and concerns observations of the Galactic Center region with H.E.S.S. The source of the γ-ray emission discovered in 2004 toward this region is unidentified. A precise determination of the source energy spectrum and variability with new data is reported here. Results are then compared with models of particle acceleration in the vicinity of Sgr A * , the supermassive black hole located at the dynamical center of the Galaxy. In a second subject, the whole data collected with H.E.S.S is used to search for the signature o f primordial black holes evaporation through their emission of bursts of γ-rays. Primordial black holes are exotic objects that might have formed in the early stages of the Universe. As the bulk of the γ-ray emission is likely to originate from a standard astrophysical mechanism, the Galactic Center is not an ideal target for the

Development of Pulsar Detection Methods for a Galactic Center Search

Science.gov (United States)

Thornton, Stephen; Wharton, Robert; Cordes, James; Chatterjee, Shami

2018-01-01

Finding pulsars within the inner parsec of the galactic center would be incredibly beneficial: for pulsars sufficiently close to Sagittarius A*, extremely precise tests of general relativity in the strong field regime could be performed through measurement of post-Keplerian parameters. Binary pulsar systems with sufficiently short orbital periods could provide the same laboratories with which to test existing theories. Fast and efficient methods are needed to parse large sets of time-domain data from different telescopes to search for periodicity in signals and differentiate radio frequency interference (RFI) from pulsar signals. Here we demonstrate several techniques to reduce red noise (low-frequency interference), generate signals from pulsars in binary orbits, and create plots that allow for fast detection of both RFI and pulsars.

A newly-recognized galactic supernova remnant with shell-type and filled-center features

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnes, D.J.; Turtle, A.J.

1988-01-01

While the number of galactic supernova remnants (SNRs) now known is fairly large (>150), the subset among these that are known to resemble the Crab Nebula is still distressingly small, about 15 or so. Thus any object that can be unambiguously included in this exclusive club forms a valuable addition to knowledge of this class. The authors report observations of a newly recognized nonthermal galactic object, G18.94-1.06, having all the hallmarks of the classical shell-type SNRs, while also appearing to have a filled-centre component located inside the shell. Among the known Crab-like remnants, about one third show this dual nature. This diagnosis of G18.94-1.06 is supported mainly by the variations in spectral index across the source, as seen between the two observation frequencies, 408 MHz and 5.0 GHz

Proceedings of the Galactic Center Workshop 2002: The Central 300 Parsecs of the Milky Way. Astronomische Nachrichten Supplementary Issue 1/2003

Science.gov (United States)

Cotera, Angela; Markoff, Sera; Geballe, T. R.; Falcke, Heino

2004-03-01

Our knowledge of the environment of the nucleus of our galaxy has been greatly enhanced, by more extensive and sensitive observations at radio and infrared wavelengths, the advent of high resolution x-ray imaging and spectroscopy, and considerable theoretical activity to understand the nucleus and its components, and their activity. The Galactic Center Workshop 2002 was organized to review recent research on the galactic center, including the latest state-of-the-art observations and important theoretical developments. The workshop covered phenomena on scales ranging from the central several hundred parsecs to the central parsec and within. Each topic was approached from both multi-wavelength observational and theoretical perspectives.

Hard X-ray emission mechanism of active galactic nuclei sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, E.P.T.

1979-01-01

Within the framework of unsaturated Compton disk accretion onto a supermassive black hole as model for power-law active galactic nuclei X-ray sources (as opposed to the synchro-Compton model), we compare the hot inner disk model of Shapiro, Lightman, and Eardley and the disk corona model with balanced conduction and Compton losses. Both can generate electron temperatures > or approx. =10 9 K in the supermassive case but promise other observable distinctions. The sandwich configuration of the disk corona provides a natural explanation of why Comptonization is unsaturated

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.

Testing General Relativity with Stellar Orbits around the Supermassive Black Hole in Our Galactic Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Hees, A; Do, T; Ghez, A M; Martinez, G D; Naoz, S; Becklin, E E; Boehle, A; Chappell, S; Chu, D; Dehghanfar, A; Kosmo, K; Lu, J R; Matthews, K; Morris, M R; Sakai, S; Schödel, R; Witzel, G

2017-05-26

We demonstrate that short-period stars orbiting around the supermassive black hole in our Galactic center can successfully be used to probe the gravitational theory in a strong regime. We use 19 years of observations of the two best measured short-period stars orbiting our Galactic center to constrain a hypothetical fifth force that arises in various scenarios motivated by the development of a unification theory or in some models of dark matter and dark energy. No deviation from general relativity is reported and the fifth force strength is restricted to an upper 95% confidence limit of |α|<0.016 at a length scale of λ=150 astronomical units. We also derive a 95% confidence upper limit on a linear drift of the argument of periastron of the short-period star S0-2 of |ω[over ˙]_{S0-2}|<1.6×10^{-3}  rad/yr, which can be used to constrain various gravitational and astrophysical theories. This analysis provides the first fully self-consistent test of the gravitational theory using orbital dynamic in a strong gravitational regime, that of a supermassive black hole. A sensitivity analysis for future measurements is also presented.

Visibility of Active Galactic Nuclei in the Illustris Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchinson-Smith, Tenley; Kelley, Luke; Moreno, Jorge; Hernquist, Lars; Illustris Collaboration

2018-01-01

Active galactic nuclei (AGN) are the very bright, luminous regions surrounding supermassive black holes (SMBH) located at the centers of galaxies. Supermassive black holes are the source of AGN feedback, which occurs once the SMBH reaches a certain critical mass. Almost all large galaxies contain a SMBH, but SMBH binaries are extremely rare. Finding these binary systems are important because it can be a source of gravitational waves if the two SMBH collide. In order to study supermassive black holes, astronomers will often rely on the AGN’s light in order to locate them, but this can be difficult due to the extinction of light caused by the dust and gas surrounding the AGN. My research project focuses on determining the fraction of light we can observe from galactic centers using the Illustris simulation, one of the most advanced cosmological simulations of the universe which was created using a hydrodynamic code and consists of a moving mesh. Measuring the fraction of light observable from galactic centers will help us know what fraction of the time we can observe dual and binary AGN in different galaxies, which would also imply a binary SMBH system. In order to find how much light is being blocked or scattered by the gas and dust surrounding the AGN, we calculated the density of the gas and dust along the lines of sight. I present results including the density of gas along different lines of sight and how it correlates with the image of the galaxy. Future steps include taking an average of the column densities for all the galaxies in Illustris and studying them as a function of galaxy type (before merger, during merger, and post-merger), which will give us information on how this can also affect the AGN luminosity.

Search for Extended Sources in the Galactic Plane Using Six Years of Fermi -Large Area Telescope Pass 8 Data above 10 GeV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ackermann, M.; Buehler, R.; Ajello, M.; Baldini, L.; Ballet, J.; Barbiellini, G.; Bastieri, D.; Bellazzini, R.; Bissaldi, E.; Caragiulo, M.; Bloom, E. D.; Bottacini, E.; Cameron, R. A.; Bonino, R.; Brandt, T. J.; Castro, D.; Bregeon, J.; Bruel, P.; Caraveo, P. A.; Cavazzuti, E.

2017-01-01

The spatial extension of a γ -ray source is an essential ingredient to determine its spectral properties, as well as its potential multiwavelength counterpart. The capability to spatially resolve γ -ray sources is greatly improved by the newly delivered Fermi -Large Area Telescope (LAT) Pass 8 event-level analysis, which provides a greater acceptance and an improved point-spread function, two crucial factors for the detection of extended sources. Here, we present a complete search for extended sources located within 7° from the Galactic plane, using 6 yr of Fermi -LAT data above 10 GeV. We find 46 extended sources and provide their morphological and spectral characteristics. This constitutes the first catalog of hard Fermi -LAT extended sources, named the Fermi Galactic Extended Source Catalog, which allows a thorough study of the properties of the Galactic plane in the sub-TeV domain.

Search for Extended Sources in the Galactic Plane Using Six Years of Fermi -Large Area Telescope Pass 8 Data above 10 GeV

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ackermann, M.; Buehler, R. [Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, D-15738 Zeuthen (Germany); Ajello, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Kinard Lab of Physics, Clemson, SC 29634-0978 (United States); Baldini, L. [Università di Pisa and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa I-56127 Pisa (Italy); Ballet, J. [Laboratoire AIM, CEA-IRFU/CNRS/Université Paris Diderot, Service d’Astrophysique, CEA Saclay, F-91191 Gif sur Yvette (France); Barbiellini, G. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Trieste, I-34127 Trieste (Italy); Bastieri, D. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Padova, I-35131 Padova (Italy); Bellazzini, R. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, I-56127 Pisa (Italy); Bissaldi, E.; Caragiulo, M. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari (Italy); Bloom, E. D.; Bottacini, E.; Cameron, R. A. [W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Bonino, R. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Torino, I-10125 Torino (Italy); Brandt, T. J.; Castro, D. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Bregeon, J. [Laboratoire Univers et Particules de Montpellier, Université Montpellier, CNRS/IN2P3, F-34095 Montpellier (France); Bruel, P. [Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet, École polytechnique, CNRS/IN2P3, F-91128 Palaiseau (France); Caraveo, P. A. [INAF-Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica Milano, via E. Bassini 15, I-20133 Milano (Italy); Cavazzuti, E., E-mail: jcohen@astro.umd.edu, E-mail: elizabeth.a.hays@nasa.gov [Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) Science Data Center, I-00133 Roma (Italy); and others

2017-07-10

The spatial extension of a γ -ray source is an essential ingredient to determine its spectral properties, as well as its potential multiwavelength counterpart. The capability to spatially resolve γ -ray sources is greatly improved by the newly delivered Fermi -Large Area Telescope (LAT) Pass 8 event-level analysis, which provides a greater acceptance and an improved point-spread function, two crucial factors for the detection of extended sources. Here, we present a complete search for extended sources located within 7° from the Galactic plane, using 6 yr of Fermi -LAT data above 10 GeV. We find 46 extended sources and provide their morphological and spectral characteristics. This constitutes the first catalog of hard Fermi -LAT extended sources, named the Fermi Galactic Extended Source Catalog, which allows a thorough study of the properties of the Galactic plane in the sub-TeV domain.

Study of the spectral characteristics of unidentified galactic EGRET sources. Are they pulsar-like?

Science.gov (United States)

Merck, M.; Bertsch, D. L.; Dingus, B. L.; Esposito, J. A.; Fichtel, C. E.; Fierro, J. M.; Hartman, R. C.; Hunter, S. D.; Kanbach, G.; Kniffen, D. A.; Lin, Y. C.; Mayer-Hasselwander, H. A.; Michelson, P. F.; von Montigny, C.; Muecke, A.; Mukherjee, R.; Nolan, P. L.; Pohl, M.; Schneid, E.; Sreekumar, P.; Thompson, D. J.; Willis, T. D.

1996-12-01

A spectral study of unidentified galactic EGRET sources was performed. The derived spectra are compared to the spectra of pulsars to test the hypothesis, that a significant fraction of these sources are Geminga like radio-quiet pulsars (Yadigaroglu & Romani 1995ApJ...449..211Y). Most of the sources show significantly different spectra than expected under this hypothesis. Of those with spectra consistent with typical pulsar spectra, four are positionally consistent with young spin-powered radio pulsars leaving only very few Geminga type candidates in the sample.

A New View of Molecular Gas in the Galactic Center

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, Elisabeth A.; Morris, M.; Güsten, R.; Requena Torres, M.; Lang, C. C.; Butterfield, N.; Ott, J.

2013-01-01

On average, the molecular gas in the center of our Galaxy is significantly hotter (T = 50-300 K), denser (n > 10^4 cm^-3), and more turbulent than gas in the rest of the disk. I will present results from a recent series of observations that indicate that our understanding of the Galactic center (GC) molecular gas is incomplete, and that conditions in some clouds are even more extreme than previously thought. Using the Green Bank telescope, we have measured a very hot molecular gas component (T = 400-500 K ) in three largely quiescent GC giant molecular clouds using metastable inversion lines of ammonia from (8,8) to (15,15) . We further detect the (9,9) line in seven other GC clouds, indicating that this hot gas component may be a common feature of GC clouds, potentially yielding insight into the heating source of the molecular gas in this region. In addition, I will present new density constraints for the circumnuclear disk (CND), a reservoir of gas and dust 1.5 parsecs in radius from the central supermassive black hole, Sgr A*. Recent estimates of the CND density vary by four orders of magnitude, which makes its future evolution uncertain: gas in the CND could either accrete onto the black hole, dissipate, or, if the density is higher than 10^7 cm^-3, exist in gravitationally-stable clumps capable of forming stars. However, our APEX measurements of highly excited lines of HCN and HCO+ indicate that although the CND gas is denser than most other GC clouds, it is not likely to be tidally stable and thus is unlikely to host star formation. Finally, I will present early results from a new Very Large Array study of gas on sub-parsec scales in a sample of GC clouds, all of which exhibit unexpectedly abundant Class I methanol maser emission. The widespread distribution of these masers suggests shocks play an important role in driving cloud evolution throughout this unique region of our Galaxy.

A note on the puzzling spindown behavior of the Galactic center magnetar SGR J1745–2900

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tong, Hao

2015-01-01

SGR J1745–2900 is a magnetar near the Galactic center. X-ray observations of this source found a decreasing X-ray luminosity accompanied by an enhanced spindown rate. This negative correlation between X-ray luminosity and spindown rate is hard to understand. The wind braking model of magnetars is employed to explain this puzzling spindown behavior. During the release of magnetic energy of magnetars, a system of particles may be generated. Some of these particles remain trapped in the magnetosphere and may contribute to the X-ray luminosity. The rest of the particles can flow out and take away the rotational energy of the central neutron star. A smaller polar cap angle will cause the decrease of X-ray luminosity and enhanced spindown rate of SGR J1745–2900. This magnetar is shortly expected to have a maximum spindown rate. (paper)

Investigating the Relativistic Motion of the Stars Near the Supermassive Black Hole in the Galactic Center

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Parsa, M.; Eckart, A.; Shahzamanian, B.; Karas, Vladimír; Zajaček, M.; Zensus, J. A.; Straubmeier, C.

2017-01-01

Roč. 845, č. 1 (2017), 22/1-22/19 ISSN 0004-637X R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) 7E13012 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 312789 - STRONGGRAVITY Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : :astrometry * black hole physics * galactic center Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics OBOR OECD: Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science) Impact factor: 5.533, year: 2016

The Post-periapsis Evolution of Galactic Center Source G1: The Second Case of a Resolved Tidal Interaction with a Supermassive Black Hole

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Witzel, G.; Sitarski, B. N.; Ghez, A. M.; Morris, M. R.; Hees, A.; Do, T.; Naoz, S.; Boehle, A.; Martinez, G.; Chappell, S.; Meyer, L.; Yelda, S.; Becklin, E. E. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, 430 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1547 (United States); Lu, J. R. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Schödel, R. [Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia (CSIC), Glorieta de la Astronomia S/N, E-18008 Granada (Spain); Matthews, K., E-mail: witzel@astro.ucla.edu [Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

2017-09-20

We present new adaptive optics (AO) imaging and spectroscopic measurements of Galactic center source G1 from W. M. Keck Observatory. Our goal is to understand its nature and relationship to G2, which is the first example of a spatially resolved object interacting with a supermassive black hole (SMBH). Both objects have been monitored with AO for the past decade (2003–2014) and are comparatively close to the black hole ( a {sub min} ∼ 200–300 au) on very eccentric orbits ( e {sub G1} ∼ 0.99; e {sub G2} ∼ 0.96). While G2 has been tracked before and during periapsis passage ( T {sub 0} ∼ 2014.2), G1 has been followed since soon after emerging from periapsis ( T {sub 0} ∼ 2001.3). Our observations of G1 double the previously reported observational time baseline, which improves its orbital parameter determinations. G1's orbital trajectory appears to be in the same plane as that of G2 but with a significantly different argument of periapsis (Δ ω = 21° ± 4°). This suggests that G1 is an independent object and not part of a gas stream containing G2, as has been proposed. Furthermore, we show for the first time that (1) G1 is extended in the epochs closest to periapsis along the direction of orbital motion, and (2) it becomes significantly smaller over time (450 au in 2004 to less than 170 au in 2009). Based on these observations, G1 appears to be the second example of an object tidally interacting with an SMBH. G1's existence 14 yr after periapsis, along with its compactness in epochs further from the time of periapsis, suggest that this source is stellar in nature.

First results from the INTEGRAL galactic plane scans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Winkler, C.; Gehrels, N.; Schonfelder, V.

2003-01-01

Scans of the Galactic plane performed at regular intervals constitute a key element of the guaranteed time observations of the INTEGRAL observing programme. These scans are done for two reasons: frequent monitoring of the Galactic plane in order to detect transient sources, and time resolved mapp...... mapping of the Galactic plane in continuum and diffuse line emission. This paper describes first results obtained from the Galactic plane scans executed so far during the early phase (Dec. 2002-May 2003) of the nominal mission.......Scans of the Galactic plane performed at regular intervals constitute a key element of the guaranteed time observations of the INTEGRAL observing programme. These scans are done for two reasons: frequent monitoring of the Galactic plane in order to detect transient sources, and time resolved...

Cosmological evolution of supermassive black holes in galactic centers unveiled by hard X-ray observations.

Science.gov (United States)

Ueda, Yoshihiro

2015-01-01

We review the current understanding of the cosmological evolution of supermassive black holes in galactic centers elucidated by X-ray surveys of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Hard X-ray observations at energies above 2 keV are the most efficient and complete tools to find "obscured" AGNs, which are dominant populations among all AGNs. Combinations of surveys with various flux limits and survey area have enabled us to determine the space number density and obscuration properties of AGNs as a function of luminosity and redshift. The results have essentially solved the origin of the X-ray background in the energy band below ∼10 keV. The downsizing (or anti-hierarchical) evolution that more luminous AGNs have the space-density peak at higher redshifts has been discovered, challenging theories of galaxy and black hole formation. Finally, we summarize unresolved issues on AGN evolution and prospects for future X-ray missions.

Observation of Galactic Sources of Very High Energy γ-RAYS with the Magic Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Bartko, H.

The MAGIC telescope with its 17m diameter mirror is today the largest operating single-dish Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescope (IACT). It is located on the Canary Island La Palma, at an altitude of 2200 m above sea level, as part of the Roque de los Muchachos European Northern Observatory. The MAGIC telescope detects celestial very high energy γ-radiation in the energy band between about 50 GeV and 10 TeV. Since the autumn of 2004 MAGIC has been taking data routinely, observing various objects, like supernova remnants (SNRs), γ-ray binaries, Pulsars, Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) and Gamma-ray Bursts (GRB). We briefly describe the observational strategy, the procedure implemented for the data analysis, and discuss the results of observations of Galactic Sources.

Comment on "Characterizing the population of pulsars in the Galactic bulge with the Fermi large area telescope" [arXiv:1705.00009v1

Science.gov (United States)

Bartels, Richard; Hooper, Dan; Linden, Tim; Mishra-Sharma, Siddharth; Rodd, Nicholas L.; Safdi, Benjamin R.; Slatyer, Tracy R.

2018-06-01

The Fermi-LAT Collaboration recently presented a new catalog of gamma-ray sources located within the 40 ° × 40 ° region around the Galactic Center Ajello et al. (2017) - the Second Fermi Inner Galaxy (2FIG) catalog. Utilizing this catalog, they analyzed models for the spatial distribution and luminosity function of sources with a pulsar-like gamma-ray spectrum. Ajello et al. (2017) v1 also claimed to detect, in addition to a disk-like population of pulsar-like sources, an approximately 7 σ preference for an additional centrally concentrated population of pulsar-like sources, which they referred to as a "Galactic Bulge" population. Such a population would be of great interest, as it would support a pulsar interpretation of the gamma-ray excess that has long been observed in this region. In an effort to further explore the implications of this new source catalog, we attempted to reproduce the results presented by the Fermi-LAT Collaboration, but failed to do so. Mimicking as closely as possible the analysis techniques undertaken in Ajello et al. (2017), we instead find that our likelihood analysis favors a very different spatial distribution and luminosity function for these sources. Most notably, our results do not exhibit a strong preference for a "Galactic Bulge" population of pulsars. Furthermore, we find that masking the regions immediately surrounding each of the 2FIG pulsar candidates does not significantly impact the spectrum or intensity of the Galactic Center gamma-ray excess. Although these results refute the claim of strong evidence for a centrally concentrated pulsar population presented in Ajello et al. (2017), they neither rule out nor provide support for the possibility that the Galactic Center excess is generated by a population of low-luminosity and currently largely unobserved pulsars. In a spirit of maximal openness and transparency, we have made our analysis code available at https://github.com/bsafdi/GCE-2FIG.

X-ray radiation from the annihilation of dark matter at the galactic center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergstroem, Lars; Fairbairn, Malcolm; Pieri, Lidia

2006-01-01

The existing and upcoming multiwavelength data from the galactic center suggest a comparative study in order to propose or rule out possible models which would explain the observations. In this paper we consider the x-ray synchrotron and the gamma-ray emission due to Kaluza-Klein dark matter and define a set of parameters for the shape of the dark matter halo which is consistent with the observations. We show that for this class of models the existing Chandra x-ray data are more restrictive than the constraints on very high energy gamma rays coming from HESS

Shrinking of Binaries in a WIMPY Background at the Galactic Center

Science.gov (United States)

Hills, J. G.

2001-12-01

The nature of the dark matter in the Galactic Halo is still not clear. Constraints can be placed on it; e.g., it cannot be in baryons less massive than about 1022 grams (Hills, 1986, Astron. J. 92, 595). It may be in elementary weakly interacting massive particles, WIMPS. Apart from providing most of the mass of the Galaxy, the only known significant dynamical effect of WIMPS is to cause a gradual shrinking of tightly bound binaries (Hills 1983, Astron. J. 88, 1269) as they interact with the background soup of WIMPS. This effect may be observable in binaries close to the Galactic Center if a significant fraction of the mass density near the central black hole is from WIMPS. The requisite binaries would have to have orbital velocities greater than the local velocity dispersion of the WIMPS relative to the binary. The velocity dispersion increases near the black hole. The binary cannot be too close to the black hole or its tidal field will breakup the binary. If the local WIMP density is 107 g/cm3, the fractional rate of reduction in the binary orbital period is about 5 x 10-10/yr for a binary having a semimajor axis equal to 3 solar radii in a soup of WIMPS having a velocity dispersion of 200 km/s relative to the binary. This gradual erosion of the binary period may be detectable, particularly, if one of the binary components is a pulsar.

Dark Matter in γ lines: Galactic Center vs. dwarf galaxies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lefranc, Valentin; Moulin, Emmanuel [DRF/Irfu, Service de Physique des Particules, CEA Saclay, F-91191 Gif-Sur-Yvette Cedex (France); Panci, Paolo; Silk, Joseph [Institut d' Astrophysique de Paris, UMR 7095 CNRS, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 98 bis Boulevard Arago, Paris 75014 (France); Sala, Filippo, E-mail: valentin.lefranc@cea.fr, E-mail: emmanuel.moulin@cea.fr, E-mail: panci@iap.fr, E-mail: fsala@lpthe.jussieu.fr, E-mail: silk@iap.fr [LPTHE, UMR 7589 CNRS, 4 Place Jussieu, F-75252, Paris (France)

2016-09-01

We provide CTA sensitivities to Dark Matter (DM) annihilation in γ-ray lines, from the observation of the Galactic Center (GC) as well as, for the first time, of dwarf Spheroidal galaxies (dSphs). We compare the GC reach with that of dSphs as a function of a putative core radius of the DM distribution, which is itself poorly known. We find that the currently best dSph candidates constitute a more promising target than the GC, for core radii of one to a few kpc. We use the most recent instrument response functions and background estimations by CTA, on top of which we add the diffuse photon component. Our analysis is of particular interest for TeV-scale electroweak multiplets as DM candidates, such as the supersymmetric Wino and the Minimal Dark Matter fiveplet, whose predictions we compare with our projected sensitivities.

The peculiar galactic center neutron star X-ray binary XMM J174457-2850.3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Degenaar, N.; Reynolds, M. T.; Miller, J. M. [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Wijnands, R. [Anton Pannekoek Institute of Astronomy, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam (Netherlands); Altamirano, D. [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Kennea, J. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 525 Davey Lab, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Gehrels, N. [Astrophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Haggard, D. [CIERA, Physics and Astronomy Department, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208 (United States); Ponti, G., E-mail: degenaar@umich.edu [Max Planck Institute fur Extraterrestriche Physik, D-85748 Garching (Germany)

2014-09-10

The recent discovery of a millisecond radio pulsar experiencing an accretion outburst similar to those seen in low mass X-ray binaries, has opened up a new opportunity to investigate the evolutionary link between these two different neutron star manifestations. The remarkable X-ray variability and hard X-ray spectrum of this object can potentially serve as a template to search for other X-ray binary/radio pulsar transitional objects. Here we demonstrate that the transient X-ray source XMM J174457-2850.3 near the Galactic center displays similar X-ray properties. We report on the detection of an energetic thermonuclear burst with an estimated duration of ≅2 hr and a radiated energy output of ≅ 5 × 10{sup 40} erg, which unambiguously demonstrates that the source harbors an accreting neutron star. It has a quiescent X-ray luminosity of L {sub X} ≅ 5 × 10{sup 32}(D/6.5 kpc){sup 2} erg s{sup –1} and exhibits occasional accretion outbursts during which it brightens to L {sub X} ≅ 10{sup 35}-10{sup 36}(D/6.5 kpc){sup 2} erg s{sup –1} for a few weeks (2-10 keV). However, the source often lingers in between outburst and quiescence at L {sub X} ≅ 10{sup 33}-10{sup 34}(D/6.5 kpc){sup 2} erg s{sup –1}. This peculiar X-ray flux behavior and its relatively hard X-ray spectrum, a power law with an index of Γ ≅ 1.4, could possibly be explained in terms of the interaction between the accretion flow and the magnetic field of the neutron star.

MILAGRO OBSERVATIONS OF MULTI-TeV EMISSION FROM GALACTIC SOURCES IN THE FERMI BRIGHT SOURCE LIST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdo, A. A.; Linnemann, J. T.; Allen, B. T.; Chen, C.; Aune, T.; Berley, D.; Goodman, J. A.; Christopher, G. E.; Kolterman, B. E.; Mincer, A. I.; Nemethy, P.; DeYoung, T.; Dingus, B. L.; Hoffman, C. M.; Ellsworth, R. W.; Gonzalez, M. M.; Hays, E.; McEnery, J. E.; Huentemeyer, P. H.; Morgan, T.

2009-01-01

We present the result of a search of the Milagro sky map for spatial correlations with sources from a subset of the recent Fermi Bright Source List (BSL). The BSL consists of the 205 most significant sources detected above 100 MeV by the Fermi Large Area Telescope. We select sources based on their categorization in the BSL, taking all confirmed or possible Galactic sources in the field of view of Milagro. Of the 34 Fermi sources selected, 14 are observed by Milagro at a significance of 3 standard deviations or more. We conduct this search with a new analysis which employs newly optimized gamma-hadron separation and utilizes the full eight-year Milagro data set. Milagro is sensitive to gamma rays with energy from 1 to 100 TeV with a peak sensitivity from 10 to 50 TeV depending on the source spectrum and declination. These results extend the observation of these sources far above the Fermi energy band. With the new analysis and additional data, multi-TeV emission is definitively observed associated with the Fermi pulsar, J2229.0+6114, in the Boomerang pulsar wind nebula (PWN). Furthermore, an extended region of multi-TeV emission is associated with the Fermi pulsar, J0634.0+1745, the Geminga pulsar.

A Three Dimensional Picture of Galactic Center Mass Flows From Kiloparsec to Subparsec Scales

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, Elisabeth A.

2018-06-01

The centers of galaxies host extreme and energetic phenomena, from the amassing of incredibly dense reservoirs of gas to nuclear starbursts producing tens to hundreds of solar masses per year to accreting supermassive black holes launching jets. All of these are found on compact scales from hundreds of parsecs to less than a microparsec. The nearest laboratory for examining these processes is the center of our own Milky Way Galaxy. Although the black hole is not currently active and the star formation rate is relatively low, it is still our best opportunity for detailed insight into the processes that regulate the growth of the central supermassive black hole. By providing access to mid and far infrared wavelengths, SOFIA plays a unique role in connecting large and small scales in the Galactic center and studying the cycling of gas through this region. In this talk I will highlight several key open questions and outline the role that SOFIA continues to play in answering them.

On the nature of the galactic 2CG γ-ray sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buccheri, R.; Morini, M.; Sacco, B.

1981-01-01

The identification of two γ-ray sources of the COS-B catalogue with radio pulsars is used as an important hint for the identification of the rest of the population. The relevant distributions of γ-ray pulsars visible at the Sun within the limiting sensitivity of COS-B are derived on the following assumptions: (i) the γ-ray luminosity is a decreasing power law of the pulsar age, as indicated by current models; (ii) the scale height of pulsars at creation is equal to that of the supernova remnants; (iii) the pulsars' birth rate and spatial distribution are those published by Taylor and Manchester (1977). As a preliminary result it is shown that 10 to 20 γ-ray pulsars may be visible from the Earth with distributional parameters not distinguishable from those of the 2CG γ-ray sources. It is suggested therefore that a significant fraction of the unidentified galactic γ-ray sources are pulsars. (author)

Trajectories of bright stars at the Galactic Center as a tool to evaluate a graviton mass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zakharov Alexander

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Scientists worked in Saint-Petersburg (Petrograd, Leningrad played the extremely important role in creation of scientific school and development of general relativity in Russia. Very recently LIGO collaboration discovered gravitational waves [1] predicted 100 years ago by A. Einstein. In the papers reporting about this discovery, the joint LIGO & VIRGO team presented an upper limit on graviton mass such as mg < 1.2 × 10−22eV [1, 2]. The authors concluded that their observational data do not show violations of classical general relativity because the graviton mass limit is very small. We show that an analysis of bright star trajectories could bound graviton mass with a comparable accuracy with accuracies reached with gravitational wave interferometers and expected with forthcoming pulsar timing observations for gravitational wave detection. This analysis gives an opportunity to treat observations of bright stars near the Galactic Center as a tool for an evaluation specific parameters of the black hole and also to obtain constraints on the fundamental gravity law such as a modifications of Newton gravity law in a weak field approximation. In that way, based on a potential reconstruction at the Galactic Center we give a bounds on a graviton mass.

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.

The polarization of the far-infrared radiation from the Galactic center

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, M. W.; Davidson, J. A.; Morris, M.; Novak, G.; Platt, S. R.

1988-01-01

The first detection of linear polarization of the far-infrared (100-micron) radiation from the about 3-pc-diameter dust ring surrounding the galactic nucleus is reported. The percentage of polarization is between 1 and 2 percent at the three measured positions. It is argued that the polarized radiation is produced by thermal emission from elongated interstellar grains oriented by the local magnetic field. The dust ring is optically thin at 100 microns; therefore the observations sample dust through the entire depth of the cloud and are free of confusing effects due to embedded sources, scattering, or selective absorption. These data provide the first information about the configuration of the magnetic field in the dust ring.

The distances of the Galactic Novae

Science.gov (United States)

Ozdonmez, Aykut; Guver, Tolga; Cabrera-Lavers, Antonio; Ak, Tansel

2016-07-01

Using location of the RC stars on the CMDs obtained from the UKIDSS, VISTA and 2MASS photometry, we have derived the reddening-distance relations towards each Galactic nova for which at least one independent reddening measurement exists. We were able to determine the distances of 72 Galactic novae and set lower limits on the distances of 45 systems. The reddening curves of the systems are presented. These curves can be also used to estimate reddening or the distance of any source, whose location is close to the position of the nova in our sample. The distance measurement method in our study can be easily applicable to any source, especially for ones that concentrated along the Galactic plane.

ANALYSIS OF WMAP 7 YEAR TEMPERATURE DATA: ASTROPHYSICS OF THE GALACTIC HAZE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pietrobon, Davide; Gorski, Krzysztof M.; Bartlett, James; Colombo, Loris P. L.; Jewell, Jeffrey B.; Pagano, Luca; Rocha, Graca; Lawrence, Charles R. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099 (United States); Banday, A. J. [Universie de Toulouse, UPS-OMP, IRAP, Toulouse (France); Dobler, Gregory [Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara Kohn Hall, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Hildebrandt, Sergi R. [Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Eriksen, Hans Kristian [Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1029, Blindern, N-0315 Oslo (Norway); Saha, Rajib, E-mail: davide.pietrobon@jpl.nasa.gov [Physics Department, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, Bhopal, MP 462023 (India)

2012-08-10

We perform a joint analysis of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and Galactic emission from the WMAP 7 year temperature data. Using the Commander code, based on Gibbs sampling, we simultaneously derive the CMB and Galactic components on scales larger than 1 Degree-Sign with improved sensitivity over previous work. We conduct a detailed study of the low-frequency Galactic foreground, focusing on the 'microwave haze' emission around the Galactic center. We demonstrate improved performance in quantifying the diffuse Galactic emission when including Haslam 408 MHz data and when jointly modeling the spinning and thermal dust emission. We examine whether the hypothetical Galactic haze can be explained by a spatial variation of the synchrotron spectral index, and find that the excess of emission around the Galactic center is stable with respect to variations of the foreground model. Our results demonstrate that the new Galactic foreground component-the microwave haze-is indeed present.

Monitoring the Dusty S-cluster Object (DSO/G2) on its Orbit toward the Galactic Center Black Hole

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Valencia-S, M.; Eckart, A.; Zajaček, Michal; Peissker, F.; Parsa, M.; Grosso, N.; Mossoux, E.; Porquet, D.; Jalali, B.; Karas, Vladimír; Yazici, S.; Shahzamanian, B.; Sabha, N.; Saalfeld, R.; Smajic, S.; Grellmann, R.; Moser, L.; Horrobin, M.; Borkar, A.; García-Marín, M.; Dovčiak, Michal; Kunneriath, Devaky; Karssen, G.; Bursa, Michal; Straubmeier, C.; Bushouse, H.

2015-01-01

Roč. 800, č. 2 (2015), 125/1-125/21 ISSN 0004-637X R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GC13-00070J Grant - others:EU(XE) COST Action MP0905 Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : black holes * galactic center * Milky way Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 5.909, year: 2015

DISCOVERY OF THE PIGTAIL MOLECULAR CLOUD IN THE GALACTIC CENTER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsumura, Shinji; Oka, Tomoharu; Tanaka, Kunihiko; Nagai, Makoto; Kamegai, Kazuhisa; Hasegawa, Tetsuo

2012-01-01

This paper reports the discovery of a helical molecular cloud in the central molecular zone (CMZ) of our Galaxy. This 'pigtail' molecular cloud appears at (l, b, V LSR ) ≅ (–0. 0 7, + 0. 0 0, – 70 to –30 km s –1 ), with a spatial size of ∼20 × 20 pc 2 and a mass of (2-6) × 10 5 M ☉ . This is the third helical gaseous nebula found in the Galactic center region to date. Line intensity ratios indicate that the pigtail molecular cloud has slightly higher temperature and/or density than the other normal clouds in the CMZ. We also found a high-velocity wing emission near the footpoint of this cloud. We propose a formation model of the pigtail molecular cloud. It might be associated with a magnetic tube that is twisted and coiled because of the interaction between clouds in the innermost x 1 orbit and ones in the outermost x 2 orbit.

Planck Intermediate Results. IX. Detection of the Galactic haze with Planck

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Planck Collaboration,; Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.

2013-01-01

Using precise full-sky observations from Planck, and applying several methods of component separation, we identify and characterize the emission from the Galactic "haze" at microwave wavelengths. The haze is a distinct component of diffuse Galactic emission, roughly centered on the Galactic centre...

Simulation of the annihilation emission of galactic positrons; Modelisation de l'emission d'annihilation des positrons Galactiques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gillard, W

2008-01-15

Positrons annihilate in the central region of our Galaxy. This has been known since the detection of a strong emission line centered on an energy of 511 keV in the direction of the Galactic center. This gamma-ray line is emitted during the annihilation of positrons with electrons from the interstellar medium. The spectrometer SPI, onboard the INTEGRAL observatory, performed spatial and spectral analyses of the positron annihilation emission. This thesis presents a study of the Galactic positron annihilation emission based on models of the different interactions undergone by positrons in the interstellar medium. The models are relied on our present knowledge of the properties of the interstellar medium in the Galactic bulge, where most of the positrons annihilate, and of the physics of positrons (production, propagation and annihilation processes). In order to obtain constraints on the positrons sources and physical characteristics of the annihilation medium, we compared the results of the models to measurements provided by the SPI spectrometer. (author)

LINE DERIVED INFRARED EXTINCTION TOWARD THE GALACTIC CENTER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fritz, T. K.; Gillessen, S.; Dodds-Eden, K.; Lutz, D.; Genzel, R.; Raab, W.; Ott, T.; Pfuhl, O.; Eisenhauer, F.; Yusef-Zadeh, F.

2011-01-01

We derive the extinction curve toward the Galactic center (GC) from 1 to 19 μm. We use hydrogen emission lines of the minispiral observed by ISO-SWS and SINFONI. The extinction-free flux reference is the 2 cm continuum emission observed by the Very Large Array. Toward the inner 14'' x 20'', we find an extinction of A 2.166μm = 2.62 ± 0.11, with a power-law slope of α = -2.11 ± 0.06 shortward of 2.8 μm, consistent with the average near-infrared slope from the recent literature. At longer wavelengths, however, we find that the extinction is grayer than shortward of 2.8 μm. We find that it is not possible to fit the observed extinction curve with a dust model consisting of pure carbonaceous and silicate grains only, and the addition of composite particles, including ices, is needed to explain the observations. Combining a distance-dependent extinction with our distance-independent extinction, we derive the distance to the GC to be R 0 = 7.94 ± 0.65 kpc. Toward Sgr A* (r H = 4.21 ± 0.10, A Ks = 2.42 ± 0.10, and A L' = 1.09 ± 0.13.

A high resolution atlas of the galactic plane at 12 microns and 25 microns

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Stephan D.; Korte, Rose M.; Sample, Rebecca S.; Kennealy, John P.; Gonsalves, Robert A.

1994-01-01

High resolution images of the 12 micron and 25 micron IRAS survey data from each HCON crossing the Galactic Plane are being created for those regions that the original IRAS processing labeled as confused. This encompasses the area within 100 deg longitude of the Galactic Center and within 3 deg to 10 deg of the Plane. The procedures used to create the images preserve the spatial resolution inherent in the IRAS instrument. The images are separated into diffuse and point source components and candidate sources are extracted from the point source image after non-linear spatial sharpening. Fluxes are estimated by convolving the candidate sources with the point response function and cross-correlating with the original point source image. A source is considered real if it is seen on at least two HCON's with a rather generous flux match but a stringent position criterion. A number of fields spanning a range of source densities from low to high have been examined. Initial analysis indicates that the imaging and extraction works quite well up to a source density of about 100 sources per square degree or down to roughly 0.8 Janskys.

The galactic contribution to IceCube's astrophysical neutrino flux

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Denton, Peter B. [Niels Bohr International Academy, University of Copenhagen, The Niels Bohr Institute, Blegdamsvej 17, DK-2100, Copenhagen (Denmark); Marfatia, Danny [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2505 Correa Rd., Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Weiler, Thomas J., E-mail: peterbd1@gmail.com, E-mail: dmarf8@hawaii.edu, E-mail: tom.weiler@vanderbilt.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN 37235 (United States)

2017-08-01

High energy neutrinos have been detected by IceCube, but their origin remains a mystery. Determining the sources of this flux is a crucial first step towards multi-messenger studies. In this work we systematically compare two classes of sources with the data: galactic and extragalactic. We assume that the neutrino sources are distributed according to a class of Galactic models. We build a likelihood function on an event by event basis including energy, event topology, absorption, and direction information. We present the probability that each high energy event with deposited energy E {sub dep}>60 TeV in the HESE sample is Galactic, extragalactic, or background. For Galactic models considered the Galactic fraction of the astrophysical flux has a best fit value of 1.3% and is <9.5% at 90% CL. A zero Galactic flux is allowed at <1σ.

Planck 2015 results. XXVIII. The Planck Catalogue of Galactic Cold Clumps

CERN Document Server

Ade, P.A.R.; Arnaud, M.; Ashdown, M.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Banday, A.J.; Barreiro, R.B.; Bartolo, N.; Battaner, E.; Benabed, K.; Benoît, A.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bernard, J.-P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bielewicz, P.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonavera, L.; Bond, J.R.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F.R.; Boulanger, F.; Bucher, M.; Burigana, C.; Butler, R.C.; Calabrese, E.; Catalano, A.; Chamballu, A.; Chiang, H.C.; Christensen, P.R.; Clements, D.L.; Colombi, S.; Colombo, L.P.L.; Combet, C.; Couchot, F.; Coulais, A.; Crill, B.P.; Curto, A.; Cuttaia, F.; Danese, L.; Davies, R.D.; Davis, R.J.; de Bernardis, P.; de Rosa, A.; de Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Désert, F.-X.; Dickinson, C.; Diego, J.M.; Dole, H.; Donzelli, S.; Doré, O.; Douspis, M.; Ducout, A.; Dupac, X.; Efstathiou, G.; Elsner, F.; Enßlin, T.A.; Eriksen, H.K.; Falgarone, E.; Fergusson, J.; Finelli, F.; Forni, O.; Frailis, M.; Fraisse, A.A.; Franceschi, E.; Frejsel, A.; Galeotta, S.; Galli, S.; Ganga, K.; Giard, M.; Giraud-Héraud, Y.; Gjerløw, E.; González-Nuevo, J.; Górski, K.M.; Gratton, S.; Gregorio, A.; Gruppuso, A.; Gudmundsson, J.E.; Hansen, F.K.; Hanson, D.; Harrison, D.L.; Helou, G.; Henrot-Versillé, S.; Hernández-Monteagudo, C.; Herranz, D.; Hildebrandt, S.R.; Hivon, E.; Hobson, M.; Holmes, W.A.; Hornstrup, A.; Hovest, W.; Huffenberger, K.M.; Hurier, G.; Jaffe, A.H.; Jaffe, T.R.; Jones, W.C.; Juvela, M.; Keihänen, E.; Keskitalo, R.; Kisner, T.S.; Knoche, J.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lagache, G.; Lamarre, J.-M.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Lawrence, C.R.; Leonardi, R.; Lesgourgues, J.; Levrier, F.; Liguori, M.; Lilje, P.B.; Linden-Vørnle, M.; López-Caniego, M.; Lubin, P.M.; Macías-Pérez, J.F.; Maggio, G.; Maino, D.; Mandolesi, N.; Mangilli, A.; Marshall, D.J.; Martin, P.G.; Martínez-González, E.; Masi, S.; Matarrese, S.; Mazzotta, P.; McGehee, P.; Melchiorri, A.; Mendes, L.; Mennella, A.; Migliaccio, M.; Mitra, S.; Miville-Deschênes, M.-A.; Moneti, A.; Morgante, G.; Mortlock, D.; Moss, A.; Munshi, D.; Murphy, J.A.; Naselsky, P.; Nati, F.; Natoli, P.; Netterfield, C.B.; Nørgaard-Nielsen, H.U.; Noviello, F.; Novikov, D.; Novikov, I.; Oxborrow, C.A.; Paci, F.; Pagano, L.; Pajot, F.; Paladini, R.; Paoletti, D.; Pasian, F.; Patanchon, G.; Pearson, T.J.; Pelkonen, V.-M.; Perdereau, O.; Perotto, L.; Perrotta, F.; Pettorino, V.; Piacentini, F.; Piat, M.; Pierpaoli, E.; Pietrobon, D.; Plaszczynski, S.; Pointecouteau, E.; Polenta, G.; Pratt, G.W.; Prézeau, G.; Prunet, S.; Puget, J.-L.; Rachen, J.P.; Reach, W.T.; Rebolo, R.; Reinecke, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Renault, C.; Renzi, A.; Ristorcelli, I.; Rocha, G.; Rosset, C.; Rossetti, M.; Roudier, G.; Rubiño-Martín, J.A.; Rusholme, B.; Sandri, M.; Santos, D.; Savelainen, M.; Savini, G.; Scott, D.; Seiffert, M.D.; Shellard, E.P.S.; Spencer, L.D.; Stolyarov, V.; Sudiwala, R.; Sunyaev, R.; Sutton, D.; Suur-Uski, A.-S.; Sygnet, J.-F.; Tauber, J.A.; Terenzi, L.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Tristram, M.; Tucci, M.; Tuovinen, J.; Umana, G.; Valenziano, L.; Valiviita, J.; Van Tent, B.; Vielva, P.; Villa, F.; Wade, L.A.; Wandelt, B.D.; Wehus, I.K.; Yvon, D.; Zacchei, A.

2016-01-01

We present the Planck Catalogue of Galactic Cold Clumps (PGCC), an all-sky catalogue of Galactic cold clump candidates detected by Planck. This catalogue is the full version of the Early Cold Core (ECC) catalogue, which was made available in 2011 with the Early Release Compact Source Catalogue (ERCSC) and contained 915 high S/N sources. It is based on the Planck 48 months mission data that are currently being released to the astronomical community. The PGCC catalogue is an observational catalogue consisting exclusively of Galactic cold sources. The three highest Planck bands (857, 545, 353 GHz) have been combined with IRAS data at 3 THz to perform a multi-frequency detection of sources colder than their local environment. After rejection of possible extragalactic contaminants, the PGCC catalogue contains 13188 Galactic sources spread across the whole sky, i.e., from the Galactic plane to high latitudes, following the spatial distribution of the main molecular cloud complexes. The median temperature of PGCC so...

Dark matter annihilation into right-handed neutrinos and the galactic center gamma-ray excess

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, Yi-Lei [Center for High Energy Physics, Peking University,Beijing 100871 (China); Zhu, Shou-hua [Center for High Energy Physics, Peking University,Beijing 100871 (China); Institute of Theoretical Physics State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology,Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter,Beijing 100871 (China)

2016-03-08

In this paper, we will discuss a specific case that the dark matter particles annihilate into right-handed neutrinos. We calculate the predicted gamma-ray excess from the galactic center and compare our results with the data from the Fermi-LAT. An approximately 10–60 GeV right-handed neutrino with heavier dark matter particle can perfectly explain the observed spectrum. The annihilation cross section 〈σv〉 falls within the range 0.5–4×10{sup −26} cm{sup 3}/s, which is roughly compatible with the WIMP annihilation cross section.

X-Ray and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of Dim X-Ray Point Sources Constituting the Galactic Ridge X-Ray Emission

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kumiko Morihana

2014-12-01

Full Text Available We present the results of X-ray and Near-Infrared observations of the Galactic Ridge X-ray Emission (GRXE. We extracted 2,002 X-ray point sources in the Chandra Bulge Field (l =0°.113, b = 1°.424 down to ~10-14.8 ergscm-2s-1 in 2-8 keV band with the longest observation (900 ks of the GRXE. Based on X-ray brightness and hardness, we classied the X-ray point sources into three groups: A (hard, B (soft and broad spectrum, and C (soft and peaked spectrum. In order to know populations of the X-ray point sources, we carried out NIR imaging and spectroscopy observation. We identied 11% of X-ray point sources with NIR and extracted NIR spectra for some of them. Based on X-ray and NIR properties, we concluded that non-thermal sources in the group A are mostly active galactic nuclei and the thermal sources are mostly white dwarf binaries such as cataclysmic variables (CVs and Pre-CVs. We concluded that the group B and C sources are X-ray active stars in flare and quiescence, respectively.

Making Sense of Black Holes: Modeling the Galactic Center and Other Low-power AGN

Science.gov (United States)

Falcke, Heino; Moscibrodzka, Monika

2018-06-01

The Galactic center host a well-known flat-spectrum radio source, Sgr A*, that is akin to the radio nuclei of quasars and radio galaxies. It is the main target of the Event Horizon Telescope to image the shadow of the black hole. There is, however, still considerable discussion on where the near-horizon emission originates from. Does it come from an accretion flow or is it produced in a relativistic jet-like outflow? Using advanced three-dimensional general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics simulations coupled to general relativistic ray tracing simulations, we now model the dynamics and emission of the plasma around starving black holes in great detail out to several thousand Schwarzschild radii. Jets appear almost naturally in theses simulations. A crucial parameter is the heating of radiating electrons and we argue that electron-proton coupling is low in the accretion flow and high in the magnetized region of the jets, making the jet an important ingredient for the overall appearance of the source. This comprehensive model is able to predict the radio size and appearance, the spectral energy distribution from radio to X-rays, the variability, and the time lags of Sgr A* surprisingly well. Interestingly, the same model can be easily generalized to other low-power AGN like M87, suggesting that GRMHD models for AGN are finally becoming predictive. With upcoming submm-VLBI experiment on the ground and in space, we will be able to further test these models in great detail and see black holes in action.

Detection of a compact radio source near the center of a gravitational lens: quasar image or galactic core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorenstein, M.V.; Shapiro, I.I.; Cohen, N.L.

1983-01-01

By use of a new, very sensitive interferometric system, a faint, compact radio source has been detected near the center of the galaxy that acts as the main part of a gravitational lens. This lens forms two previously discovered images of the quasar Q0957 + 561, which lies in the direction of the constellation Ursa Major. The newly detected source has a core smaller than 0.002 arc second in diameter with a flux density of 0.6 +- 0.1 millijansky at the 13-centimeter wavelength of the radio observations. This source could be the predicted third image of the transparent gravitational lens, the central core of the galaxy, or some combination of the two. It is not yet possible to choose reliably between these alternatives

THE HIGH-ENERGY, ARCMINUTE-SCALE GALACTIC CENTER GAMMA-RAY SOURCE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chernyakova, M.; Malyshev, D.; Aharonian, F. A.; Crocker, R. M.; Jones, D. I.

2011-01-01

Employing data collected during the first 25 months of observations by the Fermi-LAT, we describe and subsequently seek to model the very high energy (>300 MeV) emission from the central few parsecs of our Galaxy. We analyze the morphological, spectral, and temporal characteristics of the central source, 1FGL J1745.6-2900. The data show a clear, statistically significant signal at energies above 10 GeV, where the Fermi-LAT has angular resolution comparable to that of HESS at TeV energies. This makes a meaningful joint analysis of the data possible. Our analysis of the Fermi data (alone) does not uncover any statistically significant variability of 1FGL J1745.6-2900 at GeV energies on the month timescale. Using the combination of Fermi data on 1FGL J1745.6-2900 and HESS data on the coincident, TeV source HESS J1745-290, we show that the spectrum of the central gamma-ray source is inflected with a relatively steep spectral region matching between the flatter spectrum found at both low and high energies. We model the gamma-ray production in the inner 10 pc of the Galaxy and examine cosmic ray (CR) proton propagation scenarios that reproduce the observed spectrum of the central source. We show that a model that instantiates a transition from diffusive propagation of the CR protons at low energy to almost rectilinear propagation at high energies can explain well the spectral phenomenology. We find considerable degeneracy between different parameter choices which will only be broken with the addition of morphological information that gamma-ray telescopes cannot deliver given current angular resolution limits. We argue that a future analysis performed in combination with higher-resolution radio continuum data holds out the promise of breaking this degeneracy.

A low-latitude southern atlas of galactic hydrogen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poeppel, W G.L. [Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomia, Villa Elisa, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Olano, C A [Rio Grande do Sul, Universidade Federal, Porto Alegre, Brazil

1979-01-01

An atlas of 21 cm line profiles is described, which was made using a 30 m radio telescope with angular resolution of 0.5 deg, to study the properties of the low latitude H I gas excluding the complexity of the galactic plane. The results of the atlas itself are presented in two sets of diagrams: average profiles for each point, and contour maps. Analyses of the data have centered on an anomalous velocity cloud near galactic longitude (1) equals 349 deg, and latitude (b) equals plus 3 deg, strong kinematic asymmetries of the interstellar gas in the region of 1 between 348 and 12 deg and b between plus 3 and plus 17 deg, with positive radial velocities predominant, caused by a very intense source seemingly identical to Lindblad's (1967) feature A, and a comparative study of optical and radioastronomical data of the section of Gould's belt from 1 equals 300 to 12 deg.

The Galactic 511 keV line: analysis and interpretation of Integral observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lonjou, V.

2005-09-01

Ever since the discovery of the 511 keV annihilation line emission from the galactic center region in the late seventies, the origin of galactic positrons has been the topic of a vivid scientific debate. It is also one of the prime scientific objectives of the imaging spectrometer SPI on board ESA's INTEGRAL observatory. In this thesis first a description of the most important SPI sub-system is given - the detector plane. Procedures for detector energy calibration and detector degradation analysis are developed. The determination of instrumental background models, a crucial aspect of data analysis, is elaborated. These background models are then applied to deriving sky maps and spectra of unprecedented quality of the Galactic positron annihilation radiation. The emission is centered on the galactic center with a spatial resolution of 8 degrees (FWHM), a second spatial component appears clearly: the galactic disc. The ray energy has been measured with unprecedented accuracy: 511.0 ± 0.03 keV for a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 2.07 ± 0.1 keV. The total galactic flux ranges from 1.09 to 2.43 10 -3 ph.cm -2 .s -1 including uncertainties on spatial distribution. Finally, the implications of these observations for the production of positrons by various Galactic populations are discussed

Habitable Evaporated Cores and the Occurrence of Panspermia Near the Galactic Center

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Howard; Forbes, John C.; Loeb, Abraham

2018-03-01

Black holes growing via the accretion of gas emit radiation that can photoevaporate the atmospheres of nearby planets. Here, we couple planetary structural evolution models of sub-Neptune-mass planets to the growth of the Milky Way’s central supermassive black hole, Sgr A*, and investigate how planetary evolution is influenced by quasar activity. We find that, out to ∼20 pc from Sgr A*, the XUV flux emitted during its quasar phase can remove several percent of a planet’s H/He envelope by mass; in many cases, this removal results in bare rocky cores, many of which are situated in the habitable zones of G-type stars. Near the Galactic Center, the erosion of sub-Neptune-sized planets may be one of the most prevalent channels by which terrestrial super-Earths are created. As such, the planet population demographics may be quite different close to Sgr A* than in the galactic outskirts. The high stellar densities in this region (about seven orders of magnitude greater than the solar neighborhood) imply that the distance between neighboring rocky worlds is short (500–5000 au). The proximity between potentially habitable terrestrial planets may enable the onset of widespread interstellar panspermia near the nuclei of our galaxy. More generally, we predict these phenomena to be ubiquitous for planets in nuclear star clusters and ultra-compact dwarfs. Globular clusters, on the other hand, are less affected by the central black holes.

Indirect searches of dark matter, and the galactic center at very high energy with H.E.S.S

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viana, Aion

2012-01-01

H.E.S.S. (High Energy Stereoscopic System) is an array of four identical imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes, designed to observe very high energy γ-rays (E > 100 GeV). The observation of such γ-rays plays a crucial role in the understanding of extreme non-thermal phenomena in the Universe. These γ-rays can be used for instance to search for annihilations of dark matter particles in dense environments of the Universe. This thesis presents a series of data analysis and phenomenological studies on two main subject of the γ-ray astronomy: the indirect searches of dark matter, and the study of the Galactic Center region. The indirect dark matter searches focus on the study of two classes of targets: dwarf galaxies and galaxy clusters. A detailed study of the H.E.S.S. observations towards the Sculptor and Carina dwarf galaxies, and towards the Fornax galaxy cluster are presented. In the absence, of a significant signal coming from these object, constraints on the annihilation cross section of dark matter particle candidates are derived. Particular consideration is given to different processes from particle physics and astrophysics which might give rise to additional contributions to the signal expected from a dark matter particle annihilation, such as the Sommerfeld effect and dark matter halo substructures. The current H.E.S.S. dark matter constraints towards the Sagittarius are updated in light of recent realistic dark matter halo models. A prospect on the sensitivity of the future generation of Cherenkov telescopes, i.e. CTA (Cherenkov Telescope Array), for the detection of a dark matter annihilation signal and conventional γ-ray emissions are also given. The second subject of this thesis provides a detailed analysis of the VHE γ-ray data from the Galactic Center region observed by H.E.S.S. This was possible thanks to the deep exposure of this region, achieved by the H.E.S.S. experiment throughout the 2004-2011 period. The analysis and spectral

Gamma-ray evidence for a stellar-mass black hole near the Galatic Center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramaty, R.; Lingenfelter, R.E.

1989-01-01

Observations at 511 keV and higher energies have provided evidence for a variable, compact source of annihilation radiation and >511-keV continuum emission at the Galactic Center or in its vicinity. The authors have reviewed this evidence. The strongest argument for the existence of this compact source is the time variation of the 511-keV line flux, inferred from observations at different times for over a decade. These observations include a recent detection of the 511-keV line showing that the compact source, after not being seen for nine years, has become active again. In addition to this compact source, there also is evidence for a distributed source of galactic 511-keV line emission. This is based on the comparison of observations with broad and narrow field- of-view detectors, as well as on a direct observation with a narrow field-of-view instrument pointing in the galactic plane away from the Galactic Center. Much remains to be learned about this emission from observations with improved angular and energy resolution. Such observations will provide new information on nucleosynthesis, supernovae, galactic structure, and the interstellar medium. However, in the present paper, the authors deal mainly with the compact source in an attempt to clarify the arguments that have led us to suggest that this object is a stellar-mass black hole. The authors review the technique that they have used to separate the compact and distributed sources, emphasizing the uncertainties caused by data obtained with very poor angular resolution. They show the time dependence of the 511-keV line emission and the >511-keV continuum and summarize the evidence that these two emissions are correlated

Flares from a new Integral hard X-ray source, IGR J17407-2808, likely associated with the ROSAT source SBM 10

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kretschmar, P.; Mereghetti, S.; Hermsen, W.

2004-01-01

This new hard X-ray source, IGR J17407-2808, is positionally coincident with a faint ROSAT source listed as no. 10 in the catalogue of sources in the Galactic Center region by Sidoli, Belloni & Mereghetti 2001, A&A 368, 835 and as 2RXP J174040.9-280852 in the ROSAT Source Browser. No other observ...

Model-independent requirements to the source of positrons in the galactic centre

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aharonyan, F.A.

1986-01-01

The main requirements, following from the observational data in a wide range of electromagnetic waves, to positron source in the galactic centre are formulated. The most probable mechanism providing an efficiency of positron production of 10% is the pair production at photon-photon collisions. This mechanism can be realized a) in a thermal e + e - pair-dominated weak-relativistic plasma and b) at the development of a nonthermal electromagnetic cascade initiated by relativistic particles in the field of X-rays. Gamma-astronomical observations in the region of E γ ≥ 10 11 eV can be crucial in the choice of the model

Simulation of the annihilation emission of galactic positrons; Modelisation de l'emission d'annihilation des positrons Galactiques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gillard, W

2008-01-15

Positrons annihilate in the central region of our Galaxy. This has been known since the detection of a strong emission line centered on an energy of 511 keV in the direction of the Galactic center. This gamma-ray line is emitted during the annihilation of positrons with electrons from the interstellar medium. The spectrometer SPI, onboard the INTEGRAL observatory, performed spatial and spectral analyses of the positron annihilation emission. This thesis presents a study of the Galactic positron annihilation emission based on models of the different interactions undergone by positrons in the interstellar medium. The models are relied on our present knowledge of the properties of the interstellar medium in the Galactic bulge, where most of the positrons annihilate, and of the physics of positrons (production, propagation and annihilation processes). In order to obtain constraints on the positrons sources and physical characteristics of the annihilation medium, we compared the results of the models to measurements provided by the SPI spectrometer. (author)

The galactic distribution of Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hidayat, B.; Supelli, K.; Hucht, K.A. van der

1982-01-01

On the basis of the most recent compilation of narrow-band photometry and absolute visual magnitudes of Wolf-Rayet stars, and adopting a normal interstellar extinction law in all directions, the galactic distribution of 132 of the 159 known galactic WR stars is presented and discussed. The spiral structure is found to be more clearly pronounced than in earlier studies. Furthermore the authors find an indication of two spiral arms at r=4 and 6 kpc. There appears to be an asymmetry of the z-distribution of single stars with respect to galactic longitude. The location of the WC8.5 and WC9 stars between 4.5 and 9 kpc from the galactic center is discussed in the context of Maeder's red supergiant to WR star scenario. (Auth.)

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)

X-ray Studies of Unidentified Galactic TeV Gamma-ray Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Pühlhofer, Gerd

2009-05-01

Many of the recently discovered Galactic TeV sources remain unidentified to date. A large fraction of the sources is possibly associated with relic pulsar wind nebula (PWN) systems. One key question here is the maximum energy (beyond TeV) attained in the compact PWNe. Hard X-ray emission can trace those particles, but current non-focussing X-ray instruments above 10 keV have difficulties to deconvolve the hard pulsar spectrum from its surrounding nebula. Some of the new TeV sources are also expected to originate from middle-aged and possibly even from old supernova remnants (SNR). But no compelling case for such an identification has been found yet. In established young TeV-emitting SNRs, X-ray imaging above 10 keV could help to disentangle the leptonic from the hadronic emission component in the TeV shells, if secondary electrons produced in hadronic collisions can be effectively detected. As SNRs get older, the high energy electron component is expected to fade away. This may allow to verify the picture through X-ray spectral evolution of the source population. Starting from the lessons we have learned so far from X-ray follow-up observations of unidentified TeV sources, prospects for Simbol-X to resolve open questions in this field will be discussed.

X-ray Studies of Unidentified Galactic TeV Gamma-ray Sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puehlhofer, Gerd

2009-01-01

Many of the recently discovered Galactic TeV sources remain unidentified to date. A large fraction of the sources is possibly associated with relic pulsar wind nebula (PWN) systems. One key question here is the maximum energy (beyond TeV) attained in the compact PWNe. Hard X-ray emission can trace those particles, but current non-focussing X-ray instruments above 10 keV have difficulties to deconvolve the hard pulsar spectrum from its surrounding nebula.Some of the new TeV sources are also expected to originate from middle-aged and possibly even from old supernova remnants (SNR). But no compelling case for such an identification has been found yet. In established young TeV-emitting SNRs, X-ray imaging above 10 keV could help to disentangle the leptonic from the hadronic emission component in the TeV shells, if secondary electrons produced in hadronic collisions can be effectively detected. As SNRs get older, the high energy electron component is expected to fade away. This may allow to verify the picture through X-ray spectral evolution of the source population.Starting from the lessons we have learned so far from X-ray follow-up observations of unidentified TeV sources, prospects for Simbol-X to resolve open questions in this field will be discussed.

Massive Young Stellar Objects in the Galactic Center. 1; Spectroscopic Identification from Spitzer/IRS Observations

Science.gov (United States)

An, Deokkeun; Ramirez, Solange V.; Sellgren, Kris; Arendt, Richard G.; Boogert, A. C. Adwin; Robitaille, Thomas P.; Schultheis, Mathias; Cotera, Angela S.; Smith, Howard A.; Stolovy, Susan R.

2011-01-01

We present results from our spectroscopic study, using the Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) onboard the Spitzer Space Telescope, designed to identify massive young stellar objects (YSOs) in the Galactic Center (GC). Our sample of 107 YSO candidates was selected based on IRAC colors from the high spatial resolution, high sensitivity Spitzer/IRAC images in the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ), which spans the central approximately 300 pc region of the Milky Way Galaxy. We obtained IRS spectra over 5 micron to 35 micron using both high- and low-resolution IRS modules. We spectroscopically identify massive YSOs by the presence of a 15.4 micron shoulder on the absorption profile of 15 micron CO2 ice, suggestive of CO2 ice mixed with CH30H ice on grains. This 15.4 micron shoulder is clearly observed in 16 sources and possibly observed in an additional 19 sources. We show that 9 massive YSOs also reveal molecular gas-phase absorption from C02, C2H2, and/or HCN, which traces warm and dense gas in YSOs. Our results provide the first spectroscopic census of the massive YSO population in the GC. We fit YSO models to the observed spectral energy distributions and find YSO masses of 8 - 23 solar Mass, which generally agree with the masses derived from observed radio continuum emission. We find that about 50% of photometrically identified YSOs are confirmed with our spectroscopic study. This implies a preliminary star formation rate of approximately 0.07 solar mass/yr at the GC.

Hard X-ray balloon observations of compact galactic and extragalactic X-ray sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staubert, R.; Kendziorra, E.; Pietsch, W.; Proctor, R.J.; Reppin, C.; Steinle, H.; Truemper, J.; Voges, W.

1981-01-01

A balloon program in hard X-ray astronomy (20-200 keV) is jointly pursued by the Astronomisches Institut der Universitaet Tuebingen (AIT) and the Max Planck-Institut fuer Extraterrestrische Physik in Garching (MPE). Since 1973 nine succussful balloon flights have been performed from Texas and Australia. Here results on Centaurus A and on several galactic binary X-ray sources are summarized. In particular the high energy photon spectrum of Hercules X-1 and the evidence for the cyclotron line feature which was discovered by us in 1976 is reviewed. (orig.)

TESTING THE GLOBAL STAR FORMATION RELATION: AN HCO+ (3-2) MAPPING STUDY OF RED MSX SOURCES IN THE BOLOCAM GALACTIC PLANE SURVEY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schenck, David E.; Shirley, Yancy L.; Reiter, Megan; Juneau, Stephanie

2011-01-01

We present an analysis of the relation between the star formation rate (SFR) and mass of dense gas in Galactic clumps and nearby galaxies. Using the bolometric luminosity as a measure of SFR and the molecular line luminosity of HCO + (3-2) as a measure of dense gas mass, we find that the relation between SFR and M dense is approximately linear. This is similar to published results derived using HCN (1-0) as a dense gas tracer. HCO + (3-2) and HCN (1-0) have similar conditions for excitation. Our work includes 16 Galactic clumps that are in both the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey and the Red MSX Source Survey, 27 water maser sources from the literature, and the aforementioned HCN (1-0) data. Our results agree qualitatively with predictions of recent theoretical models which state that the nature of the relation should depend on how the critical density of the tracer compares with the mean density of the gas.

Activity of the supermassive black hole at the Galactic center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clavel, Maica

2014-01-01

Sagittarius A* is the supermassive black hole at the Galactic center. Due to its proximity, this specimen is an excellent laboratory to study the accretion processes occurring around black holes and to constrain the duty cycle of these objects. Sgr A* is currently extremely faint and despite the detection of daily flares, its luminosity remains at least eight orders of magnitude below its Eddington luminosity, making this specimen one of the least luminous known supermassive black holes. The radiative processes responsible for the daily variations of its luminosity have not been clearly identified yet. We present the results of a multi-wavelength campaign observing Sgr A* simultaneously in X-rays and in the near-infrared, using the XMM-Newton observatory and the VLT/NACO instrument. We studied the spectral variability of Sgr A* using the infrared data we obtained through a spectro-imaging technique. Uncertainties linked to the systematic errors are still large but the first tests applied seem to show that the spectral index of Sgr A* could depend on the black hole luminosity. On longer timescales, we demonstrate that Sgr A* experienced a higher level of activity in the recent past. Indeed, echoes of its past activity can be detected in the molecular material surrounding the black hole. They are traced by a strong signal in the iron fluorescence line at 6.4 keV. We achieved a complete and systematic study of this variable emission detected from the central molecular zone, using Chandra and XMM-Newton observatories. Our results confirm that Sgr A* experienced intense flares in the past few centuries, with a luminosity at least six orders of magnitude higher than its current one. In particular, we highlight for the first time the existence of two distinct transient events of relatively short duration, which are probably due to catastrophic events. These results are the first step needed to include Sgr A*'s activity into a broader understanding of the galactic nuclei

Two extremely luminous WN stars in the Galactic center with circumstellar emission from dust and gas

OpenAIRE

Barniske, A.; Oskinova, L. M.; Hamann, W. -R.

2008-01-01

We study relatively isolated massive WN-type stars in the Galactic center. The K-band spectra of WR102ka and WR102c are exploited to infer the stellar parameters and to compute synthetic stellar spectra using the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) model atmosphere code. These models are combined with dust-shell models for analyzing the Spitzer IRS spectra of these objects. Archival IR images complement the interpretation. We report that WR102ka and WR102c are among the most luminous stars in the Milky...

ORIGINS OF SCATTER IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HCN 1-0 AND DENSE GAS MASS IN THE GALACTIC CENTER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mills, Elisabeth A. C. [San Jose State University, 1 Washington Square, San Jose, CA 95192 (United States); Battersby, Cara, E-mail: elisabeth.mills@sjsu.edu [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2017-01-20

We investigate the correlation of HCN 1-0 with gas mass in the central 300 pc of the Galaxy. We find that on the ∼10 pc size scale of individual cloud cores, HCN 1-0 is well correlated with dense gas mass when plotted as a log–log relationship. There is ∼0.75 dex of scatter in this relationship from clouds like Sgr B2, which has an integrated HCN 1-0 intensity of a cloud less than half its mass, and others that have HCN 1-0 enhanced by a factor of 2–3 relative to clouds of comparable mass. We identify the two primary sources of scatter to be self-absorption and variations in HCN abundance. We also find that the extended HCN 1-0 emission is more intense per unit mass than in individual cloud cores. In fact the majority (80%) of HCN 1-0 emission comes from extended gas with column densities below 7 × 10{sup 22} cm{sup −2}, accounting for 68% of the total mass. We find variations in the brightness of HCN 1-0 would only yield a ∼10% error in the dense gas mass inferred from this line in the Galactic center. However, the observed order of magnitude HCN abundance variations, and the systematic nature of these variations, warn of potential biases in the use of HCN as dense gas mass tracer in more extreme environments such as an active galactic nucleus and shock-dominated regions. We also investigate other 3 mm tracers, finding that HNCO is better correlated with mass than HCN, and might be a better tracer of cloud mass in this environment.

Galactic structure and gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casse, Michel; Cesarsky, Catherine; Paul Jacques

1977-01-01

A model of spiral structure of the Galaxy is outlined from radiosynchrotron and gamma observations. The most interesting observations in the galactic context, obtained by the SAS II American satellite are concerned with the distribution of the γ photoemission at energies higher than 10 8 eV, along the galactic equator. The model proposed is in quantitative agreement with the present ideas on the spiral structure of the Galaxy, the galactic magnetic field, and the confinement of cosmic rays by the magnetic field and of the magnetic field by matter. Following the American era, the European COS-B satellite opens the European phase towards an identification of the discrete gamma radiation sources [fr

Gravitational Theories near the Galactic Center

Science.gov (United States)

Kalita, Sanjeev

2018-03-01

Upcoming Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs) are promising probes of gravity in or near the galactic center (GC). Effects of alternative theories of gravity, namely the Brans–Dicke theory (BDT) and f(R) gravity, are studied near the GC black hole by calculating departure from general relativity (GR) in periastron advance of the S stars and light deflection. For these estimations, black hole spin and quadrupole moments are taken in the ranges χ = 0.1–2.0 and {J}2={10}-6{--}2.0, respectively. Periastron advance ({\\dot{θ }}prec}) has been calculated for hypothetical S stars with orbital period one-fifth of S0-2 and eccentricity e = 0.8. The difference between BDT and GR ({{{Δ }}}th}{\\dot{θ }}prec}) lies in the range 10‑3–2.3 μas yr‑1, even for a large departure from GR. The difference between quadrupoles {J}2={10}-6 and J 2 = 2.0 lies in the range {{{Δ }}}{J2}{\\dot{θ }}prec}=0.268{--}0.281 μ {as} {yr}}-1. These ranges are not only outside the astrometric capability of the ELTs, but are also contaminated by stellar perturbations. Parameter degeneracy among χ, J 2, and {ω }BD} is discussed. For black hole–S-star distances, D LS = 100 and 50 au, the difference in light deflection between BDT and GR lies in the range d{(δ φ )}defl}={10}-5{--}{10}-1 μ {as}, making it difficult to distinguish them. From the relation between scalaron mass, {M}\\psi in f(R) gravity, and calculated d{(δ φ )}defl}, it is found that {M}\\psi ={10}-18{--}{10}-17 {eV} can form a stable “dark cloud” near the black hole. Scalarons with {10}-21 {eV} are found to bring d{(δ φ )}defl} close to the astrometric range of the ELTs. Prospects for these scalarons in the tests of gravity are discussed.

THE MULTIPHASE STRUCTURE AND POWER SOURCES OF GALACTIC WINDS IN MAJOR MERGERS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rupke, David S. N.; Veilleux, Sylvain

2013-01-01

Massive, galaxy-scale outflows are known to be ubiquitous in major mergers of disk galaxies in the local universe. In this paper, we explore the multiphase structure and power sources of galactic winds in six ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) at z –1 , and the highest velocities (2000-3000 km s –1 ) are seen only in ionized gas. The outflow energy and momentum in the QSOs are difficult to produce from a starburst alone, but are consistent with the QSO contributing significantly to the driving of the flow. Finally, when all gas phases are accounted for, the outflows are massive enough to provide negative feedback to star formation.

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.

Prospects for identifying the sources of the Galactic cosmic rays with IceCube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halzen, Francis; Kappes, Alexander; O Murchadha, Aongus

2008-01-01

We quantitatively address whether IceCube, a kilometer-scale neutrino detector under construction at the South Pole, can observe neutrinos pointing back at the accelerators of the Galactic cosmic rays. The photon flux from candidate sources identified by the Milagro detector in a survey of the TeV sky is consistent with the flux expected from a typical cosmic-ray generating supernova remnant interacting with the interstellar medium. We show here that IceCube can provide incontrovertible evidence of cosmic-ray acceleration in these sources by detecting neutrinos. We find that the signal is optimally identified by specializing to events with energies above 30 TeV where the atmospheric neutrino background is low. We conclude that evidence for a correlation between the Milagro and IceCube sky maps should be conclusive after several years.

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.

Accretion Disk Spectra of the Ultra-Luminous X-Ray Sources in Nearby Spiral Galaxies and Galactic Superluminal Jet Sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mizuno, T

2003-12-11

Ultra-luminous Compact X-ray Sources (ULXs) in nearby spiral galaxies and Galactic superluminal jet sources share the common spectral characteristic that they have unusually high disk temperatures which cannot be explained in the framework of the standard optically thick accretion disk in the Schwarzschild metric. On the other hand, the standard accretion disk around the Kerr black hole might explain the observed high disk temperature, as the inner radius of the Kerr disk gets smaller and the disk temperature can be consequently higher. However, we point out that the observable Kerr disk spectra becomes significantly harder than Schwarzschild disk spectra only when the disk is highly inclined. This is because the emission from the innermost part of the accretion disk is Doppler-boosted for an edge-on Kerr disk, while hardly seen for a face-on disk. The Galactic superluminal jet sources are known to be highly inclined systems, thus their energy spectra may be explained with the standard Kerr disk with known black hole masses. For ULXs, on the other hand, the standard Kerr disk model seems implausible, since it is highly unlikely that their accretion disks are preferentially inclined, and, if edge-on Kerr disk model is applied, the black hole mass becomes unreasonably large (> 300 M{sub solar}). Instead, the slim disk (advection dominated optically thick disk) model is likely to explain the observed super-Eddington luminosities, hard energy spectra, and spectral variations of ULXs. We suggest that ULXs are accreting black holes with a few tens of solar mass, which is not unexpected from the standard stellar evolution scenario, and that their X-ray emission is from the slim disk shining at super-Eddington luminosities.

A Targeted Search for Point Sources of EeV Photons with the Pierre Auger Observatory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aab, A. [Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics and Particle Physics (IMAPP), Radboud Universiteit, Nijmegen (Netherlands); Abreu, P. [Laboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas—LIP and Instituto Superior Técnico—IST, Universidade de Lisboa—UL, Lisbon (Portugal); Aglietta, M. [INFN, Sezione di Torino, Torino (Italy); Samarai, I. Al [Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Energies (LPNHE), Universités Paris 6 et Paris 7, CNRS-IN2P3, Paris (France); Albuquerque, I. F. M. [Universidade de São Paulo, Inst. de Física, São Paulo (Brazil); Allekotte, I. [Centro Atómico Bariloche and Instituto Balseiro (CNEA-UNCuyo-CONICET), San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentina); Almela, A. [Instituto de Tecnologías en Detección y Astropartículas (CNEA, CONICET, UNSAM), Centro Atómico Constituyentes, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Castillo, J. Alvarez [Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D. F., México (Mexico); Alvarez-Muñiz, J. [Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, La Coruña (Spain); Anastasi, G. A. [Gran Sasso Science Institute (INFN), L’Aquila (Italy); and others

2017-03-10

Simultaneous measurements of air showers with the fluorescence and surface detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory allow a sensitive search for EeV photon point sources. Several Galactic and extragalactic candidate objects are grouped in classes to reduce the statistical penalty of many trials from that of a blind search and are analyzed for a significant excess above the background expectation. The presented search does not find any evidence for photon emission at candidate sources, and combined p -values for every class are reported. Particle and energy flux upper limits are given for selected candidate sources. These limits significantly constrain predictions of EeV proton emission models from non-transient Galactic and nearby extragalactic sources, as illustrated for the particular case of the Galactic center region.

Galactic binaries with eLISA

OpenAIRE

Nelemans, G.

2013-01-01

I review what eLISA will see from Galactic binaries -- double stars with orbital periods less than a few hours and white dwarf (or neutron star/black hole) components. I discuss the currently known binaries that are guaranteed (or verification) sources and explain why the expected total number of eLISA Galactic binaries is several thousand, even though there are large uncertainties in our knowledge of this population, in particular that of the interacting AM CVn systems. I very briefly sketch...

The semi-Hooperon: Gamma-ray and anti-proton excesses in the Galactic Center

Science.gov (United States)

Arcadi, Giorgio; Queiroz, Farinaldo S.; Siqueira, Clarissa

2017-12-01

A puzzling excess in gamma-rays at GeV energies has been observed in the center of our galaxy using Fermi-LAT data. Its origin is still unknown, but it is well fitted by Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) annihilations into quarks with a cross section around 10-26 cm3s-1 with masses of 20-50 GeV, scenario which is promptly revisited. An excess favoring similar WIMP properties has also been seen in anti-protons with AMS-02 data potentially coming from the Galactic Center as well. In this work, we explore the possibility of fitting these excesses in terms of semi-annihilating dark matter, dubbed as semi-Hooperon, with the process WIMP WIMP → WIMP X being responsible for the gamma-ray excess, where X = h , Z. An interesting feature of semi-annihilations is the change in the relic density prediction compared to the standard case, and the possibility to alleviate stringent limits stemming from direct detection searches. Moreover, we discuss which models might give rise to a successful semi-Hooperon setup in the context of Z3,Z4 and extra "dark" gauge symmetries.

THE EDGE OF THE YOUNG GALACTIC DISK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carraro, Giovanni; Vazquez, Ruben A.; Costa, Edgardo; Perren, Gabriel; Moitinho, Andre

2010-01-01

In this work, we report and discuss the detection of two distant diffuse stellar groups in the third Galactic quadrant. They are composed of young stars, with spectral types ranging from late O to late B, and lie at galactocentric distances between 15 and 20 kpc. These groups are located in the area of two cataloged open clusters (VdB-Hagen 04 and Ruprecht 30), projected toward the Vela-Puppis constellations, and within the core of the Canis Major overdensity. Their reddening and distances have been estimated by analyzing their color-color and color-magnitude diagrams, derived from deep UBV photometry. The existence of young star aggregates at such extreme distances from the Galactic center challenges the commonly accepted scenario in which the Galactic disk has a sharp cutoff at about 14 kpc from the Galactic center and indicates that it extends to much greater distances (as also supported by the recent detection of CO molecular complexes well beyond this distance). While the groups we find in the area of Ruprecht 30 are compatible with the Orion and Norma-Cygnus spiral arms, respectively, the distant group we identify in the region of VdB-Hagen 04 lies in the external regions of the Norma-Cygnus arm, at a galactocentric distance (∼20 kpc) where no young stars have been detected so far in the optical.

Positron Transport and Annihilation in the Galactic Bulge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fiona Helen Panther

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The annihilation of positrons in the Milky Way Galaxy has been observed for ∼50 years; however, the production sites of these positrons remains hard to identify. The observed morphology of positron annihilation gamma-rays provides information on the annihilation sites of these Galactic positrons. It is understood that the positrons responsible for the annihilation signal originate at MeV energies. The majority of sources of MeV positrons occupy the star-forming thin disk of the Milky Way. If positrons propagate far from their sources, we must develop accurate models of positron propagation through all interstellar medium (ISM phases in order to reveal the currently uncertain origin of these Galactic positrons. On the other hand, if positrons annihilate close to their sources, an alternative source of MeV positrons with a distribution that matches the annihilation morphology must be identified. In this work, I discuss the various models that have been developed to understand the origin of the 511 keV line from the direction of the Galactic bulge, and the propagation of positrons in the ISM.

The INTEGRAL Galactic bulge monitoring program: the first 1.5 years

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuulkers, E.; Shaw, S.E.; Paizis, A.; Chenevez, J.; Brandt, S.; Courvoisier, T.J.L.; Domingo, A.; Ebisawa, K.; Kretschmar, P.; Markwardt, C.B.; Mowlavi, N.; Oosterbroek, T.; Orr, A.; Rísquez, D.; Sanchez-Fernandez, C.; Wijnands, R.

2007-01-01

Aims.The Galactic bulge region is a rich host of variable high-energy point sources. Since 2005, February 17 we are monitoring the source activity in the Galactic bulge region regularly and frequently, i.e., about every three days, with the instruments onboard INTEGRAL. Thanks to the large field of

Evolution of hot galactic flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loewenstein, M.; Mathews, W.G.

1987-01-01

The time-dependent equations describing galactic flows, including detailed models for the evolving source terms, are integrated over a Hubble time for two elliptical galaxies with total masses of 3.1 x 10 to the 12th and 8.3 x 10 to the 12th solar masses, 90 percent of which resides in extended, nonluminous halos. The standard supernova rate of Tammann and a rate 4 times smaller are considered for each galaxy model. The combination of the extended gravitational potential of the dark halo and the time-dependent source terms generally lead to the development of massive, quasi-hydrostatic, nearly isothermal distributions of gas at about 10 to the 7th K with cooling inflows inside their galactic cores. For the less massive galaxy with the higher supernova rate, however, a low-luminosity supersonic galactic wind develops. The effects of a lowered metal abundance, thermal conduction, and the absence of a massive halo are explored separately for one of the present models. The X-ray luminosities of the hot gas in the models with dark halos and the lower supernova rate are in good agreement with Einstein observations of early-type galaxies. 42 references

NuSTAR Observations of the Compton-Thick Active Galactic Nucleus and Ultraluminous X-Ray Source Candidate in NGC 5643

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Annuar, A.; Gandhi, P.; Alexander, D. M.

2015-01-01

We present two Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) observations of the local Seyfert 2 active galactic nucleus (AGN) and an ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) candidate in NGC 5643. Together with archival data from Chandra, XMM-Newton, and Swift-BAT, we perform a high-quality broadband s...

Proper Motions and Structural Parameters of the Galactic Globular Cluster M71

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cadelano, M.; Dalessandro, E.; Ferraro, F. R.; Miocchi, P.; Lanzoni, B.; Pallanca, C. [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 6/2, I-40127 Bologna (Italy); Massari, D. [INAF—Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, Via Ranzani 1, I-40127 Bologna (Italy)

2017-02-20

By exploiting two ACS/ HST data sets separated by a temporal baseline of ∼7 years, we have determined the relative stellar proper motions (PMs; providing membership) and the absolute PM of the Galactic globular cluster M71. The absolute PM has been used to reconstruct the cluster orbit within a Galactic, three-component, axisymmetric potential. M71 turns out to be in a low-latitude disk-like orbit inside the Galactic disk, further supporting the scenario in which it lost a significant fraction of its initial mass. Since large differential reddening is known to affect this system, we took advantage of near-infrared, ground-based observations to re-determine the cluster center and density profile from direct star counts. The new structural parameters turn out to be significantly different from the ones quoted in the literature. In particular, M71 has a core and a half-mass radii almost 50% larger than previously thought. Finally, we estimate that the initial mass of M71 was likely one order of magnitude larger than its current value, thus helping to solve the discrepancy with the observed number of X-ray sources.

Implications of the Fermi-LAT Pass 8 Galactic Center excess on supersymmetric dark matter

Science.gov (United States)

Achterberg, Abraham; van Beekveld, Melissa; Caron, Sascha; Gómez-Vargas, Germán A.; Hendriks, Luc; Ruiz de Austri, Roberto

2017-12-01

The Fermi Collaboration has recently updated their analysis of gamma rays from the center of the Galaxy. They reconfirm the presence of an unexplained emission feature which is most prominent in the region of 1–10 GeV, known as the Galactic Center GeV excess (GCE). Although the GCE is now firmly detected, an interpretation of this emission as a signal of self-annihilating dark matter (DM) particles is not unambiguously possible due to systematic effects in the gamma-ray modeling estimated in the Galactic Plane. In this paper we build a covariance matrix, collecting different systematic uncertainties investigated in the Fermi Collaboration's paper that affect the GCE spectrum. We show that models where part of the GCE is due to annihilating DM is still consistent with the new data. We also re-evaluate the parameter space regions of the minimal supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) that can contribute dominantly to the GCE via neutralino DM annihilation. All recent constraints from DM direct detection experiments such as PICO, LUX, PandaX and Xenon1T, limits on the annihilation cross section from dwarf spheroidal galaxies and the Large Hadron Collider limits are considered in this analysis. Due to a slight shift in the energy spectrum of the GC excess with respect to the previous Fermi analysis, and the recent limits from direct detection experiments, we find a slightly shifted parameter region of the MSSM, compared to our previous analysis, that is consistent with the GCE. Neutralinos with a mass between 85–220 GeV can describe the excess via annihilation into a pair of W-bosons or top quarks. Remarkably, there are models with low fine-tuning among the regions that we have found. The complete set of solutions will be probed by upcoming direct detection experiments and with dedicated searches in the upcoming data of the Large Hadron Collider.

Strong magnetic fields, galaxy formation, and the Galactic engine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greyber, H.D.

1989-01-01

The strong-magnetic-field model proposed as an energy source for AGN and quasars by Greyber (1961, 1962, 1964, 1967, 1984, 1988, and 1989) is discussed. The basic principles of the model are reviewed; its advantages (in explaining the observed features of AGN and quasars) over models based on a rotating accretion disk are indicated in a table; and its implications for galaxy and quasar formation are explored. The gravitationally bound current loops detected in nearby spiral galaxies are interpreted as weak remnants of the current loops present during their formation. An observational search for a similar loop near the Galactic center is proposed. 27 refs

Sagittarius A* as an origin of the Galactic PeV cosmic rays?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujita, Yutaka [Department of Earth and Space Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043 (Japan); Murase, Kohta; Kimura, Shigeo S., E-mail: fujita@vega.ess.sci.osaka-u.ac.jp, E-mail: murase@psu.edu, E-mail: szk323@psu.edu [Center for Particle and Gravitational Astrophysics, Department of Physics, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)

2017-04-01

Supernova remnants (SNRs) have commonly been considered as a source of the observed PeV cosmic rays (CRs) or a Galactic PeV particle accelerator ('Pevatron'). In this work, we study Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), which is the low-luminosity active galactic nucleus of the Milky Way Galaxy, as another possible canditate of the Pevatron, because it sometimes became very active in the past. We assume that a large number of PeV CRs were injected by Sgr A* at the outburst about 10{sup 7} yr ago when the Fermi bubbles were created. We constrain the diffusion coefficient for the CRs in the Galactic halo on the condition that the CRs have arrived on the Earth by now, while a fairly large fraction of them have escaped from the halo. Based on a diffusion-halo model, we solve a diffusion equation for the CRs and compare the results with the CR spectrum on the Earth. The observed small anisotropy of the arrival directions of CRs may be explained if the diffusion coefficient in the Galactic disk is smaller than that in the halo. Our model predicts that a boron-to-carbon ratio should be energy-independent around the knee, where the CRs from Sgr A* become dominant. It is unlikely that the spectrum of the CRs accelerated at the outburst is represented by a power-law similar to the one for those responsible for the gamma-ray emission from the central molecular zone (CMZ) around the Galactic center.

A 24 μm point source catalog of the galactic plane from Spitzer/MIPSGAL

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gutermuth, Robert A.; Heyer, Mark [Department of Astronomy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003 (United States)

2015-02-01

In this contribution, we describe the applied methods to construct a 24 μm based point source catalog derived from the image data of the MIPSGAL 24 μm Galactic Plane Survey and the corresponding data products. The high quality catalog product contains 933,818 sources, with a total of 1,353,228 in the full archive catalog. The source tables include positional and photometric information derived from the 24 μm images, source quality and confusion flags, and counterpart photometry from matched 2MASS, GLIMPSE, and WISE point sources. Completeness decay data cubes are constructed at 1′ angular resolution that describe the varying background levels over the MIPSGAL field and the ability to extract sources of a given magnitude from this background. The completeness decay cubes are included in the set of data products. We present the results of our efforts to verify the astrometric and photometric calibration of the catalog, and present several analyses of minor anomalies in these measurements to justify adopted mitigation strategies.

KECK OBSERVATIONS OF THE GALACTIC CENTER SOURCE G2: GAS CLOUD OR STAR?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Phifer, K.; Meyer, L.; Ghez, A. M.; Witzel, G.; Yelda, S.; Boehle, A.; Morris, M. R.; Becklin, E. E. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Do, T. [Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H4 (Canada); Lu, J. R. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Matthews, K., E-mail: ghez@astro.ucla.edu [Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

2013-08-10

We present new observations and analysis of G2-the intriguing red emission-line object which is quickly approaching the Galaxy's central black hole. The observations were obtained with the laser guide star adaptive optics systems on the W. M. Keck I and II telescopes (2006-2012) and include spectroscopy (R {approx} 3600) centered on the hydrogen Br{gamma} line as well as K' (2.1 {mu}m) and L' (3.8 {mu}m) imaging. Analysis of these observations shows the Br{gamma} line emission has a positional offset from the L' continuum. This offset is likely due to background source confusion at L'. We therefore present the first orbital solution derived from Br{gamma} line astrometry, which, when coupled with radial velocity measurements, results in a later time of closest approach (2014.21 {+-} 0.14), closer periastron (130 AU, 1600 R{sub s}), and higher eccentricity (0.9814 {+-} 0.0060) compared to a solution using L' astrometry. It is shown that G2 has no K' counterpart down to K' {approx} 20 mag. G2's L' continuum and the Br{gamma} line emission appears unresolved in almost all epochs, which implies that the bulk of the emission resides in a compact region. The observations altogether suggest that while G2 has a gaseous component that is tidally interacting with the central black hole, there is likely a central star providing the self-gravity necessary to sustain the compact nature of this object.

Widespread rotationally hot hydronium ion in the galactic interstellar medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lis, D. C.; Phillips, T. G.; Schilke, P.; Comito, C.; Higgins, R.

2014-01-01

We present new Herschel observations of the (6,6) and (9,9) inversion transitions of the hydronium ion toward Sagittarius B2(N) and W31C. Sensitive observations toward Sagittarius B2(N) show that the high, ∼500 K, rotational temperatures characterizing the population of the highly excited metastable H 3 O + rotational levels are present over a wide range of velocities corresponding to the Sagittarius B2 envelope, as well as the foreground gas clouds between the Sun and the source. Observations of the same lines toward W31C, a line of sight that does not intersect the Central Molecular Zone but instead traces quiescent gas in the Galactic disk, also imply a high rotational temperature of ∼380 K, well in excess of the kinetic temperature of the diffuse Galactic interstellar medium. While it is plausible that some fraction of the molecular gas may be heated to such high temperatures in the active environment of the Galactic center, characterized by high X-ray and cosmic-ray fluxes, shocks, and high degree of turbulence, this is unlikely in the largely quiescent environment of the Galactic disk clouds. We suggest instead that the highly excited states of the hydronium ion are populated mainly by exoergic chemical formation processes and the temperature describing the rotational level population does not represent the physical temperature of the medium. The same arguments may be applicable to other symmetric top rotors, such as ammonia. This offers a simple explanation of the long-standing puzzle of the presence of a pervasive, hot molecular gas component in the central region of the Milky Way. Moreover, our observations suggest that this is a universal process not limited to the active environments associated with galactic nuclei.

DETECTION OF WIDESPREAD HOT AMMONIA IN THE GALACTIC CENTER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mills, E. A. C.; Morris, M. R.

2013-01-01

We present the detection of metastable inversion lines of ammonia (NH 3 ) from energy levels high above the ground state. We detect these lines in both emission and absorption toward 15 of 17 positions in the central 300 pc of the Galaxy. In total, we observe seven metastable transitions of NH 3 : (8, 8), (9, 9), (10, 10), (11, 11), (12, 12), (13, 13) and (15, 15), with energies (in Kelvins) ranging from 680 to 2200 K. We also mapped emission from NH 3 (8, 8) and (9, 9) in two clouds in the Sgr A complex (M-0.02–0.07 and M-0.13–0.08), and we find that the line emission is concentrated toward the dense centers of these molecular clouds. The rotational temperatures derived from the metastable lines toward M-0.02–0.07 and M-0.13–0.08 and an additional cloud (M0.25+0.01) range from 350 to 450 K. Similarly highly-excited lines of NH 3 have previously been observed toward Sgr B2, where gas with kinetic temperatures of ∼600 K had been inferred. Our observations show that the existence of a hot molecular gas component is not unique to Sgr B2, but rather appears common to many Galactic center molecular clouds. In M-0.02–0.07, we find that the hot NH 3 contributes ∼10% of the cloud's total NH 3 column density, and further, that the hot NH 3 in this cloud arises in gas which is extended or uniformly distributed on ∼>10 arcsec scales. We discuss the implications of these constraints upon the nature of this hot gas component. In addition to the detection of hot metastable NH 3 line emission, we also detect for the first time emission from nonmetastable inversion transitions of NH 3 in both M-0.02–0.07 and M-0.13–0.08

Imprints to the terrestrial environment at galactic arm crossings of the solar system

Science.gov (United States)

Fahr, H. J.; Fichtner, H.; Scherer, K.; Stawicki, O.

At its itinerary through our milky way galaxy the solar system moves through highly variable interstellar environments. Due to its orbital revolution around the galactic center, the solar system also crosses periodically the spiral arms of our galactic plane and thereby expe riences pronounced enviromental changes. Gas densities, magnetic fields and galactic cosmic ray intensities are substantially higher there compared to interarm conditions. Here we present theoretical calculations describing the SN-averaged galactic cosmic ray spectrum for regions inside and outside of galactic arms which then allow to predict how periodic passages of the solar system through galactic arms should be reflected by enhanced particle irradiations of the earth`s atmosphere and by correlated terrestrial Be-10 production rates.

THE BOLOCAM GALACTIC PLANE SURVEY. II. CATALOG OF THE IMAGE DATA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosolowsky, Erik; Dunham, Miranda K.; Evans, Neal J.; Harvey, Paul; Ginsburg, Adam; Bally, John; Battersby, Cara; Glenn, Jason; Stringfellow, Guy S.; Bradley, E. Todd; Aguirre, James; Cyganowski, Claudia; Dowell, Darren; Drosback, Meredith; Walawender, Josh; Williams, Jonathan P.

2010-01-01

We present a catalog of 8358 sources extracted from images produced by the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey (BGPS). The BGPS is a survey of the millimeter dust continuum emission from the northern Galactic plane. The catalog sources are extracted using a custom algorithm, Bolocat, which was designed specifically to identify and characterize objects in the large-area maps generated from the Bolocam instrument. The catalog products are designed to facilitate follow-up observations of these relatively unstudied objects. The catalog is 98% complete from 0.4 Jy to 60 Jy over all object sizes for which the survey is sensitive ( -2.4±0.1 and that the mean Galactic latitude for sources is significantly below the midplane: (b) = (-0. 0 095 ± 0. 0 001).

Dark Matter Annihilation at the Galactic Center

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Linden, Timothy Ryan [Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States)

2013-06-01

Observations by the WMAP and PLANCK satellites have provided extraordinarily accurate observations on the densities of baryonic matter, dark matter, and dark energy in the universe. These observations indicate that our universe is composed of approximately ve times as much dark matter as baryonic matter. However, e orts to detect a particle responsible for the energy density of dark matter have been unsuccessful. Theoretical models have indicated that a leading candidate for the dark matter is the lightest supersymmetric particle, which may be stable due to a conserved R-parity. This dark matter particle would still be capable of interacting with baryons via weak-force interactions in the early universe, a process which was found to naturally explain the observed relic abundance of dark matter today. These residual annihilations can persist, albeit at a much lower rate, in the present universe, providing a detectable signal from dark matter annihilation events which occur throughout the universe. Simulations calculating the distribution of dark matter in our galaxy almost universally predict the galactic center of the Milky Way Galaxy (GC) to provide the brightest signal from dark matter annihilation due to its relative proximity and large simulated dark matter density. Recent advances in telescope technology have allowed for the rst multiwavelength analysis of the GC, with suitable e ective exposure, angular resolution, and energy resolution in order to detect dark matter particles with properties similar to those predicted by the WIMP miracle. In this work, I describe ongoing e orts which have successfully detected an excess in -ray emission from the region immediately surrounding the GC, which is di cult to describe in terms of standard di use emission predicted in the GC region. While the jury is still out on any dark matter interpretation of this excess, I describe several related observations which may indicate a dark matter origin. Finally, I discuss the

Effects of thermal plasma on self-absorbed synchrotron sources in active galactic nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Kool, M.; Begelman, M.C.

1989-01-01

The observable effects of a thermal background plasma in a self-absorbed synchrotron source are reviewed, in the context of a model for the central engine of an active galactic nucleus (AGN). Considering the effects of free-free absorption and emission, Thomson and Compton scattering, and spatial stratification, it is found that the observations set an upper limit on the thermal electron scattering optical depth in the central synchrotron-emitting region of an AGN. The upper limit, tau(max) about 1, results mainly from the apparent absence of induced Compton scattering and inverse thermal Comptonization effects. The low value of tau(max) poses some problems for nonthermal models of the AGN continuum that can be partly resolved by assuming a thin disk or layer-like geometry for the source, with (h/R) less than about 0.01. A likely site for the synchrotron-producing region seems to be the surface of an accretion disk or torus. 20 refs

A precursive study of the time-domain survey of the Galactic Anti-center using the Nanshan 1-meter telescope with variable stars detected

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Shu-Guo; Esamdin, Ali; Ma, Lu; Niu, Hu-Biao; Fu, Jian-Ning; Zhang, Yu; Liu, Jin-Zhong; Yang, Tao-Zhi; Song, Fang-Fang; Pu, Guang-Xin

2018-04-01

Following the LAMOST Spectroscopic Survey and the Xuyi's Photometric Survey of the Galactic Anti-center, we plan to carry out a time-domain survey of the Galactic Anti-center (TDS-GAC) to study variable stars by using the Nanshan 1-meter telescope. Before the beginning of TDS-GAC, a precursive sky survey (PSS) has been executed. The goal of the PSS is to optimize the observation strategy of TDS-GAC and to detect some strong transient events, as well as to find some short time-scale variable stars of different types. By observing a discontinuous sky area of 15.03 deg2 with the standard Johnson-Cousin-Bessel V filter, 48 variable stars are found and the time series are analyzed. Based on the behaviors of the light curves, 28 eclipsing binary stars, 10 RR Lyraes, 3 periodic pulsating variables of other types have been classified. The rest 7 variables stay unclassified with deficient data. In addition, the observation strategy of TD-GAC is described, and the pipeline of data reduction is tested.

Observation of galactic gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paul, J.A.

1982-09-01

A complete and deep survey of the galactic high-energy gamma radiation is now available, thanks to the gamma-ray telescopes on board of the SAS-2 and COS-B spacecrafts. A comparison of the COS-B gamma-ray survey with a fully sampled CO survey together with an Hsub(I) survey is used to show that a simple model, in which uniformly distributed cosmic rays interact with the interstellar gas, can account for almost all the gamma-ray emission observed in the first galactic quadrant. At medium galactic latitudes, it is shown that a relationship exists between the gamma radiation and the interstellar absorption derived from galaxy counts. Therefore gamma rays from the local galactic environment can be used as a valuable probe of the content and structure of the local interstellar medium. The large scale features of the local interstellar gas are revealed, in particular wide concentrations of nearby molecular hydrogen. On a smaller scale, the detection of numerous localized gamma-ray sources focuses the attention on some particular phases of clusters of young and massive stars where diffuse processes of gamma-ray emission may also be at work

VizieR Online Data Catalog: The Red MSX Source Survey: massive protostars (Lumsden+, 2013)

Science.gov (United States)

Lumsden, S. L.; Hoare, M. G.; Urquhart, J. S.; Oudmaijer, R. D.; Davies, B.; Mottram, J. C.; Cooper, H. D. B.; Moore, T. J. T.

2013-10-01

The Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) satellite mission included an astronomy experiment (SPIRIT III) designed to acquire mid-infrared photometry of sources in the Galactic plane (bMSX had a raw resolution of 18.3", a beam size 50 times smaller than that of IRAS at 12 and 25um. MSX observed six bands between 4 and 21um, of which the four between 8 and 21um are sensitive to astronomical sources. We used v2.3 of the MSX PSC (Egan et al. 2003, Cat. V/114) as our basic input, restricting ourselves to the main Galactic plane catalog, which excludes sources seen in only a single observing pass and those seen in multiple passes but with low significance. We restricted our catalog to 10source confusion, as well as kinematic distance ambiguities near the Galactic center. (2 data files).

Super-solar Metallicity Stars in the Galactic Center Nuclear Star Cluster: Unusual Sc, V, and Y Abundances

Science.gov (United States)

Do, Tuan; Kerzendorf, Wolfgang; Konopacky, Quinn; Marcinik, Joseph M.; Ghez, Andrea; Lu, Jessica R.; Morris, Mark R.

2018-03-01

We present adaptive-optics assisted near-infrared high-spectral-resolution observations of late-type giants in the nuclear star cluster of the Milky Way. The metallicity and elemental abundance measurements of these stars offer us an opportunity to understand the formation and evolution of the nuclear star cluster. In addition, their proximity to the supermassive black hole (∼0.5 pc) offers a unique probe of the star formation and chemical enrichment in this extreme environment. We observed two stars identified by medium spectral-resolution observations as potentially having very high metallicities. We use spectral-template fitting with the PHOENIX grid and Bayesian inference to simultaneously constrain the overall metallicity, [M/H], alpha-element abundance [α/Fe], effective temperature, and surface gravity of these stars. We find that one of the stars has very high metallicity ([M/H] > 0.6) and the other is slightly above solar metallicity. Both Galactic center stars have lines from scandium (Sc), vanadium (V), and yttrium (Y) that are much stronger than allowed by the PHOENIX grid. We find, using the spectral synthesis code Spectroscopy Made Easy, that [Sc/Fe] may be an order of magnitude above solar. For comparison, we also observed an empirical calibrator in NGC 6791, the highest metallicity cluster known ([M/H] ∼ 0.4). Most lines are well matched between the calibrator and the Galactic center stars, except for Sc, V, and Y, which confirms that their abundances must be anomalously high in these stars. These unusual abundances, which may be a unique signature of nuclear star clusters, offer an opportunity to test models of chemical enrichment in this region.

OGLE-III MICROLENSING EVENTS AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE GALACTIC BULGE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wyrzykowski, Łukasz; Rynkiewicz, Alicja E.; Skowron, Jan; Kozłowski, Szymon; Udalski, Andrzej; Szymański, Michał K.; Kubiak, Marcin; Soszyński, Igor; Pietrzyński, Grzegorz; Poleski, Radosław; Pietrukowicz, Paweł; Pawlak, Michał, E-mail: lw@astrouw.edu.pl [Warsaw University Astronomical Observatory, Al. Ujazdowskie 4, 00-478 Warszawa (Poland)

2015-01-01

We present and study the largest and most comprehensive catalog of microlensing events ever constructed. The sample of standard microlensing events comprises 3718 unique events from 2001-2009 with 1409 events that had not been detected before in real-time by the Early Warning System of the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment. The search pipeline uses machine learning algorithms to help find rare phenomena among 150 million objects and to derive the detection efficiency. Applications of the catalog can be numerous, from analyzing individual events to large statistical studies of the Galactic mass, kinematics distributions, and planetary abundances. We derive maps of the mean Einstein ring crossing time of events spanning 31 deg{sup 2} toward the Galactic center and compare the observed distributions with the most recent models. We find good agreement within the observed region and we see the signature of the tilt of the bar in the microlensing data. However, the asymmetry of the mean timescales seems to rise more steeply than predicted, indicating either a somewhat different orientation of the bar or a larger bar width. The map of events with sources in the Galactic bulge shows a dependence of the mean timescale on the Galactic latitude, signaling an increasing contribution from disk lenses closer to the plane relative to the height of the disk. Our data present a perfect set for comparing and enhancing new models of the central parts of the Milky Way and creating a three-dimensional picture of the Galaxy.

THE CHEMICAL ABUNDANCES IN THE GALACTIC CENTER FROM THE ATMOSPHERES OF RED SUPERGIANTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davies, Ben; Figer, Don F.; Origlia, Livia; Kudritzki, Rolf-Peter; Rich, R. Michael; Najarro, Francisco

2009-01-01

The Galactic center (GC) has experienced a high degree of recent star-forming activity, as evidenced by the large number of massive stars currently residing there. The relative abundances of chemical elements in the GC may provide insights into the origins of this activity. Here, we present high-resolution H-band spectra of two red supergiants (RSGs) in the GC (IRS 7 and VR 5-7), and in combination with spectral synthesis we derive abundances for Fe and C, as well as other α-elements Ca, Si, Mg Ti, and O. We find that the C depletion in VR 5-7 is consistent with the predictions of evolutionary models of RSGs, while the heavy depletion of C and O in IRS 7's atmosphere is indicative of deep mixing, possibly due to fast initial rotation and/or enhanced mass loss. Our results indicate that the current surface Fe/H content of each star is slightly above solar. However, comparisons to evolutionary models indicate that the initial Fe-to-H ratio was likely closer to solar, and has been driven higher by H depletion at the stars' surface. Overall, we find α-to-Fe ratios for both stars, which are consistent with the thin Galactic disk. These results are consistent with other chemical studies of the GC, given the precision to which abundances can currently be determined. We argue that the GC abundances are consistent with a scenario in which the recent star-forming activity in the GC was fueled by either material traveling down the Bar from the inner disk, or from the winds of stars in the inner bulge-with no need to invoke top-heavy stellar initial mass functions to explain anomalous abundance ratios.

Ruprecht 106 - A young metal-poor Galactic globular cluster

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buonanno, R.; Buscema, G.; Fusi Pecci, F.; Richer, H.B.; Fahlman, G.G.

1990-01-01

The first CCD photometric survey in the Galactic globular cluster Ruprecht 106 has been performed. The results show that Ruprecht 106 is a metal-poor cluster with (Fe/H) about -2 located at about 25 kpc from the Galactic center. A sizable, high centrally concentrated population of blue stragglers was detected. Significant differences in the positions of the turnoffs in the color-magnitude diagram are found compared to those in metal-poor clusters. The cluster appears younger than other typical metal-poor Galactic globulars by about 4-5 Gyr; if true, this object would represent the first direct proof of the existence of a significant age spread among old, very metal-poor clusters. 51 refs

DYNAMICS OF TIDALLY CAPTURED PLANETS IN THE GALACTIC CENTER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trani, Alessandro A.; Bressan, Alessandro; Mapelli, Michela; Spera, Mario

2016-01-01

Recent observations suggest ongoing planet formation in the innermost parsec of the Galactic center. The supermassive black hole (SMBH) might strip planets or planetary embryos from their parent star, bringing them close enough to be tidally disrupted. Photoevaporation by the ultraviolet field of young stars, combined with ongoing tidal disruption, could enhance the near-infrared luminosity of such starless planets, making their detection possible even with current facilities. In this paper, we investigate the chance of planet tidal captures by means of high-accuracy N -body simulations exploiting Mikkola's algorithmic regularization. We consider both planets lying in the clockwise (CW) disk and planets initially bound to the S-stars. We show that tidally captured planets remain on orbits close to those of their parent star. Moreover, the semimajor axis of the planetary orbit can be predicted by simple analytic assumptions in the case of prograde orbits. We find that starless planets that were initially bound to CW disk stars have mild eccentricities and tend to remain in the CW disk. However, we speculate that angular momentum diffusion and scattering by other young stars in the CW disk might bring starless planets into orbits with low angular momentum. In contrast, planets initially bound to S-stars are captured by the SMBH on highly eccentric orbits, matching the orbital properties of the clouds G1 and G2. Our predictions apply not only to planets but also to low-mass stars initially bound to the S-stars and tidally captured by the SMBH.

Probing the Outflowing Multiphase Gas ∼1 kpc below the Galactic Center

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Savage, Blair D.; Kim, Tae-Sun; Wakker, Bart P. [Department of astronomy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 475 North Charter Street, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Fox, Andrew J. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21218 (United States); Massa, Derck [Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Boulder, CO 80301 (United States); Bordoloi, Rongmon [MIT-Kavli Center for Astrophysics and Space Research, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Jenkins, Edward B. [Princeton University Observatory, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Lehner, Nicolas [Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Bland-Hawthorn, Joss [Institute of Astronomy, School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Lockman, Felix J. [Green Bank Observatory, P.O. Box 2, Green Bank, WV 24944 (United States); Hernandez, Svea [Department of Astrophysics, Radboud University, Nijmegen, PO Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen (Netherlands)

2017-10-01

Comparison of interstellar medium (ISM) absorption in the UV spectrum of LS 4825, a B1 Ib−II star d  = 21 ± 5 kpc from the Sun toward l  = 1.°67 and b  = −6.°63, with ISM absorption toward an aligned foreground star at d  < 7.0 ± 1.7 kpc, allows us to isolate and study gas associated with the Milky Way nuclear wind. Spectra from the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph show low-ionization absorption out to d  < 7 kpc (e.g., O i, C ii, Mg ii, Si ii, Fe ii, S ii) only between 0 and 40 km s{sup −1}, while absorption at d  > 7 kpc, ∼1 kpc below the Galactic plane, is complex and spans −290 to +94 km s{sup −1}. The intermediate and high ions Si iii, C iv, Si iv, and N v show extremely strong absorption with multiple components from −283 to 107 km s{sup −1}, implying that the ISM ∼1 kpc below the Galactic center has a substantial reservoir of plasma and more gas containing C iv and N v than in the Carina OB1 association at z  = 0 kpc. Abundances and physical conditions are presented for many absorption components. The high ion absorption traces cooling transition temperature plasma probably driven by the outflowing hot gas, while the extraordinarily large thermal pressure, p / k  ∼ 10{sup 5} cm{sup −3} K{sup −1}, in an absorption component at −114 km s{sup −1} probably arises from the ram pressure of the outflowing hot gas. The observations are consistent with a flow whose ionization structure in the high ions can be understood through a combination of nonequilibrium radiative cooling and turbulent mixing.

THE GALACTIC CENTER CLOUD G0.253+0.016: A MASSIVE DENSE CLOUD WITH LOW STAR FORMATION POTENTIAL

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kauffmann, Jens; Pillai, Thushara [Astronomy Department, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Zhang Qizhou, E-mail: jens.kauffmann@astro.caltech.edu [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street MS78, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2013-03-10

We present the first interferometric molecular line and dust emission maps for the Galactic Center (GC) cloud G0.253+0.016, observed using CARMA and the SMA. This cloud is very dense, and concentrates a mass exceeding the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex (2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 5} M{sub Sun }) into a radius of only 3 pc, but it is essentially starless. G0.253+0.016 therefore violates ''star formation laws'' presently used to explain trends in galactic and extragalactic star formation by a factor {approx}45. Our observations show a lack of dense cores of significant mass and density, thus explaining the low star formation activity. Instead, cores with low densities and line widths {approx}< 1 km s{sup -1}-probably the narrowest lines reported for the GC region to date-are found. Evolution over several 10{sup 5} yr is needed before more massive cores, and possibly an Arches-like stellar cluster, could form. Given the disruptive dynamics of the GC region, and the potentially unbound nature of G0.253+0.016, it is not clear that this evolution will happen.

SIGNAL - Search for Intelligence in the Galactic Nucleus with the Array of the Lowlands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shostak, G.S.; Tarter, J.

1982-01-01

In August, 1981, the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope was used for 4 hours to search for narrow-band radio beacons in the direction of the Galactic Center. By using both the spatial discrimination and temporal stability available to an interferometric measurement, weak intermittent signals can be detected even in the face of the strong, naturally-caused radiation from this region. A radio beacon within the bandwidth used here, centered on the 21-cm neutral hydrogen line, would be recognizable if it had a repetition period between 40 sec and several hours. The rms sensitivity to point sources is approximately 20 mJy, or many orders of magnitude better than typical sensitivities achieved by scanning single-dish instruments

Measurements of the low-energy gamma-ray continuum emission from the Galactic Center direction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jardim, M.V.A.; Martin, I.M.; Jardim, J.O.D.

1982-07-01

The measurement of the gamma-ray continuum emission from the Galactic Center (GC) can provide us information about the physical processes taking place there at the site of emission. Using the data obtained with a balloon-borne gamma-ray telescope to measure gamma-rays in the energy interval between 0,3 and 3 MeV, which was launched on March 28, 1980 from Cachoeira Paulista (SP), we calculeted two points for the continuum spectrum in the range between 0,34 and 0,67 MeV. The points are related to the GC emission radiated in the longitude interval - 31 0 0 . The measurements are compatible with the observations in 1969 and 1972 by Haymes et alii and Johnson, respectively. The power law spectrum suggests that the main component for the gamma-ray continuum emission below 10 MeV is dominated by the bremsstrahlung due to relativistic electrons. (Author) [pt

Far-infrared, submillimeter, and millimeter spectroscopy of the Galactic center - Radio ARC and +20/+50 kilometer per second clouds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Genzel, R.; Harris, A.I.; Geis, N.; Stacey, G.J.; Townes, C.H.

1990-01-01

Results are presented from FIR, sub-mm, and mm spectroscopic observations of the radio arc and the +20/+50 km/s molecular clouds in the Galactic center. The results for the radio arc are analyzed, including the spatial distribution of C II forbidden line emission, the spatial distribution of CO emission, the luminosity and mass of C(+) regions, and the CO 7 - 6 emission and line profiles. Model calculations are used to study molecular gas in the radio arc. In addition, forbidden C II, CO 7 - 6, and C(O-18) mapping is presented for the +20/+50 km/x clouds. Consideration is given to the impact of the results on the interpretation of the physical conditions, excitation, and heating of the gas clouds in the arc and near the center. 65 refs

Recent findings about the galactic gamma-ray sky by MAGIC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strzys, Marcel C. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Physik, Muenchen (Germany); Collaboration: MAGIC-Collaboration

2015-07-01

The TeV sky currently consists of around 150 sources, about half of them situated within our galaxy. This group comprises various types of cosmic accelerators such as supernova remnants, pulsars, pulsar wind nebula, and binaries. From what we have observed in gamma rays so far, these sources can accelerate particles up to several hundred TeV. In this talk I will present recent results from the observation of galactic gamma-ray sources by MAGIC. This includes, among others, latest findings about the brightest, galactic gamma-ray source in the sky, the Crab nebula, results about one of the rare binary systems at TeV energies, insights into a not yet identified enigmatic source, and the discovery of the, so far, faintest PWN.

Discovery of a GeV Blazar Shining Through the Galactic Plane

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vandenbroucke, J.; Buehler, R.; Ajello, M.; Bechtol, K.; /Stanford U., HEPL /KIPAC, Menlo Park /SLAC; Bellini, A.; /Padua U., Astron. Dept. /Baltimore, Space Telescope Sci.; Bolte, M.; /UC, Santa Cruz; Cheung, C.C.; /Naval Research Lab, Wash., D.C. /NAS, Washington, D.C.; Civano, F.; /Smithsonian Astrophys. Observ.; Donato, D.; /NASA, Goddard; Fuhrmann, L.; /Bonn, Max Planck Inst., Radioastron.; Funk, S.; Healey, S.E.; /Stanford U., HEPL /KIPAC, Menlo Park /SLAC; Hill, A.B.; /Joseph Fourier U.; Knigge, C.; /Southampton U.; Madejski, G.M.; Romani, R.W.; /Stanford U., HEPL /KIPAC, Menlo Park /SLAC; Santander-Garcia, M.; /IAC, La Laguna /Isaac Newton Group /Laguna U., Tenerife; Shaw, M.S.; /Stanford U., HEPL /KIPAC, Menlo Park /SLAC; Steeghs, D.; /Warwick U.; Torres, M.A.P.; /Smithsonian Astrophys. Observ.; Van Etten, A.; /Stanford U., HEPL /KIPAC, Menlo Park /SLAC /Texas U., Astron. Dept.

2011-08-11

The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) discovered a new gamma-ray source near the Galactic plane, Fermi J0109+6134, when it flared brightly in 2010 February. The low Galactic latitude (b = -1.2{sup o}) indicated that the source could be located within the Galaxy, which motivated rapid multi-wavelength follow-up including radio, optical, and X-ray observations. We report the results of analyzing all 19 months of LAT data for the source, and of X-ray observations with both Swift and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. We determined the source redshift, z = 0.783, using a Keck LRIS observation. Finally, we compiled a broadband spectral energy distribution (SED) from both historical and new observations contemporaneous with the 2010 February flare. The redshift, SED, optical line width, X-ray obsorption, and multi-band variability indicate that this new Gev source is a blazar seen through the Galactic plane. Because several of the optical emission lines have equivalent width > 5 {angstrom}, this blazar belongs in the flat-spectrum radio quasar category.

Galactic structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

The occurrence of hot, apparently normal, massive stars far from the galactic plane has been a major puzzle in an understanding of galactic structure and evolution. Such stars have been discovered and studied at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) over a number of years. During 1989 further evidence has been obtained indicating that these stars are normal, massive objects. Other studies of galactic structure conducted by the SAAO have included research on: the central bulge region of our galaxy; populations of M giants in the galaxy; a faint blue object survey; a survey of the galactic plane for distant Cepheid variables; interstellar reddening, and K-type dwarfs as tracers for the gravitational force perpendicular to the galactic plane. 1 fig

Theoretical galactic cosmic ray electron spectrum obtained for sources of varying geometry; Spectre theorique des electrons du rayonnement cosmique dans la galaxie obtenu pour des sources a geometrie variable

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cohen, M E [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1969-07-01

Jokipii and Meyer have recently obtained an electron density energy spectrum of the cosmic rays, originating in the Galaxy, using integral solutions of the steady state transfer equations, by considering a circular cylindric galactic disc as source and approximating the resulting fourth order integral. In this report, we present general results, obtained by using an arbitrary circular cylindric source, without restricting ourselves to the galactic disc. The integrals are treated exactly. The conclusions of Jokipii and Meyer form special cases of these results. We also obtain an exponential energy variation which, at the moment, is not observed experimentally. The second part of this work deals with more complicated, but perhaps more realistic models of elliptic cylindric and ellipsoidal galactic disc sources. One may also note that a very large source concentrated in a very small region gives a spectrum not unlike that for a small source distributed throughout a large volume. Finally, it may be remarked that the model adopted is much less restrictive than the artificial conception of 'leakage time' followed by other workers. (author) [French] Jokipii et Meyer ont dernierement obtenu un spectre d'energie pour les electrons galactiques dans le rayonnement cosmique, en utilisant les solutions des equations de transfert, a l'etat stationnaire, ces dernieres etant sous forme d'integrales, en prenant une source completement diffusee dans le disque galactique, celui-ci etant hypothetiquement choisi comme circulaire et cylindrique et en faisant une approximation sur l'integrale du quatrieme degre. Dans ce rapport, nous presentons des resultats generaux obtenus en faisant appel a une source, diffusee dans un cylindre circulaire, arbitrairement choisi, c'est-a-dire sans nous restreindre au disque galactique comme source. Les integrales sont traitees d'une maniere exacte. Les conclusions de Jokipii et Meyer constituent des cas speciaux des resultats precedents. Nous obtenons

THE ARECIBO METHANOL MASER GALACTIC PLANE SURVEY. IV. ACCURATE ASTROMETRY AND SOURCE MORPHOLOGIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pandian, J. D.; Momjian, E.; Xu, Y.; Menten, K. M.; Goldsmith, P. F.

2011-01-01

We present accurate absolute astrometry of 6.7 GHz methanol masers detected in the Arecibo Methanol Maser Galactic Plane Survey using MERLIN and the Expanded Very Large Array (EVLA). We estimate the absolute astrometry to be accurate to better than 15 and 80 mas for the MERLIN and EVLA observations, respectively. We also derive the morphologies of the maser emission distributions for sources stronger than ∼1 Jy. The median spatial extent along the major axis of the regions showing maser emission is ∼775 AU. We find a majority of methanol maser morphologies to be complex with some sources previously determined to have regular morphologies in fact being embedded within larger structures. This suggests that some maser spots do not have a compact core, which leads to them being resolved in high angular resolution observations. This also casts doubt on interpretations of the origin of methanol maser emission solely based on source morphologies. We also investigate the association of methanol masers with mid-infrared emission and find very close correspondence between methanol masers and 24 μm point sources. This adds further credence to theoretical models that predict methanol masers to be pumped by warm dust emission and firmly reinforces the finding that Class II methanol masers are unambiguous tracers of embedded high-mass protostars.

Study of the electron-positron annihilation in the galactic center region with the Integral/SPI spectrometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sizun, P.

2007-04-01

A spectral feature was detected in 1970 in the gamma-ray emission from the central regions of the Milky Way, during balloon flight observations. Located near 511 keV, this feature was soon attributed to the gamma-ray line tracing the annihilation of electrons with their anti-particles, positrons. However, none of the multiple astrophysical scenarios contemplated to explain the production of positrons in the Galactic bulge has been able to reproduce the high injection rate deduced from the flux of the 511 keV line, close to 10 43 positrons per second. Launched in 2002, the European gamma-ray satellite INTEGRAL was provided with a spectrometer, SPI, whose unprecedented imaging and spectral capabilities in this energy range enable us to further study the source of the 511 keV line detected in the Galactic centre region. Indeed, a better determination of the spatial extent of the source, the intrinsic width of the line and the fraction of positrons annihilating in-flight, directly or via the formation of ortho-Positronium atoms would improve our knowledge of both the annihilation medium and the initial source of positrons, and could allow us to discriminate between the various explanatory scenarios. The first part of this thesis deals with a key ingredient in the extraction of the annihilation spectrum: the optimization of the instrumental background model. New data screening and tracer selection procedures are presented. Classical multi-linear models are compared to neural and Bayesian networks. Finally, three years of observation are used to constrain the width of the source and derive its spectrum. The second part of the thesis focuses on one of the possible scenarios explaining the high positron injection rate deduced from the flux of the 511 keV line: the annihilation of light dark matter particles into electron-positron pairs. The various radiation mechanisms involved are modeled and confronted to observations in order to set an upper limit on the injection

A Green Bank Telescope Survey of Large Galactic H II Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, L. D.; Armentrout, W. P.; Luisi, Matteo; Bania, T. M.; Balser, Dana S.; Wenger, Trey V.

2018-02-01

As part of our ongoing H II Region Discovery Survey (HRDS), we report the Green Bank Telescope detection of 148 new angularly large Galactic H II regions in radio recombination line (RRL) emission. Our targets are located at a declination of δ > -45^\\circ , which corresponds to 266^\\circ > {\\ell }> -20^\\circ at b=0^\\circ . All sources were selected from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer Catalog of Galactic H II Regions, and have infrared angular diameters ≥slant 260\\prime\\prime . The Galactic distribution of these “large” H II regions is similar to that of the previously known sample of Galactic H II regions. The large H II region RRL line width and peak line intensity distributions are skewed toward lower values, compared with that of previous HRDS surveys. We discover seven sources with extremely narrow RRLs 100 {pc}, making them some of the physically largest known H II regions in the Galaxy. This survey completes the HRDS H II region census in the Northern sky, where we have discovered 887 H II regions and more than doubled the size of the previously known census of Galactic H II regions.

From the sun to the Galactic Center: dust, stars and black hole(s)

Science.gov (United States)

Fritz, Tobias

2013-07-01

The centers of galaxies are their own ultimate gravitational sinks. Massive black holes and star clusters as well as gas are especially likely to fall into the centers of galaxies by dynamical friction or dissipation. Many galactic centers harbor supermassive black holes (SMBH) and dense nuclear (star) clusters which possibly arrived there by these processes. Nuclear clusters can be formed in situ from gas, or from smaller star clusters which fall to the center. Since the Milky Way harbors both an SMBH and a nuclear cluster, both can be studied best in the Galactic Center (GC), which is the closest galactic nucleus to us. In Chapter 1, I introduce the different components of the Milky Way, and put these into the context of the GC. I then give an overview of relevant properties (e.g. star content and distribution) of the GC. Afterwards, I report the results of four different studies about the GC. In Chapter 2, I analyze the limitations of astrometry, one of the most useful methods for the study of the GC. Thanks to the high density of stars and its relatively small distance from us it is possible to measure the motions of thousands of stars in the GC with images, separated by few years only. I find two main limitations to this method: (1) for bright stars the not perfectly correctable distortion of the camera limits the accuracy, and (2) for the majority of the fainter stars, the main limitation is crowding from the other stars in the GC. The position uncertainty of faint stars is mainly caused by the seeing halos of bright stars. In the very center faint unresolvable stars are also important for the position uncertainty. In Chapter 3, I evaluate the evidence for an intermediate mass black hole in the small candidate cluster IRS13E within the GC. Intermediate mass black holes (IMBHs) have a mass between the two types of confirmed black hole: the stellar remnants and the supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies. One possibility for! their formation is the

Hidden sector dark matter and the Galactic Center gamma-ray excess: a closer look

Science.gov (United States)

Escudero, Miguel; Witte, Samuel J.; Hooper, Dan

2017-11-01

Stringent constraints from direct detection experiments and the Large Hadron Collider motivate us to consider models in which the dark matter does not directly couple to the Standard Model, but that instead annihilates into hidden sector particles which ultimately decay through small couplings to the Standard Model. We calculate the gamma-ray emission generated within the context of several such hidden sector models, including those in which the hidden sector couples to the Standard Model through the vector portal (kinetic mixing with Standard Model hypercharge), through the Higgs portal (mixing with the Standard Model Higgs boson), or both. In each case, we identify broad regions of parameter space in which the observed spectrum and intensity of the Galactic Center gamma-ray excess can easily be accommodated, while providing an acceptable thermal relic abundance and remaining consistent with all current constraints. We also point out that cosmic-ray antiproton measurements could potentially discriminate some hidden sector models from more conventional dark matter scenarios.

Hidden Sector Dark Matter and the Galactic Center Gamma-Ray Excess: A Closer Look

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Escudero, Miguel; Witte, Samuel J.; Hooper, Dan

2017-09-20

Stringent constraints from direct detection experiments and the Large Hadron Collider motivate us to consider models in which the dark matter does not directly couple to the Standard Model, but that instead annihilates into hidden sector particles which ultimately decay through small couplings to the Standard Model. We calculate the gamma-ray emission generated within the context of several such hidden sector models, including those in which the hidden sector couples to the Standard Model through the vector portal (kinetic mixing with Standard Model hypercharge), through the Higgs portal (mixing with the Standard Model Higgs boson), or both. In each case, we identify broad regions of parameter space in which the observed spectrum and intensity of the Galactic Center gamma-ray excess can easily be accommodated, while providing an acceptable thermal relic abundance and remaining consistent with all current constraints. We also point out that cosmic-ray antiproton measurements could potentially discriminate some hidden sector models from more conventional dark matter scenarios.

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

Galactic water vapor emission: further observations of variability.

Science.gov (United States)

Knowles, S H; Mayer, C H; Sullivan, W T; Cheung, A C

1969-10-10

Recent observations of the 1.35-centimeter line emission of water vapor from galactic sources show short-term variability in the spectra of several sources. Two additional sources, Cygnus 1 and NGC 6334N, have been observed, and the spectra of W49 and VY Canis Majoris were measured over a wider range of radial velocity.

Blowing in the Milky Way Wind: Neutral Hydrogen Clouds Tracing the Galactic Nuclear Outflow

Science.gov (United States)

Di Teodoro, Enrico M.; McClure-Griffiths, N. M.; Lockman, Felix J.; Denbo, Sara R.; Endsley, Ryan; Ford, H. Alyson; Harrington, Kevin

2018-03-01

We present the results of a new sensitive survey of neutral hydrogen above and below the Galactic Center with the Green Bank Telescope. The observations extend up to Galactic latitude | b| resolution of 9.‧5 and an average rms brightness temperature noise of 40 mK in a 1 {km} {{{s}}}-1 channel. The survey reveals the existence of a population of anomalous high-velocity clouds extending up to heights of about 1.5 kpc from the Galactic plane and showing no signature of Galactic rotation. These clouds have local standard of rest velocities | {V}LSR}| ≲ 360 {km} {{{s}}}-1, and assuming a Galactic Center origin, they have sizes of a few tens of parsec and neutral hydrogen masses spanning 10{--}{10}5 {M}ȯ . Accounting for selection effects, the cloud population is symmetric in longitude, latitude, and V LSR. We model the cloud kinematics in terms of an outflow expanding from the Galactic Center and find the population consistent with being material moving with radial velocity {V}{{w}}≃ 330 {km} {{{s}}}-1 distributed throughout a bicone with opening angle α > 140^\\circ . This simple model implies an outflow luminosity {L}{{w}}> 3× {10}40 erg s‑1 over the past 10 Myr, consistent with star formation feedback in the inner region of the Milky Way, with a cold gas mass-loss rate ≲ 0.1 {{M}ȯ {yr}}-1. These clouds may represent the cold gas component accelerated in the nuclear wind driven by our Galaxy, although some of the derived properties challenge current theoretical models of the entrainment process.

Does the Galactic Bulge Have Fewer Planets?

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2016-12-01

The Milky Ways dense central bulge is a very different environment than the surrounding galactic disk in which we live. Do the differences affect the ability of planets to form in the bulge?Exploring Galactic PlanetsSchematic illustrating how gravitational microlensing by an extrasolar planet works. [NASA]Planet formation is a complex process with many aspects that we dont yet understand. Do environmental properties like host star metallicity, the density of nearby stars, or the intensity of the ambient radiation field affect the ability of planets to form? To answer these questions, we will ultimately need to search for planets around stars in a large variety of different environments in our galaxy.One way to detect recently formed, distant planets is by gravitational microlensing. In this process, light from a distant source star is bent by a lens star that is briefly located between us and the source. As the Earth moves, this momentary alignment causes a blip in the sources light curve that we can detect and planets hosted by the lens star can cause an additional observable bump.Artists impression of the Milky Way galaxy. The central bulge is much denserthan the surroundingdisk. [ESO/NASA/JPL-Caltech/M. Kornmesser/R. Hurt]Relative AbundancesMost source stars reside in the galactic bulge, so microlensing events can probe planetary systems at any distance between the Earth and the galactic bulge. This means that planet detections from microlensing could potentially be used to measure the relative abundances of exoplanets in different parts of our galaxy.A team of scientists led by Matthew Penny, a Sagan postdoctoral fellow at Ohio State University, set out to do just that. The group considered a sample of 31 exoplanetary systems detected by microlensing and asked the following question: are the planet abundances in the galactic bulge and the galactic disk the same?A Paucity of PlanetsTo answer this question, Penny and collaborators derived the expected

IMPROVING GALACTIC CENTER ASTROMETRY BY REDUCING THE EFFECTS OF GEOMETRIC DISTORTION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yelda, S.; Ghez, A. M.; Clarkson, W.; Lu, J. R.; Matthews, K.; Anderson, J.; Do, T.

2010-01-01

We present significantly improved proper motion measurements of the Milky Way's central stellar cluster. These improvements are made possible by refining our astrometric reference frame with a new geometric optical distortion model for the W. M. Keck II 10 m telescope's adaptive optics camera (NIRC2) in its narrow field mode. For the first time, this distortion model is constructed from on-sky measurements and is made available to the public in the form of FITS files. When applied to widely dithered images, it produces residuals in the separations of stars that are a factor of ∼3 smaller compared with the outcome using previous models. By applying this new model, along with corrections for differential atmospheric refraction, to widely dithered images of SiO masers at the Galactic center (GC), we improve our ability to tie into the precisely measured radio Sgr A*-rest frame. The resulting infrared reference frame is ∼2-3 times more accurate and stable than earlier published efforts. In this reference frame, Sgr A* is localized to within a position of 0.6 mas and a velocity of 0.09 mas yr -1 , or ∼3.4 km s -1 at 8 kpc (1σ). Also, proper motions for members of the central stellar cluster are more accurate, although less precise, due to the limited number of these wide field measurements. These proper motion measurements show that, with respect to Sgr A*, the central stellar cluster has no rotation in the plane of the sky to within 0.3 mas yr -1 arcsec -1 , has no net translational motion with respect to Sgr A* to within 0.1 mas yr -1 , and has net rotation perpendicular to the plane of the sky along the Galactic plane, as has previously been observed. While earlier proper motion studies defined a reference frame by assuming no net motion of the stellar cluster, this approach is fundamentally limited by the cluster's intrinsic dispersion and therefore will not improve with time. We define a reference frame with SiO masers and this reference frame's stability

THE 37 MONTH MAXI/GSC SOURCE CATALOG OF THE HIGH GALACTIC-LATITUDE SKY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hiroi, Kazuo; Ueda, Yoshihiro; Hayashida, Masaaki; Shidatsu, Megumi; Sato, Ryosuke; Kawamuro, Taiki [Department of Astronomy, Kyoto University, Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Sugizaki, Mutsumi; Serino, Motoko; Matsuoka, Masaru; Mihara, Tatehiro [Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Nakahira, Satoshi; Tomida, Hiroshi; Ueno, Shiro [ISS Science Project Office, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), 2-1-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8505 (Japan); Kawai, Nobuyuki; Morii, Mikio [Department of Physics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551 (Japan); Nakajima, Motoki [School of Dentistry at Matsudo, Nihon University, 2-870-1 Sakaecho-nishi, Matsudo, Chiba 101-8308 (Japan); Negoro, Hitoshi [Department of Physics, Nihon University, 1-8-14 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8308 (Japan); Sakamoto, Takanori [Department of Physics and Mathematics, Aoyama Gakuin University, 5-10-1 Fuchinobe, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5258 (Japan); Tsuboi, Yohko [Department of Physics, Chuo University, 1-13-27 Kasuga, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8551 (Japan); Tsunemi, Hiroshi, E-mail: hiroi@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp [Department of Earth and Space Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043 (Japan); and others

2013-08-15

We present a catalog of high Galactic-latitude (|b| > 10 Degree-Sign ) X-ray sources detected in the first 37 months of data of the Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image/Gas Slit Camera (MAXI/GSC). To achieve the best sensitivity, we develop a background model of the GSC that well reproduces the data based on the detailed on-board calibration. Source detection is performed through image fits with a Poisson likelihood algorithm. The catalog contains 500 objects detected with significances of s{sub D,4-10keV} {>=} 7 in the 4-10 keV band. The limiting sensitivity is Almost-Equal-To 7.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -12} erg cm{sup -2} s{sup -1} ( Almost-Equal-To 0.6 mCrab) in the 4-10 keV band for 50% of the survey area, which is the highest ever achieved in an all-sky survey mission covering this energy band. We summarize the statistical properties of the catalog and results from cross matching with the Swift/BAT 70 month catalog, the meta-catalog of X-ray detected clusters of galaxies, and the MAXI/GSC 7 month catalog. Our catalog lists the source name (2MAXI), position and its error, detection significances and fluxes in the 4-10 keV and 3-4 keV bands, the hardness ratio, and the basic information of the likely counterpart available for 296 sources.

Monitoring the Galactic - Search for Hard X-Ray Transients

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Francis

Hard X-ray transients with fluxs from ~1 to ~30 mCrab are a common feature of the galactic plane with apparent concentrations in specific regions of the plane. Concentrations in the Scutum and Carina fields probably indicate an enhancement of Be X-ray binaries along the tangent direction of two spiral arms. The frequency of outbursts suggest that at any one time 1 or 2 transients are active in the Scutum field alone. We propose weekly scans of the galactic plane to understand this population of sources. The scans will also monitor about 50 already known sources with better spectral information than available with the ASM.

A new class of galactic discrete gamma ray sources: Chaotic winds of massive stars

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Wan; White, Richard L.

1992-01-01

We propose a new class of galactic discrete gamma-ray sources, the chaotic, high mass-loss-rate winds from luminous early-type stars. Early-type stellar winds are highly unstable due to intrinsic line-driven instabilities, and so are permeated by numerous strong shocks. These shocks can accelerate a small fraction of thermal electrons and ions to relativistic energies via the first-order Fermi mechanism. A power-law-like photon spectrum extending from keV to above 10 MeV energies is produced by inverse Compton scattering of the extremely abundant stellar UV photons by the relativistic electrons. In addition, a typical pi(sup 0)-decay gamma-ray spectrum is generated by proton-ion interactions in the densest part of the winds.

Dark matter with pseudoscalar-mediated interactions explains the DAMA signal and the galactic center excess.

Science.gov (United States)

Arina, Chiara; Del Nobile, Eugenio; Panci, Paolo

2015-01-09

We study a Dirac dark matter particle interacting with ordinary matter via the exchange of a light pseudoscalar, and analyze its impact on both direct and indirect detection experiments. We show that this candidate can accommodate the long-standing DAMA modulated signal and yet be compatible with all exclusion limits at 99(S)% C.L. This result holds for natural choices of the pseudoscalar-quark couplings (e.g., flavor universal), which give rise to a significant enhancement of the dark matter-proton coupling with respect to the coupling to neutrons. We also find that this candidate can accommodate the observed 1-3 GeV gamma-ray excess at the Galactic center and at the same time have the correct relic density today. The model could be tested with measurements of rare meson decays, flavor changing processes, and searches for axionlike particles with mass in the MeV range.

SiO EMISSION AS A TRACER OF X-RAY DOMINATED CHEMISTRY IN THE GALACTIC CENTER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amo-Baladron, M. A.; Martin-Pintado, J.; Morris, M. R.; Muno, M. P.; RodrIguez-Fernandez, N. J.

2009-01-01

We present emission maps of the Sgr A molecular cloud complex at the Galactic center (GC) in the J = 2 → 1 line of SiO observed with the IRAM 30 m telescope at Pico Veleta. Comparing our SiO(2-1) data cube with that of CS(1-0) emission with similar angular and velocity resolution, we find a correlation between the SiO/CS line intensity ratio and the equivalent width of the Fe Kα fluorescence line at 6.4 keV. We discuss the SiO abundance enhancement in terms of the two most plausible scenarios for the origin of the 6.4 keV Fe line: X-ray reflection nebula (XRN) and low-energy cosmic rays (LECRs). Both scenarios could explain the enhancement in the SiO/CS intensity ratio with the intensity of the 6.4 keV Fe line, but both present difficulties. The XRN scenario requires a population of very small grains to produce the SiO abundance enhancement, together with a past episode of bright X-ray emission from some source in the GC, possibly the central supermassive black hole, SgrA*, ∼300 yr ago. The LECR scenario needs higher gas column densities to produce the observed 6.4 keV Fe line intensities than those derived from our observations. It is possible to explain the SiO abundance enhancement if the LECRs originate in supernovae and their associated shocks produce the SiO abundance enhancement. However, the LECR scenario cannot account for the time variability of the 6.4 keV Fe line, which can be naturally explained by the XRN scenario.

Study and modeling of the most energetic Active Galactic Nuclei with the Fermi satellite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez, D.

2010-06-01

The Fermi satellite was launched in June 2008. The onboard LAT detector is dedicated to the study of galactic and extra-galactic gamma sources with an energy comprised between 200 MeV and 300 GeV. 1451 sources have been detected in less than 11 months. This document is divided into 6 chapters: 1) gamma astronomy, 2) the Fermi satellite, 3) the active galactic nuclei (NAG), 4) the observation of several blazars (PKS-2155-304 and PG-1553+113) and its simulation, 5) the observation of PKS-2155-304 with both RXTE and Fermi, and 6) conclusion

Investigation of some galactic and extragalactic gravitational phenomena

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jovanović P.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Here we present a short overview of the most important results of our investigations of the following galactic and extragalactic gravitational phenomena: supermassive black holes in centers of galaxies and quasars, supermassive black hole binaries, gravitational lenses and dark matter. For the purpose of these investigations, we developed a model of a relativistic accretion disk around a supermassive black hole, based on the ray-tracing method in the Kerr metric, a model of a bright spot in an accretion disk and three different models of gravitational microlenses. All these models enabled us to study physics, spacetime geometry and effects of strong gravity in the vicinity of supermassive black holes, variability of some active galaxies and quasars, different effects in the lensed quasars with multiple images, as well as the dark matter fraction in the Universe. We also found an observational evidence for the first spectroscopically resolved sub-parsec orbit of a supermassive black hole binary system in the core of active galaxy NGC 4151. Besides, we studied applications of one potential alternative to dark matter in the form of a modified theory of gravity on Galactic scales, to explain the recently observed orbital precession of some S-stars, which are orbiting around a massive black hole at the Galactic center. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 176003: Gravitation and the Large Scale Structure of the Universe

The Advanced Gamma-ray Imaging System (AGIS): Galactic Astrophysics

Science.gov (United States)

Digel, Seth William; Funk, S.; Kaaret, P. E.; Tajima, H.; AGIS Collaboration

2010-03-01

The Advanced Gamma-ray Imaging System (AGIS), a concept for a next-generation atmospheric Cherenkov telescope array, would provide unprecedented sensitivity and resolution in the energy range >50 GeV, allowing great advances in the understanding of the populations and physics of sources of high-energy gamma rays in the Milky Way. Extrapolation based on the known source classes and the performance parameters for AGIS indicates that a survey of the Galactic plane with AGIS will reveal hundreds of TeV sources in exquisite detail, for population studies of a variety of source classes, and detailed studies of individual sources. AGIS will be able to study propagation effects on the cosmic rays produced by Galactic sources by detecting the diffuse glow from their interactions in dense interstellar gas. AGIS will complement and extend results now being obtained in the GeV range with the Fermi mission, by providing superior angular resolution and sensitivity to variability on short time scales, and of course by probing energies that Fermi cannot reach.

Population studies - evidence for accretion of the galactic halo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norris, J.E.; Ryan, S.G.

1989-01-01

While there are comparatively few prograde-orbit dwarf stars in advance of the sun's motion of the type of which 510, selected kinematically, are presented, it is noted that there are significant numbers of objects on retrograde orbits that move with a speed greater than the sun's, relative to a nonrotating system, in the opposite direction about the Galactic center. It is suggested that this asymmetry is explainable in terms of the Searle and Zinn (1978) and Rodgers and Paltoglou (1984) models of halo formation by accretion; in these, fragments experience dynamical friction from an already-formed Galactic disk. 21 references

Analysis of determinations of the distance between the sun and the galactic center

Science.gov (United States)

Malkin, Z. M.

2013-02-01

The paper investigates the question of whether or not determinations of the distance between the Sun and the Galactic center R 0 are affected by the so-called "bandwagon effect", leading to selection effects in published data that tend to be close to expected values, as was suggested by some authors. It is difficult to estimate numerically a systematic uncertainty in R 0 due to the bandwagon effect; however, it is highly probable that, even if widely accepted values differ appreciably from the true value, the published results should eventually approach the true value despite the bandwagon effect. This should be manifest as a trend in the published R 0 data: if this trend is statistically significant, the presence of the bandwagon effect can be suspected in the data. Fifty two determinations of R 0 published over the last 20 years were analyzed. These data reveal no statistically significant trend, suggesting they are unlikely to involve any systematic uncertainty due to the bandwagon effect. At the same time, the published data show a gradual and statistically significant decrease in the uncertainties in the R 0 determinations with time.

THE BOLOCAM GALACTIC PLANE SURVEY. VIII. A MID-INFRARED KINEMATIC DISTANCE DISCRIMINATION METHOD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ellsworth-Bowers, Timothy P.; Glenn, Jason; Battersby, Cara; Ginsburg, Adam; Bally, John [CASA, University of Colorado, UCB 389, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309 (United States); Rosolowsky, Erik [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia Okanagan, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7 (Canada); Mairs, Steven [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC V8P 1A1 (Canada); Evans, Neal J. II [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, 1 University Station C1400, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Shirley, Yancy L., E-mail: timothy.ellsworthbowers@colorado.edu [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)

2013-06-10

We present a new distance estimation method for dust-continuum-identified molecular cloud clumps. Recent (sub-)millimeter Galactic plane surveys have cataloged tens of thousands of these objects, plausible precursors to stellar clusters, but detailed study of their physical properties requires robust distance determinations. We derive Bayesian distance probability density functions (DPDFs) for 770 objects from the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey in the Galactic longitude range 7. Degree-Sign 5 {<=} l {<=} 65 Degree-Sign . The DPDF formalism is based on kinematic distances, and uses any number of external data sets to place prior distance probabilities to resolve the kinematic distance ambiguity (KDA) for objects in the inner Galaxy. We present here priors related to the mid-infrared absorption of dust in dense molecular regions and the distribution of molecular gas in the Galactic disk. By assuming a numerical model of Galactic mid-infrared emission and simple radiative transfer, we match the morphology of (sub-)millimeter thermal dust emission with mid-infrared absorption to compute a prior DPDF for distance discrimination. Selecting objects first from (sub-)millimeter source catalogs avoids a bias towards the darkest infrared dark clouds (IRDCs) and extends the range of heliocentric distance probed by mid-infrared extinction and includes lower-contrast sources. We derive well-constrained KDA resolutions for 618 molecular cloud clumps, with approximately 15% placed at or beyond the tangent distance. Objects with mid-infrared contrast sufficient to be cataloged as IRDCs are generally placed at the near kinematic distance. Distance comparisons with Galactic Ring Survey KDA resolutions yield a 92% agreement. A face-on view of the Milky Way using resolved distances reveals sections of the Sagittarius and Scutum-Centaurus Arms. This KDA-resolution method for large catalogs of sources through the combination of (sub-)millimeter and mid-infrared observations of molecular

Resolving the structure of the Galactic foreground using Herschel measurements and the Kriging technique

Science.gov (United States)

Pinter, S.; Bagoly, Z.; Balázs, L. G.; Horvath, I.; Racz, I. I.; Zahorecz, S.; Tóth, L. V.

2018-05-01

Investigating the distant extragalactic Universe requires a subtraction of the Galactic foreground. One of the major difficulties deriving the fine structure of the galactic foreground is the embedded foreground and background point sources appearing in the given fields. It is especially so in the infrared. We report our study subtracting point sources from Herschel images with Kriging, an interpolation method where the interpolated values are modelled by a Gaussian process governed by prior covariances. Using the Kriging method on Herschel multi-wavelength observations the structure of the Galactic foreground can be studied with much higher resolution than previously, leading to a better foreground subtraction at the end.

THE ARECIBO METHANOL MASER GALACTIC PLANE SURVEY. III. DISTANCES AND LUMINOSITIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pandian, J. D.; Menten, K. M.; Goldsmith, P. F.

2009-01-01

We derive kinematic distances to the 86 6.7 GHz methanol masers discovered in the Arecibo Methanol Maser Galactic Plane Survey. The systemic velocities of the sources were derived from 13 CO (J = 2-1), CS (J = 5-4), and NH 3 observations made with the ARO Submillimeter Telescope, the APEX telescope, and the Effelsberg 100 m telescope, respectively. Kinematic distance ambiguities were resolved using H I self-absorption with H I data from the VLA Galactic Plane Survey. We observe roughly three times as many sources at the far distance compared to the near distance. The vertical distribution of the sources has a scale height of ∼ 30 pc, and is much lower than that of the Galactic thin disk. We use the distances derived in this work to determine the luminosity function of 6.7 GHz maser emission. The luminosity function has a peak at approximately 10 -6 L sun . Assuming that this luminosity function applies, the methanol maser population in the Large Magellanic Cloud and M33 is at least 4 and 14 times smaller, respectively, than in our Galaxy.

Complex organic molecules in the Galactic Centre: the N-bearing family

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, S.; Jiménez-Serra, I.; Rivilla, V. M.; Martín, S.; Martín-Pintado, J.; Requena-Torres, M. A.; Armijos-Abendaño, J.; Riquelme, D.; Aladro, R.

2018-05-01

We present an unbiased spectral line survey toward the Galactic Centre (GC) quiescent giant molecular cloud (QGMC), G+0.693 using the GBT and IRAM 30 telescopes. Our study highlights an extremely rich organic inventory of abundant amounts of nitrogen (N)-bearing species in a source without signatures of star formation. We report the detection of 17 N-bearing species in this source, of which 8 are complex organic molecules (COMs). A comparison of the derived abundances relative to H2 is made across various galactic and extragalactic environments. We conclude that the unique chemistry in this source is likely to be dominated by low-velocity shocks with X-rays/cosmic rays also playing an important role in the chemistry. Like previous findings obtained for O-bearing molecules, our results for N-bearing species suggest a more efficient hydrogenation of these species on dust grains in G+0.693 than in hot cores in the Galactic disk, as a consequence of the low dust temperatures coupled with energetic processing by X-ray/cosmic ray radiation in the GC.

Galactic dynamics

CERN Document Server

Binney, James

2008-01-01

Since it was first published in 1987, Galactic Dynamics has become the most widely used advanced textbook on the structure and dynamics of galaxies and one of the most cited references in astrophysics. Now, in this extensively revised and updated edition, James Binney and Scott Tremaine describe the dramatic recent advances in this subject, making Galactic Dynamics the most authoritative introduction to galactic astrophysics available to advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and researchers. Every part of the book has been thoroughly overhauled, and many section

The Galactic magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Jinlin

2006-01-01

A good progress has been made on studies of Galactic magnetic fields in last 10 years. I describe what we want to know about the Galactic magnetic fields, and then review we current knowledge about magnetic fields in the Galactic disk, the Galactic halo and the field strengths. I also listed many unsolved problems on this area

The distribution of cosmic rays in the galaxy and their dynamics as deduced from recent gamma ray observations. [noting maximum in toroidal region between 4 and 5 kpc from galactic center

Science.gov (United States)

Puget, J. L.; Stecker, F. W.

1974-01-01

Data from SAS-2 on the galactic gamma ray line flux as a function of longitude is examined. It is shown that the gamma ray emissivity varies with galactocentric distance and is about an order of magnitude higher than the local value in a toroidal region between 4 and 5 kpc from the galactic center. This enhancement is accounted for in part by first-order Fermi acceleration, compression, and trapping of cosmic rays consistent with present ideas of galactic dynamics and galactic structure theory. Calculations indicate that cosmic rays in the 4 to 5 kpc region are trapped and accelerated over a mean time of the order of a few million years or about 2 to 4 times the assumed trapping time in the solar region of the galaxy on the assumption that only an increased cosmic ray flux is responsible for the observed emission. Cosmic ray nucleons, cosmic ray electrons, and ionized hydrogen gas were found to have a strikingly similar distribution in the galaxy according to both the observational data and the theoretical model discussed.

Elusive active galactic nuclei

Science.gov (United States)

Maiolino, R.; Comastri, A.; Gilli, R.; Nagar, N. M.; Bianchi, S.; Böker, T.; Colbert, E.; Krabbe, A.; Marconi, A.; Matt, G.; Salvati, M.

2003-10-01

A fraction of active galactic nuclei do not show the classical Seyfert-type signatures in their optical spectra, i.e. they are optically `elusive'. X-ray observations are an optimal tool to identify this class of objects. We combine new Chandra observations with archival X-ray data in order to obtain a first estimate of the fraction of elusive active galactic nuclei (AGN) in local galaxies and to constrain their nature. Our results suggest that elusive AGN have a local density comparable to or even higher than optically classified Seyfert nuclei. Most elusive AGN are heavily absorbed in the X-rays, with gas column densities exceeding 1024 cm-2, suggesting that their peculiar nature is associated with obscuration. It is likely that in elusive AGN the nuclear UV source is completely embedded and the ionizing photons cannot escape, which prevents the formation of a classical narrow-line region. Elusive AGN may contribute significantly to the 30-keV bump of the X-ray background.

X-RAY PROPERTIES OF THE NORTHERN GALACTIC CAP SOURCES IN THE 58 MONTH SWIFT/BAT CATALOG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasudevan, Ranjan V.; Mushotzky, Richard F.; Shimizu, Thomas T.; Brandt, William N.; Schneider, Donald P.; Nousek, John; Winter, Lisa M.; Baumgartner, Wayne H.

2013-01-01

We present a detailed X-ray spectral analysis of the non-beamed, hard X-ray selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in the northern Galactic cap of the 58 month Swift Burst Alert Telescope (Swift/BAT) catalog, consisting of 100 AGNs with b > 50°. This sky area has excellent potential for further dedicated study due to a wide range of multi-wavelength data that are already available, and we propose it as a low-redshift analog to the 'deep field' observations of AGNs at higher redshifts (e.g., CDFN/S, COSMOS, Lockman Hole). We present distributions of luminosity, absorbing column density, and other key quantities for the catalog. We use a consistent approach to fit new and archival X-ray data gathered from XMM-Newton, Swift/XRT, ASCA, and Swift/BAT. We probe to deeper redshifts than the 9 month BAT catalog ((z) = 0.043 compared to (z) = 0.03 for the 9 month catalog), and uncover a broader absorbing column density distribution. The fraction of obscured (log N H ≥ 22) objects in the sample is ∼60%, and 43%-56% of the sample exhibits 'complex' 0.4-10 keV spectra. We present the properties of iron lines, soft excesses, and ionized absorbers for the subset of objects with sufficient signal-to-noise ratio. We reinforce previous determinations of the X-ray Baldwin (Iwasawa-Taniguchi) effect for iron Kα lines. We also identify two distinct populations of sources; one in which a soft excess is well-detected and another where the soft excess is undetected, suggesting that the process responsible for producing the soft excess is not at work in all AGNs. The fraction of Compton-thick sources (log N H > 24.15) in our sample is ∼9%. We find that 'hidden/buried AGNs' (which may have a geometrically thick torus or emaciated scattering regions) constitute ∼14% of our sample, including seven objects previously not identified as hidden. Compton reflection is found to be important in a large fraction of our sample using joint XMM-Newton+BAT fits ((R) = 2.7 ± 0.75), indicating

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Galactic CHaMP. II. Dense gas clumps. (Ma+, 2013)

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, B.; Tan, J. C.; Barnes, P. J.

2015-04-01

A total of 303 dense gas clumps have been detected using the HCO+(1-0) line in the CHaMP survey (Paper I, Barnes et al. 2011, J/ApJS/196/12). In this article we have derived the SED for these clumps using Spitzer, MSX, and IRAS data. The Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) was launched in 1996 April. It conducted a Galactic plane survey (0MSX band wavelengths are centered at 8.28, 12.13, 14.65, and 21.3um. The best image resolution is ~18" in the 8.28um band, with positional accuracy of about 2". Calibrated images of the Galactic plane were obtained from the online MSX image server at the IPAC website. The IRAS performed an all-sky survey at 12, 25, 60, and 100um. The nominal resolution is about 4' at 60um. High Resolution Image Restoration (HIRES) uses the maximum correlation method to produce higher resolution images, better than 1' at 60um. Sources chosen for processing with HIRES were processed at all four IRAS bands with 20 iterations. The Spitzer InfraRed Array Camera (IRAC) is a four-channel camera that provides simultaneous 5.2"x5.2" images at 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, and 8um with an angular resolution of about 2" at 8um. We searched the Spitzer archive at IPAC. Most of these data are from two large survey programs: PID 189 (Churchwell, E., "The SIRTF Galactic Plane Survey") and PID 40791 (Majewski, S., "Galactic Structure and Star Formation in Vela-Carina"). Hill et al. (2005, J/MNRAS/363/405) carried out a 1.2mm continuum emission survey toward 131 star-forming complexes using the Swedish ESO Submillimetre Telescope (SEST) IMaging Bolometer Array (SIMBA). Hill et al. list the 1.2mm flux for 404 sources, 15 of which are in our sample. (2 data files).

Diffuse gamma-ray emission from self-confined cosmic rays around Galactic sources

Science.gov (United States)

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

2018-02-01

The propagation of particles accelerated at supernova remnant shocks and escaping the parent remnants is likely to proceed in a strongly non-linear regime, due to the efficient self-generation of Alfvén waves excited through streaming instability near the sources. Depending on the amount of neutral hydrogen present in the regions around the sites of supernova explosions, cosmic rays may accumulate an appreciable grammage in the same regions and get self-confined for non-negligible times, which in turn results in an enhanced rate of production of secondaries. Here we calculate the contribution to the diffuse gamma-ray background due to the overlap along lines of sight of several of these extended haloes as due to pion production induced by self-confined cosmic rays. We find that if the density of neutrals is low, the haloes can account for a substantial fraction of the diffuse emission observed by Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT), depending on the orientation of the line of sight with respect to the direction of the Galactic Centre.

A polarized fast radio burst at low Galactic latitude

OpenAIRE

Petroff, E.; Kasliwal, M.; Ravi, V.

2017-01-01

We report on the discovery of a new fast radio burst (FRB), FRB 150215, with the Parkes radio telescope on 2015 February 15. The burst was detected in real time with a dispersion measure (DM) of 1105.6 ± 0.8 pc cm^(−3), a pulse duration of 2.8 ^(+1.2)_(−0.5)ms, and a measured peak flux density assuming that the burst was at beam centre of 0.7 ^(+0.2)_(−0.1) Jy. The FRB originated at a Galactic longitude and latitude of 24.66°, 5.28° and 25° away from the Galactic Center. The burst was found t...

First-Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations: Galactic Signal Contamination from Sidelobe Pickup

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, C.; Hill, R. S.; Hinshaw, G.; Page, L.; Bennett, C. L.; Halpern, M.; Jarosik, N.; Kogut, A.; Limon, M.; Meyer, S. S.; Tucker, G. S.; Wollack, E.; Wright, E. L.

2003-09-01

Since the Galactic center is ~1000 times brighter than fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background (CMB), CMB experiments must carefully account for stray Galactic pickup. We present the level of contamination due to sidelobes for the first-year CMB maps produced by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) observatory. For each radiometer, full 4π sr antenna gain patterns are determined from a combination of numerical prediction and ground-based and space-based measurements. These patterns are convolved with the WMAP first-year sky maps and observatory scan pattern to generate the expected sidelobe signal contamination, for both intensity and polarized microwave sky maps. When the main beams are outside of the Galactic plane, we find rms values for the expected sidelobe pickup of 15, 2.1, 2.0, 0.3, and 0.5 μK for the K, Ka, Q, V, and W bands, respectively. Except for at the K band, the rms polarized contamination is the Galactic pickup are presented. WMAP is the result of a partnership between Princeton University and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Scientific guidance is provided by the WMAP Science Team.

Neutrino fluxes from the Galactic plane and the ANTARES limit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fusco Luigi Antonio

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The existence of cosmic neutrinos has been reported by the IceCube Collaboration. Though this measurement is consistent with an isotropic neutrino flux, a sub-dominant galactic component coming from extended regions such as the Galactic Plane cannot be excluded. The ANTARES detector, located in the Mediterranean Sea, is currently the largest and longest operated under-water neutrino telescope; its effective area and good exposure to the Southern Sky allow to constrain an enhanced muon neutrino emission from extended sources such as the Galactic Plane. ANTARES data from 2007 to 2013 have been analysed and upper limits on the neutrino production from the central region of our galaxy have been set.

ELBE Center for High-Power Radiation Sources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Dr. Michel

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In the ELBE Center for High-Power Radiation Sources, the superconducting linear electron accelerator ELBE, serving  two free electron lasers, sources for intense coherent THz radiation, mono-energetic positrons, electrons, γ-rays, a neutron time-of-flight system as well as two synchronized ultra-short pulsed Petawatt laser systems are collocated. The characteristics of these beams make the ELBE center a unique research instrument for a variety of external users in fields ranging from material science over nuclear physics to cancer research, as well as scientists of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR.

Five-colour photometry of early-type stars in the direction of galactic X-ray sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Paradijs, J.; Van Amerongen, S.; Damen, E.; Van der Woerd, H.

1986-01-01

We present the results of five-colour photometry of 551 O- and B-type stars located in 17 fields of a few square degrees around galactic X-ray sources. From a comparison of reddening-free combinations of colour indices with theoretical values, calculated for model atmospheres of Kurucz, we derive effective temperature and surface gravity for these stars. In addition we find their absolute magnitude by combining these parameters with the results of evolutionary calculations of massive stars. These effective temperatures are in good agreement with the temperature scale of Bohm-Vitense for stars of luminosity classes II to V. For the supergiants the effective temperatures are about 40% higher. For stars of luminosity classes III to V the absolute magnitudes we find agree well with the results of independent luminosity calibrations of spectral types, but for brighter stars they deviate systematically. We suspect that the origin of these deviations lies in the failure of present low-gravity model atmospheres to represent supergiant atmospheres. We have used the photometric data to study the interstellar reddening in the direction of the X-ray sources

Radioactivity in the galactic plane

Science.gov (United States)

Walraven, G. D.; Haymes, R. C.

1976-01-01

The paper reports the detection of a large concentration of interstellar radioactivity during balloon-altitude measurements of gamma-ray energy spectra in the band between 0.02 and 12.27 MeV from galactic and extragalactic sources. Enhanced counting rates were observed in three directions towards the plane of the Galaxy; a power-law energy spectrum is computed for one of these directions (designated B 10). A large statistical deviation from the power law in a 1.0-FWHM interval centered near 1.16 MeV is discussed, and the existence of a nuclear gamma-ray line at 1.15 MeV in B 10 is postulated. It is suggested that Ca-44, which emits gamma radiation at 1.156 MeV following the decay of radioactive Sc-44, is a likely candidate for this line, noting that Sc-44 arises from Ti-44 according to explosive models of supernova nucleosynthesis. The 1.16-MeV line flux inferred from the present data is shown to equal the predicted flux for a supernova at a distance of approximately 3 kpc and an age not exceeding about 100 years.

GALACTIC AND EXTRAGALACTIC SUPERNOVA REMNANTS AS SITES OF PARTICLE ACCELERATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manami Sasaki

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Supernova remnants, owing to their strong shock waves, are likely sources of Galactic cosmic rays. Studies of supernova remnants in X-rays and gamma rays provide us with new insights into the acceleration of particles to high energies. This paper reviews the basic physics of supernova remnant shocks and associated particle acceleration and radiation processes. In addition, the study of supernova remnant populations in nearby galaxies and the implications for Galactic cosmic ray distribution are discussed.

Near-infrared proper motions and spectroscopy of infrared excess sources at the Galactic center

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Eckart, A.; Muzic, K.; Yazici, S.; Sabha, N.; Shahzamanian, B.; Witzel, G.; Moser, L.; García-Marín, M.; Valencia-S, M.; Jalali, B.; Bremer, M.; Straubmeier, C.; Rauch, C.; Buchholz, R. M.; Kunneriath, Devaky; Moultaka, J.

2013-01-01

Roč. 551, March (2013), A18/1-A18/31 ISSN 0004-6361 Grant - others:ESA(XE) ESA- PECS projec No. 98040; DFG(DE) SFB 956; EU(XE) COST Action MP0905; BMBF(DE) 50OS1101 Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : galaxy center * early-type stars Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 4.479, year: 2013

Millimeter Wavelength Observations of Galactic Sources with the Mobile Anisotropy Telescope (MAT)

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz, K. L.; Caldwell, R.; Devlin, M. J.; Dorwart, W. B.; Herbig, T.; Miller, A. D.; Nolta, M. R.; Page, L. A.; Puchalla, J. L.; Torbet, E.; Tran, H. T.

1999-12-01

The Mobile Anisotropy Telescope (MAT) has completed two observing seasons (1997 and 1998) in Chile from the Cerro Toco site. Although the primary goal of MAT was to measure anisotropy in the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation, the chosen observation scheme also allowed daily viewing of the Galactic Plane. We present filtered maps at 30, 40 and 144 GHz of a region of the Galactic Plane which contains several millimeter-bright regions including the Carinae nebula and IRAS 11097-6102. We report the best fit brightness temperatures as well as the total flux densities in the MAT beams (0.9, 0.6 and 0.2 degrees FWHM) . The data are calibrated with respect to Jupiter whose flux is known to better than 8% in all frequency bands. This work was funded by the National Science Foundation and the Packard Foundation.

Rotation curve of the neutral-hydrogen subsystem in the galactic plane

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petrovskaia, I.V.

1981-01-01

Separate rotation curves of the neutral-hydrogen subsystem are obtained for the first and fourth quadrants of galactic longitude on the basis of radio observations in the 21-cm line. A method that uses the entire 21-cm line profile is applied to distances from the galactic center in the range from 0.36 to 1.00 times the distance of the sun. It is found that the motion of the neutral-hydrogen subsystem is not purely circular and that the subsystem rotates more slowly in the fourth quadrant than in the first.

High resolution far-infrared survey of A section of the galactic plane. I. The nature of the sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaffe, D.T.; Stier, M.T.; Fazio, G.G.

1982-01-01

We have surveyed a 7.5 deg 2 portion of the galactic plane between l/sup II/ = 10 0 and l/sup II/ = 16 0 at 70 μm with a 1' beam. We present far-infrared, radio continuum, and 12 CO and 13 CO line observations of the 42 far-infrared sources in the survey region. The sources range in luminosity from 4 x 10 3 to 3 x 10 6 L/sub sun/. Most are associated with 12 CO peaks. More than half of the sources have associated H 2 O maser emission. Half have associated radio continuum emission at a limit of 100 mJy. Eight sources have radio emission at weaker levels. In a number of cases, the far-infrared source is smaller than its associated radio source. This difference can be explained in the context of the ''blister'' picture of H II regions. One group of sources emits many fewer Lyman continuum photons than expected, given the far-infrared luminosities. We examine a number of possible reasons for this and conclude that the most reasonable explanation is that clusters of early type stars rather than single stars excite the far-infrared sources. We examine the energetics in the molecular clouds surrounding the infrared sources and conclude that the sources could supply the energy to explain the observed temperature structure and velocity field in the molecular gas

Emission Lines in the Near-infrared Spectra of the Infrared Quintuplet Stars in the Galactic Center

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Najarro, F. [Departamento de Astrofísica, Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Ctra. Torrejón a Ajalvir km 4, E-28850 Torrejón de Ardoz (Spain); Geballe, T. R. [Gemini Observatory, 670 North A’ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Figer, D. F. [Center for Detectors, Rochester Institute of Technology, 74 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623 (United States); Fuente, D. de la [Instituto de Astronomía, Unidad Académica en Ensenada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ensenada 22860, México (Mexico)

2017-08-20

We report the detection of a number of emission lines in the 1.0–2.4 μ m spectra of four of the five bright-infrared dust-embedded stars at the center of the Galactic center’s (GC) Quintuplet Cluster. Spectroscopy of the central stars of these objects is hampered not only by the large interstellar extinction that obscures all of the objects in the GC, but also by the large amounts of warm circumstellar dust surrounding each of the five stars. The pinwheel morphologies of the dust observed previously around two of them are indicative of Wolf–Rayet colliding wind binaries; however, infrared spectra of each of the five have until now revealed only dust continua steeply rising to long wavelengths and absorption lines and bands from interstellar gas and dust. The emission lines detected, from ionized carbon and from helium, are broad and confirm that the objects are dusty late-type carbon Wolf–Rayet stars.

THE GALACTIC POTENTIAL AND THE ASYMMETRIC DISTRIBUTION OF HYPERVELOCITY STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perets, Hagai B.; Alexander, Tal; Wu Xufen; Zhao Hongsheng; Famaey, Benoit; Gentile, Gianfranco

2009-01-01

In recent years several hypervelocity stars (HVSs) have been observed in the halo of our Galaxy. Such HVSs have possibly been ejected from the Galactic center and then propagated in the Galactic potential up to their current position. The recent survey for candidate HVSs show an asymmetry in the kinematics of candidate HVSs (position and velocity vectors), where more outgoing stars than ingoing stars (i.e., positive Galactocentric velocities versus negative ones) are observed. We show that such kinematic asymmetry, which is likely due to the finite lifetime of the stars and Galactic potential structure, could be used in a novel method to probe and constrain the Galactic potential, identify the stellar type of the stars in the survey and estimate the number of HVSs. Kinematics-independent identification of the stellar types of the stars in such surveys (e.g., spectroscopic identification) could further improve these results. We find that the observed asymmetry between ingoing and outgoing stars favors specific Galactic potential models. It also implies a lower limit of ∼54 ± 8 main-sequence HVSs in the survey sample (∼>648 ± 96 in the Galaxy), assuming that all of the MS stars in the survey originate from the GC. The other stars in the survey are likely to be hot blue horizontal branch stars born in the halo rather than stars ejected from the GC.

H II REGION DRIVEN GALACTIC BUBBLES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE GALACTIC MAGNETIC FIELD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pavel, Michael D.; Clemens, D. P., E-mail: pavelmi@bu.edu, E-mail: clemens@bu.edu [Institute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215 (United States)

2012-12-01

The relative alignments of mid-infrared traced Galactic bubbles are compared to the orientation of the mean Galactic magnetic field in the disk. The orientations of bubbles in the northern Galactic plane were measured and are consistent with random orientations-no preferential alignment with respect to the Galactic disk was found. A subsample of H II region driven Galactic bubbles was identified, and as a single population they show random orientations. When this subsample was further divided into subthermal and suprathermal H II regions, based on hydrogen radio recombination linewidths, the subthermal H II regions showed a marginal deviation from random orientations, but the suprathermal H II regions showed significant alignment with the Galactic plane. The mean orientation of the Galactic disk magnetic field was characterized using new near-infrared starlight polarimetry and the suprathermal H II regions were found to preferentially align with the disk magnetic field. If suprathermal linewidths are associated with younger H II regions, then the evolution of young H II regions is significantly affected by the Galactic magnetic field. As H II regions age, they cease to be strongly linked to the Galactic magnetic field, as surrounding density variations come to dominate their morphological evolution. From the new observations, the ratios of magnetic-to-ram pressures in the expanding ionization fronts were estimated for younger H II regions.

Galactic bulge preferred over dark matter for the Galactic centre gamma-ray excess

Science.gov (United States)

Macias, Oscar; Gordon, Chris; Crocker, Roland M.; Coleman, Brendan; Paterson, Dylan; Horiuchi, Shunsaku; Pohl, Martin

2018-05-01

An anomalous gamma-ray excess emission has been found in the Fermi Large Area Telescope data1 covering the centre of the Galaxy2,3. Several theories have been proposed for this `Galactic centre excess'. They include self-annihilation of dark-matter particles4, an unresolved population of millisecond pulsars5, an unresolved population of young pulsars6, or a series of burst events7. Here, we report on an analysis that exploits hydrodynamical modelling to register the position of interstellar gas associated with diffuse Galactic gamma-ray emission. We find evidence that the Galactic centre excess gamma rays are statistically better described by the stellar over-density in the Galactic bulge and the nuclear stellar bulge, rather than a spherical excess. Given its non-spherical nature, we argue that the Galactic centre excess is not a dark-matter phenomenon but rather associated with the stellar population of the Galactic bulge and the nuclear bulge.

The angular power spectrum of the diffuse gamma-ray background as a probe of Galactic dark matter substructure

OpenAIRE

Siegal-Gaskins, Jennifer M.

2009-01-01

Dark matter annihilation in Galactic substructure produces diffuse gamma-ray emission of remarkably constant intensity across the sky, and in general this signal dominates over the smooth halo signal at angles greater than a few tens of degrees from the Galactic Center. The large-scale isotropy of the emission from substructure suggests that it may be difficult to extract this Galactic dark matter signal from the extragalactic gamma-ray background. I show that dark matter substructure induces...

The Galactic 511 keV line: analysis and interpretation of Integral observations; L'annihilation des positrons galactiques: analyse et interpretation des donnees INTEGRAL

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lonjou, V

2005-09-15

Ever since the discovery of the 511 keV annihilation line emission from the galactic center region in the late seventies, the origin of galactic positrons has been the topic of a vivid scientific debate. It is also one of the prime scientific objectives of the imaging spectrometer SPI on board ESA's INTEGRAL observatory. In this thesis first a description of the most important SPI sub-system is given - the detector plane. Procedures for detector energy calibration and detector degradation analysis are developed. The determination of instrumental background models, a crucial aspect of data analysis, is elaborated. These background models are then applied to deriving sky maps and spectra of unprecedented quality of the Galactic positron annihilation radiation. The emission is centered on the galactic center with a spatial resolution of 8 degrees (FWHM), a second spatial component appears clearly: the galactic disc. The ray energy has been measured with unprecedented accuracy: 511.0 {+-} 0.03 keV for a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 2.07 {+-} 0.1 keV. The total galactic flux ranges from 1.09 to 2.43 10{sup -3} ph.cm{sup -2}.s{sup -1} including uncertainties on spatial distribution. Finally, the implications of these observations for the production of positrons by various Galactic populations are discussed.

SPITZER PARALLAX OF OGLE-2015-BLG-0966: A COLD NEPTUNE IN THE GALACTIC DISK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Street, R. A.; Bachelet, E. [LCOGT, 6740 Cortona Drive, Suite 102, Goleta, CA 93117 (United States); Udalski, A. [Warsaw University Observatory, Al. Ujazdowskie 4, 00-478 Warszawa (Poland); Novati, S. Calchi [NASA Exoplanet Science Institute, MS 100-22, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Hundertmark, M. P. G.; Jørgensen, U. G. [Niels Bohr Institute and Centre for Star and Planet Formation, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5, DK-1350—Copenhagen K (Denmark); Zhu, W.; Gould, A. [Department of Astronomy, Ohio State University, 140 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Yee, J. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Tsapras, Y. [Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg (ZAH), D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Bennett, D. P. [Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Dominik, M. [SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Andersen, M. I. [Niels Bohr Institute and Dark Cosmology Centre, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Mariesvej 30, DK-2100—Copenhagen Ø (Denmark); Bozza, V. [Dipartimento di Fisica “E.R. Caianiello,” Università di Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, I-84084, Fisciano (Italy); Bramich, D. M. [Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Qatar Foundation, P.O. Box 5825, Doha (Qatar); Collaboration: RoboNet Project and MiNDSTEp Consortium; OGLE Project; Spitzer Team; MOA Collaboration; KMTNet Modeling Team; and others

2016-03-10

We report the detection of a cold Neptune m{sub planet} = 21 ± 2 M{sub ⊕} orbiting a 0.38 M{sub ⊙} M dwarf lying 2.5–3.3 kpc toward the Galactic center as part of a campaign combining ground-based and Spitzer observations to measure the Galactic distribution of planets. This is the first time that the complex real-time protocols described by Yee et al., which aim to maximize planet sensitivity while maintaining sample integrity, have been carried out in practice. Multiple survey and follow up teams successfully combined their efforts within the framework of these protocols to detect this planet. This is the second planet in the Spitzer Galactic distribution sample. Both are in the near to mid-disk and are clearly not in the Galactic bulge.

Chemical Characterization of the Inner Galactic bulge: North-South Symmetry

Science.gov (United States)

Nandakumar, G.; Ryde, N.; Schultheis, M.; Thorsbro, B.; Jönsson, H.; Barklem, P. S.; Rich, R. M.; Fragkoudi, F.

2018-05-01

While the number of stars in the Galactic bulge with detailed chemical abundance measurements is increasing rapidly, the inner Galactic bulge (|b| detect a bimodal MDF with a metal-rich peak at ˜ +0.3 dex and a metal-poor peak at ˜ -0.5 dex, and no stars with [Fe/H] > +0.6 dex. The Galactic Center field reveals in contrast a mainly metal-rich population with a mean metallicity of +0.3 dex. We derived [Mg/Fe] and [Si/Fe] abundances which are consistent with trends from the outer bulge. We confirm for the supersolar metallicity stars the decreasing trend in [Mg/Fe] and [Si/Fe] as expected from chemical evolution models. With the caveat of a relatively small sample, we do not find significant differences in the chemical abundances between the Northern and the Southern fields, hence the evidence is consistent with symmetry in chemistry between North and South.

Planck 2015 results: XXVIII. The Planck Catalogue of Galactic cold clumps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ade, P. A R; Aghanim, N.; Arnaud, M.

2016-01-01

We present the Planck Catalogue of Galactic Cold Clumps (PGCC), an all-sky catalogue of Galactic cold clump candidates detected by Planck. This catalogue is the full version of the Early Cold Core (ECC) catalogue, which was made available in 2011 with the Early Release Compact Source Catalogue (E...

The Fermi-LAT gamma-ray excess at the Galactic Center in the singlet-doublet fermion dark matter model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Horiuchi, Shunsaku; Macias, Oscar [Center for Neutrino Physics, Department of Physics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 (United States); Restrepo, Diego; Rivera, Andrés; Zapata, Oscar [Instituto de Física, Universidad de Antioquia, Calle 70 No. 52-21, Medellín (Colombia); Silverwood, Hamish, E-mail: horiuchi@vt.edu, E-mail: oscar.macias@vt.edu, E-mail: restrepo@udea.edu.co, E-mail: afelipe.rivera@udea.edu.co, E-mail: oalberto.zapata@udea.edu.co, E-mail: h.g.m.silverwood@uva.nl [GRAPPA, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2016-03-01

The singlet-doublet fermion dark matter model (SDFDM) provides a good DM candidate as well as the possibility of generating neutrino masses radiatively. The search and identification of DM requires the combined effort of both indirect and direct DM detection experiments in addition to the LHC. Remarkably, an excess of GeV gamma rays from the Galactic Center (GCE) has been measured with the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) which appears to be robust with respect to changes in the diffuse galactic background modeling. Although several astrophysical explanations have been proposed, DM remains a simple and well motivated alternative. In this work, we examine the sensitivities of dark matter searches in the SDFDM scenario using Fermi-LAT, CTA, IceCube/DeepCore, LUX, PICO and LHC with an emphasis on exploring the regions of the parameter space that can account for the GCE. We find that DM particles present in this model with masses close to ∼ 99 GeV and ∼ (173–190) GeV annihilating predominantly into the W{sup +}W{sup −} channel and t t-bar channel respectively, provide an acceptable fit to the GCE while being consistent with different current experimental bounds. We also find that much of the obtained parameter space can be ruled out by future direct search experiments like LZ and XENON-1T, in case of null results by these detectors. Interestingly, we show that the most recent data by LUX is starting to probe the best fit region in the SDFDM model.

TANAMI: Tracking Active Galactic Nuclei with Austral Milliarcsecond Interferometry. II. Additional sources

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, C.; Kadler, M.; Ojha, R.; Schulz, R.; Trüstedt, J.; Edwards, P. G.; Ros, E.; Carpenter, B.; Angioni, R.; Blanchard, J.; Böck, M.; Burd, P. R.; Dörr, M.; Dutka, M. S.; Eberl, T.; Gulyaev, S.; Hase, H.; Horiuchi, S.; Katz, U.; Krauß, F.; Lovell, J. E. J.; Natusch, T.; Nesci, R.; Phillips, C.; Plötz, C.; Pursimo, T.; Quick, J. F. H.; Stevens, J.; Thompson, D. J.; Tingay, S. J.; Tzioumis, A. K.; Weston, S.; Wilms, J.; Zensus, J. A.

2018-02-01

Context. TANAMI is a multiwavelength program monitoring active galactic nuclei (AGN) south of - 30° declination including high-resolution very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) imaging, radio, optical/UV, X-ray, and γ-ray studies. We have previously published first-epoch8.4 GHz VLBI images of the parsec-scale structure of the initial sample. In this paper, we present images of 39 additional sources. The full sample comprises most of the radio- and γ-ray brightest AGN in the southern quarter of the sky, overlapping with the region from which high-energy (> 100 TeV) neutrino events have been found. Aims: We characterize the parsec-scale radio properties of the jets and compare them with the quasi-simultaneous Fermi/LAT γ-ray data. Furthermore, we study the jet properties of sources which are in positional coincidence with high-energy neutrino events compared to the full sample. We test the positional agreement of high-energy neutrino events with various AGN samples. Methods: TANAMI VLBI observations at 8.4 GHz are made with southern hemisphere radio telescopes located in Australia, Antarctica, Chile, New Zealand, and South Africa. Results: Our observations yield the first images of many jets below - 30° declination at milliarcsecond resolution. We find that γ-ray loud TANAMI sources tend to be more compact on parsec-scales and have higher core brightness temperatures than γ-ray faint jets, indicating higher Doppler factors. No significant structural difference is found between sources in positional coincidence with high-energy neutrino events and other TANAMI jets. The 22 γ-ray brightest AGN in the TANAMI sky show only a weak positional agreement with high-energy neutrinos demonstrating that the > 100 TeV IceCube signal is not simply dominated by a small number of the γ-ray brightest blazars. Instead, a larger number of sources have to contribute to the signal with each individual source having only a small Poisson probability for producing an event in

A NEW PERSPECTIVE OF THE RADIO BRIGHT ZONE AT THE GALACTIC CENTER: FEEDBACK FROM NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Jun-Hui [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Morris, Mark R. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Goss, W. M., E-mail: jzhao@cfa.harvard.edu [NRAO, P.O. Box O, Socorro, NM 87801 (United States)

2016-02-01

New observations of Sgr A have been carried out with the Jansky VLA in the B and C arrays using the broadband (2 GHz) continuum mode at 5.5 GHz. The field of view covers the central 13′ (30 pc) region of the radio-bright zone at the Galactic center. Using the multi-scale and multi-frequency-synthesis (MS-MFS) algorithms in CASA, we have imaged Sgr A with a resolution of 1″, achieving an rms noise of 8 μJy beam{sup −1}, and a dynamic range of 100,000:1. Both previously known and newly identified radio features in this region are revealed, including numerous filamentary sources. The radio continuum image is compared with Chandra X-ray images, with a CN emission-line image obtained with the Submillimeter Array and with detailed Paschen-α images obtained with Hubble Space Telescope/NICMOS. We discuss several prominent features in the radio image. The “Sgr A west Wings” extend 2′ (5 pc) from the NW and SE tips of the Sgr A west H ii region (the “Mini-spiral”) to positions located 2.9 and 2.4 arcmin to the northwest and southeast of Sgr A*, respectively. The NW wing, along with several other prominent features, including the previously identified “NW Streamers,” form an elongated radio lobe (NW lobe), oriented nearly perpendicular to the Galactic plane. This radio lobe, with a size of 6.′3 × 3.′2 (14.4 pc × 7.3 pc), has a known X-ray counterpart. In the outer region of the NW lobe, a row of three thermally emitting rings is observed. A field containing numerous amorphous radio blobs extends for a distance of ∼2 arcmin beyond the tip of the SE wing; these newly recognized features coincide with the SE X-ray lobe. Most of the amorphous radio blobs in the NW and SE lobes have Paschen-α counterparts. We propose that they have been produced by shock interaction of ambient gas concentrations with a collimated nuclear wind or an outflow that originated from within the circumnuclear disk (CND). We also discuss the possibility that the ionized

Isotopic composition of neon in the galactic cosmic rays: a high resolution measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greiner, D.E.; Wiedenbeck, M.E.; Bieser, F.S.; Crawford, H.J.; Heckman, H.H.; Lindstrom, P.J.

1979-06-01

A measurement of the isotopic composition of galactic cosmic ray neon in the energy range 70 to 260 MeV/amu has been made using the U.C. Berkeley HKH instrument aboard ISEE-3. A combination of high resolution and good statistical accuracy makes possible a precise determination of the local interplanetary neon composition. We find 22 Ne/ 20 Ne = 0.64 +- 0.07 and 21 Ne/ 20 Ne < 0.30 in local interplanetary space. These ratios, when interpreted in using standard galactic propagation and solar modulation models, yield cosmic ray source abundances which are inconsistent with a solar-like source composition

Cosmic far-infrared background at high galactic latitudes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stecker, F.W.; Puget, J.L.; Fazio, G.G.

1977-01-01

We predict far-infrared background fluxes from various cosmic sources. These fluxes lie near the high-frequency side of the blackbody radiation spectrum. These sources could account for a significant fraction of the background radiation at frequencies above 400 GHz which might be misinterpreted as a ''Comptonization'' distortion of the blackbody radiation. Particular attention is paid to the possible contributions from external galaxies, from rich clusters of galaxies, and from galactic dust emission

Cosmic far-infrared background at high galactic latitudes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stecker, F.W.; Puget, J.L.; Fazio, G.G.

1976-12-01

Far-infrared background fluxes from various cosmic sources are predicted. These fluxes lie near the high-frequency side of the blackbody radiation spectrum. These sources could account for a significant fraction of the background radiation at frequencies above 400 GHz, which might be misinterpreted as a comptonization distortion of the blackbody radiation. Particular attention is paid to the possible contributions from external galaxies, rich clusters of galaxies and from galactic dust emission

Galactic models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buchler, J.R.; Gottesman, S.T.; Hunter, J.H. Jr.

1990-01-01

Various papers on galactic models are presented. Individual topics addressed include: observations relating to galactic mass distributions; the structure of the Galaxy; mass distribution in spiral galaxies; rotation curves of spiral galaxies in clusters; grand design, multiple arm, and flocculent spiral galaxies; observations of barred spirals; ringed galaxies; elliptical galaxies; the modal approach to models of galaxies; self-consistent models of spiral galaxies; dynamical models of spiral galaxies; N-body models. Also discussed are: two-component models of galaxies; simulations of cloudy, gaseous galactic disks; numerical experiments on the stability of hot stellar systems; instabilities of slowly rotating galaxies; spiral structure as a recurrent instability; model gas flows in selected barred spiral galaxies; bar shapes and orbital stochasticity; three-dimensional models; polar ring galaxies; dynamical models of polar rings

The Chandra Source Catalog: Source Variability

Science.gov (United States)

Nowak, Michael; Rots, A. H.; McCollough, M. L.; Primini, F. A.; Glotfelty, K. J.; Bonaventura, N. R.; Chen, J. C.; Davis, J. E.; Doe, S. M.; Evans, J. D.; Evans, I.; Fabbiano, G.; Galle, E. C.; Gibbs, D. G., II; Grier, J. D.; Hain, R.; Hall, D. M.; Harbo, P. N.; He, X.; Houck, J. C.; Karovska, M.; Lauer, J.; McDowell, J. C.; Miller, J. B.; Mitschang, A. W.; Morgan, D. L.; Nichols, J. S.; Plummer, D. A.; Refsdal, B. L.; Siemiginowska, A. L.; Sundheim, B. A.; Tibbetts, M. S.; van Stone, D. W.; Winkelman, S. L.; Zografou, P.

2009-09-01

The Chandra Source Catalog (CSC) contains fields of view that have been studied with individual, uninterrupted observations that span integration times ranging from 1 ksec to 160 ksec, and a large number of which have received (multiple) repeat observations days to years later. The CSC thus offers an unprecedented look at the variability of the X-ray sky over a broad range of time scales, and across a wide diversity of variable X-ray sources: stars in the local galactic neighborhood, galactic and extragalactic X-ray binaries, Active Galactic Nuclei, etc. Here we describe the methods used to identify and quantify source variability within a single observation, and the methods used to assess the variability of a source when detected in multiple, individual observations. Three tests are used to detect source variability within a single observation: the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and its variant, the Kuiper test, and a Bayesian approach originally suggested by Gregory and Loredo. The latter test not only provides an indicator of variability, but is also used to create a best estimate of the variable lightcurve shape. We assess the performance of these tests via simulation of statistically stationary, variable processes with arbitrary input power spectral densities (here we concentrate on results of red noise simulations) at variety of mean count rates and fractional root mean square variabilities relevant to CSC sources. We also assess the false positive rate via simulations of constant sources whose sole source of fluctuation is Poisson noise. We compare these simulations to an assessment of the variability found in real CSC sources, and estimate the variability sensitivities of the CSC.

Prospects for Galactic TeV Neutrino Astronomy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kistler, Matthew D [Department of Physics, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 (United States)

2007-03-15

In just the last few years, the catalog of known Galactic TeV gamma-ray sources has grown dramatically, due to the abilities of current air Cerenkov telescopes to measure both the spectrum and morphology of the TeV emission. While these properties can be very well measured, they are not necessarily sufficient to determine whether the gamma rays are produced by leptonic or hadronic processes. However, if the gamma-ray emission is hadronic, there must be an accompanying flux of neutrinos, which can be determined from the observed gamma-ray spectrum. The upcoming km3 neutrino telescopes will allow for a direct test of the gamma-ray production mechanism and the possibility of examining the highest possible energies, with important consequences for our understanding of Galactic cosmic-ray production.

Prospects for Galactic TeV Neutrino Astronomy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kistler, Matthew D

2007-01-01

In just the last few years, the catalog of known Galactic TeV gamma-ray sources has grown dramatically, due to the abilities of current air Cerenkov telescopes to measure both the spectrum and morphology of the TeV emission. While these properties can be very well measured, they are not necessarily sufficient to determine whether the gamma rays are produced by leptonic or hadronic processes. However, if the gamma-ray emission is hadronic, there must be an accompanying flux of neutrinos, which can be determined from the observed gamma-ray spectrum. The upcoming km3 neutrino telescopes will allow for a direct test of the gamma-ray production mechanism and the possibility of examining the highest possible energies, with important consequences for our understanding of Galactic cosmic-ray production

360-degree videos: a new visualization technique for astrophysical simulations, applied to the Galactic Center

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Christopher

2018-01-01

360-degree videos are a new type of movie that renders over all 4π steradian. Video sharing sites such as YouTube now allow this unique content to be shared via virtual reality (VR) goggles, hand-held smartphones/tablets, and computers. Creating 360-degree videos from astrophysical simulations not only provide a new way to view these simulations due to their immersive nature, but also yield engaging content for outreach to the public. We present our 360-degree video of an astrophysical simulation of the Galactic center: a hydrodynamics calculation of the colliding and accreting winds of the 30 Wolf-Rayet stars orbiting within the central parsec. Viewing the movie, which renders column density, from the location of the supermassive black hole gives a unique and immersive perspective of the shocked wind material inspiraling and tidally stretching as it plummets toward the black hole. We also describe how to create such movies, discuss what type of content does and does not look appealing in 360-degree format, and briefly comment on what new science can be extracted from astrophysical simulations using 360-degree videos.

G2 and Sgr A *: A Cosmic Fizzle at the Galactic Center

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morsony, Brian J. [Dept. of Astronomy, University of Maryland, 1113 Physical Sciences Complex, College Park, MD, 20742-2421 (United States); Gracey, Brandon T.; Workman, Jared C. [Dept. of Physical and Environmental Sciences, Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction, CO, 81501 (United States); Yoon, DooSoo [Dept. of Astronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2535 Sterling Hall, 475 N. Charter Street, Madison, WI, 53706-1582 (United States)

2017-07-01

We carry out a series of simulations of G2-type clouds interacting with the black hole at the galactic center, to determine why no large changes in the luminosity of Sgr A * were seen, and to determine the nature of G2. We measure the accretion rate from the gas cloud onto Sgr A * for a range of simulation parameters, such as cloud structure, background structure, background density, grid resolution, and accretion radius. For a broad range of parameters, the amount of cloud material accreted is small relative to the amount of background material accreted. The total accretion rate is not significantly effected for at least 30 yr after periapsis. We find that reproducing observations of G2 likely requires two components for the object: an extended, cold gas cloud responsible for the Br- γ emission, and a compact core or dusty stellar object dominating the bolometric luminosity. In simulations, the bolometric and X-ray luminosity have a peak lasting from about one year before to one year after periapsis, a feature not detected in observations. Our simulated Br- γ emission is largely consistent with observations leading up to periapsis, with a slight increase in luminosity and a large increase in the FWHM of the line velocity. All emission from a gaseous component of G2 should fade rapidly after periapsis and be undetectable after one year, due to shock heating and expansion of the cloud. Any remaining emission should be from the compact component of G2.

RGU photometry of a field to the direction to the galactic center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Topaktas, L.

1975-01-01

A galactic center field of 0.065 square degrees with 1608 stars in the Small Sagittarius Cloud has been studied photometrically in the RGU system down to a limiting magnitude of 17.2 in G. The interstellar reddening function, the density functions for different groups of stars and the luminosity functions have been determined. The reddening is caused by three interstellar clouds with distances of 725, 3160 and 5890 pc. Almost all late-type giants have been identified as ''left-side'' giants forming a narrow and long branch at the left side of the main-sequence of late-type dwarfs. The density functions of the late-type giants and of the main-sequence stars with 0 less than or equal to M(G) less than 2 show maxima between 1 and 2 kpc which agree well with the distance of the next inner spiral arm (--I). The density functions of the main-sequence stars too, show maxima within the limits of completeness, lying some hundred parsecs nearer than the one of the late-type giants. The natural dispersion of the absolute magnitudes of the late-type giants does not change the density function sensibly. The luminosity function for the distance intervals of 0.4 to 0.6 and of 1.0 to 2.0 kpc corresponding to the interarm region and to the distance of the next inner spiral arm, reflect the behavior of the density functions. The values are generally higher than the ones for the solar neighborhood

Newly discovered IRAS QSO close to the Galactic plane

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strauss, M.A.; Kirhakos, S.D.; Yahil, A.

1988-01-01

CCD observations of the IRAS QSO candidate I09149-6206 performed at CTIO during December 1987 are reported, including 564-806-nm spectroscopy obtained with the 1.5-m telescope and direct UVBRI imaging obtained with the 0.91-m telescope. The data are presented in tables and graphs and characterized in detail. It is found that the source is surrounded by a faint fuzz with low surface brightness and strong forbidden O III lines. Parameters determined include redshift z = 0.0571, Galactic latitude -9.2 deg, V magnitude 13.55, Galactic reddening E(B-V) = about 0.23, and absolute V magnitude about -24.87. 33 references

Variable and Polarised Near-infrared Emission from the Galactic Centre

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Shahzamanian, B.; Eckart, A.; Valencia-S, M.; Witzel, G.; Zamaninasab, M.; Zajaček, Michal; Sabha, N.; García-Marín, M.; Karas, Vladimír; Peissker, F.; Karssen, G.; Parsa, M.; Grosso, N.; Mossoux, E.; Porquet, D.; Jalali, B.; Horrobin, M.; Buchholz, R. M.; Dovčiak, Michal; Kunneriath, Devaky; Bursa, Michal; Zensus, A.; Schödel, R.; Moultaka, J.; Straubmeier, C.

2015-01-01

Roč. 159, March (2015), s. 41-45 ISSN 0722-6691 Grant - others:EU(XE) COST Action MP0905; EU(XE) COST action MP1104; DAAD(DE) DAAD-15-14 Program:Bilaterální spolupráce Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : polarisation effects * galactic center * observations Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics

The galactic distribution of pulsars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyne, A.G.

1981-01-01

The galactic distribution of pulsars follows the general form of many population I objects in galactocentric radius, but has a wide distribution above and below the galactic plane due to high space velocities imparted to the pulsars at birth. The evidence for this model is described and the various factors involved in estimating the total galactic population and the galactic birthrate of pulsars are discussed. The various estimates of the galactic population which cluster around 5 x 10 5 are seen to be critically dependent upon the cut-off at low luminosities and upon the value of the mean electron density within 500 pc of the Earth. Estimates of the lifetimes of pulsars are available from both the characteristic ages and proper motion measurements and both give values of about 5 million years. The implied birthrate of one in every 10 years is barely compatible with most estimates of the galactic supernova rate. (Auth.)

Propagation of Galactic Cosmic Rays and Dark Matter indirect Detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delahaye, Timur

2010-07-01

This thesis is dedicated to the study of propagation of cosmic electrons and positrons in the Milky Way and to the indirect detection of dark matter. The existence of dark matter is a hypothesis considered as reasonable from the point of view of cosmology, astrophysics and even particle physics. Nevertheless its detection still eludes us and it is not possible to verify this hypothesis by other means than gravitational one. A possible way to detect dark matter is to look for its annihilation or decay products among Galactic cosmic rays. During the last three years, data concerning cosmic ray electrons and positrons have been accumulated and have reached a remarkable precision. Such a precision requires from us to refine the theoretical models and to quantify the errors. This thesis addresses the study of all the sources of uncertainties affecting predictions of cosmic electrons and positron fluxes, primary and secondary, classical or from exotic origin. The greatest care has been dedicated to the sources and the propagation in the Galactic halo. Moreover a study of gamma and radio emissions associated to these cosmic rays is presented, again with the will of sizing uncertainties. Finally a status of the research for detection of annihilation or decay of Galactic dark matter is presented. (author)

Simulated Galactic methanol maser distribution to constrain Milky Way parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Quiroga-Nuñez, L. H.; van Langevelde, H. J.; Reid, M. J.; Green, J. A.

2017-08-01

Context. Using trigonometric parallaxes and proper motions of masers associated with massive young stars, the Bar and Spiral Structure Legacy (BeSSeL) survey has reported the most accurate values of the Galactic parameters so far. The determination of these parameters with high accuracy has a widespread impact on Galactic and extragalactic measurements. Aims: This research is aimed at establishing the confidence with which such parameters can be determined. This is relevant for the data published in the context of the BeSSeL survey collaboration, but also for future observations, in particular from the southern hemisphere. In addition, some astrophysical properties of the masers can be constrained, notably the luminosity function. Methods: We have simulated the population of maser-bearing young stars associated with Galactic spiral structure, generating several samples and comparing them with the observed samples used in the BeSSeL survey. Consequently, we checked the determination of Galactic parameters for observational biases introduced by the sample selection. Results: Galactic parameters obtained by the BeSSeL survey do not seem to be biased by the sample selection used. In fact, the published error estimates appear to be conservative for most of the parameters. We show that future BeSSeL data and future observations with southern arrays will improve the Galactic parameters estimates and smoothly reduce their mutual correlation. Moreover, by modeling future parallax data with larger distance values and, thus, greater relative uncertainties for a larger numbers of sources, we found that parallax-distance biasing is an important issue. Hence, using fractional parallax uncertainty in the weighting of the motion data is imperative. Finally, the luminosity function for 6.7 GHz methanol masers was determined, allowing us to estimate the number of Galactic methanol masers.

Effects of Interstellar Dust Scattering on the X-ray Eclipses of the LMXB AX J1745.6-2901 in the Galactic Center

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Chichuan; Ponti, Gabriele; Haberl, Frank; Smith, Randall; Valencic, Lynne

2018-04-01

AX J1745.6-2901 is an eclipsing low mass X-ray binary (LMXB) in the Galactic Centre (GC). It shows significant X-ray excess emission during the eclipse phase, and its eclipse light curve shows an asymmetric shape. We use archival XMM-Newton and Chandra observations to study the origin of these peculiar X-ray eclipsing phenomena. We find that the shape of the observed X-ray eclipse light curves depends on both photon energy and the shape of the source extraction region, and also shows differences between the two instruments. By performing detailed simulations for the time-dependent X-ray dust scattering halo, as well as directly modelling the observed eclipse and non-eclipse halo profiles of AX J1745.6-2901, we obtained solid evidence that its peculiar eclipse phenomena are indeed caused by the X-ray dust scattering in multiple foreground dust layers along the line-of-sight (LOS). The apparent dependence on the instruments is caused by different instrumental point-spread-functions. Our results can be used to assess the influence of dust scattering in other eclipsing X-ray sources, and raise the importance of considering the timing effects of dust scattering halo when studying the variability of other X-ray sources in the GC, such as Sgr A⋆. Moreover, our study of halo eclipse reinforces the existence of a dust layer local to AX J1745.6-2901 as reported by Jin et al. (2017), as well as identifying another dust layer within a few hundred parsecs to Earth, containing up to several tens of percent LOS dust, which is likely to be associated with the molecular clouds in the Solar neighbourhood. The remaining LOS dust is likely to be associated with the molecular clouds located in the Galactic disk in-between.

Testing MONDian dark matter with galactic rotation curves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edmonds, Doug; Farrah, Duncan; Minic, Djordje; Takeuchi, Tatsu; Ho, Chiu Man; Ng, Y. Jack

2014-01-01

MONDian dark matter (MDM) is a new form of dark matter quantum that naturally accounts for Milgrom's scaling, usually associated with modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND), and theoretically behaves like cold dark matter (CDM) at cluster and cosmic scales. In this paper, we provide the first observational test of MDM by fitting rotation curves to a sample of 30 local spiral galaxies (z ≈ 0.003). For comparison, we also fit the galactic rotation curves using MOND and CDM. We find that all three models fit the data well. The rotation curves predicted by MDM and MOND are virtually indistinguishable over the range of observed radii (∼1 to 30 kpc). The best-fit MDM and CDM density profiles are compared. We also compare with MDM the dark matter density profiles arising from MOND if Milgrom's formula is interpreted as Newtonian gravity with an extra source term instead of as a modification of inertia. We find that discrepancies between MDM and MOND will occur near the center of a typical spiral galaxy. In these regions, instead of continuing to rise sharply, the MDM mass density turns over and drops as we approach the center of the galaxy. Our results show that MDM, which restricts the nature of the dark matter quantum by accounting for Milgrom's scaling, accurately reproduces observed rotation curves.

X-ray polarimetry. [aboard Ariel 5 and OSO 8 for observation of galactic sources

Science.gov (United States)

Long, K. S.; Chanan, G. A.; Helfand, D. J.; Ku, W. H.-M.; Novick, R.

1979-01-01

The method by which the Bragg-crystal X-ray polarimeters aboard Ariel 5 and OSO 8 operate is briefly described, and some results obtained with these instruments for six Galactic X-ray sources are summarized. A precision measurement of the linear polarization in the Crab Nebula at energies of 2.6 and 5.2 keV is presented. Evidence is given for polarization in Sco X-1, Cyg X-2, Cen X-3, and the X-ray transient A0620-00. The determined or estimated polarizations are approximately 19.2% at 2.6 keV and 19.5% at 5.2 keV for the Crab Nebula, 1.1% at 2.6 keV and 2.4% at 5.2 keV for Sco X-1, 2.5% at 2.6 keV and 9.8% at 5.2 keV for Cyg X-1, an upper limit of 13.5% for A0620-00, an upper limit of 13.5% to the time-averaged polarization of Cen X-3, and an apparent value of about 5% for Cyg X-2.

Analysis of nearly simultaneous x-ray and optical observations of active galactic nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webb, J.R.

1988-01-01

Rosemary Hill optical and EINSTEIN X-ray observations of a sample of 36 galactic nuclei (AGN) were reduced and analyzed. Seventy-two x-ray observations of these sources were reduced, nineteen of which yielded spectral information. Of these spectra observations, significant hydrogen column densities above the galactic value were required for nine of the active galactic nuclei. X-ray variability was detected in eight of the eleven sources which were observed more than once by EINSTEIN. Correlations between the x-ray and optical luminosities were investigated using the Jefferys method of least squares. This method allows for errors in both variables. The results indicate a strong correlation between the x-ray and optical luminosities for the entire sample. Division of the sample into groups with similar optical variability characteristics show that the less violently violent variable AGN are more highly correlated than the violently variable blazars. Infrared and radio observations were combined with the x-ray and optical observations of six AGN. These sources were modelled in terms of the synchrotron-self-Compton model. The turnover frequency falls between the infrared and radio data and reliable estimates of this parameter are difficult to estimate. Therefore the results were found as a function of the turnover frequency. Four sources required relativistic bulk motion or beaming. Multifrequency spectra made at different times for one individual source, 0235+164, required different amounts of beaming to satisfy the x-ray observations. Sizes of the emitting regions for the sources modelled ranged from 0.5 parsec to 1.0 parsec

A polarized fast radio burst at low Galactic latitude

Science.gov (United States)

Petroff, E.; Burke-Spolaor, S.; Keane, E. F.; McLaughlin, M. A.; Miller, R.; Andreoni, I.; Bailes, M.; Barr, E. D.; Bernard, S. R.; Bhandari, S.; Bhat, N. D. R.; Burgay, M.; Caleb, M.; Champion, D.; Chandra, P.; Cooke, J.; Dhillon, V. S.; Farnes, J. S.; Hardy, L. K.; Jaroenjittichai, P.; Johnston, S.; Kasliwal, M.; Kramer, M.; Littlefair, S. P.; Macquart, J. P.; Mickaliger, M.; Possenti, A.; Pritchard, T.; Ravi, V.; Rest, A.; Rowlinson, A.; Sawangwit, U.; Stappers, B.; Sullivan, M.; Tiburzi, C.; van Straten, W.; ANTARES Collaboration; Albert, A.; André, M.; Anghinolfi, M.; Anton, G.; Ardid, M.; Aubert, J.-J.; Avgitas, T.; Baret, B.; Barrios-Martí, J.; Basa, S.; Bertin, V.; Biagi, S.; Bormuth, R.; Bourret, S.; Bouwhuis, M. C.; Bruijn, R.; Brunner, J.; Busto, J.; Capone, A.; Caramete, L.; Carr, J.; Celli, S.; Chiarusi, T.; Circella, M.; Coelho, J. A. B.; Coleiro, A.; Coniglione, R.; Costantini, H.; Coyle, P.; Creusot, A.; Deschamps, A.; de Bonis, G.; Distefano, C.; di Palma, I.; Donzaud, C.; Dornic, D.; Drouhin, D.; Eberl, T.; El Bojaddaini, I.; Elsässer, D.; Enzenhöfer, A.; Felis, I.; Fusco, L. A.; Galatà, S.; Gay, P.; Geißelsöder, S.; Geyer, K.; Giordano, V.; Gleixner, A.; Glotin, H.; Grégoire, 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.; Lotze, M.; Loucatos, S.; Marcelin, M.; Margiotta, A.; Marinelli, A.; Martínez-Mora, J. A.; Mathieu, A.; Mele, R.; Melis, K.; Michael, T.; Migliozzi, P.; Moussa, A.; Mueller, C.; Nezri, E.; Pǎvǎlaş, G. E.; Pellegrino, C.; Perrina, C.; Piattelli, P.; Popa, V.; Pradier, T.; Quinn, L.; Racca, C.; Riccobene, G.; Roensch, K.; Sánchez-Losa, A.; Saldaña, M.; Salvadori, I.; Samtleben, D. F. E.; Sanguineti, M.; Sapienza, P.; Schnabel, J.; Seitz, T.; Sieger, C.; Spurio, M.; Stolarczyk, Th.; Taiuti, M.; Tayalati, Y.; Trovato, A.; Tselengidou, M.; Turpin, D.; Tönnis, C.; Vallage, B.; Vallée, C.; van Elewyck, V.; Vivolo, D.; Vizzoca, A.; Wagner, S.; Wilms, J.; Zornoza, J. D.; Zúñiga, J.; H.E.S.S. Collaboration; Abdalla, H.; Abramowski, A.; Aharonian, F.; Ait Benkhali, F.; Akhperjanian, A. G.; Andersson, T.; Angüner, E. O.; Arrieta, M.; Aubert, P.; Backes, M.; Balzer, A.; Barnard, M.; Becherini, Y.; Tjus, J. Becker; Berge, D.; Bernhard, S.; Bernlöhr, K.; Blackwell, R.; Böttcher, M.; Boisson, C.; Bolmont, J.; Bordas, P.; Bregeon, J.; Brun, F.; Brun, P.; Bryan, M.; Bulik, T.; Capasso, M.; Casanova, S.; Cerruti, M.; Chakraborty, N.; Chalme-Calvet, R.; Chaves, R. C. G.; Chen, A.; Chevalier, J.; Chrétien, M.; Colafrancesco, S.; Cologna, G.; Condon, B.; Conrad, J.; Cui, Y.; Davids, I. D.; Decock, J.; Degrange, B.; Deil, C.; Devin, J.; Dewilt, P.; Dirson, L.; Djannati-Ataï, A.; Domainko, W.; Donath, A.; Drury, L. O'c.; Dubus, G.; Dutson, K.; Dyks, J.; Edwards, T.; Egberts, K.; Eger, P.; Ernenwein, J.-P.; Eschbach, S.; Farnier, C.; Fegan, S.; Fernandes, M. V.; Fiasson, A.; Fontaine, G.; Förster, A.; Funk, S.; Füßling, M.; Gabici, S.; Gajdus, M.; Gallant, Y. A.; Garrigoux, T.; Giavitto, G.; Giebels, B.; Glicenstein, J. F.; Gottschall, D.; Goyal, A.; Grondin, M.-H.; Hadasch, D.; Hahn, J.; Haupt, M.; Hawkes, J.; Heinzelmann, G.; Henri, G.; Hermann, G.; Hervet, O.; Hinton, J. A.; Hofmann, W.; Hoischen, C.; Holler, M.; Horns, D.; Ivascenko, A.; Jacholkowska, A.; Jamrozy, M.; Janiak, M.; Jankowsky, D.; Jankowsky, F.; Jingo, M.; Jogler, T.; Jouvin, L.; Jung-Richardt, I.; Kastendieck, M. A.; Katarzyński, K.; Kerszberg, D.; Khélifi, B.; Kieffer, M.; King, J.; Klepser, S.; Klochkov, D.; Kluźniak, W.; Kolitzus, D.; Komin, Nu.; Kosack, K.; Krakau, S.; Kraus, M.; Krayzel, F.; Krüger, P. P.; Laffon, H.; Lamanna, G.; Lau, J.; Lees, J.-P.; Lefaucheur, J.; Lefranc, V.; Lemière, A.; Lemoine-Goumard, M.; Lenain, J.-P.; Leser, E.; Lohse, T.; Lorentz, M.; Liu, R.; López-Coto, R.; Lypova, I.; Marandon, V.; Marcowith, A.; Mariaud, C.; Marx, R.; Maurin, G.; Maxted, N.; Mayer, M.; Meintjes, P. J.; Meyer, M.; Mitchell, A. M. W.; Moderski, R.; Mohamed, M.; Mohrmann, L.; Morâ, K.; Moulin, E.; Murach, T.; de Naurois, M.; Niederwanger, F.; Niemiec, J.; Oakes, L.; O'Brien, P.; Odaka, H.; Öttl, S.; Ohm, S.; Ostrowski, M.; Oya, I.; Padovani, M.; Panter, M.; Parsons, R. D.; Pekeur, N. W.; Pelletier, G.; Perennes, C.; Petrucci, P.-O.; Peyaud, B.; Piel, Q.; Pita, S.; Poon, H.; Prokhorov, D.; Prokoph, H.; Pühlhofer, G.; Punch, M.; Quirrenbach, A.; Raab, S.; Reimer, A.; Reimer, O.; Renaud, M.; Reyes, R. De Los; Rieger, F.; Romoli, C.; Rosier-Lees, S.; Rowell, G.; Rudak, B.; Rulten, C. B.; Sahakian, V.; Salek, D.; Sanchez, D. A.; Santangelo, A.; Sasaki, M.; Schlickeiser, R.; Schulz, A.; Schüssler, F.; Schwanke, U.; Schwemmer, S.; Settimo, M.; Seyffert, A. S.; Shafi, N.; Shilon, I.; Simoni, R.; Sol, H.; Spanier, F.; Spengler, G.; Spies, F.; Stawarz, Ł.; Steenkamp, R.; Stegmann, C.; Stinzing, F.; Stycz, K.; Sushch, I.; Tavernet, J.-P.; Tavernier, T.; Taylor, A. M.; Terrier, R.; Tibaldo, L.; Tiziani, D.; Tluczykont, M.; Trichard, C.; Tuffs, R.; Uchiyama, Y.; Walt, D. J. Van Der; van Eldik, C.; van Rensburg, C.; van Soelen, B.; Vasileiadis, G.; Veh, J.; Venter, C.; Viana, A.; Vincent, P.; Vink, J.; Voisin, F.; Völk, H. J.; Vuillaume, T.; Wadiasingh, Z.; Wagner, S. J.; Wagner, P.; Wagner, R. M.; White, R.; Wierzcholska, A.; Willmann, P.; Wörnlein, A.; Wouters, D.; Yang, R.; Zabalza, V.; Zaborov, D.; Zacharias, M.; Zanin, R.; Zdziarski, A. A.; Zech, A.; Zefi, F.; Ziegler, A.; Żywucka, N.

2017-08-01

We report on the discovery of a new fast radio burst (FRB), FRB 150215, with the Parkes radio telescope on 2015 February 15. The burst was detected in real time with a dispersion measure (DM) of 1105.6 ± 0.8 pc cm-3, a pulse duration of 2.8^{+1.2}_{-0.5} ms, and a measured peak flux density assuming that the burst was at beam centre of 0.7^{+0.2}_{-0.1} Jy. The FRB originated at a Galactic longitude and latitude of 24.66°, 5.28° and 25° away from the Galactic Center. The burst was found to be 43 ± 5 per cent linearly polarized with a rotation measure (RM) in the range -9 < RM < 12 rad m-2 (95 per cent confidence level), consistent with zero. The burst was followed up with 11 telescopes to search for radio, optical, X-ray, γ-ray and neutrino emission. Neither transient nor variable emission was found to be associated with the burst and no repeat pulses have been observed in 17.25 h of observing. The sightline to the burst is close to the Galactic plane and the observed physical properties of FRB 150215 demonstrate the existence of sight lines of anomalously low RM for a given electron column density. The Galactic RM foreground may approach a null value due to magnetic field reversals along the line of sight, a decreased total electron column density from the Milky Way, or some combination of these effects. A lower Galactic DM contribution might explain why this burst was detectable whereas previous searches at low latitude have had lower detection rates than those out of the plane.

Radiative Hydrodynamic Simulations of In Situ Star Formation in the Galactic Center

Science.gov (United States)

Frazer, Chris; Heitsch, Fabian

2018-01-01

Many stars observed in the Galactic Center (GC) orbit the supermassive black hole (SMBH), Sagittarius A*, in a region where the extreme gravitational field is expected to inhibit star formation. Yet, many of these stars are young which favors an in situ formation scenario. Previous numerical work on this topic has focused on two possible solutions. First, the tidal capture of a > 10^4 Msun infalling molecular cloud by an SMBH may result in the formation of a surrounding gas disk which then rapidly cools and forms stars. This process results in stellar populations that are consistent with the observed stellar disk in the GC. Second, dense gas clumps of approximately 100 Msun on highly eccentric orbits about an SMBH can experience sparks of star formation via orbital compressions occurring during pericenter passage. In my dissertation, I build upon these models using a series of grid-based radiative hydrodynamic simulations, including the effects of both ionizing ultraviolet light from existing stars as well as X-ray radiation emanating from the central black hole. Radiation is treated with an adaptive ray-tracing routine, including appropriate heating and cooling for both neutral and ionized gas. These models show that ultraviolet radiation is sufficiently strong to heat low mass gas clouds, thus suppressing star formation from clump compression. Gas disks that form from cloud capture become sufficiently dense to provide shielding from the radiation of existing central stars, thus allowing star formation to continue. Conversely, X-rays easily penetrate and heat the potentially star forming gas. For sufficiently high radiation fields, this provides a mechanism to disrupt star formation for both scenarios considered above.

The Large Scale Structure of the Galactic Magnetic Field and High Energy Cosmic Ray Anisotropy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alvarez-Muniz, Jaime [Department de Fisica de PartIculas, University de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago, SPAIN (Spain); Stanev, Todor [Bartol Research Institute, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716 (United States)

2006-10-15

Measurements of the magnetic field in our Galaxy are complex and usually difficult to interpret. A spiral regular field in the disk is favored by observations, however the number of field reversals is still under debate. Measurements of the parity of the field across the Galactic plane are also very difficult due to the presence of the disk field itself. In this work we demonstrate that cosmic ray protons in the energy range 10{sup 18} to 10{sup 19}eV, if accelerated near the center of the Galaxy, are sensitive to the large scale structure of the Galactic Magnetic Field (GMF). In particular if the field is of even parity, and the spiral field is bi-symmetric (BSS), ultra high energy protons will predominantly come from the Southern Galactic hemisphere, and predominantly from the Northern Galactic hemisphere if the field is of even parity and axi-symmetric (ASS). There is no sensitivity to the BSS or ASS configurations if the field is of odd parity.

Monitoring and Mapping the Galactic Bulge

Science.gov (United States)

Markwardt, Craig

Both neutron star and black hole binary transients are providing some of the most exciting RXTE science, and fortunately many are concentrated in the galactic bulge region. We propose to continue our twice weekly PCA scans of the region, which cover about 500 sq deg. The observations will be sensitive to new sources at the ~1 mCrab level (a factor of 10-60 more sensitive than the ASM in the region). We have had success finding new sources and new types of variability, including three millisecond pulsars, and new increased solid angle will improve the chances of finding more in the final RXTE years. We will continue efforts to search for variability in new and known sources. Companion follow-up proposals would be triggered by the results.

MSSM A-funnel and the galactic center excess: prospects for the LHC and direct detection experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freese, Katherine [Nordita (Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics),KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University,Roslagstullsbacken 23, SE-106 91 Stockholm (Sweden); The Oskar Klein Center for Cosmoparticle Physics, AlbaNova University Center,University of Stockholm,10691 Stockholm (Sweden); Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics, Department of Physics, University of Michigan,Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); López, Alejandro [Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics, Department of Physics, University of Michigan,Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Shah, Nausheen R. [Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics, Department of Physics, University of Michigan,Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Department of Physics and Astronomy, Wayne State University,Detroit, Michigan 48201 (United States); Shakya, Bibhushan [Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics, Department of Physics, University of Michigan,Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)

2016-04-11

The pseudoscalar resonance or “A-funnel' in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) is a widely studied framework for explaining dark matter that can yield interesting indirect detection and collider signals. The well-known Galactic Center excess (GCE) at GeV energies in the gamma ray spectrum, consistent with annihilation of a ≲40 GeV dark matter particle, has more recently been shown to be compatible with significantly heavier masses following reanalysis of the background. In this paper, we explore the LHC and direct detection implications of interpreting the GCE in this extended mass window within the MSSM A-funnel framework. We find that compatibility with relic density, signal strength, collider constraints, and Higgs data can be simultaneously achieved with appropriate parameter choices. The compatible regions give very sharp predictions of 200–600 GeV CP-odd/even Higgs bosons at low tan β at the LHC and spin-independent cross sections ≈10{sup −11} pb at direct detection experiments. Regardless of consistency with the GCE, this study serves as a useful template of the strong correlations between indirect, direct, and LHC signatures of the MSSM A-funnel region.

Angular Spectra of Polarized Galactic Foregrounds

OpenAIRE

Cho, Jung; Lazarian, A.

2003-01-01

It is believed that magnetic field lines are twisted and bend by turbulent motions in the Galaxy. Therefore, both Galactic synchrotron emission and thermal emission from dust reflects statistics of Galactic turbulence. Our simple model of Galactic turbulence, motivated by results of our simulations, predicts that Galactic disk and halo exhibit different angular power spectra. We show that observed angular spectra of synchrotron emission are compatible with our model. We also show that our mod...

NuSTAR HARD X-RAY SURVEY OF THE GALACTIC CENTER REGION. I. HARD X-RAY MORPHOLOGY AND SPECTROSCOPY OF THE DIFFUSE EMISSION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mori, Kaya; Hailey, Charles J.; Perez, Kerstin; Nynka, Melania; Zhang, Shuo; Canipe, Alicia M. [Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Krivonos, Roman; Tomsick, John A.; Barrière, Nicolas; Boggs, Steven E.; Craig, William W. [Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Hong, Jaesub [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Ponti, Gabriele [Max-Planck-Institut f. extraterrestrische Physik, HEG, Garching (Germany); Bauer, Franz [Instituto de Astrofísica, Facultad de Física, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 306, Santiago 22 (Chile); Alexander, David M. [Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Baganoff, Frederick K. [Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusets Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Barret, Didier [Université de Toulouse, UPS-OMP, IRAP, Toulouse (France); Christensen, Finn E. [DTU Space—National Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Elektrovej 327, DK-2800 Lyngby (Denmark); Forster, Karl [Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Giommi, Paolo, E-mail: kaya@astro.columbia.edu [ASI Science Data Center, Via del Politecnico snc I-00133, Roma (Italy); and others

2015-12-01

We present the first sub-arcminute images of the Galactic Center above 10 keV, obtained with NuSTAR. NuSTAR resolves the hard X-ray source IGR J17456–2901 into non-thermal X-ray filaments, molecular clouds, point sources, and a previously unknown central component of hard X-ray emission (CHXE). NuSTAR detects four non-thermal X-ray filaments, extending the detection of their power-law spectra with Γ ∼ 1.3–2.3 up to ∼50 keV. A morphological and spectral study of the filaments suggests that their origin may be heterogeneous, where previous studies suggested a common origin in young pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe). NuSTAR detects non-thermal X-ray continuum emission spatially correlated with the 6.4 keV Fe Kα fluorescence line emission associated with two Sgr A molecular clouds: MC1 and the Bridge. Broadband X-ray spectral analysis with a Monte-Carlo based X-ray reflection model self-consistently determined their intrinsic column density (∼10{sup 23} cm{sup −2}), primary X-ray spectra (power-laws with Γ ∼ 2) and set a lower limit of the X-ray luminosity of Sgr A* flare illuminating the Sgr A clouds to L{sub X} ≳ 10{sup 38} erg s{sup −1}. Above ∼20 keV, hard X-ray emission in the central 10 pc region around Sgr A* consists of the candidate PWN G359.95–0.04 and the CHXE, possibly resulting from an unresolved population of massive CVs with white dwarf masses M{sub WD} ∼ 0.9 M{sub ⊙}. Spectral energy distribution analysis suggests that G359.95–0.04 is likely the hard X-ray counterpart of the ultra-high gamma-ray source HESS J1745–290, strongly favoring a leptonic origin of the GC TeV emission.

The end of the galactic cosmic ray spectrum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

2007-03-15

We discuss the region of transition between galactic and extragalactic cosmic rays. The exact shapes and compositions of these two components contains information about important parameters of powerful astrophysical sources and the conditions in extragalactic space as well as for the cosmological evolution of the sources of high energy cosmic rays. 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.

Evaluation of parameters of Black Hole, stellar cluster and dark matter distribution from bright star orbits in the Galactic Center

Science.gov (United States)

Zakharov, Alexander

It is well-known that one can evaluate black hole (BH) parameters (including spin) analyz-ing trajectories of stars around BH. A bulk distribution of matter (dark matter (DM)+stellar cluster) inside stellar orbits modifies trajectories of stars, namely, generally there is a apoas-tron shift in direction which opposite to GR one, even now one could put constraints on DM distribution and BH parameters and constraints will more stringent in the future. Therefore, an analyze of bright star trajectories provides a relativistic test in a weak gravitational field approximation, but in the future one can test a strong gravitational field near the BH at the Galactic Center with the same technique due to a rapid progress in observational facilities. References A. Zakharov et al., Phys. Rev. D76, 062001 (2007). A.F. Zakharov et al., Space Sci. Rev. 148, 301313(2009).

The Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope discovers the Pulsar in the Young Galactic Supernova-Remnant CTA 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdo, Aous A.; Ackermann, M.; Atwood, W.B.; Baldini, L.; Ballet, J.; Barbiellini, G.; Baring, M.G.; Bastieri, Denis; Baughman, B.M.; Bechtol, K.; Bellazzini, R.; Berenji, B.; Blandford, R.D.; Bloom, Elliott D.; Bogaert, G.; Bonamente, E.; Borgland, A.W.; Bregeon, J.; Brez, A.; Brigida, M.; Bruel, P.

2009-01-01

Energetic young pulsars and expanding blast waves (supernova remnants, SNRs) are the most visible remains after massive stars, ending their lives, explode in core-collapse supernovae. The Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope has unveiled a radio quiet pulsar located near the center of the compact synchrotron nebula inside the supernova remnant CTA 1. The pulsar, discovered through its gamma-ray pulsations, has a period of 316.86 ms, a period derivative of 3.614 x 10 -13 s s -1 . Its characteristic age of 10 4 years is comparable to that estimated for the SNR. It is conjectured that most unidentified Galactic gamma ray sources associated with star-forming regions and SNRs are such young pulsars

The Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope discovers the Pulsar in the Young Galactic Supernova-Remnant CTA 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdo, Aous A.; Ackermann, M.; Atwood, W.B.; Baldini, L.; Ballet, J.; Barbiellini, G.; Baring, M.G.; Bastieri, Denis; Baughman, B.M.; Bechtol, K.; Bellazzini, R.; Berenji, B.; Blandford, R.D.; Bloom, Elliott D.; Bogaert, G.; Bonamente, E.; Borgland, A.W.; Bregeon, J.; Brez, A.; Brigida, M.; Bruel, P.

2009-05-15

Energetic young pulsars and expanding blast waves (supernova remnants, SNRs) are the most visible remains after massive stars, ending their lives, explode in core-collapse supernovae. The Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope has unveiled a radio quiet pulsar located near the center of the compact synchrotron nebula inside the supernova remnant CTA 1. The pulsar, discovered through its gamma-ray pulsations, has a period of 316.86 ms, a period derivative of 3.614 x 10{sup -13} s s{sup -1}. Its characteristic age of 10{sup 4} years is comparable to that estimated for the SNR. It is conjectured that most unidentified Galactic gamma ray sources associated with star-forming regions and SNRs are such young pulsars.

Radio observations of a galactic high energy gamma-ray source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giacani, E.; Rovero, A.C. [Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2001-10-01

PSR B1706-44 is one of the very few galactic pulsars that has been discovered at TeV energies. PSR B1706-44 has been also detected in the X-ray domain. It has been suggested that the high energy radiation could be due to inverse Compton radiation from a pulsar wind nebula (PWN). It was reported on VLA high-resolution observations of a region around the pulsar PSR B1706-44 at 1.4, 4.8 and 8.4 GHz. The pulsar appears embedded in a synchrotron nebula. It was proposed that this synchrotron nebula is the radio counterpart of the high energy emission powered by the spin-down energy of the pulsar.

Footpoints of the giant molecular loops in the Galactic center region

Science.gov (United States)

Riquelme, D.; Amo-Baladrón, M. A.; Martín-Pintado, J.; Mauersberger, R.; Martín, S.; Burton, M.; Cunningham, M.; Jones, P. A.; Menten, K. M.; Bronfman, L.; Güsten, R.

2018-05-01

Aims: We aim to reveal the morphology, chemical composition, kinematics, and to establish the main processes prevalent in the gas at the footpoints of the giant molecular loops (GMLs) in the Galactic center region. Methods: Using the 22-m Mopra telescope, we mapped the M-3.8+0.9 molecular cloud, placed at the footpoints of a GML, in 3-mm range molecular lines. To derive the molecular hydrogen column density, we also observed the 13CO(2 - 1) line at 1 mm using the 12-m APEX telescope. From the 3 mm observations 12 molecular species were detected, namely HCO+, HCN, H13CN, HNC, SiO, CS, CH3OH, N2H+, SO, HNCO, OCS, and HC3N. Results: Maps revealing the morphology and kinematics of the M-3.8+0.9 molecular cloud in different molecules are presented. We identify six main molecular complexes. We derive fractional abundances in 11 selected positions of the different molecules assuming local thermodynamical equilibrium. Conclusions: Most of the fractional abundances derived for the M-3.8+0.9 molecular cloud are very similar over the whole cloud. However, the fractional abundances of some molecules show significant difference with respect to those measured in the central molecular zone (CMZ). The abundances of the shock tracer SiO are very similar between the GMLs and the CMZ. The methanol emission is the most abundant species in the GMLs. This indicates that the gas is likely affected by moderate 30 km s-1 or even high velocity (50 km s-1) shocks, consistent with the line profile observed toward one of the studied position. The origin of the shocks is likely related to the flow of the gas throughout the GMLs towards the footpoints. OPRA and APEX final data cubes (FITS) are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/613/A42

EVN observations of low-luminosity flat-spectrum active galactic nuclei

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Caccianiga, A; Marcha, MJM; Thean, A; Dennett-Thorpe, J

2001-01-01

We present and discuss the results of very-long baseline interferometry (VLBI, EVN) observations of three low-luminosity (P-5GHz <10(25) W Hz(-1)) broad emission line active galactic nuclei (AGNs) carefully selected from a sample of flat-spectrum radio sources (CLASS). Based on the total and the

On the evolution of globular clusters and the origin of galactic halo stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Surdin, V.G.

1978-01-01

Evolution of globular clusters of galactic halo is considered. It is shown that evolution of massive globular clusters with a greater degree of probability takes place under the effect of dynamic friction, which brings about the cluster fall on the center of galactic and their destruction by tidal forces. Evolution of small massive cluster takes place under the effect of dissipation. All the other reasons, causing the destruction of globular clusters (gravitational tidal forces, mutual cluster collision, outflow of gas from red gigant atmospheres, the change of the radius of the cluster orbit at the expense of the change of the galaxy mass inside the cluster orbit) play a secondary role. The whole mass of the stars lost by globular clusters does not exceed 10 7 M sun. It is concluded that the origin of the star population of galactic halo field can not be explained by destruction of already formed only astral globular clusters

Search for gamma-ray spectral modulations in Galactic pulsars

Science.gov (United States)

Majumdar, Jhilik; Calore, Francesca; Horns, Dieter

2018-04-01

Well-motivated extensions of the standard model predict ultra-light and fundamental pseudo-scalar particles (e.g., axions or axion-like particles: ALPs). Similarly to the Primakoff-effect for axions, ALPs can mix with photons and consequently be searched for in laboratory experiments and with astrophysical observations. Here, we search for energy-dependent modulations of high-energy gamma-ray spectra that are tell-tale signatures of photon-ALPs mixing. To this end, we analyze the data recorded with the Fermi-LAT from Galactic pulsars selected to have a line of sight crossing spiral arms at a large pitch angle. The large-scale Galactic magnetic field traces the shape of spiral arms, such that a sizable photon-ALP conversion probability is expected for the sources considered. For the nearby Vela pulsar, the energy spectrum is well described by a smooth model spectrum (a power-law with a sub-exponential cut-off) while for the six selected Galactic pulsars, a common fit of the ALPs parameters improves the goodness of fit in comparison to a smooth model spectrum with a significance of 4.6 σ. We determine the most-likely values for mass ma and coupling gaγγ to be ma=(3.6‑0.2 stat.+0.5 stat.± 0.2syst. ) neV and gaγγ=(2.3‑0.4stat.+0.3 stat.± 0.4syst.)× 10‑10 GeV‑1. In the error budget, we consider instrumental effects, scaling of the adopted Galactic magnetic field model (± 20 %), and uncertainties on the distance of individual sources. The best-fit parameters are by a factor of ≈ 3 larger than the current best limit on solar ALPs generation obtained with the CAST helioscope, although known modifications of the photon-ALP mixing in the high density solar environment could provide a plausible explanation for the apparent tension between the helioscope bound and the indication for photon-ALPs mixing reported here.

Simulating deep surveys of the Galactic Plane with the Advanced Gamma-ray Imaging System (AGIS)

Science.gov (United States)

Funk, Stefan; Digel, Seth

2009-05-01

The pioneering survey of the Galactic plane by H.E.S.S., together with the northern complement now underway with VERITAS, has shown the inner Milky Way to be rich in TeV-emitting sources; new source classes have been found among the H.E.S.S. detections and unidentified sources remain. In order to explore optimizations of the design of an Advanced Gamma-ray Imaging System (AGIS)-like instrument for survey science, we constructed a model of the flux and size distributions of Galactic TeV sources, normalized to the H.E.S.S. sources but extrapolated to lower flux levels. We investigated potential outcomes from a survey with the order of magnitude improvement in sensitivity and attendant improvement in angular resolution planned for AGIS. Studies of individual sources and populations found with such a sensitivity survey will advance understanding of astrophysical particle acceleration, source populations, and even high-energy cosmic rays via detection of the low-level TeV diffuse emission in regions of high cosmic-ray densitiy.

The Galactic Distribution of Planets via Spitzer Microlensing Parallax

Science.gov (United States)

Gould, Andrew; Yee, Jennifer; Carey, Sean; Shvartzvald, Yossi

2018-05-01

We will measure the Galactic distribution of planets by obtaining 'microlens parallaxes' of about 200 events, including 3 planetary events, from the comparison of microlens lightcurves observed from Spitzer and Earth, which are separated by >1.5 AU in projection. The proposed observations are part of a campaign that we have conducted with Spitzer since 2014. The planets expected to be identified in this campaign when combined with previous work will yield a first statistically significant measurement of the frequency of planets in the Galactic bulge versus the Galactic disk. As we have demonstrated in three previous programs, the difference in these lightcurves yields both the 'microlens parallax' (ratio of the lens-source relative parallax) to the Einstein radius, and the direction of lens-source relative motion. For planetary events, this measurement directly yields the mass and distance of the planet. This proposal is significantly more sensitive to planets than previous work because it takes advantage of the KMTNet observing strategy that covers >85 sq.deg t >0.4/hr cadence, 24/7 from 3 southern observatories and a alert system KMTNet is implementing for 2019. This same observing program also provides a unique probe of dark objects. It will yield an improved measurement of the isolated-brown-dwarf mass function. Thirteen percent of the observations will specifically target binaries, which will probe systems with dark components (brown dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes) that are difficult or impossible to investigate by other methods. The observations and methods from this work are a test bed for WFIRST microlensing.

Perspectives on Constraining a Cosmological Constant-Type Parameter with Pulsar Timing in the Galactic Center

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorenzo Iorio

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Independent tests aiming to constrain the value of the cosmological constant Λ are usually difficult because of its extreme smallness ( Λ ≃ 1 × 10 - 52 m - 2 , or 2 . 89 × 10 - 122 in Planck units . Bounds on it from Solar System orbital motions determined with spacecraft tracking are currently at the ≃ 10 - 43 – 10 - 44 m - 2 ( 5 – 1 × 10 - 113 in Planck units level, but they may turn out to be optimistic since Λ has not yet been explicitly modeled in the planetary data reductions. Accurate ( σ τ p ≃ 1 – 10 μ s timing of expected pulsars orbiting the Black Hole at the Galactic Center, preferably along highly eccentric and wide orbits, might, at least in principle, improve the planetary constraints by several orders of magnitude. By looking at the average time shift per orbit Δ δ τ ¯ p Λ , an S2-like orbital configuration with e = 0 . 8839 , P b = 16 yr would permit a preliminarily upper bound of the order of Λ ≲ 9 × 10 - 47 m - 2 ≲ 2 × 10 - 116 in Planck units if only σ τ p were to be considered. Our results can be easily extended to modified models of gravity using Λ -type parameters.

HERSCHEL SURVEY OF GALACTIC OH{sup +}, H{sub 2}O{sup +}, AND H{sub 3}O{sup +}: PROBING THE MOLECULAR HYDROGEN FRACTION AND COSMIC-RAY IONIZATION RATE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Indriolo, Nick; Neufeld, D. A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Gerin, M.; Falgarone, E. [LERMA, Observatoire de Paris, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR8112, F-75014 Paris (France); Schilke, P.; Chambers, E. T.; Ossenkopf, V. [I. Physikalisches Institut der Universität zu Köln, Zülpicher Str. 77, 50937 Köln (Germany); Benz, A. O. [Institute of Astronomy, ETH Zürich (Switzerland); Winkel, B.; Menten, K. M. [MPI für Radioastronomie, Bonn (Germany); Black, John H.; Persson, C. M. [Department of Earth and Space Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Onsala Space Observatory, SE-43992 Onsala (Sweden); Bruderer, S.; Van Dishoeck, E. F. [Max Planck Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik, Garching (Germany); Godard, B.; Lis, D. C. [Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, UMR8112, LERMA, F-75005 Paris (France); Goicoechea, J. R. [Instituto de Ciencias de Materiales de Madrid (CSIC), E-28049 Cantoblanco, Madrid (Spain); Gupta, H. [California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Sonnentrucker, P. [Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Van der Tak, F. F. S. [SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Landleven 12, 9747 AD Groningen (Netherlands); and others

2015-02-10

In diffuse interstellar clouds the chemistry that leads to the formation of the oxygen-bearing ions OH{sup +}, H{sub 2}O{sup +}, and H{sub 3}O{sup +} begins with the ionization of atomic hydrogen by cosmic rays, and continues through subsequent hydrogen abstraction reactions involving H{sub 2}. Given these reaction pathways, the observed abundances of these molecules are useful in constraining both the total cosmic-ray ionization rate of atomic hydrogen (ζ{sub H}) and molecular hydrogen fraction (f{sub H{sub 2}}). We present observations targeting transitions of OH{sup +}, H{sub 2}O{sup +}, and H{sub 3}O{sup +} made with the Herschel Space Observatory along 20 Galactic sight lines toward bright submillimeter continuum sources. Both OH{sup +} and H{sub 2}O{sup +} are detected in absorption in multiple velocity components along every sight line, but H{sub 3}O{sup +} is only detected along 7 sight lines. From the molecular abundances we compute f{sub H{sub 2}} in multiple distinct components along each line of sight, and find a Gaussian distribution with mean and standard deviation 0.042 ± 0.018. This confirms previous findings that OH{sup +} and H{sub 2}O{sup +} primarily reside in gas with low H{sub 2} fractions. We also infer ζ{sub H} throughout our sample, and find a lognormal distribution with mean log (ζ{sub H}) = –15.75 (ζ{sub H} = 1.78 × 10{sup –16} s{sup –1}) and standard deviation 0.29 for gas within the Galactic disk, but outside of the Galactic center. This is in good agreement with the mean and distribution of cosmic-ray ionization rates previously inferred from H{sub 3}{sup +} observations. Ionization rates in the Galactic center tend to be 10-100 times larger than found in the Galactic disk, also in accord with prior studies.

A simplified 2HDM with a scalar dark matter and the galactic center gamma-ray excess

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Lei; Han, Xiao-Fang, E-mail: xfhan@mail.itp.ac.cn

2014-12-12

Due to the strong constraint from the LUX experiment, the scalar portal dark matter cannot generally explain a gamma-ray excess in the galactic center by the annihilation of dark matter to bb{sup ¯}. With the motivation of eliminating the tension, we add a scalar dark matter to the aligned two-Higgs-doublet model, and focus on a simplified scenario, which has two main characteristics: (i) The heavy CP-even Higgs is the discovered 125 GeV Higgs boson, which has the same couplings to the gauge bosons and fermions as the SM Higgs. (ii) Only the light CP-even Higgs mediates the dark matter interactions with SM particles, which have no couplings to WW and ZZ, but have the independent couplings to the up-type quarks, down-type quarks and charged leptons. We find that the tension between 〈σv〉{sub SS→bb{sup ¯}} and the constraint from LUX induced by the scalar portal dark matter can go away for the isospin-violating dark matter–nucleon coupling with −1.0

Small Galactic H II regions. II. The molecular clouds and star formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunter, D.A.; Thronson, H.A. Jr.; Wilton, C.

1990-01-01

CO maps of molecular clouds associated with 11 small Galactic H II regions are presented and compared with IR images obtained by IRAS. The molecular masses of the clouds are computed and compared with the masses of the stellar content. The mapped clouds have masses of 1000-60,000 solar and are typical of the more numerous, smaller Galactic molecular clouds. All of the clouds have recently made massive OB stars, and many have complex spatial and kinematic structures. The coincidence of IRAS sources and CO peaks suggests that many of the clouds have sites of star formation other than the optically visible H II region. Star-formation efficiencies are uncertain, with values for the clouds ranging from 0.02 to 0.6 with an average value of 0.2. There is no trend of the upper stellar mass limit with Galactic radius and with molecular cloud mass. 53 refs

Comparison of the distribution of galactic γ-radiation and radio synchrotron radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haslam, C.G.T.; Stoffel, H.; Kearsey, S.; Osborne, J.L.; Phillipps, S.

1981-01-01

The new all-sky survey of continuum radio emission at 408 MHz of Haslam et al. (1981) is used to compare the distribution of radio emission in a band along the galactic equator for b 0 , but a longer tail than a Gaussian, for the combined data from 70 MeV-5 GeV. This has been used to convolve the 408 MHz data, and to produce a contour map and the cuts and averages corresponding to those given by Mayer-Hasselwander. The average intensities along the galactic plane for b 0 are given. The latitude profiles show that in three dimensions the gamma-ray and synchrotron emissivities are not proportional. However, in the Galactic plane the two emissivities can be in approximately constant ratio although there seems to be more structure in the gamma-ray emission. This implies that the square of the galactic magnetic field, B 2 is proportional to gas density under the right conditions. If the emission were dominated by discrete sources their number density would have to follow closely the product of cosmic ray density and B 2 . (U.K.)

Searching for axion-like particles with active-galactic nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burrage, Clare; Davis, Anne-Christine; Shaw, Douglas J.

2009-12-01

Strong mixing between photons and axion-like particles in the magnetic fields of clusters of galaxies induces a scatter in the observed luminosities of compact sources in the cluster. This is used to construct a new test for axion-like particles; applied to observations of active galactic nuclei it is strongly suggestive of the existence of a light axion-like particle. (orig.)

Searching for axion-like particles with active-galactic nuclei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burrage, Clare [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany); Davis, Anne-Christine [Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Cambridge (United Kingdom). Dept. of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics; Shaw, Douglas J. [Queen Mary Univ. of London (United Kingdom). Astronomy Unit, School of Mathematical Sciences

2009-12-15

Strong mixing between photons and axion-like particles in the magnetic fields of clusters of galaxies induces a scatter in the observed luminosities of compact sources in the cluster. This is used to construct a new test for axion-like particles; applied to observations of active galactic nuclei it is strongly suggestive of the existence of a light axion-like particle. (orig.)

A source-controlled data center network model.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Yang; Liang, Mangui; Wang, Zhe

2017-01-01

The construction of data center network by applying SDN technology has become a hot research topic. The SDN architecture has innovatively separated the control plane from the data plane which makes the network more software-oriented and agile. Moreover, it provides virtual multi-tenancy, effective scheduling resources and centralized control strategies to meet the demand for cloud computing data center. However, the explosion of network information is facing severe challenges for SDN controller. The flow storage and lookup mechanisms based on TCAM device have led to the restriction of scalability, high cost and energy consumption. In view of this, a source-controlled data center network (SCDCN) model is proposed herein. The SCDCN model applies a new type of source routing address named the vector address (VA) as the packet-switching label. The VA completely defines the communication path and the data forwarding process can be finished solely relying on VA. There are four advantages in the SCDCN architecture. 1) The model adopts hierarchical multi-controllers and abstracts large-scale data center network into some small network domains that has solved the restriction for the processing ability of single controller and reduced the computational complexity. 2) Vector switches (VS) developed in the core network no longer apply TCAM for table storage and lookup that has significantly cut down the cost and complexity for switches. Meanwhile, the problem of scalability can be solved effectively. 3) The SCDCN model simplifies the establishment process for new flows and there is no need to download flow tables to VS. The amount of control signaling consumed when establishing new flows can be significantly decreased. 4) We design the VS on the NetFPGA platform. The statistical results show that the hardware resource consumption in a VS is about 27% of that in an OFS.

A source-controlled data center network model

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Yang; Liang, Mangui; Wang, Zhe

2017-01-01

The construction of data center network by applying SDN technology has become a hot research topic. The SDN architecture has innovatively separated the control plane from the data plane which makes the network more software-oriented and agile. Moreover, it provides virtual multi-tenancy, effective scheduling resources and centralized control strategies to meet the demand for cloud computing data center. However, the explosion of network information is facing severe challenges for SDN controller. The flow storage and lookup mechanisms based on TCAM device have led to the restriction of scalability, high cost and energy consumption. In view of this, a source-controlled data center network (SCDCN) model is proposed herein. The SCDCN model applies a new type of source routing address named the vector address (VA) as the packet-switching label. The VA completely defines the communication path and the data forwarding process can be finished solely relying on VA. There are four advantages in the SCDCN architecture. 1) The model adopts hierarchical multi-controllers and abstracts large-scale data center network into some small network domains that has solved the restriction for the processing ability of single controller and reduced the computational complexity. 2) Vector switches (VS) developed in the core network no longer apply TCAM for table storage and lookup that has significantly cut down the cost and complexity for switches. Meanwhile, the problem of scalability can be solved effectively. 3) The SCDCN model simplifies the establishment process for new flows and there is no need to download flow tables to VS. The amount of control signaling consumed when establishing new flows can be significantly decreased. 4) We design the VS on the NetFPGA platform. The statistical results show that the hardware resource consumption in a VS is about 27% of that in an OFS. PMID:28328925

SMM observations of gamma-ray transients. 3: A search for a broadened, redshifted positron annihilation line from the direction of the Galactic center

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Michael J.; Share, Gerald H.; Leising, Mark D.

1994-01-01

We have searched for 1980-1988 Solar Maximum Mission gamma-ray spectrometer data for transient emission on timescales from hours to approximately 12 days of broad gamma-ray lines at energies approximately 400 keV, which were reported by the High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO) 1 and SIGMA experiments from two sources lying toward the Galactic center. The lines have been interpreted as the product of the annihilation of positrons in pair plasmas surrounding the black hole candidate 1E 1740.7-2942 and the X-ray binary 1H 1822-371. Our results from a combined exposure of approximately 1.5 x 10(exp 7)s provide no convincing evidence for transient emission of this line on any timescale between approximately 9 hr and approximately 1 yr. Our 3 sigma upper limits on the line flux during approximately 12 day intervals are characteristically 4.8 x 10(exp -3) photon/sq cm/s, while for approximately 1 day intervals our 3 sigma upper limits are characteristically 4.9 x 10(exp -3) photon/sq cm/s. These results imply a duty cycle of less than 1.3% for the transient line measured from 1H 1822-371 during a approximately 3 week interval in 1977 by HEAO 1, and a duty cycle of less than or = 0.8% for the transient line detected in 1990 and 1992 from 1E 1740.7-2942 on approximately 1 day timescales by SIGMA.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE ELEMENTS IN THE GALACTIC DISK. II. AZIMUTHAL AND RADIAL VARIATION IN ABUNDANCES FROM CEPHEIDS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luck, R. E.; Andrievsky, S. M.; Kovtyukh, V. V.; Gieren, W.; Graczyk, D.

2011-01-01

This paper reports on the spectroscopic investigation of 101 Cepheids in the Carina region. These Cepheids extend previous samples by about 35% in number and increase the amount of the Galactic disk coverage especially in the direction of l ∼ 270 0 . The new Cepheids do not add much information to the radial gradient, but provide a substantial increase in azimuthal coverage. We find no azimuthal dependence in abundance over an 80 deg. angle from the Galactic center in an annulus of 1 kpc depth centered on the Sun. A simple linear fit to the Cepheid data yields a gradient d[Fe/H]/dR G = -0.055 ± 0.003 dex kpc -1 which is somewhat shallower than found from our previous, smaller Cepheid sample.

Analysis of the image of pion-emitting sources in the source center-of-mass frame

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ren, Yanyu; Feng, Qichun; Huo, Lei; Zhang, Jingbo; Liu, Jianli; Tang, Guixin [Harbin Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, Harbin, Heilongjiang (China); Zhang, Weining [Harbin Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, Harbin, Heilongjiang (China); Dalian University of Technology, School of Physics and Optoelectronic Technology, Dalian, Liaoning (China)

2017-08-15

In this paper, we try a method to extract the image of pion-emitting source function in the center-of-mass frame of the source (CMFS). We choose identical pion pairs according to the difference of their energy and use these pion pairs to build the correlation function. The purpose is to reduce the effect of ΔEΔt, thus the corresponding imaging result can tend to the real source function. We examine the effect of this method by comparing its results with real source functions extracted from models directly. (orig.)

THE GALACTIC CENTER WEATHER FORECAST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mościbrodzka, M.; Shiokawa, H.; Gammie, C. F.; Dolence, J. C.

2012-01-01

In accretion-based models for Sgr A*, the X-ray, infrared, and millimeter emission arise in a hot, geometrically thick accretion flow close to the black hole. The spectrum and size of the source depend on the black hole mass accretion rate M-dot . Since Gillessen et al. have recently discovered a cloud moving toward Sgr A* that will arrive in summer 2013, M-dot may increase from its present value M-dot 0 . We therefore reconsider the 'best-bet' accretion model of Mościbrodzka et al., which is based on a general relativistic MHD flow model and fully relativistic radiative transfer, for a range of M-dot . We find that for modest increases in M-dot the characteristic ring of emission due to the photon orbit becomes brighter, more extended, and easier to detect by the planned Event Horizon Telescope submillimeter Very Long Baseline Interferometry experiment. If M-dot ∼>8 M-dot 0 , this 'silhouette' of the black hole will be hidden beneath the synchrotron photosphere at 230 GHz, and for M-dot ∼>16 M-dot 0 the silhouette is hidden at 345 GHz. We also find that for M-dot > 2 M-dot 0 the near-horizon accretion flow becomes a persistent X-ray and mid-infrared source, and in the near-infrared Sgr A* will acquire a persistent component that is brighter than currently observed flares.

THE GALACTIC CENTER WEATHER FORECAST

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moscibrodzka, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nevada, 4505 South Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154 (United States); Shiokawa, H.; Gammie, C. F. [Astronomy Department, University of Illinois, 1002 West Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801 (United States); Dolence, J. C., E-mail: monikam@physics.unlv.edu [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Peyton Hall, 4 Ivy Lane, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)

2012-06-10

In accretion-based models for Sgr A*, the X-ray, infrared, and millimeter emission arise in a hot, geometrically thick accretion flow close to the black hole. The spectrum and size of the source depend on the black hole mass accretion rate M-dot . Since Gillessen et al. have recently discovered a cloud moving toward Sgr A* that will arrive in summer 2013, M-dot may increase from its present value M-dot{sub 0}. We therefore reconsider the 'best-bet' accretion model of Moscibrodzka et al., which is based on a general relativistic MHD flow model and fully relativistic radiative transfer, for a range of M-dot . We find that for modest increases in M-dot the characteristic ring of emission due to the photon orbit becomes brighter, more extended, and easier to detect by the planned Event Horizon Telescope submillimeter Very Long Baseline Interferometry experiment. If M-dot {approx}>8 M-dot{sub 0}, this 'silhouette' of the black hole will be hidden beneath the synchrotron photosphere at 230 GHz, and for M-dot {approx}>16 M-dot{sub 0} the silhouette is hidden at 345 GHz. We also find that for M-dot > 2 M-dot{sub 0} the near-horizon accretion flow becomes a persistent X-ray and mid-infrared source, and in the near-infrared Sgr A* will acquire a persistent component that is brighter than currently observed flares.

A Discovery of a Compact High Velocity Cloud-Galactic Supershell System

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Geumsook; Koo, Bon-Chul; Kang, Ji-hyun; Gibson, Steven J.; Peek, Joshua Eli Goldston; Douglas, Kevin A.; Korpela, Eric J.; Heiles, Carl E.

2017-01-01

High velocity clouds (HVCs) are neutral hydrogen (HI) gas clouds having very different radial velocities from those of the Galactic disk material. While some large HVC complexes are known to be gas streams tidally stripped from satellite galaxies of the Milky Way, there are relatively isolated and small angular-sized HVCs, so called “compact HVCs (CHVCs)”, the origin of which remains controversial. There are about 300 known CHVCs in the Milky Way, and many of them show a head-tail structure, implying a ram pressure interaction with the diffuse Galactic halo gas. It is, however, not clear whether CHVCs are completely dissipated in the Galactic halo to feed the multi-phase circumgalactic medium or they can survive their trip through the halo and collide with the Galactic disk. The colliding CHVCs may leave a gigantic trail in the disk, and it had been suggested that some of HI supershells that require ≧ 3 x 1052 erg may be produced by the collision of such HVCs.Here we report the detection of a kiloparsec (kpc)-size supershell in the outskirts of the Milky Way with the compact HVC 040+01-282 (hereafter, CHVC040) at its geometrical center using the “Inner-Galaxy Arecibo L-band Feed Array” HI 21 cm survey data. The morphological and physical properties of both objects suggest that CHVC040, which is either a fragment of a nearby disrupted galaxy or a cloud that originated from an intergalactic accreting flow, collided with the disk ˜5 Myr ago to form the supershell. Our results show that some compact HVCs can survive their trip through the Galactic halo and inject energy and momentum into the Milky Way disk.

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.

The Gaia-ESO Survey: Lithium enrichment histories of the Galactic thick and thin disc

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, X.; Romano, D.; Bragaglia, A.; Mucciarelli, A.; Lind, K.; Delgado Mena, E.; Sousa, S. G.; Randich, S.; Bressan, A.; Sbordone, L.; Martell, S.; Korn, A. J.; Abia, C.; Smiljanic, R.; Jofré, P.; Pancino, E.; Tautvaišienė, G.; Tang, B.; Magrini, L.; Lanzafame, A. C.; Carraro, G.; Bensby, T.; Damiani, F.; Alfaro, E. J.; Flaccomio, E.; Morbidelli, L.; Zaggia, S.; Lardo, C.; Monaco, L.; Frasca, A.; Donati, P.; Drazdauskas, A.; Chorniy, Y.; Bayo, A.; Kordopatis, G.

2018-02-01

Lithium abundance in most of the warm metal-poor main sequence stars shows a constarnt plateau (A(Li) 2.2 dex) and then the upper envelope of the lithium vs. metallicity distribution increases as we approach solar metallicity. Meteorites, which carry information about the chemical composition of the interstellar medium (ISM) at the solar system formation time, show a lithium abundance A(Li) 3.26 dex. This pattern reflects the Li enrichment history of the ISM during the Galaxy lifetime. After the initial Li production in big bang nucleosynthesis, the sources of the enrichment include asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, low-mass red giants, novae, type II supernovae, and Galactic cosmic rays. The total amount of enriched Li is sensitive to the relative contribution of these sources. Thus different Li enrichment histories are expected in the Galactic thick and thin disc. We investigate the main sequence stars observed with UVES in Gaia-ESO Survey iDR4 catalogue and find a Li-anticorrelation independent of [Fe/H], Teff, and log(g). Since in stellar evolution different α enhancements at the same metallicity do not lead to a measurable Li abundance change, the anticorrelation indicates that more Li is produced during the Galactic thin disc phase than during the Galactic thick disc phase. We also find a correlation between the abundance of Li and s-process elements Ba and Y, and they both decrease above the solar metallicity, which can be explained in the framework of the adopted Galactic chemical evolution models. The full Table 1 is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/610/A38

Extended Submillimeter Emission of the Galactic Center and Near-infrared/submillimeter Variability of Its Supermassive Black Hole

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

García-Marín, M.; Eckart, A.; Weiss, A.; Witzel, G.; Bremer, M.; Zamaninasab, M.; Morris, M.; Schoedel, R.; Kunneriath, Devaky; Nishiyama, S.; Baganoff, F. K.; Dovčiak, Michal; Sabha, N.; Duschl, W.J.; Moultaka, J.; Karas, Vladimír; Najarro, F.; Muzic, K.; Straubmeier, C.; Vogel, S. N.; Krips, M.; Wiesemeyer, H.

2011-01-01

Roč. 738, č. 2 (2011), 158/1-158/19 ISSN 0004-637X Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : galactic centre Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 6.024, year: 2011

A SCALING RELATION BETWEEN MEGAMASER DISK RADIUS AND BLACK HOLE MASS IN ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wardle, Mark; Yusef-Zadeh, Farhad

2012-01-01

Several thin, Keplerian, sub-parsec megamaser disks have been discovered in the nuclei of active galaxies and used to precisely determine the mass of their host black holes. We show that there is an empirical linear correlation between the disk radius and the black hole mass. We demonstrate that such disks are naturally formed by the partial capture of molecular clouds passing through the galactic nucleus and temporarily engulfing the central supermassive black hole. Imperfect cancellation of the angular momenta of the cloud material colliding after passing on opposite sides of the hole leads to the formation of a compact disk. The radial extent of the disk is determined by the efficiency of this process and the Bondi-Hoyle capture radius of the black hole, and naturally produces the empirical linear correlation of the radial extent of the maser distribution with black hole mass. The disk has sufficient column density to allow X-ray irradiation from the central source to generate physical and chemical conditions conducive to the formation of 22 GHz H 2 O masers. For initial cloud column densities ∼ 23.5 cm –2 the disk is non-self-gravitating, consistent with the ordered kinematics of the edge-on megamaser disks; for higher cloud columns the disk would fragment and produce a compact stellar disk similar to that observed around Sgr A* at the galactic center.

Simulating Galaxies and Active Galactic Nuclei in the LSST Image Simulation Effort

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pizagno II, Jim; Ahmad, Z.; Bankert, J.; Bard, D.; Connolly, A.; Chang, C.; Gibson, R. R.; Gilmore, K.; Grace, E.; Hannel, M.; Jernigan, J. G.; Jones, L.; Kahn, S. M.; Krughoff, S. K.; Lorenz, S.; Marshall, S.; Shmakova, S. M.; Sylvestri, N.; Todd, N.; Young, M.

We present an extragalactic source catalog, which includes galaxies and Active Galactic Nuclei, that is used for the Large Survey Synoptic Telescope Imaging Simulation effort. The galaxies are taken from the De Lucia et. al. (2006) semi-analytic modeling (SAM) of the Millennium Simulation. The LSST

Cosmic ray acceleration by large scale galactic shocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cesarsky, C.J.; Lagage, P.O.

1987-01-01

The mechanism of diffusive shock acceleration may account for the existence of galactic cosmic rays detailed application to stellar wind shocks and especially to supernova shocks have been developed. Existing models can usually deal with the energetics or the spectral slope, but the observed energy range of cosmic rays is not explained. Therefore it seems worthwhile to examine the effect that large scale, long-lived galactic shocks may have on galactic cosmic rays, in the frame of the diffusive shock acceleration mechanism. Large scale fast shocks can only be expected to exist in the galactic halo. We consider three situations where they may arise: expansion of a supernova shock in the halo, galactic wind, galactic infall; and discuss the possible existence of these shocks and their role in accelerating cosmic rays

Search for scalar dark matter via pseudoscalar portal interactions in light of the Galactic Center gamma-ray excess

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Kwei-Chou

2018-01-01

In light of the observed Galactic center gamma-ray excess, we investigate a simplified model, for which the scalar dark matter interacts with quarks through a pseudoscalar mediator. The viable regions of the parameter space, that can also account for the relic density and evade the current searches, are identified, if the low-velocity dark matter annihilates through an s -channel off shell mediator mostly into b ¯b , and/or annihilates directly into two hidden on shell mediators, which subsequently decay into the quark pairs. These two kinds of annihilations are s wave. The projected monojet limit set by the high luminosity LHC sensitivity could constrain the favored parameter space, where the mediator's mass is larger than the dark matter mass by a factor of 2. We show that the projected sensitivity of 15-year Fermi-LAT observations of dwarf spheroidal galaxies can provide a stringent constraint on the most parameter space allowed in this model. If the on shell mediator channel contributes to the dark matter annihilation cross sections over 50%, this model with a lighter mediator can be probed in the projected PICO-500L experiment.

Structure and content of the galaxy and galactic gamma rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-01-01

The conference included papers on γ-ray pulsars, galactic diffuse flux and surveys, radio surveys of external galaxies, galactic distribution of pulsars, and galactic gamma emission. Galactic structure drawing on all branches of galactic astronomy is discussed. New and unpublished material is included

TRACING MULTIPLE GENERATIONS OF ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS FEEDBACK IN THE CORE OF ABELL 262

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clarke, T. E.; Kassim, N. E.; Blanton, E. L.; Anderson, L. D.; Douglass, E. M.; Sarazin, C. L.; Gopal-Krishna

2009-01-01

We present new radio and X-ray observations of Abell 262. The X-ray residual image provides the first evidence of an X-ray tunnel in this system while the radio data reveal that the central radio source is more than three times larger than previously known. We find that the well-known cluster-center S-shaped radio source B2 0149+35 is surrounded by extended emission to the east and southwest. The south-western extension is cospatial with the X-ray tunnel seen in our new Chandra images while the eastern extension shows three clumps of emission with the innermost coincident with a faint X-ray cavity. The outer two eastern radio extensions are coincident with a newly detected X-ray depression. We use the projected separation of the emission regions to estimate a lower limit of τ rep = 28 Myr to the outburst repetition timescale of the central active galactic nucleus (AGN). The total energy input into the cluster over multiple outburst episodes is estimated to be 2.2 x 10 58 erg, more than an order of magnitude larger than previously thought. The total AGN energy output determined from our new observations shows that the source should be capable of offsetting radiative cooling over several outburst episodes.

Structure and content of the galaxy and galactic gamma rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1976-01-01

The conference included papers on ..gamma..-ray pulsars, galactic diffuse flux and surveys, radio surveys of external galaxies, galactic distribution of pulsars, and galactic gamma emission. Galactic structure drawing on all branches of galactic astronomy is discussed. New and unpublished material is included. (JFP)

An ASCA Survey of GeV Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, M. S. E.; Romani, R. W.; Kawai, N.

1999-04-01

We present an ASCA survey of GeV selected EGRET sources with E>1 GeV gamma -ray photon flux >5.0 x 10(-8) cm(-2) s(-1) . A combination of archival and new data covers ~ 75% of the sky contained within the 95% confidence position contours of these sources, and additional data obtained during the current observing cycle will increase this coverage to ~ 90%. We start with flat-fielded 2-10 keV images from the GIS data, and fit power-law spectra to potential counterparts. SIS, ROSAT, and Einstein data are used to confirm source detections and extend survey coverage. We then use the X-ray sources to identify radio counterparts in continuum survey data. Of the 26 GeV sources above our flux threshhold (Lamb and Macomb, 1997), 3 of the 4 at high galactic latitudes (bga 10(deg) ) are known blazars, while 5 of the low latitude sources are young pulsars. Of the remaining sources, 5 are plausibly associated with known young pulsars and/or plerionic SNR, one is at the Galactic center, and one may be associated with LSI+61 303. We focus here on the remaining 11 sources. By comparison with the known radio and X-ray properties of blazars and pulsars, we can identify potential members of these source classes, and potential new classes of gamma -ray emitters. We also estimate source luminosities using distances inferred from nearby tracers of star formation (Yadigaroglu and Romani, 1997). Data from several fields are consistent with these sources being synchrotron nebulae surrounding radio-quiet `Geminga-like' pulsars. These data provide incentives for further searches for pulsations at high energies and in the radio. In other fields identification is more problematic. We compare our results to models of the relative beaming fractions inferred from the radio and gamma -ray ray pulse shapes. The fraction of `pulsar candidate' detections is shown to provide useful constraints on pulsar luminosity evolution and beaming statistics.

Review of the fermionic dark matter model applied to galactic structures

Science.gov (United States)

Krut, A.; Argüelles, C. R.; Rueda, J.; Ruffini, R.

2015-12-01

Baryonic components (e.g. bulge and disk) of galactic structures are assumed to be embedded in an isothermal dark matter halo of fermionic nature. Besides the Pauli principle only gravitational interaction is considered. Using the underlying Fermi-Dirac phase space distribution, typical of collisionless relaxation processes, it yields an one-parameter family of scaled solutions which reproduces the observed flat rotation curves in galaxies, and additionally predicts a degenerate core through their centers. In order to provide the right DM halo properties of galaxies a set of four parameters (particle mass, degeneracy parameter at the galactic center, central density and the velocity dispersion) is necessary. The more general density profile shows three regimes depending on radius: an almost uniform very dense quantum core followed by a steep fall, a plateau in the diluted regime and a Boltzmannian tail representing the halo. In contrast to purely Boltzmannian configurations the fermionic DM model containing a quantum core allows to determine the particle mass. We show that the quantum core can be well approximated by a polytrope of index n = 3/2, while the halo can be perfectly described by an isothermal sphere with a halo scale length radius equal to approximately 3/4 of the King-radius.

Review of the fermionic dark matter model applied to galactic structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krut, A. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, I–00185 Rome (Italy); Argüelles, C. R. [ICRANet, P.zza della Repubblica 10, I-65122 Pescara (Italy); Rueda, J.; Ruffini, R. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, I–00185 Rome (Italy); ICRANet, P.zza della Repubblica 10, I-65122 Pescara (Italy)

2015-12-17

Baryonic components (e.g. bulge and disk) of galactic structures are assumed to be embedded in an isothermal dark matter halo of fermionic nature. Besides the Pauli principle only gravitational interaction is considered. Using the underlying Fermi-Dirac phase space distribution, typical of collisionless relaxation processes, it yields an one-parameter family of scaled solutions which reproduces the observed flat rotation curves in galaxies, and additionally predicts a degenerate core through their centers. In order to provide the right DM halo properties of galaxies a set of four parameters (particle mass, degeneracy parameter at the galactic center, central density and the velocity dispersion) is necessary. The more general density profile shows three regimes depending on radius: an almost uniform very dense quantum core followed by a steep fall, a plateau in the diluted regime and a Boltzmannian tail representing the halo. In contrast to purely Boltzmannian configurations the fermionic DM model containing a quantum core allows to determine the particle mass. We show that the quantum core can be well approximated by a polytrope of index n = 3/2, while the halo can be perfectly described by an isothermal sphere with a halo scale length radius equal to approximately 3/4 of the King-radius.

Monitoring and Mapping the Galactic Bulge (core Program)

Science.gov (United States)

Both neutron star and black hole binary transients are providing some of the most exciting RXTE science, and fortunately many are concentrated in the galactic bulge region. We propose to continue our twice weekly PCA scans of the region, which cover about 500 sq deg. The observations will be sensitive to new sources at the ~1 mCrab level (a factor of 10-60 more sensitive than the ASM in the region). We have had success finding new sources and new types of variability, including three millisecond pulsars, and new increased solid angle will improve the chances of finding more in the final RXTE years. We will continue efforts to search for variability in new and known sources. Companion follow-up proposals would be triggered by the results.

Imaging Galactic Dark Matter with High-Energy Cosmic Neutrinos.

Science.gov (United States)

Argüelles, Carlos A; Kheirandish, Ali; Vincent, Aaron C

2017-11-17

We show that the high-energy cosmic neutrinos seen by the IceCube Neutrino Observatory can be used to probe interactions between neutrinos and the dark sector that cannot be reached by current cosmological methods. The origin of the observed neutrinos is still unknown, and their arrival directions are compatible with an isotropic distribution. This observation, together with dedicated studies of Galactic plane correlations, suggests a predominantly extragalactic origin. Interactions between this isotropic extragalactic flux and the dense dark matter (DM) bulge of the Milky Way would thus lead to an observable imprint on the distribution, which would be seen by IceCube as (i) slightly suppressed fluxes at energies below a PeV and (ii) a deficit of events in the direction of the Galactic center. We perform an extended unbinned likelihood analysis using the four-year high-energy starting event data set to constrain the strength of DM-neutrino interactions for two model classes. We find that, in spite of low statistics, IceCube can probe regions of the parameter space inaccessible to current cosmological methods.

SINGLE-PULSE RADIO OBSERVATIONS OF THE GALACTIC CENTER MAGNETAR PSR J1745–2900

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Zhen; Shen, Zhi-Qiang; Wu, Ya-Jun; Zhao, Rong-Bing; Fan, Qing-Yuan; Hong, Xiao-Yu; Jiang, Dong-Rong; Li, Bin; Liang, Shi-Guang; Ling, Quan-Bao; Liu, Qing-Hui; Qian, Zhi-Han; Zhang, Xiu-Zhong; Zhong, Wei-Ye; Ye, Shu-Hua [Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200030 (China); Wu, Xin-Ji [Department of Astronomy, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Manchester, R. N. [CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, P.O. Box 76, Epping, NSW 1710 (Australia); Weltevrede, P. [Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); Yuan, Jian-Ping [Key Laboratory of Radio Astronomy, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China); Lee, Ke-Jia, E-mail: yanzhen@shao.ac.cn [Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

2015-11-20

In this paper, we report radio observations of the Galactic Center magnetar PSR J1745–2900 at six epochs between 2014 June and October. These observations were carried out using the new Shanghai Tian Ma Radio Telescope at a frequency of 8.6 GHz. Both the flux density and integrated profile of PSR J1745–2900 show dramatic changes from epoch to epoch, showing that the pulsar was in its “erratic” phase. On MJD 56836, the flux density of this magnetar was about 8.7 mJy, which was 10 times larger than that reported at the time of discovery, enabling a single-pulse analysis. The emission is dominated by narrow “spiky” pulses that follow a log-normal distribution in peak flux density. From 1913 pulses, we detected 53 pulses whose peak flux densities are 10 times greater than that of the integrated profile. They are concentrated in pulse phase at the peaks of the integrated profile. The pulse widths at the 50% level of these bright pulses were between 0.°2 and 0.°9, much narrower than that of the integrated profile (∼12°). The observed pulse widths may be limited by interstellar scattering. No clear correlation was found between the widths and peak flux density of these pulses and no evidence was found for subpulse drifting. Relatively strong spiky pulses are also detected in the other five epochs of observation, showing the same properties as those detected in MJD 56836. These strong spiky pulses cannot be classified as “giant” pulses but are more closely related to normal pulse emission.

NuSTAR Hard X-Ray Survey of the Galactic Center Region. II. X-Ray Point Sources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hong, JaeSub; Mori, Kaya; Hailey, Charles J.

2016-01-01

persistent luminous X-ray binaries (XBs) and the likely run-away pulsar called the Cannonball. New source-detection significance maps reveal a cluster of hard (>10 keV) X-ray sources near the Sgr. A diffuse complex with no clear soft X-ray counterparts. The severe extinction observed in the Chandra spectra...

A Black Hole in Our Galactic Center

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz, Michael J.

2008-01-01

An introductory approach to black holes is presented along with astronomical observational data pertaining to the presence of a supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy. Concepts of conservation of energy and Kepler's third law are employed so students can apply formulas from their physics class to determine the mass of the black hole…

ImTK: an open source multi-center information management toolkit

Science.gov (United States)

Alaoui, Adil; Ingeholm, Mary Lou; Padh, Shilpa; Dorobantu, Mihai; Desai, Mihir; Cleary, Kevin; Mun, Seong K.

2008-03-01

The Information Management Toolkit (ImTK) Consortium is an open source initiative to develop robust, freely available tools related to the information management needs of basic, clinical, and translational research. An open source framework and agile programming methodology can enable distributed software development while an open architecture will encourage interoperability across different environments. The ISIS Center has conceptualized a prototype data sharing network that simulates a multi-center environment based on a federated data access model. This model includes the development of software tools to enable efficient exchange, sharing, management, and analysis of multimedia medical information such as clinical information, images, and bioinformatics data from multiple data sources. The envisioned ImTK data environment will include an open architecture and data model implementation that complies with existing standards such as Digital Imaging and Communications (DICOM), Health Level 7 (HL7), and the technical framework and workflow defined by the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) Information Technology Infrastructure initiative, mainly the Cross Enterprise Document Sharing (XDS) specifications.

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

Current use of imaging and electromagnetic source localization procedures in epilepsy surgery centers across Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Mouthaan, Brian E; Rados, Matea; Barsi, Péter; Boon, Paul; Carmichael, David W; Carrette, Evelien; Craiu, Dana; Cross, J Helen; Diehl, Beate; Dimova, Petia; Fabo, Daniel; Francione, Stefano; Gaskin, Vladislav; Gil-Nagel, Antonio; Grigoreva, Elena; Guekht, Alla; Hirsch, Edouard; Hecimovic, Hrvoje; Helmstaedter, Christoph; Jung, Julien; Kalviainen, Reetta; Kelemen, Anna; Kimiskidis, Vasilios; Kobulashvili, Teia; Krsek, Pavel; Kuchukhidze, Giorgi; Larsson, Pål G; Leitinger, Markus; Lossius, Morten I; Luzin, Roman; Malmgren, Kristina; Mameniskiene, Ruta; Marusic, Petr; Metin, Baris; Özkara, Cigdem; Pecina, Hrvoje; Quesada, Carlos M; Rugg-Gunn, Fergus; Rydenhag, Bertil; Ryvlin, Philippe; Scholly, Julia; Seeck, Margitta; Staack, Anke M; Steinhoff, Bernhard J; Stepanov, Valentin; Tarta-Arsene, Oana; Trinka, Eugen; Uzan, Mustafa; Vogt, Viola L; Vos, Sjoerd B; Vulliémoz, Serge; Huiskamp, Geertjan; Leijten, Frans S S; Van Eijsden, Pieter; Braun, Kees P J

2016-05-01

In 2014 the European Union-funded E-PILEPSY project was launched to improve awareness of, and accessibility to, epilepsy surgery across Europe. We aimed to investigate the current use of neuroimaging, electromagnetic source localization, and imaging postprocessing procedures in participating centers. A survey on the clinical use of imaging, electromagnetic source localization, and postprocessing methods in epilepsy surgery candidates was distributed among the 25 centers of the consortium. A descriptive analysis was performed, and results were compared to existing guidelines and recommendations. Response rate was 96%. Standard epilepsy magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols are acquired at 3 Tesla by 15 centers and at 1.5 Tesla by 9 centers. Three centers perform 3T MRI only if indicated. Twenty-six different MRI sequences were reported. Six centers follow all guideline-recommended MRI sequences with the proposed slice orientation and slice thickness or voxel size. Additional sequences are used by 22 centers. MRI postprocessing methods are used in 16 centers. Interictal positron emission tomography (PET) is available in 22 centers; all using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). Seventeen centers perform PET postprocessing. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is used by 19 centers, of which 15 perform postprocessing. Four centers perform neither PET nor SPECT in children. Seven centers apply magnetoencephalography (MEG) source localization, and nine apply electroencephalography (EEG) source localization. Fourteen combinations of inverse methods and volume conduction models are used. We report a large variation in the presurgical diagnostic workup among epilepsy surgery centers across Europe. This diversity underscores the need for high-quality systematic reviews, evidence-based recommendations, and harmonization of available diagnostic presurgical methods. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 International League Against Epilepsy.

Gamma-ray and X-ray emission from the Galactic centre: hints on the nuclear star cluster formation history

Science.gov (United States)

Arca-Sedda, Manuel; Kocsis, Bence; Brandt, Timothy D.

2018-06-01

The Milky Way centre exhibits an intense flux in the gamma and X-ray bands, whose origin is partly ascribed to the possible presence of a large population of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) and cataclysmic variables (CVs), respectively. However, the number of sources required to generate such an excess is much larger than what is expected from in situ star formation and evolution, opening a series of questions about the formation history of the Galactic nucleus. In this paper we make use of direct N-body simulations to investigate whether these sources could have been brought to the Galactic centre by a population of star clusters that underwent orbital decay and formed the Galactic nuclear star cluster (NSC). Our results suggest that the gamma ray emission is compatible with a population of MSPs that were mass segregated in their parent clusters, while the X-ray emission is consistent with a population of CVs born via dynamical interactions in dense star clusters. Combining observations with our modelling, we explore how the observed γ ray flux can be related to different NSC formation scenarios. Finally, we show that the high-energy emission coming from the galactic central regions can be used to detect black holes heavier than 105M⊙ in nearby dwarf galaxies.

The galactic distribution of pulsars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyne, A.G.

1982-01-01

The galactic distribution of pulsars follows the general form of many population I objects in galactocentric radius, but has a wide distribution above and below the plane due to high space velocities imparted to the pulsars at birth. Statistical studies of the properties of large numbers of pulsars and proper motion measurements demonstrate that the effective magnetic dipole moments decay on a timescale of about 8 million years. This work provides a better knowledge of pulsar evolution and ages and shows that a birthrate of one pulsar every 20 to 50 years is required to sustain the observed galactic population of 300,000. This rate is comparable with most recent estimates of the galactic supernova rate, but requires nearly all supernovae to produce active pulsars. (orig.)

Possible galactic origin of. gamma. -ray bursts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manchanda, R K; Ramsden, D [Southampton Univ. (UK). Dept. of Physics

1977-03-31

It is stated that extragalactic models for the origin of non-solar ..gamma..-ray bursts include supernova bursts in remote galaxies, and the collapse of the cores of active stars, whilst galactic models are based on flare stars, thermonuclear explosions in neutron stars and the sudden accretion of cometary gas on to neutron stars. The acceptability of any of these models may be tested by the observed size spectrum of the ..gamma..-ray bursts. The extragalactic models predict a power law spectrum with number index -1.5, whilst for the galactic models the number index will be -1. Experimental data on ..gamma..-ray bursts is, however, still meagre, and so far only 44 confirmed events have been recorded by satellite-borne instruments. The number spectrum of the observed ..gamma..-ray bursts indicates that the observed distribution for events with an energy < 10/sup -4/ erg/cm/sup 2/ is flat; this makes the choice of any model completely arbitrary. An analysis of the observed ..gamma..-ray events is here presented that suggests very interesting possibilities for their origin. There appears to be a preferred mean energy for ..gamma..-ray bursts; some 90% of the recorded events show a mean energy between 5 x 10/sup -5/ and 5 x 10/sup -4/ erg/cm/sup 2/, contrary to the predicted characteristics of the number spectrum of various models. A remarkable similarity is found between the distribution of ..gamma..-ray bursts and that of supernova remnants, suggesting a genetic relationship between the two and the galactic origin of the ..gamma..-ray bursts, and the burst source could be identified with completely run down neutron stars, formed during supernova explosions.

Cumulative-Phase-Alteration of Galactic-Light Passing Through the Cosmic-Microwave-Background: A New Mechanism for Some Observed Spectral-Shifts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tank H. K.

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Currently, whole of the measured “cosmological-red-shift ” is interpreted as due to the “metric-expansion-of-space”; so for the required “closer -density” of the universe, we need twenty times more mass-energy than the visible baryonic-matter contained in the universe. This paper proposes a new mechanism, which can account for good per- centage of the red-shift in the extra-galactic-light, greatly reducing the requirement of dark matter-energy. Also, this mechanism can cause a new kin d of blue-shift reported here, and their observational evidences. These spectral-s hifts are proposed to result due to cumulative phase-alteration of extra-galactic-light b ecause of vector-addition of: (i electric-field of extra-galactic-light and (ii that of the cosmic-microwave-background (CMB. Since the center-frequency of CMB is much lower than extra-galactic-light, the cumulative-phase-alteration results in red -shift, observed as an additional contribu- tor to the measured “cosmological red-shift”; and since the center-frequency of CMB is higher than the radio-frequency-signals used to measure velocity of space-probes like: Pioneer-10, Pioneer-11, Galileo and Ulysses, the cum ulative-phase-alteration re- sulted in blue-shift, leading to the interpretation of deceleration of these space-probes. While the galactic-light experiences the red-shift, and th e ranging-signals of the space- probes experience blue -shift, they are comparable in magnitude, providing a supportive- evidence for the new mechanism proposed here. More confirmative-experiments for this new mechanism are also proposed.

An Integrated Picture of Star Formation, Metallicity Evolution, and Galactic Stellar Mass Assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Cowie, L. L.; Barger, A. J.

2008-10-01

We present an integrated study of star formation and galactic stellar mass assembly from z = 0.05 to 1.5 and galactic metallicity evolution from z = 0.05 to 0.9 using a very large and highly spectroscopically complete sample selected by rest-frame NIR bolometric flux in the GOODS-N. We assume a Salpeter IMF and fit Bruzual & Charlot models to compute the galactic stellar masses and extinctions. We determine the expected formed stellar mass density growth rates produced by star formation and compare them with the growth rates measured from the formed stellar mass functions by mass interval. We show that the growth rates match if the IMF is slightly increased from the Salpeter IMF at intermediate masses (~10 M⊙). We investigate the evolution of galaxy color, spectral type, and morphology with mass and redshift and the evolution of mass with environment. We find that applying extinction corrections is critical when analyzing galaxy colors; e.g., nearly all of the galaxies in the green valley are 24 μm sources, but after correcting for extinction, the bulk of the 24 μm sources lie in the blue cloud. We find an evolution of the metallicity-mass relation corresponding to a decrease of 0.21 +/- 0.03 dex between the local value and the value at z = 0.77 in the 1010-1011 M⊙ range. We use the metallicity evolution to estimate the gas mass of the galaxies, which we compare with the galactic stellar mass assembly and star formation histories. Overall, our measurements are consistent with a galaxy evolution process dominated by episodic bursts of star formation and where star formation in the most massive galaxies (gtrsim1011 M⊙) ceases at z Technology, the University of California, and NASA and was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.

Black holes in binary stellar systems and galactic nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cherepashchuk, A M

2014-01-01

In the last 40 years, following pioneering papers by Ya B Zeldovich and E E Salpeter, in which a powerful energy release from nonspherical accretion of matter onto a black hole (BH) was predicted, many observational studies of black holes in the Universe have been carried out. To date, the masses of several dozen stellar-mass black holes (M BH =(4−20)M ⊙ ) in X-ray binary systems and of several hundred supermassive black holes (M BH =(10 6 −10 10 )M ⊙ ) in galactic nuclei have been measured. The estimated radii of these massive and compact objects do not exceed several gravitational radii. For about ten stellar-mass black holes and several dozen supermassive black holes, the values of the dimensionless angular momentum a ∗ have been estimated, which, in agreement with theoretical predictions, do not exceed the limiting value a ∗ =0.998. A new field of astrophysics, so-called black hole demography, which studies the birth and growth of black holes and their evolutionary connection to other objects in the Universe, namely stars, galaxies, etc., is rapidly developing. In addition to supermassive black holes, massive stellar clusters are observed in galactic nuclei, and their evolution is distinct from that of supermassive black holes. The evolutionary relations between supermassive black holes in galactic centers and spheroidal stellar components (bulges) of galaxies, as well as dark-matter galactic haloes are brought out. The launch into Earth's orbit of the space radio interferometer RadioAstron opened up the real possibility of finally proving that numerous discovered massive and highly compact objects with properties very similar to those of black holes make up real black holes in the sense of Albert Einstein's General Relativity. Similar proofs of the existence of black holes in the Universe can be obtained by intercontinental radio interferometry at short wavelengths λ≲1 mm (the international program, Event Horizon Telescope). (100

Black holes in binary stellar systems and galactic nuclei

Science.gov (United States)

Cherepashchuk, A. M.

2014-04-01

In the last 40 years, following pioneering papers by Ya B Zeldovich and E E Salpeter, in which a powerful energy release from nonspherical accretion of matter onto a black hole (BH) was predicted, many observational studies of black holes in the Universe have been carried out. To date, the masses of several dozen stellar-mass black holes (M_BH = (4{-}20) M_\\odot) in X-ray binary systems and of several hundred supermassive black holes (M_BH = (10^{6}{-}10^{10}) M_\\odot) in galactic nuclei have been measured. The estimated radii of these massive and compact objects do not exceed several gravitational radii. For about ten stellar-mass black holes and several dozen supermassive black holes, the values of the dimensionless angular momentum a_* have been estimated, which, in agreement with theoretical predictions, do not exceed the limiting value a_* = 0.998. A new field of astrophysics, so-called black hole demography, which studies the birth and growth of black holes and their evolutionary connection to other objects in the Universe, namely stars, galaxies, etc., is rapidly developing. In addition to supermassive black holes, massive stellar clusters are observed in galactic nuclei, and their evolution is distinct from that of supermassive black holes. The evolutionary relations between supermassive black holes in galactic centers and spheroidal stellar components (bulges) of galaxies, as well as dark-matter galactic haloes are brought out. The launch into Earth's orbit of the space radio interferometer RadioAstron opened up the real possibility of finally proving that numerous discovered massive and highly compact objects with properties very similar to those of black holes make up real black holes in the sense of Albert Einstein's General Relativity. Similar proofs of the existence of black holes in the Universe can be obtained by intercontinental radio interferometry at short wavelengths \\lambda \\lesssim 1 mm (the international program, Event Horizon Telescope).

Comparison of Model Prediction With Measurements of Galactic Background Noise at L-Band

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Le Vine, David M.; Abraham, Saji; Kerr, Yann H.

2005-01-01

The spectral window at L-band (1.413 GHz) is important for passive remote sensing of surface parameters such as soil moisture and sea surface salinity that are needed to understand the hydrological cycle and ocean circulation. Radiation from celestial sources (mostly galactic) is strong in this w...

G25.5 + 0.2: a very young supernova remnant or a galactic planetary nebula?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, R.L.; Becker, R.H.

1990-01-01

G25.5 + 0.2, a radio source suggested by previous authors to be a very young galactic supernova remnant, is more likely to be a planetary nebula. Its IRAS colours and fluxes and its radio spectrum and morphology are all consistent with the properties of planetary nebulae; its radio flux and distance imply a large mass of ionized gas, which is expected from a Type I planetary nebula lying in the galactic plane. We suggest some definitive observations which should be able to determine whether this interesting object is a planetary nebula or a supernova remnant. (author)

TIDAL BREAKUP OF BINARY STARS AT THE GALACTIC CENTER. II. HYDRODYNAMIC SIMULATIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antonini, Fabio; Merritt, David; Lombardi, James C. Jr

2011-01-01

In Paper I, we followed the evolution of binary stars as they orbited near the supermassive black hole (SMBH) at the Galactic center, noting the cases in which the two stars would come close enough together to collide. In this paper, we replace the point-mass stars by fluid realizations, and use a smoothed-particle hydrodynamics code to follow the close interactions. We model the binary components as main-sequence stars with initial masses of 1, 3, and 6 solar masses, and with chemical composition profiles taken from stellar evolution codes. Outcomes of the close interactions include mergers, collisions that leave both stars intact, and ejection of one star at high velocity accompanied by capture of the other star into a tight orbit around the SMBH. For the first time, we follow the evolution of the collision products for many (∼> 100) orbits around the SMBH. Stars that are initially too small to be tidally disrupted by the SMBH can be puffed up by close encounters or collisions, with the result that tidal stripping occurs in subsequent periapse passages. In these cases, mass loss occurs episodically, sometimes for hundreds of orbits before the star is completely disrupted. Repeated tidal flares, of either increasing or decreasing intensity, are a predicted consequence. In collisions involving a low-mass and a high-mass star, the merger product acquires a high core hydrogen abundance from the smaller star, effectively resetting the nuclear evolution 'clock' to a younger age. Elements like Li, Be, and B that can exist only in the outermost envelope of a star are severely depleted due to envelope ejection during collisions and due to tidal forces from the SMBH. Tidal spin-up can occur due to either a collision or tidal torque by the SMBH at periapsis. However, in the absence of collisions, tidal spin-up of stars is only important in a narrow range of periapse distances, r t /2 ∼ per ∼ t , with r t the tidal disruption radius. We discuss the implications of

Planck intermediate results. XIX. An overview of the polarized thermal emission from Galactic dust

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cardoso, J. F.; Delabrouille, J.; Ganga, K.

2015-01-01

measurements toward extragalactic sources. These components bear resemblance along the Galactic plane and in some regions such as the Fan and North Polar Spur regions. The poor match observed in other regions shows, however, that dust, cosmic-ray electrons, and thermal electrons generally sample different...

Limb darkening of a K giant in the galactic bulge : Planet photometry of MACHO 97-BLG-28

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Albrow, MD; Beaulieu, JP; Caldwell, JAR; Dominik, M; Greenhill, J; Hill, K; Kane, S; Martin, R; Menzies, J; Pel, JW; Pollard, K; Sackett, PD; Sahu, KC; Vermaak, P; Watson, R; Williams, A; Sahu, MS

1999-01-01

We present the PLANET photometric data set(10) for the binary-lens microlensing event MACHO 97-BLG-28, consisting of 696 I- and V-band measurements, and analyze it to determine the radial surface brightness profile of the Galactic bulge source star. The microlensed source, demonstrated to be a K

Interpretation of astrophysical neutrinos observed by IceCube experiment by setting Galactic and extra-Galactic spectral components

CERN Document Server

Marinelli, Antonio; Grasso, Dario; Urbano, Alfredo; Valli, Mauro

2016-01-01

The last IceCube catalog of High Energy Starting Events (HESE) obtained with a livetime of 1347 days comprises 54 neutrino events equally-distributed between the three families with energies between 25 TeV and few PeVs. Considering the homogeneous flavors distribution (1:1:1) and the spectral features of these neutrinos the IceCube collaboration claims the astrophysical origin of these events with more than $5\\sigma$. The spatial distribution of cited events does not show a clear correlation with known astrophysical accelerators leaving opened both the Galactic and the extra-Galactic origin interpretations. Here, we compute the neutrino diffuse emission of our Galaxy on the basis of a recently proposed phenomenological model characterized by radially-dependent cosmic-ray (CR) transport properties. We show that the astrophysical spectrum measured by IceCube experiment can be well explained adding to the diffuse Galactic neutrino flux (obtained with this new model) a extra-Galactic component derived from the as...

The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center Spallation Neutron Sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nowicki, Suzanne F.; Wender, Stephen A.; Mocko, Michael

2017-01-01

The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) provides the scientific community with intense sources of neutrons, which can be used to perform experiments supporting civilian and national security research. These measurements include nuclear physics experiments for the defense program, basic science, and the radiation effect programs. This paper focuses on the radiation effects program, which involves mostly accelerated testing of semiconductor parts. When cosmic rays strike the earth's atmosphere, they cause nuclear reactions with elements in the air and produce a wide range of energetic particles. Because neutrons are uncharged, they can reach aircraft altitudes and sea level. These neutrons are thought to be the most important threat to semiconductor devices and integrated circuits. The best way to determine the failure rate due to these neutrons is to measure the failure rate in a neutron source that has the same spectrum as those produced by cosmic rays. Los Alamos has a high-energy and a low-energy neutron source for semiconductor testing. Both are driven by the 800-MeV proton beam from the LANSCE accelerator. The high-energy neutron source at the Weapons Neutron Research (WNR) facility uses a bare target that is designed to produce fast neutrons with energies from 100 keV to almost 800 MeV. The measured neutron energy distribution from WNR is very similar to that of the cosmic-ray-induced neutrons in the atmosphere. However, the flux provided at the WNR facility is typically 5×107 times more intense than the flux of the cosmic-ray-induced neutrons. This intense neutron flux allows testing at greatly accelerated rates. An irradiation test of less than an hour is equivalent to many years of neutron exposure due to cosmic-ray neutrons. The low-energy neutron source is located at the Lujan Neutron Scattering Center. It is based on a moderated source that provides useful neutrons from subthermal energies to ~100 keV. The characteristics of these sources

The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center Spallation Neutron Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Nowicki, Suzanne F.; Wender, Stephen A.; Mocko, Michael

The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) provides the scientific community with intense sources of neutrons, which can be used to perform experiments supporting civilian and national security research. These measurements include nuclear physics experiments for the defense program, basic science, and the radiation effect programs. This paper focuses on the radiation effects program, which involves mostly accelerated testing of semiconductor parts. When cosmic rays strike the earth's atmosphere, they cause nuclear reactions with elements in the air and produce a wide range of energetic particles. Because neutrons are uncharged, they can reach aircraft altitudes and sea level. These neutrons are thought to be the most important threat to semiconductor devices and integrated circuits. The best way to determine the failure rate due to these neutrons is to measure the failure rate in a neutron source that has the same spectrum as those produced by cosmic rays. Los Alamos has a high-energy and a low-energy neutron source for semiconductor testing. Both are driven by the 800-MeV proton beam from the LANSCE accelerator. The high-energy neutron source at the Weapons Neutron Research (WNR) facility uses a bare target that is designed to produce fast neutrons with energies from 100 keV to almost 800 MeV. The measured neutron energy distribution from WNR is very similar to that of the cosmic-ray-induced neutrons in the atmosphere. However, the flux provided at the WNR facility is typically 5×107 times more intense than the flux of the cosmic-ray-induced neutrons. This intense neutron flux allows testing at greatly accelerated rates. An irradiation test of less than an hour is equivalent to many years of neutron exposure due to cosmic-ray neutrons. The low-energy neutron source is located at the Lujan Neutron Scattering Center. It is based on a moderated source that provides useful neutrons from subthermal energies to ∼100 keV. The characteristics of these sources, and

THE BOLOCAM GALACTIC PLANE SURVEY. XI. TEMPERATURES AND SUBSTRUCTURE OF GALACTIC CLUMPS BASED ON 350 μM OBSERVATIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Merello, Manuel; Evans II, Neal J. [The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Astronomy, 2515 Speedway, Stop C1400, Austin, TX 78712-1205 (United States); Shirley, Yancy L. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Rosolowsky, Erik [Department of Physics, 4-181 CCIS, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1 (Canada); Ginsburg, Adam [European Southern Observatory, ESO Headquarters, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2, D-95748 Garching bei Munchen (Germany); Bally, John [CASA, University of Colorado, 389-UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 (United States); Battersby, Cara; Dunham, Michael M., E-mail: manuel@astro.as.utexas.edu [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, MS 78, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2015-05-15

We present 107 maps of continuum emission at 350 μm from Galactic molecular clumps. Observed sources were mainly selected from the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey (BGPS) catalog, with three additional maps covering star-forming regions in the outer Galaxy. The higher resolution of the SHARC-II images (8.″5 beam) compared with the 1.1 mm images from BGPS (33″ beam) allowed us to identify a large population of smaller substructures within the clumps. A catalog is presented for the 1386 sources extracted from the 350 μm maps. The color temperature distribution of clumps based on the two wavelengths has a median of 13.3 K and mean of 16.3 ± 0.4 K, assuming an opacity law index of 1.7. For the structures with good determination of color temperatures, the mean ratio of gas temperature, determined from NH{sub 3} observations, to dust color temperature is 0.88 and the median ratio is 0.76. About half the clumps have more than 2 substructures and 22 clumps have more than 10. The fraction of the mass in dense substructures seen at 350 μm compared to the mass of their parental clump is ∼0.19, and the surface densities of these substructures are, on average, 2.2 times those seen in the clumps identified at 1.1 mm. For a well-characterized sample, 88 structures (31%) exceed a surface density of 0.2 g cm{sup −2}, and 18 (6%) exceed 1.0 g cm{sup −2}, thresholds for massive star formation suggested by theorists.

The Red MSX Source Survey: The Massive Young Stellar Population of Our Galaxy

Science.gov (United States)

Lumsden, S. L.; Hoare, M. G.; Urquhart, J. S.; Oudmaijer, R. D.; Davies, B.; Mottram, J. C.; Cooper, H. D. B.; Moore, T. J. T.

2013-09-01

We present the Red MSX Source survey, the largest statistically selected catalog of young massive protostars and H II regions to date. We outline the construction of the catalog using mid- and near-infrared color selection. We also discuss the detailed follow up work at other wavelengths, including higher spatial resolution data in the infrared. We show that within the adopted selection bounds we are more than 90% complete for the massive protostellar population, with a positional accuracy of the exciting source of better than 2 arcsec. We briefly summarize some of the results that can be obtained from studying the properties of the objects in the catalog as a whole; we find evidence that the most massive stars form: (1) preferentially nearer the Galactic center than the anti-center; (2) in the most heavily reddened environments, suggestive of high accretion rates; and (3) from the most massive cloud cores.

THE RED MSX SOURCE SURVEY: THE MASSIVE YOUNG STELLAR POPULATION OF OUR GALAXY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lumsden, S. L.; Hoare, M. G.; Oudmaijer, R. D.; Cooper, H. D. B.; Urquhart, J. S.; Davies, B.; Moore, T. J. T.; Mottram, J. C.

2013-01-01

We present the Red MSX Source survey, the largest statistically selected catalog of young massive protostars and H II regions to date. We outline the construction of the catalog using mid- and near-infrared color selection. We also discuss the detailed follow up work at other wavelengths, including higher spatial resolution data in the infrared. We show that within the adopted selection bounds we are more than 90% complete for the massive protostellar population, with a positional accuracy of the exciting source of better than 2 arcsec. We briefly summarize some of the results that can be obtained from studying the properties of the objects in the catalog as a whole; we find evidence that the most massive stars form: (1) preferentially nearer the Galactic center than the anti-center; (2) in the most heavily reddened environments, suggestive of high accretion rates; and (3) from the most massive cloud cores

THE RED MSX SOURCE SURVEY: THE MASSIVE YOUNG STELLAR POPULATION OF OUR GALAXY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lumsden, S. L.; Hoare, M. G.; Oudmaijer, R. D.; Cooper, H. D. B. [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT (United Kingdom); Urquhart, J. S. [Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, Bonn (Germany); Davies, B.; Moore, T. J. T. [Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 5RF (United Kingdom); Mottram, J. C. [Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden (Netherlands)

2013-09-01

We present the Red MSX Source survey, the largest statistically selected catalog of young massive protostars and H II regions to date. We outline the construction of the catalog using mid- and near-infrared color selection. We also discuss the detailed follow up work at other wavelengths, including higher spatial resolution data in the infrared. We show that within the adopted selection bounds we are more than 90% complete for the massive protostellar population, with a positional accuracy of the exciting source of better than 2 arcsec. We briefly summarize some of the results that can be obtained from studying the properties of the objects in the catalog as a whole; we find evidence that the most massive stars form: (1) preferentially nearer the Galactic center than the anti-center; (2) in the most heavily reddened environments, suggestive of high accretion rates; and (3) from the most massive cloud cores.

A COMPARISON OF FAR-IR AND H I AS REDDENING PREDICTORS AT HIGH GALACTIC LATITUDE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peek, J. E. G.

2013-01-01

Both the Galactic 21 cm line flux from neutral hydrogen (H I) in interstellar medium and the far-infrared (FIR) emission from Galactic dust grains have been used to estimate the strength of Galactic reddening of distant sources. In this work we use a collection of uniform color distant galaxies as color standards to determine whether the H I method or the FIR method is superior. We find that the two methods both produce reasonably accurate maps, but that both show significant errors as compared to the typical color of the background galaxies. We find that a mixture of the FIR and H I maps in roughly a 2-to-1 ratio is clearly superior to either map alone. We recommend that future reddening maps should use both sets of data, and that well-constructed FIR and H I maps should both be vigorously pursued.

Galactic Center Minispiral: Interaction Modes of Neutron Stars

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Zajaček, Michal; Karas, Vladimír; Kunneriath, Devaky

2015-01-01

Roč. 55, č. 3 (2015), s. 203-214 ISSN 1210-2709 R&D Projects: GA ČR GB14-37086G Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : galaxy center * individual objects * Sagittarius A Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Emission Toward the Galactic Bulge

Science.gov (United States)

Shannon, M. J.; Peeters, E.; Cami, J.; Blommaert, J. A. D. L.

2018-03-01

We examine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), dust, and atomic/molecular emission toward the Galactic bulge using Spitzer Space Telescope observations of four fields: C32, C35, OGLE, and NGC 6522. These fields are approximately centered on (l, b) = (0.°0, 1.°0), (0.°0, ‑1.°0), (0.°4, ‑2.°4), and (1.°0, ‑3.°8), respectively. Far-infrared photometric observations complement the Spitzer/IRS spectroscopic data and are used to construct spectral energy distributions. We find that the dust and PAH emission are exceptionally similar between C32 and C35 overall, in part explained due to their locations—they reside on or near boundaries of a 7 Myr old Galactic outflow event and are partly shock-heated. Within the C32 and C35 fields, we identify a region of elevated Hα emission that is coincident with elevated fine-structure and [O IV] line emission and weak PAH feature strengths. We are likely tracing a transition zone of the outflow into the nascent environment. PAH abundances in these fields are slightly depressed relative to typical ISM values. In the OGLE and NGC 6522 fields, we observe weak features on a continuum dominated by zodiacal dust. SED fitting indicates that thermal dust grains in C32 and C35 have temperatures comparable to those of diffuse, high-latitude cirrus clouds. Little variability is detected in the PAH properties between C32 and C35, indicating that a stable population of PAHs dominates the overall spectral appearance. In fact, their PAH features are exceptionally similar to that of the M82 superwind, emphasizing that we are probing a local Galactic wind environment.

Galactic Winds and the Role Played by Massive Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Heckman, Timothy M.; Thompson, Todd A.

Galactic winds from star-forming galaxies play at key role in the evolution of galaxies and the intergalactic medium. They transport metals out of galaxies, chemically enriching the intergalactic medium and modifying the chemical evolution of galaxies. They affect the surrounding interstellar and circumgalactic media, thereby influencing the growth of galaxies though gas accretion and star formation. In this contribution we first summarize the physical mechanisms by which the momentum and energy output from a population of massive stars and associated supernovae can drive galactic winds. We use the prototypical example of M 82 to illustrate the multiphase nature of galactic winds. We then describe how the basic properties of galactic winds are derived from the data, and summarize how the properties of galactic winds vary systematically with the properties of the galaxies that launch them. We conclude with a brief discussion of the broad implications of galactic winds.

Study and modeling of the most energetic Active Galactic Nuclei with the Fermi satellite; Etude et modelisation des noyaux actifs de galaxie les plus energetiques avec le satellite Fermi

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanchez, D.

2010-06-15

The Fermi satellite was launched in June 2008. The onboard LAT detector is dedicated to the study of galactic and extra-galactic gamma sources with an energy comprised between 200 MeV and 300 GeV. 1451 sources have been detected in less than 11 months. This document is divided into 6 chapters: 1) gamma astronomy, 2) the Fermi satellite, 3) the active galactic nuclei (NAG), 4) the observation of several blazars (PKS-2155-304 and PG-1553+113) and its simulation, 5) the observation of PKS-2155-304 with both RXTE and Fermi, and 6) conclusion

Massachusetts Stony Brook galactic plane CO survey - disk and spiral arm molecular cloud populations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solomon, P.M.; Sanders, D.B.; Rivolo, A.R.; Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory, Pasadena, CA; Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD)

1985-01-01

A preliminary analysis of a new high-resolution CO survey of the galactic disk is presented, which can detect and measure essentially all molecular clouds and cloud components in the inner Galaxy with size greater than 10 pc. In the region of l between 20 and 50 deg approximately 2000 emission centers are identified. Two populations which separate according to temperature are found. The disk population of cold molecular cores contains about three-quarters of the total number of cores, is not confined to any large-scale pattern in longitude-velocity space, and must be widespread in the Galaxy both in and out of spiral arms. The spiral arm population of warm molecular cores contains about one-quarter of the population with one-half of the emission and is very closely associated with radio H II regions. Between longitudes 20 and 50 deg their radial distribution shows two peaks at R = 5 and 7.5 kpc. The warm molecular cloud cores have a nonaxisymmetric galactic distribution, occur in clusters, and are confined to restricted regions and patterns in longitude-velocity space and in the galactic disk. 20 references

Attenuation of VHE Gamma Rays by the Milky Way Interstellar Radiation Field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moskalenko, Igor V.; /Stanford U., HEPL; Porter, Troy A.; /Louisiana State U.; Strong, Andrew W.; /Garching, Max Planck Inst., MPE

2006-04-19

The attenuation of very high energy gamma rays by pair production on the Galactic interstellar radiation field has long been thought of as negligible. However, a new calculation of the interstellar radiation field consistent with multi-wavelength observations by DIRBE and FIRAS indicates that the energy density of the Galactic interstellar radiation field is higher, particularly in the Galactic center, than previously thought. We have made a calculation of the attenuation of very high energy gamma rays in the Galaxy using this new interstellar radiation field which takes into account its nonuniform spatial and angular distributions. We find that the maximum attenuation occurs around 100 TeV at the level of about 25% for sources located at the Galactic center, and is important for both Galactic and extragalactic sources.

The first fermi-lat catalog of sources above 10 GeV

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; Allafort, A.; Atwood, W. B.; Baldini, L.; Ballet, J.; Barbiellini, G.; Bastieri, D.; Bechtol, K.; Belfiore, A.; Bellazzini, R.; Bernieri, E.; Bissaldi, E.; Bloom, E. D.; Bonamente, E.; Brandt, T. J.; Bregeon, J.; Brigida, M.; Bruel, P.; Buehler, R.; Burnett, T. H.; Buson, S.; Caliandro, G. A.; Cameron, R. A.; Campana, R.; Caraveo, P. A.; Casandjian, J. M.; Cavazzuti, E.; Cecchi, C.; Charles, E.; Chaves, R. C. G.; Chekhtman, A.; Cheung, C. C.; Chiang, J.; Chiaro, G.; Ciprini, S.; Claus, R.; Cohen-Tanugi, J.; Cominsky, L. R.; Conrad, J.; Cutini, S.; D' Ammando, F.; de Angelis, A.; de Palma, F.; Dermer, C. D.; Desiante, R.; Digel, S. W.; Di Venere, L.; Drell, P. S.; Drlica-Wagner, A.; Favuzzi, C.; Fegan, S. J.; Ferrara, E. C.; Focke, W. B.; Fortin, P.; Franckowiak, A.; Funk, S.; Fusco, P.; Gargano, F.; Gasparrini, D.; Gehrels, N.; Germani, S.; Giglietto, N.; Giommi, P.; Giordano, F.; Giroletti, M.; Godfrey, G.; Gomez-Vargas, G. A.; Grenier, I. A.; Guiriec, S.; Hadasch, D.; Hanabata, Y.; Harding, A. K.; Hayashida, M.; Hays, E.; Hewitt, J.; Hill, A. B.; Horan, D.; Hughes, R. E.; Jogler, T.; Jóhannesson, G.; Johnson, A. S.; Johnson, T. J.; Johnson, W. N.; Kamae, T.; Kataoka, J.; Kawano, T.; Knödlseder, J.; Kuss, M.; Lande, J.; Larsson, S.; Latronico, L.; Lemoine-Goumard, M.; Longo, F.; Loparco, F.; Lott, B.; Lovellette, M. N.; Lubrano, P.; Massaro, E.; Mayer, M.; Mazziotta, M. N.; McEnery, J. E.; Mehault, J.; Michelson, P. F.; Mizuno, T.; Moiseev, A. A.; Monzani, M. E.; Morselli, A.; Moskalenko, I. V.; Murgia, S.; Nemmen, R.; Nuss, E.; Ohsugi, T.; Okumura, A.; Orienti, M.; Ormes, J. F.; Paneque, D.; Perkins, J. S.; Pesce-Rollins, M.; Piron, F.; Pivato, G.; Porter, T. A.; Rainò, S.; Razzano, M.; Reimer, A.; Reimer, O.; Reposeur, T.; Ritz, S.; Romani, R. W.; Roth, M.; Saz Parkinson, P. M.; Schulz, A.; Sgrò, C.; Siskind, E. J.; Smith, D. A.; Spandre, G.; Spinelli, P.; Stawarz, Łukasz; Strong, A. W.; Suson, D. J.; Takahashi, H.; Thayer, J. G.; Thayer, J. B.; Thompson, D. J.; Tibaldo, L.; Tinivella, M.; Torres, D. F.; Tosti, G.; Troja, E.; Uchiyama, Y.; Usher, T. L.; Vandenbroucke, J.; Vasileiou, V.; Vianello, G.; Vitale, V.; Werner, M.; Winer, B. L.; Wood, K. S.; Wood, M.

2013-11-14

We present a catalog of gamma-ray sources at energies above 10 GeV based on data from the Large Area Telescope (LAT) accumulated during the first three years of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope mission. The first Fermi-LAT catalog of >10GeV sources (1FHL) has 514 sources. For each source we present location, spectrum, a measure of variability, and associations with cataloged sources at other wavelengths. We found that 449 (87%) could be associated with known sources, of which 393 (76% of the 1FHL sources) are active galactic nuclei. Of the 27 sources associated with known pulsars, we find 20 (12) to have significant pulsations in the range >10GeV (>25GeV). In this work we also report that, at energies above 10 GeV, unresolved sources account for 27+/-8 % of the isotropic gamma-ray background, while the unresolved Galactic population contributes only at the few percent level to the Galactic diffuse background. We also highlight the subset of the 1FHL sources that are best candidates for detection at energies above 50-100 GeV with current and future ground-based gamma-ray observatories.

MODIFIED GRAVITY SPINS UP GALACTIC HALOS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jounghun [Astronomy Program, Department of Physics and Astronomy, FPRD, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747 (Korea, Republic of); Zhao, Gong-Bo [National Astronomy Observatories, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100012 (China); Li, Baojiu [Institute of Computational Cosmology, Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Koyama, Kazuya, E-mail: jounghun@astro.snu.ac.kr [Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 3FX (United Kingdom)

2013-01-20

We investigate the effect of modified gravity on the specific angular momentum of galactic halos by analyzing the halo catalogs at z = 0 from high-resolution N-body simulations for a f(R) gravity model that meets the solar-system constraint. It is shown that the galactic halos in the f(R) gravity model tend to acquire significantly higher specific angular momentum than those in the standard {Lambda}CDM model. The largest difference in the specific angular momentum distribution between these two models occurs for the case of isolated galactic halos with mass less than 10{sup 11} h {sup -1} M {sub Sun }, which are likely least shielded by the chameleon screening mechanism. As the specific angular momentum of galactic halos is rather insensitive to other cosmological parameters, it can in principle be an independent discriminator of modified gravity. We speculate a possibility of using the relative abundance of low surface brightness galaxies (LSBGs) as a test of general relativity given that the formation of the LSBGs occurs in fast spinning dark halos.

Hot Galactic Arms Point To Vicious Cycle

Science.gov (United States)

2001-12-01

usually observed in connection with galactic outbursts. "It may be that we are seeing an early stage of the cycle before the radio source has turned on," said team member William Forman also of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. "Or, it could be a new type of outburst that is not accompanied by strong radio emission." Other members of the team included Alexey Vikhlinin, Maxim Markevitch, Laurence David, Aryeh Warmflash, all of the CfA, and Paul Nulsen of the University of Wollongong in Australia. Chandra observed NGC 4636, an elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo some 50 million light years from Earth, with the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS) on Dec. 4-5, 1999 for 11,000 sec, and Jan. 26-27, 2000 for 53,000 seconds as part of a program led by Richard Mushotzky of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to study X-ray emission from elliptical galaxies. The ACIS instrument was developed for NASA by Pennsylvania State University, University Park, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., manages the Chandra program, and TRW, Inc., Redondo Beach, Calif., is the prime contractor for the spacecraft. The Smithsonian's Chandra X-ray Center controls science and flight operations from Cambridge, Mass.

Toward Measuring Galactic Dense Molecular Gas Properties and 3D Distribution with Hi-GAL

Science.gov (United States)

Zetterlund, Erika; Glenn, Jason; Maloney, Phil

2016-01-01

The Herschel Space Observatory's submillimeter dust continuum survey Hi-GAL provides a powerful new dataset for characterizing the structure of the dense interstellar medium of the Milky Way. Hi-GAL observed a 2° wide strip covering the entire 360° of the Galactic plane in broad bands centered at 70, 160, 250, 350, and 500 μm, with angular resolution ranging from 10 to 40 arcseconds. We are adapting a molecular cloud clump-finding algorithm and a distance probability density function distance-determination method developed for the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey (BGPS) to the Hi-GAL data. Using these methods we expect to generate a database of 105 cloud clumps, derive distance information for roughly half the clumps, and derive precise distances for approximately 20% of them. With five-color photometry and distances, we will measure the cloud clump properties, such as luminosities, physical sizes, and masses, and construct a three-dimensional map of the Milky Way's dense molecular gas distribution.The cloud clump properties and the dense gas distribution will provide critical ground truths for comparison to theoretical models of molecular cloud structure formation and galaxy evolution models that seek to emulate spiral galaxies. For example, such models cannot resolve star formation and use prescriptive recipes, such as converting a fixed fraction of interstellar gas to stars at a specified interstellar medium density threshold. The models should be compared to observed dense molecular gas properties and galactic distributions.As a pilot survey to refine the clump-finding and distance measurement algorithms developed for BGPS, we have identified molecular cloud clumps in six 2° × 2° patches of the Galactic plane, including one in the inner Galaxy along the line of sight through the Molecular Ring and the termination of the Galactic bar and one toward the outer Galaxy. Distances have been derived for the inner Galaxy clumps and compared to Bolocam Galactic Plane

On the metallicity gradients of the Galactic disk as revealed by LSS-GAC red clump stars

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yang; Liu, Xiao-Wei; Zhang, Hua-Wei; Yuan, Hai-Bo; Xiang, Mao-Sheng; Chen, Bing-Qiu; Ren, Juan-Juan; Sun, Ning-Chen; Wang, Chun; Zhang, Yong; Hou, Yong-Hui; Wang, Yue-Fei; Yang, Ming

2015-08-01

Using a sample of over 70 000 red clump (RC) stars with 5%-10% distance accuracy selected from the LAMOST Spectroscopic Survey of the Galactic Anti-center (LSS-GAC), we study the radial and vertical gradients of the Galactic disk(s) mainly in the anti-center direction, covering a significant volume of the disk in the range of projected Galactocentric radius 7 ≤ RGC ≤ 14 kpc and height from the Galactic midplane 0 ≤ |Z| ≤ 3 kpc. Our analysis shows that both the radial and vertical metallicity gradients are negative across much of the volume of the disk that is probed, and they exhibit significant spatial variations. Near the solar circle (7 ≤ RGC ≤ 115 kpc), the radial gradient has a moderately steep, negative slope of -0.08 dex kpc-1 near the midplane (|Z| plane, suggesting that the outer disk may have experienced an evolutionary path different from that of the inner disk. The vertical gradients are found to flatten largely with increasing RGC. However, the vertical gradient of the lower disk (0 ≤ |Z| ≤ 1 kpc) is found to flatten with RGC quicker than that of the upper disk (1 < |Z| ≤ 3 kpc). Our results should provide strong constraints on the theory of disk formation and evolution, as well as the underlying physical processes that shape the disk (e.g. gas flows, radial migration, and internal and external perturbations).

Trek and ECCO: Abundance measurements of ultraheavy galactic cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westphal, Andrew J.

2000-01-01

Using the Trek detector, we have measured the abundances of the heaviest elements (with Z>70) in the galactic cosmic rays with sufficient charge resolution to resolve the even-Z elements. We find that the abundance of Pb compared to Pt is ∼3 times lower than the value expected from the most widely-held class of models of the origin of galactic cosmic ray nuclei, that is, origination in a partially ionized medium with solar-like composition. The low abundance of Pb is, however, consistent with the interstellar gas and dust model of Meyer, Drury and Ellison, and with a source enriched in r-process material, proposed by Binns et al. A high-resolution, high-statistics measurement of the abundances of the individual actinides would distinguish between these models. This is the goal of ECCO, the Extremely Heavy Cosmic-ray Composition Observer, which we plan to deploy on the International Space Station

The pulsar contribution to the diffuse galactic gamma-ray emission

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pohl, M.; Kanbach, G.; Hunter, S.D.

1997-01-01

There is active interest in the extent to which unresolved gamma-ray pulsars contribute to the Galactic diffuse emission, and in whether unresolved gamma-ray pulsars could be responsible for the excess of diffuse Galactic emission above 1 GeV that has been observed by EGRET. The diffuse gamma......-ray intensity due to unresolved pulsars is directly linked to the number of objects that should be observed in the EGRET data. We can therefore use our knowledge of the unidentified EGRET sources to constrain model parameters like the pulsar birthrate and their beaming angle. This analysis is based only...... on the properties of the six pulsars that have been identified in the EGRET data and is independent of choice of a pulsar emission model. We find that pulsars contribute very little to the diffuse emission at lower energies, whereas above 1 GeV they can account for 18% of the observed intensity in selected regions...

High-resolution far-infrared observations of the galactic center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harvey, P.M.; Campbell, M.F.; Hoffmann, W.F.

1976-01-01

A map at 53 μ with 17'' resolution and three-color observations at 53 μ, 100 μ, and 175 μ with approx.30'' beams of Sgr A are presented. Sagittarius A is resolved into two main sources, one associated with the cluster of strong 10 μ sources and another approx.45'' to the southwest coincident with a weak 10 μ source. The dust temperature peaks near the strong 10 μ sources, but the 100 μ and 175 μ fluxes and the far-infrared optical depth are greatest near the southwest source. The amount of dust required to explain the far-infrared emission is comparable to that observed in absorption in the near-infrared

A MULTI-WAVELENGTH ANALYSIS OF NGC 4178: A BULGELESS GALAXY WITH AN ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Secrest, N. J.; Satyapal, S.; Gliozzi, M.; Moran, S. M.; Cheung, C. C.; Giroletti, M.; Bergmann, M. P.; Seth, A. C.

2013-01-01

We present Gemini longslit optical spectroscopy and Very Large Array radio observations of the nuclear region of NGC 4178, a late-type bulgeless disk galaxy recently confirmed to host an active galactic nucleus (AGN) through infrared and X-ray observations. Our observations reveal that the dynamical center of the galaxy is coincident with the location of the Chandra X-ray point source discovered in a previous work, providing further support for the presence of an AGN. While the X-ray and IR observations provide robust evidence for an AGN, the optical spectrum shows no evidence for the AGN, underscoring the need for the penetrative power of mid-IR and X-ray observations in finding buried or weak AGNs in this class of galaxy. Finally, the upper limit to the radio flux, together with our previous X-ray and IR results, is consistent with the scenario in which NGC 4178 harbors a deeply buried AGN accreting at a high rate

Galactic cycles and their relationship to life on earth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olson, A.P.

1984-05-01

This paper draws attention to episodic events in the geologic time scale of the evolution of life on earth, and discusses potentially cyclic behavior relative to galactic structure. The question is a simple one: Do galactic processes affect the solar system. It is known that the sun is moving at about 220 +- 15 km/sec at a distance of about 8.5 +- 0.5 kpc from the galactic center. This motion, if circular and unperturbed, implies an orbital period of 237 +- 21 My for the solar system around the galaxy. The Milky Way also evidences structure typically interpreted as spiral arms, in the distribution of gas clouds in its central plane. The relative motion of the spiral arms, known as the pattern speed, is about 2/3 that of the sun. Consequently the solar system gains upon and passes through all the structure in its orbital plane once in three rotations or approx.700 My. If this structure is persistent over times longer than 700 My, it is clear that the interaction (if any) can be called cyclic. Furthermore, if there is any sub-structure or inner pattern to the 700 My cycle, it may show up as higher harmonics. Age estimates for the Milky Way are 12-15 By, or approx.17 to 22 structure cycles of 0.70 By. It seems not unreasonable to expect some persistence of a pattern over a few structure cycles. It must be noted that the pattern speed is quite uncertain. Perhaps geophysical evidence can be used to improve on the nominally 700 My structure cycle which is assumed in this paper. 16 references, 8 figures

A Search for New Galactic Magnetars in Archival Chandra and XMM-Newton Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Muno, M. P.; Gaensler, B. M.; Nechita, A.; Miller, J. M.; Slane, P. O.

2008-06-01

We present constraints on the number of Galactic magnetars, which we have established by searching for sources with periodic variability in 506 archival Chandra observations and 441 archival XMM-Newton observations of the Galactic plane (| b| fall within our survey, then there are 59+ 92-32 in the Galaxy. Barely detectable magnetars (LX = 3 × 1033 ergs s-1 and Arms = 15% ) could have been identified throughout ≈0.4% of the spiral arms. The lack of new examples implies that birth rate of magnetars is between 0.003 and 0.06 yr-1. Therefore, the birth rate of magnetars is at least 10% of that for normal radio pulsars, and could exceed that value, unless transient magnetars are active for gtrsim105 yr.

The Galactic Club or Galactic Cliques? Exploring the limits of interstellar hegemony and the Zoo Hypothesis

Science.gov (United States)

Forgan, Duncan H.

2017-10-01

The Zoo solution to Fermi's Paradox proposes that extraterrestrial intelligences (ETIs) have agreed to not contact the Earth. The strength of this solution depends on the ability for ETIs to come to agreement, and establish/police treaties as part of a so-called `Galactic Club'. These activities are principally limited by the causal connectivity of a civilization to its neighbours at its inception, i.e. whether it comes to prominence being aware of other ETIs and any treaties or agreements in place. If even one civilization is not causally connected to the other members of a treaty, then they are free to operate beyond it and contact the Earth if wished, which makes the Zoo solution `soft'. We should therefore consider how likely this scenario is, as this will give us a sense of the Zoo solution's softness, or general validity. We implement a simple toy model of ETIs arising in a Galactic Habitable Zone, and calculate the properties of the groups of culturally connected civilizations established therein. We show that for most choices of civilization parameters, the number of culturally connected groups is >1, meaning that the Galaxy is composed of multiple Galactic Cliques rather than a single Galactic Club. We find in our models for a single Galactic Club to establish interstellar hegemony, the number of civilizations must be relatively large, the mean civilization lifetime must be several millions of years, and the inter-arrival time between civilizations must be a few million years or less.

Galactic Habitable Zone and Astrobiological Complexity

Science.gov (United States)

Vukotic, B.

2012-12-01

This is a short thesis description and for the sake of brevity most things are left out. For more details, those interested are further directed to the thesis related papers in this article reference list. Thesis itself is available at the University of Belgrade library "Svetozar Markovic" (Serbian version only). In this thesis we study the astrobiological history of the Galactic habitable zone through the means of numerical modeling. First group of simulations are unidimensional (time-axis) toy models examine the influence of global regulation mechanisms (gamma-ray bursts and supernovae) on temporal evolution of Galactic astrobiological complexity. It is shown that under the assumption of global regulation classical anti SETI arguments can be undermined. Second group of simulations are more complex bidimensional probabilistic cellular automata models of the Galactic thin disk. They confirm the findings of the toy models and give some insights into the spatial clustering of astrobiological complexity. As a new emerging multidisciplinary science the basic concepts of astrobiology are poorly understood and although all the simulations present here do not include some basic physics (such as Galactic kinematics and dynamics), the input parameters are somewhat arbitrary and could use a future refinement (such as the boundaries of the Galactic habitable zone). This is the cause for low weight and high uncertainty in the output results of the simulations. However, the probabilistic cellular automata has shown as a highly adaptable modeling platform that can simulate various class of astrobiological models with great ease.

Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph Observations of the Galactic Center: Quantifying the Extreme Ultraviolet/Soft X-ray Fluxes

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, Janet P.

2018-04-01

It has long been shown that the extreme ultraviolet spectrum of the ionizing stars of H II regions can be estimated by comparing the observed line emission to detailed models. In the Galactic Center (GC), however, previous observations have shown that the ionizing spectral energy distribution (SED) of the local photon field is strange, producing both very low excitation ionized gas (indicative of ionization by late O stars) and also widespread diffuse emission from atoms too highly ionized to be found in normal H II regions. This paper describes the analysis of all GC spectra taken by Spitzer's Infrared Spectrograph and downloaded from the Spitzer Heritage Archive. In it, H II region densities and abundances are described, and serendipitously discovered candidate planetary nebulae, compact shocks, and candidate young stellar objects are tabulated. Models were computed with Cloudy, using SEDs from Starburst99 plus additional X-rays, and compared to the observed mid-infrared forbidden and recombination lines. The ages inferred from the model fits do not agree with recent proposed star formation sequences (star formation in the GC occurring along streams of gas with density enhancements caused by close encounters with the black hole, Sgr A*), with Sgr B1, Sgr C, and the Arches Cluster being all about the same age, around 4.5 Myr old, with similar X-ray requirements. The fits for the Quintuplet Cluster appear to give a younger age, but that could be caused by higher-energy photons from shocks from stellar winds or from a supernova.

A search for TeV gamma-ray emission from SNRs, pulsars and unidentified GeV sources in the Galactic plane in the longitude range between -2 deg and 85 deg.

Science.gov (United States)

Aharonian, F. A.; Akhperjanian, A. G.; Beilicke, M.; Bernloehr, K.; Bojahr, H.; Bolz, O.; Boerst, H.; Coarasa, T.; Contreras, J. L.; Cortina, J.; Denninghoff, S.; Fonseca, V.; Girma, M.; Goetting, N.; Heinzelmann, G.; Hermann, G.; Heusler, A.; Hofmann, W.; Horns, D.; Jung, I.; Kankanyan, R.; Kestel, M.; Kettler, J.; Kohnle, A.; Konopelko, A.; Kornmeyer, H.; Kranich, D.; Krawczynski, H.; Lampeitl, H.; Lopez, M.; Lorenz, E.; Lucarelli, F.; Mang, O.; Meyer, H.; Mirzoyan, R.; Moralejo, A.; Ona, E.; Panter, M.; Plyasheshnikov, A.; Puehlhofer, G.; Rauterberg, G.; Reyes, R.; Rhode, W.; Ripken, J.; Roehring, A.; Rowell, G. P.; Sahakian, V.; Samorski, M.; Schilling, M.; Siems, M.; Sobzynska, D.; Stamm, W.; Tluczykont, M.; Voelk, H. J.; Wiedner, C. A.; Wittek, W.

2002-12-01

Using the HEGRA system of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes, one quarter of the Galactic plane (-2o < l < 85o) was surveyed for TeV gamma-ray emission from point sources and moderately extended sources (φ <= 0.8o). The region covered includes 86 known pulsars (PSR), 63 known supernova remnants (SNR) and nine GeV sources, representing a significant fraction of the known populations. No evidence for emission of TeV gamma radiation was detected, and upper limits range from 0.15 Crab units up to several Crab units, depending on the observation time and zenith angles covered. The ensemble sums over selected SNR and pulsar subsamples and over the GeV-sources yield no indication of emission from these potential sources. The upper limit for the SNR population is 6.7% of the Crab flux and for the pulsar ensemble is 3.6% of the Crab flux.

The inner 300 parsecs of the Milky Way seen by H.E.S.S.: a Pevatron in the Galactic Centre

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moulin Emmanuel

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The Galactic Centre region has been observed by the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S. array of ground-based Cherenkov telescopes since 2004 leading to the detection of the very-high-energy γ-ray source HESS J1745-290 spatially coincident with the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*. Diffuse TeV gamma-ray emission has been detected along the Galactic plane, most likely due to hadronic cosmic-ray interactions with the dense gas of the Central Molecular Zone. The rich 2004-2013 dataset permits detailed spectral and morphological studies of the diffuse emission in the inner 300 pc of the Galactic Centre region. The new results provide an important statement regarding the location and origin of the accelerator of PeV protons. The H.E.S.S. observations of the Pevatron are discussed in the context of the origin of Galactic cosmic rays.

A high-frequency survey of the southern Galactic plane for pulsars

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Simon; Lyne, A. G.; Manchester, R. N.; Kniffen, D. A.; D'Amico, N.; Lim, J.; Ashworth, M.

1992-01-01

Results of an HF survey designed to detect young, distant, and short-period pulsars are presented. The survey detected a total of 100 pulsars, 46 of which were previously unknown. The periods of the newly discovered pulsars range between 47 ms and 2.5 ms. One of the new discoveries, PSR 1259-63, is a member of a long-period binary system. At least three of the pulsars have ages less than 30,000 yr, bringing the total number of such pulsars to 12. The majority of the new discoveries are distant objects with high dispersion measures, which are difficult to detect at low frequencies. This demonstrates that the survey has reduced the severe selection effects of pulse scattering, high Galactic background temperature, and dispersion broadening, which hamper the detection of such pulsars at low radio frequencies. The pulsar distribution in the southern Galaxy is found to extend much further from the Galactic center than that in the north, probably due to two prominent spiral arms in the southern Galaxy.

Imaging and polarimetry of the Galactic Centre in the near-infrared

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bailey, J; Hough, J H; Axon, D J

1984-06-01

Infrared images of the Galactic Centre with 2.25 arcsec resolution have been obtained at wavelengths of 1.64 ..mu..m (H), 2.2 ..mu..m (K), 3.8 ..mu..m (L') and 4.8 ..mu..m (M). From these, the positions, magnitudes and colours for 35 sources have been measured. The observed sources can be divided into two classes: those whose colours are typical of reddened stars and those with much redder colours which dominate at 3.8 and 4.8 ..mu..m whose infrared radiation is due to dust emission. Polarization measurements for a number of the brighter sources have been made at J, H, and K. Most of the sources with stellar colours show wavelength dependence typical of interstellar polarization with polarizations at K of about 6 per cent.

Imaging and polarimetry of the Galactic Centre in the near-infrared

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bailey, J.; Hough, J.H.; Axon, D.J.

1984-01-01

Infrared images of the Galactic Centre with 2.25 arcsec resolution have been obtained at wavelengths of 1.64 μm (H), 2.2 μm (K), 3.8 μm (L') and 4.8 μm (M). From these, the positions, magnitudes and colours for 35 sources have been measured. The observed sources can be divided into two classes: those whose colours are typical of reddened stars and those with much redder colours which dominate at 3.8 and 4.8 μm whose infrared radiation is due to dust emission. Polarization measurements for a number of the brighter sources have been made at J, H, and K. Most of the sources with stellar colours show wavelength dependence typical of interstellar polarization with polarizations at K of about 6 per cent. (author)

AN ABSENCE OF FAST RADIO BURSTS AT INTERMEDIATE GALACTIC LATITUDES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petroff, E.; Van Straten, W.; Bailes, M.; Barr, E. D.; Coster, P.; Flynn, C.; Keane, E. F. [Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology, P.O. Box 218, Hawthorn, VIC 3122 (Australia); Johnston, S. [CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, Australia Telescope National Facility, P.O. Box 76, Epping, NSW 1710 (Australia); Bates, S. D.; Keith, M. J.; Kramer, M.; Stappers, B. W. [Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester, Alan Turing Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); Bhat, N. D. R. [ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO), 44 Rosehill Street, Redfern, NSW 2016 (Australia); Burgay, M.; Possenti, A.; Tiburzi, C. [INAF—Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, Via della Scienza, I-09047 Selargius (Italy); Burke-Spolaor, S. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91104 (United States); Champion, D.; Ng, C. [Max Planck Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn (Germany); Levin, L., E-mail: epetroff@astro.swin.edu.au [Department of Physics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506 (United States); and others

2014-07-10

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are an emerging class of bright, highly dispersed radio pulses. Recent work by Thornton et al. has revealed a population of FRBs in the High Time Resolution Universe (HTRU) survey at high Galactic latitudes. A variety of progenitors have been proposed, including cataclysmic events at cosmological distances, Galactic flare stars, and terrestrial radio frequency interference. Here we report on a search for FRBs at intermediate Galactic latitudes (–15° Galactic models—must be included to ease the discrepancy between the detection rates at high and low Galactic latitudes. A revised rate estimate or another strong and heretofore unknown selection effect in Galactic latitude would provide closer agreement between the surveys' detection rates. The dearth of detections at low Galactic latitude disfavors a Galactic origin for these bursts.