175 research outputs found
A New Window on Primordial non-Gaussianity
We know very little about primordial curvature perturbations on scales
smaller than about a Mpc. Measurements of the mu-type distortion of the CMB
spectrum provide the unique opportunity to probe these scales over the
unexplored range from 50 to 10^4 Mpc^-1. This is a very clean probe, in that it
relies only on well-understood linear evolution. We point out that correlations
between mu-distortion and temperature anisotropies can be used to test
Gaussianity at these very small scales. In particular the mu-T cross
correlation is proportional to the very squeezed limit of the primordial
bispectrum and hence measures fNL^loc, while mu-mu is proportional to the
primordial trispectrum and measures tauNL. We present a Fisher matrix forecast
of the observational constraints.Comment: 5 pages, one figure. v2: added clarifying comments and references,
fixed typo
Modifications to the Cosmic 21-cm Background Frequency Spectrum by Scattering via electrons in Galaxy Clusters
The cosmic 21-cm background frequency spectrum related to the spin-flip
transition of neutral Hydrogen present during and before the era of
reionization is rich in features associated with physical processes that govern
transitions between the two spin states. The intervening electrons in
foreground galaxy clusters inversely Compton scatter the 21-cm background
spectrum and modify it just as the cosmic microwave background (CMB) spectrum
is modified by inverse-Compton scattering. Towards typical galaxy clusters at
low redshifts, the resulting modification is a few tenths milli-Kelvin
correction to the few tens milli-Kelvin temperature of 21-cm signal relative to
that of the cosmic microwave background black body spectrum. The modifications
are mostly associated with sharp changes in the cosmic 21-cm background
spectrum such as due to the onset of a Lyman- radiation field or
heating of neutral gas. Though low frequency radio interferometers that are now
planned for 21-cm anisotropy measurements are insensitive to the mean 21-cm
spectrum, differential observations of galaxy clusters with these
interferometers can be utilized to indirectly establish global features in the
21-cm frequency spectrum. We discuss the feasibility to detect the spectrum
modified by clusters and find that for upcoming interferometers, while a
detection towards an individual cluster is challenging, one can average signals
over a number of clusters, selected based on the strength of the
Sunyave-Zel'dovich effect at high radio frequencies involving CMB scattering
alone, to establish the mean 21-cm spectrum.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, PRD in press; expanded and title changed from v1.
Final version in pres
Nonlinear self-adjointness and conservation laws
The general concept of nonlinear self-adjointness of differential equations
is introduced. It includes the linear self-adjointness as a particular case.
Moreover, it embraces the strict self-adjointness and quasi self-adjointness
introduced earlier by the author. It is shown that the equations possessing the
nonlinear self-adjointness can be written equivalently in a strictly
self-adjoint form by using appropriate multipliers. All linear equations
possess the property of nonlinear self-adjointness, and hence can be rewritten
in a nonlinear strictly self-adjoint. For example, the heat equation becomes strictly self-adjoint after multiplying by
Conservation laws associated with symmetries can be constructed for all
differential equations and systems having the property of nonlinear
self-adjointness
Inverse Compton scattering in mildly relativistic plasma
We investigated the effect of inverse Compton scattering in mildly
relativistic static and moving plasmas with low optical depth using Monte Carlo
simulations, and calculated the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect in the cosmic
background radiation. Our semi-analytic method is based on a separation of
photon diffusion in frequency and real space. We use Monte Carlo simulation to
derive the intensity and frequency of the scattered photons for a monochromatic
incoming radiation. The outgoing spectrum is determined by integrating over the
spectrum of the incoming radiation using the intensity to determine the correct
weight. This method makes it possible to study the emerging radiation as a
function of frequency and direction. As a first application we have studied the
effects of finite optical depth and gas infall on the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect
(not possible with the extended Kompaneets equation) and discuss the parameter
range in which the Boltzmann equation and its expansions can be used. For high
temperature clusters ( keV) relativistic corrections based
on a fifth order expansion of the extended Kompaneets equation seriously
underestimate the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect at high frequencies. The
contribution from plasma infall is less important for reasonable velocities. We
give a convenient analytical expression for the dependence of the cross-over
frequency on temperature, optical depth, and gas infall speed. Optical depth
effects are often more important than relativistic corrections, and should be
taken into account for high-precision work, but are smaller than the typical
kinematic effect from cluster radial velocities.Comment: LateX, 30 pages and 11 figures. Accepted for publication in the
Astrophysical Journa
On the Energy Required to Eject Processed Matter from Galaxies
We evaluate the minimum energy input rate that starbursts require for
expelling their newly processed matter from their host galaxies. Special
attention is given to the pressure caused by the environment in which a galaxy
is situated, as well as to the intrinsic rotation of the gaseous component. We
account for these factors and for a massive dark matter distribution, and
develop a self-consistent solution for the interstellar matter gas
distribution. Our results are in excellent agreement with the results of Mac
Low & Ferrara (1999) for galaxies with a flattened disk-like ISM density
distribution and a low intergalactic gas pressure ( 1
cm K). However, our solution also requires a much larger energy input
rate threshold when one takes into consideration both a larger intergalactic
pressure and the possible existence of a low-density, non-rotating, extended
gaseous halo component.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, Accepted for publication in Ap
Supernova Remnant in a Stratified Medium: Explicit, Analytical Approximations for Adiabatic Expansion and Radiative Cooling
We propose simple, explicit, analytical approximations for the kinematics of
an adiabatic blast wave propagating in an exponentially stratified ambient
medium, and for the onset of radiative cooling, which ends the adiabatic era.
Our method, based on the Kompaneets implicit solution and the Kahn
approximation for the radiative cooling coefficient, gives straightforward
estimates for the size, expansion velocity, and progression of cooling times
over the surface, when applied to supernova remnants (SNRs). The remnant shape
is remarkably close to spherical for moderate density gradients, but even a
small gradient in ambient density causes the cooling time to vary substantially
over the remnant's surface, so that for a considerable period there will be a
cold dense expanding shell covering only a part of the remnant. Our
approximation provides an effective tool for identifying the approximate
parameters when planning 2-dimensional numerical models of SNRs, the example of
W44 being given in a subsequent paper.Comment: ApJ accepted, 11 pages, 2 figures embedded, aas style with
ecmatex.sty and lscape.sty package
Analytical Study on the Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect for Clusters of Galaxies. II. comparison of covariant formalisms
We study a covariant formalism for the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effects developed in
the previous papers by the present authors, and derive analytic expressions for
the redistribution functions in the Thomson approximation. We also explore
another covariant formalism recently developed by Poutanen and Vurm. We show
that the two formalisms are mathematically equivalent in the Thomson
approximation which is fully valid for the cosmic microwave background photon
energies. The present finding will establish a theoretical foundation for the
analysis of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effects for the clusters of galaxies.Comment: Accepted version, 7 pages, 1 figure, accepted by Physical Review D
for publicatio
Are HI Supershells the Remnants of Gamma-Ray Bursts?
Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) are thought to originate at cosmological distances
from the most powerful explosions in the Universe. If GRBs are not beamed then
the distribution of their number as a function of Gamma-ray flux implies that
they occur once per (0.3-40) million years per bright galaxy and that they
deposit >10^{53} ergs into their surrounding interstellar medium. The blast
wave generated by a GRB explosion would be washed out by interstellar
turbulence only after tens of millions of years when it finally slows down to a
velocity of 10 km/s. This rather long lifetime implies that there could be up
to several tens of active GRB remnants in each galaxy at any given time. For
many years, radio observations have revealed the enigmatic presence of
expanding neutral-hydrogen (HI) supershells of kpc radius in the Milky Way and
in other nearby galaxies. The properties of some supershells cannot be easily
explained in terms of conventional sources such as stellar winds or supernova
explosions. However, the inferred energy and frequency of the explosions
required to produce most of the observed supershells agree with the above GRB
parameters. More careful observations and analysis might reveal which fraction
of these supershells are GRB remnants. We show that if this link is
established, the data on HI supershells can be used to constrain the energy
output, the rate per galaxy, the beaming factor, and the environment of GRB
sources in the Universe.Comment: 8 pages, final version, ApJ Letters, in pres
Primordial magnetic field and spectral distortion of cosmic background radiation
The role played by a primordial magnetic field during the pre-recombination
epoch is analysed through the cyclotron radiation (due to the free electrons)
it might produce in the primordial plasma. We discuss the constraint implied by
the measurement or lack thereof COBE on this primordial field.Comment: to appear in International Journal of Mod. Phy
On the thermodynamical interpretation of perfect fluid solutions of the Einstein equations with no symmetry
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