446 research outputs found
Observation of Galactic Sources of Very High Energy Gamma-Rays with the MAGIC Telescope
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 2200m above sea level, as part of
the Roque de los Muchachos European Northern Observatory. The MAGIC telescope
detects celestial very high energy gamma-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), gamma-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: Brief Review, to be pulished in: Mod. Phys. Lett.
Discovery of an Ultra-fast X-ray Pulsar in the Supernova Remnant N157B
We present the serendipitous discovery of 16 ms pulsed X-ray emission from
the Crab-like supernova remnant N157B in the Large Magellanic Cloud. This is
the fastest spinning pulsar associated with a supernova remnant (SNR).
Observations with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE), centered on the field
containing SN1987A, reveal an X-ray pulsar with a narrow pulse profile.
Archival ASCA X-ray data confirm this detection and locate the pulsar within 1'
of the supernova remnant N157B, 14' from SN1987A. The pulsar manifests evidence
for glitch(es) between the RXTE and ASCA observations which span 3.5 years; the
mean linear spin-down rate is Pdot = 5.126 X 10E-14 s/s. The background
subtracted pulsed emission is similar to other Crab-like pulsars with a power
law of photon index of ~ 1.6. The characteristic spin-down age (~ 5000 years)
is consistent with the previous age estimate of the SNR. The inferred B-field
for a rotationally powered pulsar is ~ 1 X 10E12 Gauss. Our result confirms the
Crab-like nature of N157B; the pulsar is likely associated with a compact X-ray
source revealed by ROSAT HRI observations.Comment: 9 pages with 3 eps figure, LaTex (aas2pp2, psfig). Submitted to the
Astrophysical Journal Letter
Asymmetric Patterns of Visual Field Defect in Primary Open-Angle and Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma
Purpose: To compare the hemifield asymmetry of visual field (VF) loss in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) across all severity levels.
Methods: A total of 522 eyes of 327 patients with POAG (mean age ± SD, 54.1 ± 12.4 years) and 375 eyes of 204 patients with PACG (67.3 ± 8.9 years) were included. Subjects meeting the definitions of POAG or PACG were included. Means of the total deviation (TD) values (Humphrey 24-2 VF) in the Glaucoma Hemifield Test (GHT) regions were calculated in early (â„ â6 dB), moderate (< â6 dB and â„ â12 dB), and advanced (< â12 dB) stages of POAG and PACG eyes. Then the differences of the TD values between superior and inferior hemifield GHT regions of POAG and PACG eyes were calculated. Also, the relationship between the values of pattern SD (PSD) and mean TD (mTD) was compared between POAG and PACG.
Results: In POAG eyes in the early stage, three regions (central, paracentral, and peripheral) in the superior hemifield had greater loss than their inferior counterparts; in moderate and advanced stages, all GHT regions in the superior hemifield had greater loss than their inferior counterparts. In PACG eyes, siginificantly fewer regions in the superior hemifield were significantly worse than their inferior counterpart, compared with POAG: one region (central) in early stage, two regions (central and peripheral) in moderate stage, and one region (central) in advanced stage. POAG eyes had greater PSD values than PACG eyes for given mean of TD values.
Conclusions: In both POAG and PACG eyes, VF damage was more pronounced in superior hemifield than inferior hemifield; however, this tendency was more obvious in POAG eyes than in PACG eyes
A Bow Shock Nebula Around a Compact X-Ray Source in the Supernova Remnant IC443
We present spectra and high resolution images of the hard X-ray feature along
the southern edge of the supernova remnant IC443. Data from the Chandra X-ray
Observatory reveal a comet-shaped nebula of hard emission, which contains a
softer point source at its apex. We also present 20cm, 6cm, and 3.5cm images
from the Very Large Array that clearly show the cometary nebula. Based on the
radio and X-ray morphology and spectrum, and the radio polarization properties,
we argue that this object is a synchrotron nebula powered by the compact source
that is physically associated with IC443. The spectrum of the soft point source
is adequately but not uniquely fit by a black body model (kT=0.71 +/- 0.08 keV,
L=(6.5 +/- 0.9) * 10^31 erg/s). The cometary morphology of the nebula is the
result of the supersonic motion of the neutron star (V_NS=250 +/- 50 km/s),
which causes the relativistic wind of the pulsar to terminate in a bow shock
and trail behind as a synchrotron tail. This velocity is consistent with an age
of 30,000 years for the SNR and its associated neutron star.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in the ApJ Letter
OH (1720 MHz) Masers and Mixed-Morphology Supernova Remnants
Radio surveys of supernova remnants (SNRs) in the Galaxy have uncovered 19
SNRs accompanied by OH maser emission at 1720 MHz. This unusual class of maser
sources is suggested to be produced behind a shock front from the expansion of
a supernova remnant running into a molecular cloud. An important ingredient of
this model is that X-ray emission from the remnant enhances the production of
OH molecule. The role of X-ray emission from maser emitting (ME) SNRs is
investigated by comparing the X-ray induced ionization rate with theory. One
aspect of this model is verified: there is a strong association between maser
emitting and mixed-morphology (MM) or thermal composite SNRs --center-filled
thermal X-ray emission surrounded by shell-like radio morphology. We also
present ROSAT and ASCA observations of two maser emitting SNRs: G21.8--0.6 (Kes
69) and G357.7--0.1 (Tornado).Comment: 13 pages, 2 tables, 1 figure, ApJ (in press
Isolated X-ray -- infrared sources in the region of interaction of the supernova remnant IC 443 with a molecular cloud
The nature of the extended hard X-ray source XMMU J061804.3+222732 and its
surroundings is investigated using XMM-Newton, Chandra, and Spitzer
observations. This source is located in an interaction region of the IC 443
supernova remnant with a neighboring molecular cloud. The X-ray emission
consists of a number of bright clumps embedded in an extended structured
non-thermal X-ray nebula larger than 30" in size. Some clumps show evidence for
line emission at ~1.9 keV and ~3.7 keV at the 99% confidence level. Large-scale
diffuse radio emission of IC 443 passes over the source region, with an
enhancement near the source. An IR source of about 14" x 7" size is prominent
in the 24 um, 70 um, and 2.2 um bands, adjacent to a putative Si K-shell X-ray
line emission region. The observed IR/X-ray morphology and spectra are
consistent with those expected for J/C-type shocks of different velocities
driven by fragmented supernova ejecta colliding with the dense medium of a
molecular cloud. The IR emission of the source detected by Spitzer can be
attributed to both continuum emission from an HII region created by the ejecta
fragment and line emission excited by shocks. This source region in IC 443 may
be an example of a rather numerous population of hard X-ray/IR sources created
by supernova explosions in the dense environment of star-forming regions.
Alternative Galactic and extragalactic interpretations of the observed source
are also discussed.Comment: The Astrophysical Journal, v. 677 (April 2008), in pres
Chandra Observations of the Crab-like Supernova Remnant G21.5-0.9
Chandra observations of the Crab-like supernova remnant G21.5-0.9 reveal a
compact central core and spectral variations indicative of synchrotron burn-off
of higher energy electrons in the inner nebula. The central core is slightly
extended, perhaps indicating the presence of an inner wind-shock nebula
surrounding the pulsar. No pulsations are observed from the central region,
yielding an upper limit of ~40% for the pulsed fraction. A faint outer shell
may be the first evidence of the expanding ejecta and blast wave formed in the
initial explosion, indicating a composite nature for G21.5-0.9.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, formatted with emulateapj, submitted to ApJ
X-Ray Observations of the supernova remnant G21.5-0.9
We present the analysis of archival X-ray observations of the supernova
remnant (SNR) G21.5-0.9. Based on its morphology and spectral properties,
G21.5-0.9 has been classified as a Crab-like SNR. In their early analysis of
the CHANDRA calibration data, Slane et al. (2000) discovered a
low-surface-brightness, extended emission. They interpreted this component as
the blast wave formed in the supernova (SN) explosion. In this paper, we
present the CHANDRA analysis using a total exposure of ~150 ksec. We also
include ROSAT and ASCA observations. Our analysis indicates that the extended
emission is non-thermal -- a result in agreement with XMM observations. The
entire remnant of radius ~ 2'.5 is best fitted with a power law model with a
photon index steepening away from the center. The total unabsorbed flux in the
0.5-10 keV is 1.1E-10 erg/cm2/s with an 85% contribution from the 40" radius
inner core. Timing analysis of the High-Resolution Camera (HRC) data failed to
detect any pulsations. We put a 16% upper limit on the pulsed fraction. We
derive the physical parameters of the putative pulsar and compare them with
those of other plerions (such as the Crab and 3C 58). G21.5-0.9 remains the
only plerion whose size in X-rays is bigger than in the radio. Deep radio
observations will address this puzzle.Comment: 23 pages including 11 figures and 3 tables; accepted by ApJ June 22,
2001; to appear in Oct 20, 2001 issue of Ap
Nonthermal Emission from a Supernova Remnant in a Molecular Cloud
In evolved supernova remnants (SNRs) interacting with molecular clouds, such
as IC 443, W44, and 3C391, a highly inhomogeneous structure consisting of a
forward shock of moderate Mach number, a cooling layer, a dense radiative shell
and an interior region filled with hot tenuous plasma is expected. We present a
kinetic model of nonthermal electron injection, acceleration and propagation in
that environment and find that these SNRs are efficient electron accelerators
and sources of hard X- and gamma-ray emission. The energy spectrum of the
nonthermal electrons is shaped by the joint action of first and second order
Fermi acceleration in a turbulent plasma with substantial Coulomb losses.
Bremsstrahlung, synchrotron, and inverse Compton radiation of the nonthermal
electrons produce multiwavelength photon spectra in quantitative agreement with
the radio and the hard emission observed by ASCA and EGRET from IC 443. We
distinguish interclump shock wave emission from molecular clump shock wave
emission accounting for a complex structure of molecular cloud. Spatially
resolved X- and gamma- ray spectra from the supernova remnants IC 443, W44, and
3C391 as might be observed with BeppoSAX, Chandra XRO, XMM, INTEGRAL and GLAST
would distinguish the contribution of the energetic lepton component to the
gamma-rays observed by EGRET.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure, Astrophysical Journal, v.538, 2000 (in press
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