2,924 research outputs found
Dark Matter Annihilation Signatures from Electroweak Bremsstrahlung
We examine observational signatures of dark matter annihilation in the Milky
Way arising from electroweak bremsstrahlung contributions to the annihilation
cross section. It has been known for some time that photon bremsstrahlung may
significantly boost DM annihilation yields. Recently, we have shown that
electroweak bremsstrahlung of W and Z gauge bosons can be the dominant
annihilation channel in some popular models with helicity-suppressed 2 --> 2
annihilation. W/Z-bremsstrahlung is particularly interesting because the gauge
bosons produced via annihilation subsequently decay to produce large correlated
fluxes of electrons, positrons, neutrinos, hadrons (including antiprotons) and
gamma rays, which are all of importance in indirect dark matter searches. Here
we calculate the spectra of stable annihilation products produced via
gamma/W/Z-bremsstrahlung. After modifying the fluxes to account for the
propagation through the Galaxy, we set upper bounds on the annihilation cross
section via a comparison with observational data. We show that stringent cosmic
ray antiproton limits preclude a sizable dark matter contribution to observed
cosmic ray positron fluxes in the class of models for which the bremsstrahlung
processes dominate.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures. Updated to match PRD versio
Short-duration gamma-ray bursts from off-axis collapsars
We present 2D high-resolution hydrodynamic simulations of the relativistic
outflows of long-duration gamma-ray burst progenitors. We analyze the
properties of the outflows at wide off-axis angles, produced by the expansion
of the hot cocoon that surrounds the jet inside the progenitor star. We find
that the cocoon emission at wide angles may have properties similar to those of
the subclass of short-duration gamma-ray bursts with persistent X-ray emission.
We compute the predicted duration distribution, redshift distribution, and
afterglow brightness and we find that they are all in agreement with the
observed properties of short GRBs with persistent emission. We suggest that a
SN component, the properties of the host galaxies, and late afterglow
observations can be used as a crucial test to verify this model.Comment: 5 pages, 6 color figures, accepted for publication in ApJ, main
journa
Variable polarization in the optical afterglow of GRB 021004
We present polarimetric observations of the afterglow of gamma-ray burst
(GRB) 021004, obtained with the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT) and the Very
Large Telescope (VLT) between 8 and 17 hours after the burst. Comparison among
the observations shows a 45 degree change in the position angle from 9 hours
after the burst to 16 hours after the burst, and comparison with published data
from later epochs even shows a 90 degree change between 9 and 89 hours after
the burst. The degree of linear polarization shows a marginal change, but is
also consistent with being constant in time. In the context of currently
available models for changes in the polarization of GRBs, a homogeneous jet
with an early break time of t_b ~ 1 day provides a good explanation of our
data. The break time is a factor 2 to 6 earlier than has been found from the
analysis of the optical light curve. The change in the position angle of the
polarization rules out a structured jet model for the GRB.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. Published in A&A letter
Challenging GRB models through the broadband dataset of GRB060908
Context: Multiwavelength observations of gamma-ray burst prompt and afterglow
emission are a key tool to disentangle the various possible emission processes
and scenarios proposed to interpret the complex gamma-ray burst phenomenology.
Aims: We collected a large dataset on GRB060908 in order to carry out a
comprehensive analysis of the prompt emission as well as the early and late
afterglow. Methods: Data from Swift-BAT, -XRT and -UVOT together with data from
a number of different ground-based optical/NIR and millimeter telescopes
allowed us to follow the afterglow evolution from about a minute from the
high-energy event down to the host galaxy limit. We discuss the physical
parameters required to model these emissions. Results: The prompt emission of
GRB060908 was characterized by two main periods of activity, spaced by a few
seconds of low intensity, with a tight correlation between activity and
spectral hardness. Observations of the afterglow began less than one minute
after the high-energy event, when it was already in a decaying phase, and it
was characterized by a rather flat optical/NIR spectrum which can be
interpreted as due to a hard energy-distribution of the emitting electrons. On
the other hand, the X-ray spectrum of the afterglow could be fit by a rather
soft electron distribution. Conclusions: GRB060908 is a good example of a
gamma-ray burst with a rich multi-wavelength set of observations. The
availability of this dataset, built thanks to the joint efforts of many
different teams, allowed us to carry out stringent tests for various
interpretative scenarios showing that a satisfactorily modeling of this event
is challenging. In the future, similar efforts will enable us to obtain
optical/NIR coverage comparable in quality and quantity to the X-ray data for
more events, therefore opening new avenues to progress gamma-ray burst
research.Comment: A&A, in press. 11 pages, 5 figure
Two types of softening detected in X-ray afterglows of Swift bursts: internal and external shock origins?
The softening process observed in the steep decay phase of early X-ray
afterglows of Swift bursts has remained a puzzle since its discovery. The
softening process can also be observed in the later phase of the bursts and its
cause has also been unknown. Recently, it was suggested that, influenced by the
curvature effect, emission from high latitudes would shift the Band function
spectrum from higher energy band to lower band, and this would give rise to the
observed softening process accompanied by a steep decay of the flux density.
The curvature effect scenario predicts that the terminating time of the
softening process would be correlated with the duration of the process. In this
paper, based on the data from the UNLV GRB group web-site, we found an obvious
correlation between the two quantities. In addition, we found that the
softening process can be divided into two classes: the early type softening
() and the late type softening ().
The two types of softening show different behaviors in the duration vs.
terminating time plot. In the relation between the variation rates of the flux
density and spectral index during the softening process, a discrepancy between
the two types of softening is also observed. According to their time scales and
the discrepancy between them, we propose that the two types are of different
origins: the early type is of internal shock origin and the late type is of
external shock origin. The early softening is referred to the steep decay just
following the prompt emission, whereas the late decay typically conceives the
transition from flat decay to late afterglow decay. We suspect that there might
be a great difference of the Lorentz factor in two classes which is responsible
for the observed discrepancy.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables, Accepted for Publication to Journal of
Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics (JCAP
The electromagnetic model of Gamma Ray Bursts
I describe electromagnetic model of gamma ray bursts and contrast its main
properties and predictions with hydrodynamic fireball model and its
magnetohydrodynamical extension. The electromagnetic model assumes that
rotational energy of a relativistic, stellar-mass central source
(black-hole--accretion disk system or fast rotating neutron star) is converted
into magnetic energy through unipolar dynamo mechanism, propagated to large
distances in a form of relativistic, subsonic, Poynting flux-dominated wind and
is dissipated directly into emitting particles through current-driven
instabilities. Thus, there is no conversion back and forth between internal and
bulk energies as in the case of fireball model. Collimating effects of magnetic
hoop stresses lead to strongly non-spherical expansion and formation of jets.
Long and short GRBs may develop in a qualitatively similar way, except that in
case of long bursts ejecta expansion has a relatively short, non-relativistic,
strongly dissipative stage inside the star. Electromagnetic and fireball models
(as well as strongly and weakly magnetized fireballs) lead to different early
afterglow dynamics, before deceleration time. Finally, I discuss the models in
view of latest observational data in the Swift era.Comment: solicited contribution to Focus Issue of New Journal of Physics, 27
pages, 4 figure
Absolute electron and positron fluxes from PAMELA/Fermi and Dark Matter
We extract the positron and electron fluxes in the energy range 10 - 100 GeV
by combining the recent data from PAMELA and Fermi LAT. The {\it absolute
positron and electron} fluxes thus obtained are found to obey the power laws:
and respectively, which can be confirmed by the
upcoming data from PAMELA. The positron flux appears to indicate an excess at
energies E\gsim 50 GeV even if the uncertainty in the secondary positron flux
is added to the Galactic positron background. This leaves enough motivation for
considering new physics, such as annihilation or decay of dark matter, as the
origin of positron excess in the cosmic rays.Comment: Accepted by JCA
Cannonballs in the context of Gamma Ray Bursts: Formation sites ?
We investigate possible formation sites of the cannonballs (in the gamma ray
bursts context) by calculating their physical parameters, such as density,
magnetic field and temperature close to the origin. Our results favor scenarios
where the cannonballs form as instabilities (knots) within magnetized jets from
hyperaccreting disks. These instabilities would most likely set in beyond the
light cylinder where flow velocity with Lorentz factors as high as 2000 can be
achieved. Our findings challenge the cannonball model of gamma ray bursts if
these indeed form inside core-collapse supernovae (SNe) as suggested in the
literature; unless hyperaccreting disks and the corresponding jets are common
occurrences in core-collapse SNe.Comment: 10 pages, 12 figure
The Afterglow and Environment of the Short GRB111117A
We present multi-wavelength observations of the afterglow of the short
GRB111117A, and follow-up observations of its host galaxy. From rapid optical
and radio observations we place limits of r \gtrsim 25.5 mag at \deltat \approx
0.55 d and F_nu(5.8 GHz) < 18 \muJy at \deltat \approx 0.50 d, respectively.
However, using a Chandra observation at t~3.0 d we locate the absolute position
of the X-ray afterglow to an accuracy of 0.22" (1 sigma), a factor of about 6
times better than the Swift-XRT position. This allows us to robustly identify
the host galaxy and to locate the burst at a projected offset of 1.25 +/- 0.20"
from the host centroid. Using optical and near-IR observations of the host
galaxy we determine a photometric redshift of z=1.3 (+0.3,-0.2), one of the
highest for any short GRB, and leading to a projected physical offset for the
burst of 10.5 +/- 1.7 kpc, typical of previous short GRBs. At this redshift,
the isotropic gamma-ray energy is E_{gamma,iso} \approx 3\times10^51 erg
(rest-frame 23-2300 keV) with a peak energy of E_{pk} \approx 850-2300 keV
(rest-frame). In conjunction with the isotropic X-ray energy, GRB111117A
appears to follow our recently-reported E_x,iso-E_gamma,iso-E_pk universal
scaling. Using the X-ray data along with the optical and radio non-detections
we find that for a blastwave kinetic energy of E_{K,iso} \approx E_{gamma,iso},
the circumburst density is n_0 \sim 3x10^(-4)-1 cm^-3 (for a range of
epsilon_B=0.001-0.1). Similarly, from the non-detection of a break in the X-ray
light curve at t<3 d, we infer a minimum opening angle for the outflow of
theta_j> 3-10 degrees (depending on the circumburst density). We conclude that
Chandra observations of short GRBs are effective at determining precise
positions and robust host galaxy associations in the absence of optical and
radio detections.Comment: ApJ accepted versio
Measurement of the hadronic photon structure function F_{2}^{γ} at LEP2
The hadronic structure function of the photon F_{2}^{γ} (x, Q²) is measured as a function of Bjorken x and of the photon virtuality Q² using deep-inelastic scattering data taken by the OPAL detector at LEP at e⁺e⁻ centre-of-mass energies from 183 to 209 GeV. Previous OPAL measurements of the x dependence of F_{2}^{γ} are extended to an average Q² of 〈Q²〉=780 GeV² using data in the kinematic range 0.15<x<0.98. The Q² evolution of F_{2}^{γ} is studied for 12.1<〈Q²〉<780 GeV² using three ranges of x. As predicted by QCD, the data show positive scaling violations in F_{2}^{γ} with F_{2}^{γ} (Q²)/α = (0.08±0.02⁺⁰·⁰⁵_₀.₀₃) + (0.13±0.01⁺⁰·⁰¹_₀.₀₁) lnQ², where Q² is in GeV², for the central x region 0.10–0.60. Several parameterisations of F_{2}^{γ} are in qualitative agreement with the measurements whereas the quark-parton model prediction fails to describe the data
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