470 research outputs found
Inverse Compton Scattering as the Source of Diffuse EUV Emission in the Coma Cluster of Galaxies
We have examined the hypothesis that the majority of the diffuse EUV flux in
the Coma cluster is due to inverse Compton scattering of low energy cosmic ray
electrons (0.16 < epsilon < 0.31 GeV) against the 3K black-body background. We
present data on the two-dimensional spatial distribution of the EUV flux and
show that these data provide strong support for a non-thermal origin for the
EUV flux. However, we show that this emission cannot be produced by an
extrapolation to lower energies of the observed synchrotron radio emitting
electrons and an additional component of low energy cosmic ray electrons is
required.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure
Contamination of Cluster Radio Sources in the Measurement of the Thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Angular Power Spectrum
We present a quantitative estimate of the confusion of cluster radio halos
and galaxies in the measurement of the angular power spectrum of the thermal
Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect. To achieve the goal, we use a purely analytic
approach to both radio sources and dark matter of clusters by incorporating
empirical models and observational facts together with some theoretical
considerations. It is shown that the correction of cluster radio halos and
galaxies to the measurement of the thermal SZ angular power spectrum is no more
than 20% at for observing frequencies GHz. This eliminates
the concern that the SZ measurement may be seriously contaminated by the
existence of cluster radio sources.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
The Energy Spectrum of Primary Cosmic Ray Electrons in Clusters of Galaxies and Inverse Compton Emission
Models for the evolution of the integrated energy spectrum of primary cosmic
ray electrons in clusters of galaxies have been calculated, including the
effects of losses due to inverse Compton (IC), synchrotron, and bremsstrahlung
emission, and Coulomb losses to the intracluster medium (ICM). The combined
time scale for these losses reaches a maximum of ~3e9 yr for electrons with a
Lorentz factor ~300. Only clusters in which there has been a substantial
injection of relativistic electrons since z <~ 1 will have any significant
population of primary cosmic ray electrons at present. In typical models, there
is a broad peak in the electron energy distribution extending to gamma~300, and
a steep drop in the electron population beyond this. In clusters with current
particle injection, there is a power-law tail of higher energy electrons with
an abundance determined by the current rate of injection. A significant
population of electrons with gamma~300, associated with the peak in the
particle loss time, is a generic feature of the models. The IC and synchrotron
emission from these models was calculated. In the models, EUV and soft X-ray
emission are nearly ubiquitous. This emission is produced by electrons with
gamma~300. The spectra are predicted to drop rapidly in going from the EUV to
the X-ray band. The IC emission also extends down the UV, optical, and IR bands
with a fairly flat spectrum. Hard X-ray (HXR) and diffuse radio emission due to
high energy electrons (gamma~10e4) is present only in clusters which have
current particle acceleration. Assuming that the electrons are accelerated in
ICM shocks, one would only expect diffuse HXR/radio emission in clusters which
are currently undergoing a large merger.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, with minor
revisons to wording for clarity and one additional reference. 19 pages with
16 embedded Postscript figures in emulateapj.sty. Abbreviated abstract belo
Implications of a Nonthermal Origin of the Excess EUV Emission from the Coma Cluster of Galaxies
The inverse Compton (IC) interpretation of the excess EUV emission, that was
recently reported from several clusters of galaxies, suggests that the amount
of relativistic electrons in the intracluster medium is highly significant,
W_e>10^{61} erg. Considering Coma as the prototype galaxy cluster of nonthermal
radiation, we discuss implications of the inverse Compton origin of the excess
EUV fluxes in the case of low intracluster magnetic fields of order 0.1 muG, as
required for the IC interpretation of the observed excess hard X-ray flux, and
in the case of high fields of order 1 muG as suggested by Faraday rotation
measurements. Although for such high intracluster fields the excess hard X-rays
will require an explanation other than by the IC effect, we show that the
excess EUV flux can be explained by the IC emission of a `relic' population of
electrons driven into the incipient intracluster medium at the epoch of
starburst activity by galactic winds, and later on reenergized by adiabatic
compression and/or large-scale shocks transmitted through the cluster as the
consequence of more recent merger events. For high magnetic fields B > 1 muG
the interpretation of the radio fluxes of Coma requires a second population of
electrons injected recently. They can be explained as secondaries produced by a
population of relativistic protons. We calculate the fluxes of gamma-rays to be
expected in both the low and high magnetic field scenarios, and discuss
possibilities to distinguish between these two principal options by future
gamma-ray observations.Comment: LaTeX, 6 figures; accepted for publication in Ap
Nonthermal Bremsstrahlung and Hard X-ray Emission from Clusters of Galaxies
We have calculated nonthermal bremsstrahlung (NTB) models for the hard X-ray
(HXR) tails recently observed by BeppoSAX in clusters of galaxies. In these
models, the HXR emission is due to suprathermal electrons with energies of
about 10-200 keV. Under the assumption that the suprathermal electrons form
part of a continuous spectrum of electrons including highly relativistic
particles, we have calculated the inverse Compton (IC) extreme ultraviolet
(EUV), HXR, and radio synchrotron emission by the extensions of the same
populations. For accelerating electron models with power-law momentum spectra
(N[p] propto p^{- mu}) with mu <~ 2.7, which are those expected from strong
shock acceleration, the IC HXR emission exceeds that due to NTB. Thus, these
models are only of interest if the electron population is cut-off at some upper
energy <~1 GeV. Similarly, flat spectrum accelerating electron models produce
more radio synchrotron emission than is observed from clusters if the ICM
magnetic field is B >~ 1 muG. The cooling electron model produces vastly too
much EUV emission as compared to the observations of clusters. We have compared
these NTB models to the observed HXR tails in Coma and Abell 2199. The NTB
models require a nonthermal electron population which contains about 3% of the
number of electrons in the thermal ICM. If the suprathermal electron population
is cut-off at some energy above 100 keV, then the models can easily fit the
observed HXR fluxes and spectral indices in both clusters. For accelerating
electron models without a cutoff, the electron spectrum must be rather steep >~
2.9.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. 10 pages with
5 embedded Postscript figures in emulateapj.sty. An abbreviated abstract
follow
Neutrinos and Gamma Rays from Galaxy Clusters
The next generation of neutrino and gamma-ray detectors should provide new
insights into the creation and propagation of high-energy protons within galaxy
clusters, probing both the particle physics of cosmic rays interacting with the
background medium and the mechanisms for high-energy particle production within
the cluster. In this paper we examine the possible detection of gamma-rays (via
the GLAST satellite) and neutrinos (via the ICECUBE and Auger experiments) from
the Coma cluster of galaxies, as well as for the gamma-ray bright clusters
Abell 85, 1758, and 1914. These three were selected from their possible
association with unidentified EGRET sources, so it is not yet entirely certain
that their gamma-rays are indeed produced diffusively within the intracluster
medium, as opposed to AGNs. It is not obvious why these inconspicuous
Abell-clusters should be the first to be seen in gamma-rays, but a possible
reason is that all of them show direct evidence of recent or ongoing mergers.
Their identification with the EGRET gamma-ray sources is also supported by the
close correlation between their radio and (purported) gamma-ray fluxes. Under
favorable conditions (including a proton spectral index of 2.5 in the case of
Abell 85, and sim 2.3 for Coma, and Abell 1758 and 1914), we expect ICECUBE to
make as many as 0.3 neutrino detections per year from the Coma cluster of
galaxies, and as many as a few per year from the Abell clusters 85, 1758, and
1914. Also, Auger may detect as many as 2 events per decade at ~ EeV energies
from these gamma-ray bright clusters.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap
Gamma-Ray Background from Structure Formation in the Intergalactic Medium
The universe is filled with a diffuse and isotropic extragalactic background
of gamma-ray radiation, containing roughly equal energy flux per decade in
photon energy between 3 MeV-100 GeV. The origin of this background is one of
the unsolved puzzles in cosmology. Less than a quarter of the gamma-ray flux
can be attributed to unresolved discrete sources, but the remainder appears to
constitute a truly diffuse background whose origin has hitherto been
mysterious. Here we show that the shock waves induced by gravity during the
formation of large-scale structure in the intergalactic medium, produce a
population of highly-relativistic electrons with a maximum Lorentz factor above
10^7. These electrons scatter a small fraction of the microwave background
photons in the present-day universe up to gamma-ray energies, thereby providing
the gamma-ray background. The predicted diffuse flux agrees with the observed
background over more than four decades in photon energy, and implies a mean
cosmological density of baryons which is consistent with Big-Bang
nucleosynthesis.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure. Accepted for publication in Nature. (Press embargo
until published.
Oat growth under different nitrogen doses in an eucalyptus alley cropping system in subtropical Brazil.
Foi realizada uma análise de crescimento para verificar como a aveia (Avena sativa L. cv. IPR 126) cultivada para grãos responde a um sistema agroflorestal (SAF) com eucaliptos (Eucalyptus dunnii Maiden) no subtrópico brasileiro. A hipótese deste trabalho é que a resposta de crescimento da aveia não é modificada pelo nitrogênio em distâncias relativas a faixas de eucaliptos. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar como o crescimento da aveia é influenciado por níveis de nitrogênio (12 e 80 kg ha-1 de N) em cinco posições equidistantes entre faixas de linhas duplas de eucaliptos [20 m (4 m x 3 m)] em SAF e em agricultura tradicional de plantio direto. O experimento foi em faixas no delineamento de blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições. Foram avaliadas as taxas de crescimento relativo e de assimilação líquida, fração de massa foliar e taxa de enchimento relativo da panícula. O nitrogênio alterou a resposta do crescimento diferentemente em posições relativas às faixas de árvores, portanto diferentes doses de nitrogênio devem ser utilizadas nestas posições para aumentar o crescimento da aveia
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