164 research outputs found
Testing two-component jet models of GRBs with orphan afterglows
In the \swift era, two-component jet models were introduced to explain the
complex temporal profiles and the diversity of early afterglows. In this paper,
we concentrate on the two-component jet model; first component is the
conventional afterglow and second is the emission due to the late internal
dissipation such as the late-prompt emission. We suggest herein that the
two-component jet model can be probed by the existence of two optical peaks for
orphan GRB afterglows. Each peak is caused by its respective jet as its
relativistic beaming cone widens to encompass the off-axis line of sight.
Typically, the first peak appears at s and the second at
s. Furthermore, we expect to observe a single, bright X-ray peak at
the same time as the first optical peak. Because orphan afterglows do not have
prompt emission, it is necessary to monitor the entire sky every s in
the X-ray regime. We can test the model with orphan afterglows through the
X-ray all-sky survey collaboration and by using ground-based optical
telescopes.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in PAS
Universal transition diagram from dormant to actively accreting supermassive black holes
The vast majority of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in the local universe
exhibit levels of activity much lower than those expected from gas supplying
rates onto the galactic nuclei, and only a small fraction of silent SMBHs can
turn into active galactic nuclei. Revisiting observational data of very nearby
SMBHs whose gravitational spheres of influence are spatially reached by the
Chandra X-ray satellite, we find that the level of BH activity drastically
increases from the quiescent phase when the inflow rate outside of the BH
influence radius is higher than 0.1% of the Eddington accretion rate. We also
show that the relation between the nuclear luminosity and gas accretion rate
from the BH influence radius measured from X-ray observations is well described
by the universal state transition of accreting SMBHs, as predicted by recent
hydrodynamical simulations with radiative cooling and BH feedback. After the
state transition, young massive stars should form naturally in the nucleus, as
observed in the case of the nearest SMBH, Sagittarius A, which is
currently quiescent but was recently active.Comment: 9 pages (main text), 2 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in
Ap
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