6,349 research outputs found
Low X-ray Luminosity Galaxy Clusters. III: Weak Lensing Mass Determination at 0.18 z 0.70
This is the third of a series of papers of low X-ray luminosity galaxy
clusters. In this work we present the weak lensing analysis of eight clusters,
based on observations obtained with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph in the
, and passbands. For this purpose, we have developed a pipeline
for the lensing analysis of ground-based images and we have performed tests
applied to simulated data. We have determined the masses of seven galaxy
clusters, six of them measured for the first time. For the four clusters with
availably spectroscopic data, we find a general agreement between the velocity
dispersions obtained via weak lensing assuming a Singular Isothermal Sphere
profile, and those obtained from the redshift distribution of member galaxies.
The correlation between our weak lensing mass determinations and the X-ray
luminosities are suitably fitted by other observations of the
relation and models
Spectral energy distribution of the gamma-ray microquasar LS 5039
The microquasar LS 5039 has recently been detected as a source of very high
energy (VHE) -rays. This detection, that confirms the previously
proposed association of LS 5039 with the EGRET source 3EG~J18241514, makes
of LS 5039 a special system with observational data covering nearly all the
electromagnetic spectrum. In order to reproduce the observed spectrum of LS
5039, from radio to VHE -rays, we have applied a cold matter dominated
jet model that takes into account accretion variability, the jet magnetic
field, particle acceleration, adiabatic and radiative losses, microscopic
energy conservation in the jet, and pair creation and absorption due to the
external photon fields, as well as the emission from the first generation of
secondaries. The radiative processes taken into account are synchrotron,
relativistic Bremsstrahlung and inverse Compton (IC). The model is based on a
scenario that has been characterized with recent observational results,
concerning the orbital parameters, the orbital variability at X-rays and the
nature of the compact object. The computed spectral energy distribution (SED)
shows a good agreement with the available observational data.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, submitted to A&A, revised vesion accounting for
referee comments, small improvements of the results due to better
calculation
A broadband leptonic model for gamma-ray emitting microquasars
Observational and theoretical studies point to microquasars (MQs) as possible
counterparts of a significant fraction of the unidentified gamma-ray sources
detected so far. At present, a proper scenario to explain the emission beyond
soft X-rays from these objects is not known, nor what the precise connection is
between the radio and the high-energy radiation. We develop a new model where
the MQ jet is dynamically dominated by cold protons and radiatively dominated
by relativistic leptons. The matter content and power of the jet are both
related with the accretion process. The magnetic field is assumed to be close
to equipartition, although it is attached to and dominated by the jet matter.
For the relativistic particles in the jet, their maximum energy depends on both
the acceleration efficiency and the energy losses. The model takes into account
the interaction of the relativistic jet particles with the magnetic field and
all the photon and matter fields. Such interaction produces significant amounts
of radiation from radio to very high energies through synchrotron, relativistic
Bremsstrahlung, and inverse Compton (IC) processes. Variability of the emission
produced by changes in the accretion process (e.g. via orbital eccentricity) is
also expected. The effects of the gamma-ray absorption by the external photon
fields on the gamma-ray spectrum have been taken into account, revealing clear
spectral features that might be observed. This model is consistent to the
accretion scenario, energy conservation laws, and current observational
knowledge, and can provide deeper physical information of the source when
tested against multiwavelength data.Comment: 15 pages, 12 figures, A&A, in press (text and plots improved after
minor corrections in calculations, text improved also by referee comments
High-energy gamma-ray emission from the inner jet of LS I+61 303: the hadronic contribution revisited
LS I+61 303 has been detected by the Cherenkov telescope MAGIC at very high
energies, presenting a variable flux along the orbital motion with a maximum
clearly separated from the periastron passage. In the light of the new
observational constraints, we revisit the discussion of the production of
high-energy gamma rays from particle interactions in the inner jet of this
system. The hadronic contribution could represent a major fraction of the TeV
emission detected from this source. The spectral energy distribution resulting
from p-p interactions is recalculated. Opacity effects introduced by the photon
fields of the primary star and the stellar decretion disk are shown to be
essential in shaping the high-energy gamma-ray light curve at energies close to
200 GeV. We also present results of Monte Carlo simulations of the
electromagnetic cascades developed very close to the periastron passage. We
conclude that a hadronic microquasar model for the gamma-ray emission in LS I
+61 303 can reproduce the main features of its observed high-energy gamma-ray
flux.Comment: 6 pages. Sligth improvements made. Accepted version by Astrophysics
and Space Scienc
Gamma-ray binaries
Recent observations have shown that some compact stellar binaries radiate the
highest energy light in the universe. The challenge has been to determine the
nature of the compact object and whether the very high energy gamma-rays are
ultimately powered by pulsar winds or relativistic jets. Multiwavelength
observations have shown that one of the three gamma-ray binaries known so far,
PSR B1259-63, is a neutron star binary and that the very energetic gamma-rays
from this source and from another gamma-ray binary, LS I +61 303, may be
produced by the interaction of pulsar winds with the wind from the companion
star. At this time it is an open question whether the third gamma-ray binary,
LS 5039, is also powered by a pulsar wind or a microquasar jet, where
relativistic particles in collimated jets would boost the energy of the wind
from the stellar companion to TeV energies.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. Invited talk to appear in Proceedings of the
conference "The Multi-Messenger Approach to High-Energy Gamma-ray Sources",
Barcelona, 4-7 July 200
On the multiwavelength spectrum of the microquasar 1E 1740.7-2942
Context. The microquasar 1E 1740.7-2942 is a source located in the direction
of the Galactic Center. It has been detected at X-rays, soft gamma-rays, and in
the radio band, showing an extended radio component in the form of a
double-sided jet. Although no optical counterpart has been found so far for 1E
1740.7-2942, its X-ray activity strongly points to a galactic nature. Aims. We
aim to improve our understanding of the hard X-ray and gamma-ray production in
the system, exploring whether the jet can emit significantly at high energies
under the light of the present knowledge. Methods. We have modeled the source
emission, from radio to gamma-rays, with a cold-matter dominated jet model.
INTEGRAL data combined with radio and RXTE data, as well as EGRET and HESS
upper-limits, are used to compare the computed and the observed spectra.
Results. From our modeling, we find out that jet emission cannot explain the
high fluxes observed at hard X-rays without violating at the same time the
constraints from the radio data, favoring the corona origin of the hard X-rays.
Also, 1E 1740.7-2942 might be detected by GLAST or AGILE at GeV energies, and
by HESS and HESS-II beyond 100 GeV, with the spectral shape likely affected by
photon-photon absorption in the disk and corona photon fields.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, to appear in A&A, in pres
Towards a population of HMXB/NS microquasars as counterparts of low-latitude unidentified EGRET sources
The discovery of the microquasar LS 5039 well within the 95% conficence
contour of the Unidentified EGRET Source (UES) 3EG J1824-1514 was a major step
towards the possible association between microquasars (MQs) and UESs. The
recent discovery of precessing relativistic radio jets in LS I +61 303, a
source associated for long time with 2CG 135+01 and with the UES 3EG
J0241+6103, has given further support to this idea. Finally, the very recently
proposed association between the microquasar candidate AX J1639.0-4642 and the
UES 3EG J1639-4702 points towards a population of High Mass X-ray Binary
(HMXB)/Neutron Star (NS) microquasars as counterparts of low-latitude
unidentified EGRET sources.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures. Proceedings of the Conference "The
Multiwavelength Approach to Unidentified Gamma-ray Sources", to appear in the
journal Astrophysics and Space Scienc
Theoretical overview on high-energy emission in microquasars
Microquasar (MQ) jets are sites of particle acceleration and synchrotron
emission. Such synchrotron radiation has been detected coming from jet regions
of different spatial scales, which for the instruments at work nowadays appear
as compact radio cores, slightly resolved radio jets, or (very) extended
structures. Because of the presence of relativistic particles and dense photon,
magnetic and matter fields, these outflows are also the best candidates to
generate the very high-energy (VHE) gamma-rays detected coming from two of
these objects, LS 5039 and LS I +61 303, and may be contributing significantly
to the X-rays emitted from the MQ core. In addition, beside electromagnetic
radiation, jets at different scales are producing some amount of leptonic and
hadronic cosmic rays (CR), and evidences of neutrino production in these
objects may be eventually found. In this work, we review on the different
physical processes that may be at work in or related to MQ jets. The jet
regions capable to produce significant amounts of emission at different
wavelengths have been reduced to the jet base, the jet at scales of the order
of the size of the system orbital semi-major axis, the jet middle scales (the
resolved radio jets), and the jet termination point. The surroundings of the
jet could be sites of multiwavelegnth emission as well, deserving also an
insight. We focus on those scenarios, either hadronic or leptonic, in which it
seems more plausible to generate both photons from radio to VHE and high-energy
neutrinos. We briefly comment as well on the relevance of MQ as possible
contributors to the galactic CR in the GeV-PeV range.Comment: Astrophysics & Space Science, in press (invited talk in the
conference: The multimessenger approach to the high-energy gamma-ray
sources", Barcelona/Catalonia, in July 4-7); 10 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables
(one reference corrected
Black hole accretion disks in the canonical low-hard state
Stellar-mass black holes in the low-hard state may hold clues to jet
formation and basic accretion disk physics, but the nature of the accretion
flow remains uncertain. A standard thin disk can extend close to the innermost
stable circular orbit, but the inner disk may evaporate when the mass accretion
rate is reduced. Blackbody-like continuum emission and dynamically-broadened
iron emission lines provide independent means of probing the radial extent of
the inner disk. Here, we present an X-ray study of eight black holes in the
low-hard state. A thermal disk continuum with a colour temperature consistent
with is clearly detected in all eight sources, down to
. In six sources, disk models exclude a
truncation radius larger than 10rg. Iron-ka fluorescence line emission is
observed in half of the sample, down to luminosities of
. Detailed fits to the line profiles exclude a
truncated disk in each case. If strong evidence of truncation is defined as (1)
a non-detection of a broad iron line, {\it and} (2) an inner disk temperature
much cooler than expected from the relation, none
of the spectra in this sample offer strong evidence of disk truncation. This
suggests that the inner disk may evaporate at or below
.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 20 pages, 18 figure
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