Reprocessing of radiation by multi-phase gas in Low Luminosity Accretion Flows

We discuss the role that magnetic fields in low luminosity accretion flows can play in creating and maintaining a multi-phase medium, and show that small magnetically-confined clouds or filaments of dense cold gas can dramatically reprocess the `primary' radiation from tori. In particular, radio emission would be suppressed by free-free absorption, and an extra (weak) component would appear at optical wavelengths. This is expected to be a common process in various environments in the central regions of Active Galaxies, such as broad line regions, accretion disk coronae and jets.Comment: submitted to MNRAS; 4 pages, 1 figure (MNRAS LaTex style

Evidence for anisotropy in the distribution of short-lived gamma-ray bursts

Measurements of the two-point angular correlation function w(\theta) for 407 short gamma-ray bursts collected in the Current BATSE Catalogue reveal a ~2 \sigma deviation from isotropy on angular scales \theta ~ 2-4 degrees. Such an anisotropy is not observed in the distribution of long gamma-ray bursts and hints to the presence of repeated bursts for up to ~13% of the sources under exam. However, the available data cannot exclude the signal as due to the presence of large-scale structure. Under this assumption, the amplitude of the observed w(\theta) is compatible with those derived for different populations of galaxies up to redshifts ~0.5, result that suggests short gamma-ray bursts to be relatively local sources.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, submitted to MNRA

Dense, thin clouds and reprocessed radiation in the central regions of Active Galactic Nuclei

The primary radiation generated in the central continuum-forming region of Active Galactic Nuclei can be reprocessed by very dense, small-scale clouds that are optically-thin to Thomson scattering. In spite of the extreme conditions expected to prevail in this innermost, central environment, the radiative clouds can survive and maintain cool temperatures relative to the ambient emitting region by means of magnetic confinement. Motivated by these ideas, we present a detailed quantitative study of such clouds, explicitly describing the physical properties they can attain under thermal and radiative equilibrium conditions. We also discuss the thermal stability of the gas in comparison to that of other reprocessing material thought to reside at larger distances from the central source. We construct a model to predict the emergent spectra from a source region containing dense clouds which absorb and reemit the primary radiation generated therein. Our predicted spectra show the following two important results: (i) the reprocessed flux emitted at optical/UV energies is insufficient to account for the blue bump component in the observed spectra; and (ii) the amount of line radiation that is emitted is at least comparable to (and in many cases dominates) the continuum radiation. The lines are extremely broad and tend to accumulate in the extreme ultraviolet, where they form a peak much more prominent than that which is observed in the optical/UV. This result is supported by current observations, which indicate that the spectral energy distribution of radio-quiet AGN may indeed reach a maximum in the EUV band.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, latex, uses epsf and rotate, accepted for publication in M

Limits from rapid TeV variability of Mrk 421

The extreme variability event in the TeV emission of Mrk 421, recently reported by the Whipple team, imposes the tightest limits on the typical size of the TeV emitting regions in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). We examine the consequences that this imposes on the bulk Lorentz factor of the emitting plasma and on the radiation fields present in the central region of this Active Nucleus. No strong evidence is found for extreme Lorentz factors. However, energetics arguments suggest that any accretion in Mrk 421 has to take place at small rates, compatible with an advection-dominated regime.Comment: 5 pages (Latex MNRAS style), revised version, submitted to MNRA

Hydrodynamics of Internal Shocks in Relativistic Outflows

We study the hydrodynamical effects of two colliding shells, adopted to model internal shocks in various relativistic outflows such as gamma-ray bursts and blazars. We find that the density profiles are significantly affected by the propagation of rarefaction waves. A split-feature appears at the contact discontinuity of the two shells. The shell spreading with a few ten percent of the speed of light is also shown to be a notable aspect. The conversion efficiency of the bulk kinetic energy to internal one shows deviations from the widely-used inelastic two-point-mass-collision model. Observational implications are also shortly discussed.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, Proceeding of International Symposium on High Energy Gamma-ray Astronomy (July 26-30, 2004, Heidelberg, Germany

Radiative pressure feedback by a quasar in a galactic bulge

We show that Eddington-limited black hole luminosities can be sufficient to deplete a galaxy bulge of gas through radiation pressure, when the ionization state of the gas and the presence of dust are properly taken into account. Once feedback starts to be effective it can consistently drive all the gas out of the whole galaxy. We estimate the amount by which the effect of radiation pressure on dusty gas boosts the mass involved in the Eddington limit and discuss the expected column density at which the gas is ejected. An example is shown of the predicted observed nuclear spectrum of the system at the end of an early, obscured phase of growth when the remaining column density NH ~ f * 1e24 cm^-2 where f is the gas fraction in the bulge.Comment: correct corrupted figures in pdf version, MNRAS accepted, 5 pages, 3 figure

BeppoSAX Observations of Mkn 421: clues on the particle acceleration ?

Mkn 421 was repeatedly observed with BeppoSAX in 1997-1998. We present highlights of the results of the thorough temporal and spectral analysis discussed by Fossati et al. (1999) and Maraschi et al. (1999), focusing on the flare of April 1998, which was simultaneously observed also at TeV energies. The detailed study of the flare in different energy bands reveals a few very important new results: (a) hard photons lag the soft ones by 2-3 ks *a behavior opposite to what is normally found in High energy peak BL Lacs X-ray spectra*; (b) the flux decay of the flare can be intrinsically achromatic if a stationary underlying emission component is present. Moreover the spectral evolution during the flare has been followed by extracting X-ray spectra on few ks intervals, allowing to detect for the first time the peak of the synchrotron component shifting to higher energies during the rising phase, and then receding. The spectral analysis confirms the delay in the flare at the higher energies, as above a few keV the spectrum changes only after the peak of the outburst has occurred. The spectral and temporal information obtained challenge the simplest models currently adopted for the (synchrotron) emission and most importantly provide clues on the particle acceleration process. A theoretical picture accounting for all the observational constraints is discussed, where electrons are injected at low energies and then progressively accelerated during the development of the flare.Comment: 5 pages, LaTeX, uses aipproc.sty, 3 PostScript figures, to appear in the Proceedings of the "Fifth Compton Symposium", held in Portsmouth (NH), 1999 Septembe

Compton dragged gamma-ray bursts: the spectrum

We calculate the spectrum resulting from the interaction of a fireball with ambient soft photons. These photons are assumed to be produced by the walls of a funnel in a massive star. By parameterizing the radial dependence of the funnel temperature we calculate the deceleration of the fireball self-consistently, taking into account the absorption of high energy gamma-rays due to interaction with the softer ambient photons. The resulting spectrum is peaked at energies in agreement with observations, has a nu^2 slope in the X-ray band and a steep power-law high energy tail.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS, pink page

Events in the life of a cocoon surrounding a light, collapsar jet

According to the collapsar model, gamma-ray bursts are thought to be produced in shocks that occur after the relativistic jet has broken free from the stellar envelope. If the mass density of the collimated outflow is less than that of the stellar envelope, the jet will then be surrounded by a cocoon of relativistic plasma. This material would itself be able to escape along the direction of least resistance, which is likely to be the rotation axis of the stellar progenitor, and accelerate in approximately the same way as an impulsive fireball. We discuss how the properties of the stellar envelope have a decisive effect on the appearance of a cocoon propagating through it. The relativistic material that accumulated in the cocoon would have enough kinetic energy to substantially alter the structure of the relativistic outflow, if not in fact provide much of the observed explosive power. Shock waves within this plasma can produce gamma-ray and X-ray transients, in addition to the standard afterglow emission that would arise from the deceleration shock of the cocoon fireball.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures, slightly revised version, accepted for publication in MNRA