Liftable vector fields over corank one multigerms

In this paper, a systematic method is given to construct all liftable vector fields over an analytic multigerm $f: (\mathbb{K}^n, S)\to (\mathbb{K}^p,0)$ of corank at most one admitting a one-parameter stable unfolding.Comment: 34 pages. In ver. 2, several careless mistakes for calculations in Section 6 were correcte

NuSTAR Tests of Sterile-Neutrino Dark Matter: New Galactic Bulge Observations and Combined Impact

We analyze two dedicated NuSTAR observations with exposure ${\sim}190$ ks located ${\sim}10^\circ$ from the Galactic plane, one above and the other below, to search for x-ray lines from the radiative decay of sterile-neutrino dark matter. These fields were chosen to minimize astrophysical x-ray backgrounds while remaining near the densest region of the dark matter halo. We find no evidence of anomalous x-ray lines in the energy range 5--20 keV, corresponding to sterile neutrino masses 10--40 keV. Interpreted in the context of sterile neutrinos produced via neutrino mixing, these observations provide the leading constraints in the mass range 10--12 keV, improving upon previous constraints in this range by a factor ${\sim}2$. We also compare our results to Monte Carlo simulations, showing that the fluctuations in our derived limit are not dominated by systematic effects. An updated model of the instrumental background, which is currently under development, will improve NuSTAR's sensitivity to anomalous x-ray lines, particularly for energies 3--5 keV.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures. Text updated to match published version in PRD. Conclusions unchange

On the absence of radio halos in clusters with double relics

Pairs of radio relics are believed to form during cluster mergers, and are best observed when the merger occurs in the plane of the sky. Mergers can also produce radio halos, through complex processes likely linked to turbulent re-acceleration of cosmic-ray electrons. However, only some clusters with double relics also show a radio halo. Here, we present a novel method to derive upper limits on the radio halo emission, and analyse archival X-ray Chandra data, as well as galaxy velocity dispersions and lensing data, in order to understand the key parameter that switches on radio halo emission. We place upper limits on the halo power below the $P_{\rm 1.4 \, GHz}\, M_{500}$ correlation for some clusters, confirming that clusters with double relics have different radio properties. Computing X-ray morphological indicators, we find that clusters with double relics are associated with the most disturbed clusters. We also investigate the role of different mass-ratios and time-since-merger. Data do not indicate that the merger mass ratio has an impact on the presence or absence of radio halos (the null hypothesis that the clusters belong to the same group cannot be rejected). However, the data suggests that the absence of radio halos could be associated with early and late mergers, but the sample is too small to perform a statistical test. Our study is limited by the small number of clusters with double relics. Future surveys with LOFAR, ASKAP, MeerKat and SKA will provide larger samples to better address this issue.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, MNRAS accepte

GRB 000418: A Hidden Jet Revealed?

We report on optical, near-infrared and centimeter radio observations of GRB000418 which allow us to follow the evolution of the afterglow from 2 to 200 days after the gamma-ray burst. In modeling these broad-band data, we find that an isotropic explosion in a constant density medium is unable to simultaneously fit both the radio and optical data. However, a jet-like outflow with an opening angle of 10-20 degress provides a good description of the data. The evidence in favor of a jet interpretation is based on the behavior of the radio light curves, since the expected jet break is masked at optical wavelengths by the light of the host galaxy. We also find evidence for extinction, presumably arising from within the host galaxy, with A(V)=0.4 mag, and host flux densities of F_R=1.1 uJy and F_K=1.7 uJy. These values supercede previous work on this burst due to the availability of a broad-band data set allowing a global fitting approach. A model in which the GRB explodes into a wind-stratified circumburst medium cannot be ruled out by these data. However, in examining a sample of other bursts (e.g. GRB990510, GRB000301C) we favor the jet interpretation for GRB000418.Comment: ApJ, submitte

Supermodel Analysis of the Hard X-Ray Excess in the Coma Cluster

The Supermodel provides an accurate description of the thermal contribution by the hot intracluster plasma which is crucial for the analysis of the hard excess. In this paper the thermal emissivity in the Coma cluster is derived starting from the intracluster gas temperature and density profiles obtained by the Supermodel analysis of X-ray observables: the XMM-Newton temperature profile and the Rosat brightness distribution. The Supermodel analysis of the BeppoSAX/PDS hard X-ray spectrum confirms our previous results, namely an excess at the c.l. of ~4.8sigma and a nonthermal flux of 1.30+-0.40x 10^-11 erg cm^-2 s^-1 in the energy range 20-80 keV. A recent joint XMM-Newton/Suzaku analysis reports an upper limit of ~6x10^-12 erg cm^-2 s^-1 in the energy range 20-80 keV for the nonthermal flux with an average gas temperature of 8.45+-0.06 keV, and an excess of nonthermal radiation at a confidence level above 4sigma, without including systematic effects, for an average XMM-Newton temperature of 8.2 keV in the Suzaku/HXD-PIN FOV, in agreement with our earlier PDS analysis. Here we present a further evidence of the compatibility between the Suzaku and BeppoSAX spectra, obtained by our Supermodel analysis of the PDS data, when the smaller size of the HXD-PIN FOV and the two different average temperatures derived by XMM-Newton and by the joint XMM-Newton/Suzaku analysis are taken into account. The consistency of the PDS and HXD-PIN spectra reaffirms the presence of a nonthermal component in the hard X-ray spectrum of the Coma cluster. The Supermodel analysis of the PDS data reports an excess at c.l. above 4sigma also for the higher average temperature of 8.45 keV thanks to the PDS FOV considerably greater than the HXD-PIN FOV.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Astro 2020 Science White Paper: Time Domain Studies of Neutron Star and Black Hole Populations: X-ray Identification of Compact Object Types

What are the most important conditions and processes governing the growth of stellar-origin compact objects? The identification of compact object type as either black hole (BH) or neutron star (NS) is fundamental to understanding their formation and evolution. To date, time-domain determination of compact object type remains a relatively untapped tool. Measurement of orbital periods, pulsations, and bursts will lead to a revolution in the study of the demographics of NS and BH populations, linking source phenomena to accretion and galaxy parameters (e.g., star formation, metallicity). To perform these measurements over sufficient parameter space, a combination of a wide-field (>5000 deg^2) transient X-ray monitor over a dynamic energy range (~1-100 keV) and an X-ray telescope for deep surveys with <5 arcsec PSF half-energy width (HEW) angular resolution are required. Synergy with multiwavelength data for characterizing the underlying stellar population will transform our understanding of the time domain properties of transient sources, helping to explain details of supernova explosions and gravitational wave event rates.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures. Submitted to the Astro2020 Decadal Surve

The Impact of Galaxy Cluster Mergers on Cosmological Parameter Estimation from Surveys of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect

Sensitive surveys of the Cosmic Microwave Background will detect thousands of galaxy clusters via the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect. Two SZ observables, the central or maximum and integrated Comptonization parameters y_max and Y, relate in a simple way to the total cluster mass, which allow the construction of mass functions (MFs) that can be used to estimate cosmological parameters such as Omega_M, sigma_8, and the dark energy parameter w. However, clusters form from the mergers of smaller structures, events that can disrupt the equilibrium of intracluster gas upon which SZ-M relations rely. From a set of N-body/hydrodynamical simulations of binary cluster mergers, we calculate the evolution of Y and y_max over the course of merger events and find that both parameters are transiently "boosted," primarily during the first core passage. We then use a semi-analytic technique developed by Randall et al. (2002) to estimate the effect of merger boosts on the distribution functions YF and yF of Y and y_max, respectively, via cluster merger histories determined from extended Press-Schechter (PS) merger trees. We find that boosts do not induce an overall systematic effect on YFs, and the values of Omega_M, sigma_8, and w were returned to within 2% of values expected from the nonboosted YFs. The boosted yFs are significantly biased, however, causing Omega_M to be underestimated by 15-45%, sigma_8 to be overestimated by 10-25%, and w to be pushed to more negative values by 25-45%. We confirm that the integrated SZ effect, Y, is far more robust to mergers than y_max, as previously reported by Motl et al. (2005) and similarly found for the X-ray equivalent Y_X, and we conclude that Y is the superior choice for constraining cosmological parameters.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa