415 research outputs found
Efficient charged particle propagation methods
In astrophysics, the search for sources of the highest-energy cosmic rays
continues. For further progress, not only ever better observatories but also
ever more realistic numerical simulations are needed. We compare different
approaches for numerical test simulations of UHECRs in the IGMF and show that
all methods provide correct statistical propagation characteristics of the
particles in means of their diffusive behaviour. Through convergence tests, we
show that the necessary requirements for the methods differ and ultimately
reveal significant differences in the required simulation time.Comment: Submitted to the Proceedings of the 20th International Workshop on
Advanced Computing and Analysis Techniques in Physics Research (ACAT 2021
Citizen Science Time Domain Astronomy with Astro-COLIBRI
Astro-COLIBRI is an innovative tool designed for professional astronomers to
facilitate the study of transient astronomical events. Transient events - such
as supernovae, gamma-ray bursts and stellar mergers - are fleeting cataclysmic
phenomena that can offer profound insights into the most violent processes in
the universe. Revealing their secrets requires rapid and precise observations:
Astro-COLIBRI alerts its users of new transient discoveries from observatories
all over the world in real-time. The platform also provides observers the
details they need to make follow-up observations.
Some of the transient phenomena available through Astro-COLIBRI are
accessible by amateur astronomers and citizen scientists. A subset of the
features dedicated to this growing group of users are highlighted here. They
include the possibility of receiving only alerts on very bright events, the
possibility of defining custom observer locations, as well as the calculation
of optimized observation plans for searches for optical counterparts to
gravitational wave events.Comment: Proceedings Atelier Pro-AM Gemini, Journ\'ees SF2A 2023. arXiv admin
note: text overlap with arXiv:2308.0704
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Aircraft interior and seat design: priorities based on passengers' opinions
Comfort is an important factor for passengers in the selection of airlines, and electric propeller aircraft will be an important element of future sustainable aviation. In this paper, we studied the order of importance of different (dis)comfort factors regarding traveling with propeller aircraft. Two experiments were conducted, one was a simulation flight on the ground with 33 participants and the other were two real flights with 97 participants. All participants were asked to rank the importance of different (dis)comfort factors in different phases of flights. Results indicated that though there are differences between the simulation and the real flights, noise, vibration and the seat are among the most important factors regarding discomfort, and space, lighting, temperature and seat are the most important factors of comfort. The results are different to those reported from previous studies on travelling by jet, where anthropometry is the most important factor. This finding suggests a difference in passenger perception between travelling by propeller propulsion and jet engines, and casts new requirements on the aircraft interior and service design for future sustainable aviation
Diffusion of cosmic-ray electrons in M 51 observed with LOFAR at 54 MHz
Context. The details of cosmic-ray transport have a strong impact on galaxy
evolution. The peak of the cosmic-ray energy distribution is observable in the
radio continuum using the electrons as proxy. Aims. We measure the length that
the cosmic-ray electrons (CRE) are transported during their lifetime in the
nearby galaxy M 51 across one order of magnitude in cosmic-ray energy
(approximately 1-10 GeV). To this end we use new ultra-low frequency
observations from the LOw Frequency ARay (LOFAR) at 54 MHz and ancillary data
between 144 and 8350 MHz. Methods. As the the CRE originate from supernova
remnants, the radio maps are smoothed in comparison to the distribution of the
star formation. By convolving the map of the star-formation rate (SFR) surface
density with a Gaussian kernel, we can linearise the radio-SFR relation. The
best-fitting convolution kernel is then our estimate of the CRE transport
length. Results. We find that the CRE transport length increases at low
frequencies, as expected since the CRE have longer lifetimes. The CRE transport
length is , where is the isotropic
diffusion coefficient and is the CRE lifetime as given by
synchrotron and inverse Compton losses. We find that the data can be well
fitted by diffusion, where .
With , the diffusion coefficient is independent of
the CRE energy in the range considered. Conclusions. Our results suggest
that the transport of GeV-cosmic ray electrons in the star-forming discs of
galaxies is governed by energy-independent diffusion.Comment: Accepted to Astronomy and Astrophysics. 11 pages, 5 figures, 2 table
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Passengers’ seat vibration exposure on turboprop aircraft flights
Turboprop aircraft offer the possibility of lower emissions for regional travel in comparison to jet aircraft. Future low-carbon aircraft concepts include propeller-generated thrust powered from fuel cells, hydrogen, biofuel, battery or hybrid power. The noise and vibration experienced in a turboprop cabin is different to that experienced in a jet, with signals characterised by tonal components related to the blade pass frequency of the propellers. These components have been associated with more noise and vibration discomfort. There are few published studies of aircraft cabin vibration measured on the seat cushion surface according to ISO2631-1. This paper gives data from two turboprop aircraft flights with measurements made in three different seats. It shows how the vibration is highly tonal, and is affected by position and flight phase
HESS J1809193: a halo of escaped electrons around a pulsar wind nebula?
Context. HESS J1809193 is an unassociated very-high-energy -ray
source located on the Galactic plane. While it has been connected to the nebula
of the energetic pulsar PSR J18091917, supernova remnants and molecular
clouds present in the vicinity also constitute possible associations. Recently,
the detection of -ray emission up to energies of 100 TeV with the
HAWC observatory has led to renewed interest in HESS J1809193.
Aims. We aim to understand the origin of the -ray emission of HESS
J1809193.
Methods. We analysed 93.2 h of data taken on HESS J1809193 above 0.27 TeV
with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.), using a multi-component,
three-dimensional likelihood analysis. In addition, we provide a new analysis
of 12.5 yr of Fermi-LAT data above 1 GeV within the region of HESS J1809193.
The obtained results are interpreted in a time-dependent modelling framework.
Results. For the first time, we were able to resolve the emission detected
with H.E.S.S. into two components: an extended component that exhibits a
spectral cut-off at 13 TeV, and a compact component that is located close
to PSR J18091917 and shows no clear spectral cut-off. The Fermi-LAT analysis
also revealed extended -ray emission, on scales similar to that of the
extended H.E.S.S. component.
Conclusions. Our modelling indicates that based on its spectrum and spatial
extent, the extended H.E.S.S. component is likely caused by inverse Compton
emission from old electrons that form a halo around the pulsar wind nebula. The
compact component could be connected to either the pulsar wind nebula or the
supernova remnant and molecular clouds. Due to its comparatively steep
spectrum, modelling the Fermi-LAT emission together with the H.E.S.S.
components is not straightforward. (abridged)Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A. Corresponding
authors: Vikas Joshi, Lars Mohrman
Constraints on the intergalactic magnetic field using Fermi-LAT and H.E.S.S. blazar observations
Magnetic fields in galaxies and galaxy clusters are believed to be the result
of the amplification of intergalactic seed fields during the formation of
large-scale structures in the universe. However, the origin, strength, and
morphology of this intergalactic magnetic field (IGMF) remain unknown. Lower
limits on (or indirect detection of) the IGMF can be obtained from observations
of high-energy gamma rays from distant blazars. Gamma rays interact with the
extragalactic background light to produce electron-positron pairs, which can
subsequently initiate electromagnetic cascades. The -ray signature of
the cascade depends on the IGMF since it deflects the pairs. Here we report on
a new search for this cascade emission using a combined data set from the Fermi
Large Area Telescope and the High Energy Stereoscopic System. Using
state-of-the-art Monte Carlo predictions for the cascade signal, our results
place a lower limit on the IGMF of G for a coherence
length of 1 Mpc even when blazar duty cycles as short as 10 yr are assumed.
This improves on previous lower limits by a factor of 2. For longer duty cycles
of () yr, IGMF strengths below G
( G) are excluded, which rules out specific models for IGMF
generation in the early universe.Comment: 20 pages, 7 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in ApJ
Letters. Auxiliary data is provided in electronic format at
https://zenodo.org/record/801431
A deep spectromorphological study of the -ray emission surrounding the young massive stellar cluster Westerlund 1
Young massive stellar clusters are extreme environments and potentially
provide the means for efficient particle acceleration. Indeed, they are
increasingly considered as being responsible for a significant fraction of
cosmic rays (CRs) accelerated within the Milky Way. Westerlund 1, the most
massive known young stellar cluster in our Galaxy is a prime candidate for
studying this hypothesis. While the very-high-energy -ray source HESS
J1646-458 has been detected in the vicinity of Westerlund 1 in the past, its
association could not be firmly identified. We aim to identify the physical
processes responsible for the -ray emission around Westerlund 1 and
thus to better understand the role of massive stellar clusters in the
acceleration of Galactic CRs. Using 164 hours of data recorded with the High
Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.), we carried out a deep
spectromorphological study of the -ray emission of HESS J1646-458. We
furthermore employed H I and CO observations of the region to infer the
presence of gas that could serve as target material for interactions of
accelerated CRs. We detected large-scale ( diameter) -ray
emission with a complex morphology, exhibiting a shell-like structure and
showing no significant variation with -ray energy. The combined energy
spectrum of the emission extends to several tens of TeV, and is uniform across
the entire source region. We did not find a clear correlation of the
-ray emission with gas clouds as identified through H I and CO
observations. We conclude that, of the known objects within the region, only
Westerlund 1 can explain the bulk of the -ray emission. Several CR
acceleration sites and mechanisms are conceivable, and discussed in detail.
(abridged)Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures. Corresponding authors: L. Mohrmann, S. Ohm, R.
Rauth, A. Specoviu
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