3,215 research outputs found
The Hard VHE Gamma-ray Emission in High-Redshift TeV Blazars: Comptonization of Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation in an Extended Jet?
Observations of very-high-energy (VHE, E > 250 GeV) gamma-ray emission from
several blazars at z > 0.1 have placed stringent constraints on the elusive
spectrum and intensity of the intergalactic infrared background radiation
(IIBR). Correcting their observed VHE spectrum for gamma-gamma absorption even
by the lowest plausible level of the IIBR provided evidence for a very hard
(photon spectral index Gamma_{ph} < 2) intrinsic source spectrum out to TeV
energies. Such a hard VHE gamma-ray spectrum poses a serious challenge to the
conventional synchrotron-self-Compton interpretation of the VHE emission of TeV
blazars and suggests the emergence of a separate emission component beyond a
few hundred GeV. Here we propose that such a very hard, slowly variable VHE
emission component in TeV blazars may be produced via Compton upscattering of
Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) photons by shock-accelerated electrons in an
extended jet. For the case of 1ES 1101-232, this component could dominate the
bolometric luminosity of the extended jet if the magnetic fields are of the
order of typical intergalactic magnetic fields B ~ 10 micro-Gauss and electrons
are still being accelerated out to TeV energies gamma > 4 X 10^6) on kiloparsec
scales along the jet.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
Spin excitations used to probe the nature of the exchange coupling in the magnetically ordered ground state of PrCaMnO
We have used time-of-flight inelastic neutron scattering to measure the spin
wave spectrum of the canonical half-doped manganite
PrCaMnO, in its magnetic and orbitally ordered phase. The
data, which cover multiple Brillouin zones and the entire energy range of the
excitations, are compared with several different models that are all consistent
with the CE-type magnetic order, but arise through different exchange coupling
schemes. The Goodenough model, i.e. an ordered state comprising strong nearest
neighbor ferromagnetic interactions along zig-zag chains with antiferromagnetic
inter-chain coupling, provides the best description of the data, provided that
further neighbor interactions along the chains are included. We are able to
rule out a coupling scheme involving formation of strongly bound ferromagnetic
dimers, i.e. Zener polarons, on the basis of gross features of the observed
spin wave spectrum. A model with weaker dimerization reproduces the observed
dispersion but can be ruled out on the basis of discrepancies between the
calculated and observed structure factors at certain positions in reciprocal
space. Adding further neighbor interactions results in almost no dimerization,
i.e. recovery of the Goodenough model. These results are consistent with
theoretical analysis of the degenerate double exchange model for half-doping,
and provide a recipe for how to interpret future measurements away from
half-doping, where degenerate double exchange models predict more complex
ground states.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figure
Mini Max Wallpaper
Mini Max company formulated a problem for the automatic calculation of the number of wallpaper rolls necessary for decorating a room with wallpaper. The final goal is the development of a web-based calculator open for use to both Mini Max staff and the general public. We propose an approach for reducing the studied problem to the one-dimensional cutting-stock problem. We show this in details for the case of plain wallpapers as well as for the case of patterned wallpapers with straight match. The one-dimensional cutting-stock problem can be formulated as a linear integer programming problem. We develop an approach for calculating the needed number of wallpapers for relatively small problems, create an algorithm in a suitable graphical interface and make different tests. The tests show the efficiency of the proposed approach compared with the existent (available) wallpapers’ calculators
On Pair Content and Variability of Sub-Parsec Jets in Quasars
X-ray observations of blazars associated with the OVV (Optically Violently
Variable) quasars put strong constraints on the electron - positron pair
content of radio-loud quasar jets. From those observations, we infer that jets
in quasars contain many more electron - positron pairs than protons, but
dynamically are still dominated by protons. In particular, we show that pure
electron - positron jet models can be excluded, as they overpredict soft X-ray
radiation; likewise, pure proton - electron jets can be excluded, as they
predict too weak nonthermal X-ray radiation. An intermediate case is viable. We
demonstrate that jets which are initially proton-electron ("proto-jets") can be
pair-loaded via interaction with 100 - 300 keV photons produced in hot
accretion disc coronae, likely to exist in active galactic nuclei in general.
If the coronal radiation is powered by magnetic flares, the pair loading is
expected to be non-uniform and non-axisymmetric. Together with radiation drag,
this leads to velocity and density perturbations in a jet and formation of
shocks, where the pairs are accelerated. Such a scenario can explain rapid
(time scale of about a day) variability observed in OVV quasars.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa
3C454.3 reveals the structure and physics of its 'blazar zone'
Recent multi-wavelength observations of 3C454.3, in particular during its
giant outburst in 2005, put severe constraints on the location of the 'blazar
zone', its dissipative nature, and high energy radiation mechanisms. As the
optical, X-ray, and millimeter light-curves indicate, significant fraction of
the jet energy must be released in the vicinity of the millimeter-photosphere,
i.e. at distances where, due to the lateral expansion, the jet becomes
transparent at millimeter wavelengths. We conclude that this region is located
at ~10 parsecs, the distance coinciding with the location of the hot dust
region. This location is consistent with the high amplitude variations observed
on ~10 day time scale, provided the Lorentz factor of a jet is ~20. We argue
that dissipation is driven by reconfinement shock and demonstrate that X-rays
and gamma-rays are likely to be produced via inverse Compton scattering of
near/mid IR photons emitted by the hot dust. We also infer that the largest
gamma-to-synchrotron luminosity ratio ever recorded in this object - having
taken place during its lowest luminosity states - can be simply due to weaker
magnetic fields carried by a less powerful jet.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
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