3,437 research outputs found
Variation of the X-ray non-thermal emission in the Arches cloud
The origin of the iron fluorescent line at 6.4 keV from an extended region
surrounding the Arches cluster is debated and the non-variability of this
emission up to 2009 has favored the low-energy cosmic-ray origin over a
possible irradiation by hard X-rays. By probing the variability of the Arches
cloud non-thermal emission in the most recent years, including a deep
observation in 2012, we intend to discriminate between the two competing
scenarios. We perform a spectral fit of XMM-Newton observations collected from
2000 to 2013 in order to build the Arches cloud lightcurve corresponding to
both the neutral Fe Kalpha line and the X-ray continuum emissions. We reveal a
30% flux drop in 2012, detected with more than 4 sigma significance for both
components. This implies that a large fraction of the studied non-thermal
emission is due to the reflection of an X-ray transient source.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS Letter
Echoes of multiple outbursts of Sagittarius A* revealed by Chandra
The relatively rapid spatial and temporal variability of the X-ray radiation
from some molecular clouds near the Galactic center shows that this emission
component is due to the reflection of X-rays generated by a source that was
luminous in the past, most likely the central supermassive black hole,
Sagittarius A*. Studying the evolution of the molecular cloud reflection
features is therefore a key element to reconstruct Sgr A*'s past activity. The
aim of the present work is to study this emission on small angular scales in
order to characterize the source outburst on short time scales. We use Chandra
high-resolution data collected from 1999 to 2011 to study the most rapid
variations detected so far, those of clouds between 5' and 20' from Sgr A*
towards positive longitudes. Our systematic spectral-imaging analysis of the
reflection emission, notably of the Fe Kalpha line at 6.4 keV and its
associated 4-8 keV continuum, allows us to characterize the variations down to
15" angular scale and 1-year time scale. We reveal for the first time abrupt
variations of few years only and in particular a short peaked emission, with a
factor of 10 increase followed by a comparable decrease, that propagates along
the dense filaments of the Bridge cloud. This 2-year peaked feature contrasts
with the slower 10-year linear variations we reveal in all the other molecular
structures of the region. Based on column density constraints, we argue that
these two different behaviors are unlikely to be due to the same illuminating
event. The variations are likely due to a highly variable active phase of Sgr
A* sometime within the past few hundred years, characterized by at least two
luminous outbursts of a few-year time scale and during which the Sgr A*
luminosity went up to at least 10^39 erg/s.Comment: 17 pages, 16 figures, Accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
In-flight calibration of the INTEGRAL/IBIS mask
Since the release of the INTEGRAL Offline Scientific Analysis (OSA) software
version 9.0, the ghost busters module has been introduced in the INTEGRAL/IBIS
imaging procedure, leading to an improvement of the sensitivity around bright
sources up to a factor of 7. This module excludes in the deconvolution process
the IBIS/ISGRI detector pixels corresponding to the projection of a bright
source through mask elements affected by some defects. These defects are most
likely associated with screws and glue fixing the IBIS mask to its support.
Following these major improvements introduced in OSA 9, a second order
correction is still required to further remove the residual noise, now at a
level of 0.2-1% of the brightest source in the field of view. In order to
improve our knowledge of the IBIS mask transparency, a calibration campaign has
been carried out during 2010-2012. We present here the analysis of these data,
together with archival observations of the Crab and Cyg X-1, that allowed us to
build a composite image of the mask defects and to investigate the origin of
the residual noise in the IBIS/ISGRI images. Thanks to this study, we were able
to point out a simple modification of the ISGRI analysis software that allows
to significantly improve the quality of the images in which bright sources are
detected at the edge of the field of view. Moreover, a refinement of the area
excluded by the ghost busters module is considered, and preliminary results
show improvements to be further tested. Finally, this study indicates further
directions to be investigated for improving the ISGRI sensitivity, such as
taking into account the thickness of the screws in the mask model or studying
the possible discrepancy between the modeled and actual mask element bridges.Comment: accepted for publication in the proceedings of "An INTEGRAL view of
the high-energy sky (the first 10 years)" 9th INTEGRAL Workshop, October
15-19, 2012, Paris, France, in Proceedings of Science (INTEGRAL 2012), Eds.
A. Goldwurm, F. Lebrun and C. Winkler,
(http://pos.sissa.it/cgi-bin/reader/conf.cgi?confid=176), id 154; 6 pages, 4
figures, see the PoS website for the full resolution versio
A comprehensive analysis of the hard X-ray spectra of bright Seyfert galaxies
Hard X-ray spectra of 28 bright Seyfert galaxies observed with INTEGRAL were
analyzed together with the X-ray spectra from XMM-Newton, Suzaku and RXTE.
These broad-band data were fitted with a model assuming a thermal
Comptonization as a primary continuum component. We tested several model
options through a fitting of the Comptonized continuum accompanied by a complex
absorption and a Compton reflection. Both the large data set used and the model
space explored allowed us to accurately determine a mean temperature kTe of the
electron plasma, the Compton parameter y and the Compton reflection strength R
for the majority of objects in the sample. Our main finding is that a vast
majority of the sample (20 objects) is characterized by kTe < 100 keV, and only
for two objects we found kTe > 200 keV. The median kTe for entire sample is
48(-14,+57) keV. The distribution of the y parameter is bimodal, with a broad
component centered at ~0.8 and a narrow peak at ~1.1. A complex, dual absorber
model improved the fit for all data sets, compared to a simple absorption
model, reducing the fitted strength of Compton reflection by a factor of about
2. Modest reflection (median R ~0.32) together with a high ratio of Comptonized
to seed photon fluxes point towards a geometry with a compact hard X-ray
emitting region well separated from the accretion disc. Our results imply that
the template Seyferts spectra used in AGN population synthesis models should be
revised.Comment: 26 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
The Second INTEGRAL AGN Catalogue
The INTEGRAL mission provides a large data set for studying the hard X-ray
properties of AGN and allows testing of the unified scheme for AGN. We present
analysis of INTEGRAL IBIS/ISGRI, JEM-X, and OMC data for 199 AGN supposedly
detected by INTEGRAL above 20 keV. The data analysed here allow a significant
spectral extraction on 148 objects and an optical variability study of 57 AGN.
The slopes of the hard X-ray spectra of Seyfert 1 and Seyfert~2 galaxies are
found to be consistent within the uncertainties, whereas higher cut-off
energies and lower luminosities are measured for the more absorbed / type 2
AGN. The intermediate Seyfert 1.5 objects exhibit hard X-ray spectra consistent
with those of Seyfert 1. When applying a Compton reflection model, the
underlying continua appear the same in Seyfert 1 and 2 with photon index 2, and
the reflection strength is about R = 1, when assuming different inclination
angles. A significant correlation is found between the hard X-ray and optical
luminosity and the mass of the central black hole in the sense that the more
luminous objects appear to be more massive. There is also a general trend
toward the absorbed sources and type 2 AGN having lower Eddington ratios. The
black holemass appears to form a fundamental plane together with the optical
and X-ray luminosity of the form Lv being proportional to Lx^0.6 M^0.2, similar
to that found between radio luminosity Lr, Lx, and M. The unified model for
Seyfert galaxies seems to hold, showing in hard X-rays that the central engine
is the same in Seyfert 1 and 2, but seen under different inclination angles and
absorption. (Abridged)Comment: 26 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication in A&A. Corrections by
language editor included in version
Studying the long-time variability of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 4388 with INTEGRAL and Swift
We present analysis results on the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 4388 based on 6 yr of INTEGRAL data combined with Swift/Burst Alert Telescope survey and Swift/X-Ray Telescope pointed observations. These data, taken from 2003 to 2009, allow us to study the broad-band properties of this active galactic nucleus in the 0.3-300 keV energy range. The continuum emission of NGC 4388 is well represented by an absorbed power-law model with exponential cut-off at high energies and an upper limit on the reflection component of R < 0.5. We find slow strong variations of the hard X-ray emission, indicating both flux and spectral slope changes on the 3-6 months time-scale. In comparison with previous results on NGC 4388, the source shows a complex variability behaviour, i.e. the spectral shape and the 20-60 keV flux vary independentl
Long-term variability of AGN at hard X-rays
Variability at all observed wavelengths is a distinctive property of AGN.
Hard X-rays provide us with a view of the innermost regions of AGN, mostly
unbiased by absorption along the line of sight. Swift/BAT offers the unique
opportunity to follow, on time scales of days to years and with a regular
sampling, the 14-195 keV emission of the largest AGN sample available up to
date for this kind of investigation. We study the amplitude of the variations,
and their dependence on sub-class and on energy, for a sample of 110 radio
quiet and radio loud AGN selected from the BAT 58-month survey. About 80% of
the AGN in the sample are found to exhibit significant variability on months to
years time scales, radio loud sources being the most variable. The amplitude of
the variations and their energy dependence are incompatible with variability
being driven at hard X-rays by changes of the absorption column density. In
general, the variations in the 14-24 and 35-100 keV bands are well correlated,
suggesting a common origin of the variability across the BAT energy band.
However, radio quiet AGN display on average 10% larger variations at 14-24 keV
than at 35-100 keV and a softer-when-brighter behavior for most of the Seyfert
galaxies with detectable spectral variability on month time scale. In addition,
sources with harder spectra are found to be more variable than softer ones.
These properties are generally consistent with a variable power law continuum,
in flux and shape, pivoting at energies >~ 50 keV, to which a constant
reflection component is superposed. When the same time scales are considered,
the timing properties of AGN at hard X-rays are comparable to those at lower
energies, with at least some of the differences possibly ascribable to
components contributing differently in the two energy domains (e.g.,
reflection, absorption).Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in A&
High-energy emission processes in M87
We study the contribution of thermal and non-thermal processes to the inverse Compton emission of the radio galaxy M87 by modelling its broad-band emission. Through this we aim to derive insight into where within the AGN the X-ray, γ-ray and VHE emission is produced. We have analysed all available INTEGRAL IBIS/ISGRI (Imager on Board INTEGRAL Spacecraft/INTEGRAL Soft Gamma-Ray Imager) data on M87, spanning almost 10years, to set an upper limit to the average hard X-ray flux of f(20-60 keV) ≲ 3 × 10−12 erg cm−2 s−1, using several techniques beyond the standard analysis which are also presented here. We also analysed hard X-ray data from Suzaku/PIN taken late 2006 November, and we report the first hard X-ray detection of M87 with a flux of f(20-60 keV) = 10−11 erg cm−2 s−1. In addition we analyse data from Fermi/Large Area Telescope, INTEGRAL/Joint European Monitor in X-rays, and Suzaku/X-ray Imaging Spectrometer. We collected historical radio/IR/optical and VHE data and combined them with the X-ray and γ-ray data, to create broad-band spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for the average low-flux state and the flaring state. The resulting SEDs are modelled by applying a single-zone SSC model with a jet angle of θ=15°. We also show that modelling the core emission of M87 using a single-zone synchrotron self-Compton model does represent the SED, suggesting that the core emission is dominated by a BL Lac-type AGN core. Using SED modelling we also show that the hard X-ray emission detected in 2006 is likely due to a flare of the jet knot HST-1, rather than being related to the cor
Cost-of-illness in systemic sclerosis: a retrospective study of an italian cohort of 106 patients
Aims: It is increasingly important to determine the economic consequences of diseases considering the policy of limited health–care budgets. In this study we evaluated the annual direct and indirect costs of Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) and we tried also to identify any cost predictors. Methods: We studied 106 patients (103 female, 3 male), 57 affected by Limited Systemic Sclerosis (LSSc) and 49 affected by Diffuse Systemic Sclerosis (DSSc). Mean age was 57 years (SD±13,8) and mean disease duration was 8,9 years (SD±7,2). Direct costs: data were calculated referring to DRG (Disease Related Group) expenses for the in-patients. We referred to national pharmacopoeia to calculate the pharmaceutical cost for the out-patients. Indirect costs: we estimated the expense comparing our cases to literature data. Intangible costs: these are attributable to pain and psychological suffering. It is very difficult to express the intangible costs in monetary terms and they are often conveyed as disability and poorer quality-of-life. We used the Health Assessment Questionnaire "HAQ" and the Short Form-36 "SF-36" to evaluate this issues. Results: Our study confirms, the extremely high costs caused by Systemic Sclerosis (total cost's 2001 year is € 1.173.842,93, and average yearly patient cost is € 11.073,99). Considering an estimated prevalence of 375 cases/106, the total yearly economic impact of SSc in Italy should be € 249.000.000,00. Intangible costs were calculated as modifications of the health status. Average value of the HAQ was significantly higher than the control population (0,94±0,72), average values in the SF-36 were significantly lower than the control population (49,99±19,16 for physical dimension and 58,42±27,71 for mental dimension). The diffuse form of SSc, positivity for anti-Scl 70 antibodies, high skin score and a poor health status (HAQ and SF-36) were found to be cost predictors. Conclusions: As reported in the literature, our study confirms, the extremely high costs for total and single patients caused by Systemic Sclerosis. The DSSc are more expensive than the LSSc approximately 11% (p=0,0067). The direct costs are 30% higher in the DSSc than the LSSc (p<0.001). The indirect and intangible costs are not significantly different. Moreover, our study shows also the possibility of identifying different cost predictors
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