31 research outputs found
Gamma radiation from the Crab and Vela pulsars
The young pulsars in Crab and Vela were observed as very efficient emitters of high energy gamma radiation. While their radiation in the radio, optical, and x ray range was always known to differ considerably, the gamma ray emission on a superficial level appears quite similar: lightcurves with two narrow peaks, separated by 141 deg (Crab) and 153 deg (Vela) and photon energies in excess of 1 GeV with spectra that can be described by a power-law for Crab and a broken power-law for Vela. The detailed observations of these sources with the COS-B instrument, extending over nearly seven years, have revealed significant differences in the characteristics of the pulsars in the gamma-ray domain. Secular changes in the temporal (Crab) and spectral (Vela) properties above 50 MeV were found. These tantalizing signatures of the pulsar emission processes must now be explored in more detail and over a larger spectral range with the GRO (Gamma Ray Observatory) instruments in order to gain a deeper understanding of the physics of young neutron stars
Gamma rays from giant molecular clouds
Giant Molecular Clouds (GMCs) are massive, bounded, cool, dense regions containing mostly H2, but also H I, CO, and other molecules. These clouds occupy less than 1 percent of the galactic volume, but are a substantial part of the interstellar mass. They are irradiated by the high energy cosmic rays which are possibly modulated by the matter and magnetic fields within the clouds. The product of cosmic-ray flux and matter density is traced by the emission of high energy gamma-rays. A spherical cloud model is considered and the gamma ray flux from several GMCs within 1 kpc of the sun which should be detectable by the EGRET (Energetic Gamma-Ray Experimental Telescope) instrument on GRO (Gamma Ray Observatory)
Gamma-Ray Limits on Na-22 Production in Novae
Data accumulated from 1980 to1987 by the gamma-ray spectrometer on SMM have been searched for evidence of cosmic line emission at 1.275 MeV. This emission would result from the decay of 22Na, which might be produced by classical nova outbursts. No evidence of any 1.275 MeV emission of celestial origin has been found. A limit of 3×10-6M_sun; is placed on the accumulated 22Na from many novae occurring near the Galactic center, and a limit of 7×10-7M_sun; is placed on the mass of 22Na ejected by the closest of the recent neon-rich novae. These limits, while lower than any previous ones, are not in conflict with recent theoretical predictions of the production of 22Na in novae. The product of the frequency and average initial neon abundance of novae of the neon-rich class is constrained by the Galactic center 22Na limit
On the HU Aquarii planetary system hypothesis
In this work, we investigate the eclipse timing of the polar binary HU
Aquarii that has been observed for almost two decades. Recently, Qian et al.
attributed large (O-C) deviations between the eclipse ephemeris and
observations to a compact system of two massive jovian companions. We improve
the Keplerian, kinematic model of the Light Travel Time (LTT) effect and
re-analyse the whole currently available data set. We add almost 60 new, yet
unpublished, mostly precision light curves obtained using the time
high-resolution photo-polarimeter OPTIMA, as well as photometric observations
performed at the MONET/N, PIRATE and TCS telescopes. We determine new
mid--egress times with a mean uncertainty at the level of 1 second or better.
We claim that because the observations that currently exist in the literature
are non-homogeneous with respect to spectral windows (ultraviolet, X-ray,
visual, polarimetric mode) and the reported mid--egress measurements errors,
they may introduce systematics that affect orbital fits. Indeed, we find that
the published data, when taken literally, cannot be explained by any unique
solution. Many qualitatively different and best-fit 2-planet configurations,
including self-consistent, Newtonian N-body solutions may be able to explain
the data. However, using high resolution, precision OPTIMA light curves, we
find that the (O-C) deviations are best explained by the presence of a single
circumbinary companion orbiting at a distance of ~4.5 AU with a small
eccentricity and having ~7 Jupiter-masses. This object could be the next
circumbinary planet detected from the ground, similar to the announced
companions around close binaries HW Vir, NN Ser, UZ For, DP Leo or SZ Her, and
planets of this type around Kepler-16, Kepler-34 and Kepler-35.Comment: 20 pages, 18 figures, accepted to Monthly Notices of the Royal
Astronomical Society (MNRAS
A multi-wavelength search for a counterpart of the unidentified gamma-ray source 3EG J2020+4017 (2CG078+2)
In search of the counterpart to the brightest unidentified gamma-ray source
3EG J2020+4017 we report on new X-ray and radio observations of the gamma-Cygni
field with the Chandra X-ray Observatory and with the Green Bank Telescope. We
also report on reanalysis of archival ROSAT data. With Chandra it became
possible for the first time to measure the position of the putative gamma-ray
counterpart RX J2020.2+4026 with sub-arcsec accuracy and to deduce its X-ray
spectral characteristics. These observations demonstrate that RX J2020.2+4026
is associated with a K field star and therefore is unlikely to be the
counterpart of the bright gamma-ray source 2CG078+2 in the SNR G78.2+2.1 as had
been previously suggested. The Chandra observation detected 37 additional X-ray
sources which were correlated with catalogs of optical and infrared data.
Subsequent GBT radio observations covered the complete 99% EGRET likelihood
contour of 3EG J2020+4017 with a sensitivity limit of L_820 ~ 0.1 mJy kpc^2
which is lower than most of the recent deep radio search limits. If there is a
pulsar operating in 3EG J2020+4017 this sensitivity limit suggests that the
pulsar either does not produce significant amounts of radio emission or that
its geometry is such that the radio beam does not intersect with the line of
sight. Finally, reanalysis of archival ROSAT data leads to a flux upper limit
of f_x < 1.8 x 10^-13 erg s^-1 cm^-2 for a putative point-like X-ray source
located within the 68% confidence contour of 3EG J2020+4017. Adopting the SNR
age of 5400 yrs and assuming a spin-down to X-ray energy conversion factor of
10^-4 this upper limit constrains the parameters of a putative neutron star as
a counterpart for 3EG J2020+4017 to be P >= 160 (d/1.5 kpc)^-1 ms, P_dot >= 5 x
10^-13 (d/1.5 kpc)^-1 s s^-1 and B_perp >= 9 x 10^12 (d/1.5 kpc)^-1 G.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. A PDF version of the accepted paper
with higher resolution images is available at
ftp://www.xray.mpe.mpg.de/people/web/gamma-Cygn
The Identification of the X-ray Counterpart to PSR J2021+4026
We report the probable identification of the X-ray counterpart to the
gamma-ray pulsar PSR J2021+4026 using imaging with the Chandra X-ray
Observatory ACIS and timing analysis with the Fermi satellite. Given the
statistical and systematic errors, the positions determined by both satellites
are coincident. The X-ray source position is R.A. 20h21m30.733s, Decl. +40 deg
26 min 46.04sec (J2000) with an estimated uncertainty of 1.3 arsec combined
statistical and systematic error. Moreover, both the X-ray to gamma-ray and the
X-ray to optical flux ratios are sensible assuming a neutron star origin for
the X-ray flux. The X-ray source has no cataloged infrared-to-visible
counterpart and, through new observations, we set upper limits to its optical
emission of i' >23.0 mag and r' > 25.2mag. The source exhibits an X-ray
spectrum with most likely both a powerlaw and a thermal component. We also
report on the X-ray and visible light properties of the 43 other sources
detected in our Chandra observation.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa
GRIPS - Gamma-Ray Imaging, Polarimetry and Spectroscopy
We propose to perform a continuously scanning all-sky survey from 200 keV to
80 MeV achieving a sensitivity which is better by a factor of 40 or more
compared to the previous missions in this energy range. The Gamma-Ray Imaging,
Polarimetry and Spectroscopy (GRIPS) mission addresses fundamental questions in
ESA's Cosmic Vision plan. Among the major themes of the strategic plan, GRIPS
has its focus on the evolving, violent Universe, exploring a unique energy
window. We propose to investigate -ray bursts and blazars, the
mechanisms behind supernova explosions, nucleosynthesis and spallation, the
enigmatic origin of positrons in our Galaxy, and the nature of radiation
processes and particle acceleration in extreme cosmic sources including pulsars
and magnetars. The natural energy scale for these non-thermal processes is of
the order of MeV. Although they can be partially and indirectly studied using
other methods, only the proposed GRIPS measurements will provide direct access
to their primary photons. GRIPS will be a driver for the study of transient
sources in the era of neutrino and gravitational wave observatories such as
IceCUBE and LISA, establishing a new type of diagnostics in relativistic and
nuclear astrophysics. This will support extrapolations to investigate star
formation, galaxy evolution, and black hole formation at high redshifts.Comment: to appear in Exp. Astron., special vol. on M3-Call of ESA's Cosmic
Vision 2010; 25 p., 25 figs; see also www.grips-mission.e