111 research outputs found
In which shell-type SNRs should we look for gamma-rays and neutrinos from p-p collisions?
We present a simple analytic model for the various contributions to the
non-thermal emission from shell type SNRs, and show that this model's results
reproduce well the results of previous detailed calculations. We show that the
\geq 1 TeV gamma ray emission from the shell type SNRs RX J1713.7-3946 and RX
J0852.0-4622 is dominated by inverse-Compton scattering of CMB photons (and
possibly infra-red ambient photons) by accelerated electrons. Pion decay (due
to proton-proton collisions) is shown to account for only a small fraction,
\lesssim10^-2, of the observed flux, as assuming a larger fractional
contribution would imply nonthermal radio and X-ray synchrotron emission and
thermal X-ray Bremsstrahlung emission that far exceed the observed radio and
X-ray fluxes. Models where pion decay dominates the \geq 1 TeV flux avoid the
implied excessive synchrotron emission (but not the implied excessive thermal
X-ray Bremsstrahlung emission) by assuming an extremely low efficiency of
electron acceleration, K_ep \lesssim 10^-4 (K_ep is the ratio of the number of
accelerated electrons and the number of accelerated protons at a given energy).
We argue that observations of SNRs in nearby galaxies imply a lower limit of
K_ep \gtrsim 10^-3, and thus rule out K_ep values \lesssim 10^-4 (assuming that
SNRs share a common typical value of K_ep). It is suggested that SNRs with
strong thermal X-ray emission, rather than strong non-thermal X-ray emission,
are more suitable candidates for searches of gamma rays and neutrinos resulting
from proton-proton collisions. In particular, it is shown that the neutrino
flux from the SNRs above is probably too low to be detected by current and
planned neutrino observatories (Abridged).Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in JCAP, minor revision
Gate-Controlled Spin-Orbit Quantum Interference Effects in Lateral Transport
In situ control of spin-orbit coupling in coherent transport using a clean
GaAs/AlGaAs 2DEG is realized, leading to a gate-tunable crossover from weak
localization to antilocalization. The necessary theory of 2D magnetotransport
in the presence of spin-orbit coupling beyond the diffusive approximation is
developed and used to analyze experimental data. With this theory the Rashba
contribution and linear and cubic Dresselhaus contributions to spin-orbit
coupling are separately estimated, allowing the angular dependence of
spin-orbit precession to be extracted at various gate voltages.Comment: related papers at http://marcuslab.harvard.ed
Singlet-triplet gaps in large multireference systems: spin-flip-driven alternatives for bioinorganic modelling
The proper description of low-spin states of open-shell systems, which are commonly encountered in the field of bioinorganic chemistry, rigorously requires using multireference ab initio methodologies. Such approaches are unfortunately very CPU-time consuming as dynamic correlation effects also have to be taken into account. The broken-symmetry unrestricted (spin-polarized) density functional theory (DFT) technique has been widely employed up to now to bypass that drawback, but despite a number of relative successes in the determination of singlet-triplet gaps, this framework cannot be considered as entirely satisfactory. In this contribution, we investigate some alternative ways relying on the spin-flip time-dependent DFT approach [Y. Shao et al. J. Chem. Phys. 118, 4807 (2003)]. Taking a few well-documented copper-dioxygen adducts as examples, we show that spin-flip (SF)-DFT computed singlet-triplet gaps compare very favorably to either experimental results or large-scale CASMP2 computations. Moreover, it is shown that this approach can be used to optimize geometries at a DFT level including some multireference effects. Finally, a clear-cut added value of the SF-DFT computations is drawn: if pure ab initio data are required, then the electronic excitations revealed by SF-DFT can be considered in designing dramatically reduced zeroth-order variational spaces to be used in subsequent multireference configuration interaction or multireference perturbation treatments
Gamma-ray emission expected from Kepler's SNR
Nonlinear kinetic theory of cosmic ray (CR) acceleration in supernova
remnants (SNRs) is used to investigate the properties of Kepler's SNR and, in
particular, to predict the gamma-ray spectrum expected from this SNR.
Observations of the nonthermal radio and X-ray emission spectra as well as
theoretical constraints for the total supernova (SN) explosion energy E_sn are
used to constrain the astronomical and particle acceleration parameters of the
system. Under the assumption that Kepler's SN is a type Ia SN we determine for
any given explosion energy E_sn and source distance d the mass density of the
ambient interstellar medium (ISM) from a fit to the observed SNR size and
expansion speed. This makes it possible to make predictions for the expected
gamma-ray flux. Exploring the expected distance range we find that for a
typical explosion energy E_sn=10^51 erg the expected energy flux of TeV
gamma-rays varies from 2x10^{-11} to 10^{-13} erg/(cm^2 s) when the distance
changes from d=3.4 kpc to 7 kpc. In all cases the gamma-ray emission is
dominated by \pi^0-decay gamma-rays due to nuclear CRs. Therefore Kepler's SNR
represents a very promising target for instruments like H.E.S.S., CANGAROO and
GLAST. A non-detection of gamma-rays would mean that the actual source distance
is larger than 7 kpc.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysics, minor typos correcte
On the Structure and Scale of Cosmic Ray Modified Shocks
Strong astrophysical shocks, diffusively accelerating cosmic rays (CR) ought
to develop CR precursors. The length of such precursor is believed to
be set by the ratio of the CR mean free path to the shock speed,
i.e., , which is formally
independent of the CR pressure . However, the X-ray observations of
supernova remnant shocks suggest that the precursor scale may be significantly
shorter than which would question the above estimate unless the
magnetic field is strongly amplified and the gyroradius is strongly
reduced over a short (unresolved) spatial scale. We argue that while the CR
pressure builds up ahead of the shock, the acceleration enters into a strongly
nonlinear phase in which an acoustic instability, driven by the CR pressure
gradient, dominates other instabilities (at least in the case of low
plasma). In this regime the precursor steepens into a strongly nonlinear front
whose size scales with \emph{the CR pressure}as , where is the scale of
the developed acoustic turbulence, and is the ratio of CR to gas
pressure. Since , the precursor scale reduction may be strong
in the case of even a moderate gas heating by the CRs through the acoustic and
(possibly also) the other instabilities driven by the CRs.Comment: EPS 2010 paper, to appear in PPC
Time-dependent particle acceleration in supernova remnants in different environments
We simulate time-dependent particle acceleration in the blast wave of a young
supernova remnant (SNR), using a Monte Carlo approach for the diffusion and
acceleration of the particles, coupled to an MHD code. We calculate the
distribution function of the cosmic rays concurrently with the hydrodynamic
evolution of the SNR, and compare the results with those obtained using simple
steady-state models. The surrounding medium into which the supernova remnant
evolves turns out to be of great influence on the maximum energy to which
particles are accelerated. In particular, a shock going through a density profile causes acceleration to typically much higher energies
than a shock going through a medium with a homogeneous density profile. We find
systematic differences between steady-state analytical models and our
time-dependent calculation in terms of spectral slope, maximum energy, and the
shape of the cut-off of the particle spectrum at the highest energies. We also
find that, provided that the magnetic field at the reverse shock is
sufficiently strong to confine particles, cosmic rays can be easily
re-accelerated at the reverse shock.Comment: 19 pages, 20 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
The imprint of a symbiotic binary progenitor on the properties of Kepler's supernova remnant
We present a model for the Type Ia supernova remnant (SNR) of SN 1604, also
known as Kepler's SNR. We find that its main features can be explained by a
progenitor model of a symbiotic binary consisting of a white dwarf and an AGB
donor star with an initial mass of 4-5 M_sun. The slow, nitrogen rich wind
emanating from the donor star has partially been accreted by the white dwarf,
but has also created a circumstellar bubble. Based on observational evidence,
we assume that the system moves with a velocity of 250 km/s. Due to the
systemic motion the interaction between the wind and the interstellar medium
has resulted in the formation of a bow shock, which can explain the presence of
a one-sided, nitrogen rich shell. We present two-dimensional hydrodynamical
simulations of both the shell formation and the SNR evolution. The SNR
simulations show good agreement with the observed kinematic and morphological
properties of Kepler's SNR. Specifically, the model reproduces the observed
expansion parameters (m=V/(R/t)) of m=0.35 in the north and m=0.6 in the south
of Kepler's SNR. We discuss the variations among our hydrodynamical simulations
in light of the observations, and show that part of the blast wave may have
traversed through the one-sided shell completely. The simulations suggest a
distance to Kepler's SNR of 6 kpc, or otherwise require that SN 1604 was a
sub-energetic Type Ia explosion. Finally, we discuss the possible implications
of our model for Type Ia supernovae and their remnants in general.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures. Submitted to A&
Magnetic fields in cosmic particle acceleration sources
We review here some magnetic phenomena in astrophysical particle accelerators
associated with collisionless shocks in supernova remnants, radio galaxies and
clusters of galaxies. A specific feature is that the accelerated particles can
play an important role in magnetic field evolution in the objects. We discuss a
number of CR-driven, magnetic field amplification processes that are likely to
operate when diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) becomes efficient and
nonlinear. The turbulent magnetic fields produced by these processes determine
the maximum energies of accelerated particles and result in specific features
in the observed photon radiation of the sources. Equally important, magnetic
field amplification by the CR currents and pressure anisotropies may affect the
shocked gas temperatures and compression, both in the shock precursor and in
the downstream flow, if the shock is an efficient CR accelerator. Strong
fluctuations of the magnetic field on scales above the radiation formation
length in the shock vicinity result in intermittent structures observable in
synchrotron emission images. Resonant and non-resonant CR streaming
instabilities in the shock precursor can generate mesoscale magnetic fields
with scale-sizes comparable to supernova remnants and even superbubbles. This
opens the possibility that magnetic fields in the earliest galaxies were
produced by the first generation Population III supernova remnants and by
clustered supernovae in star forming regions.Comment: 30 pages, Space Science Review
Six Years of Chandra Observations of Supernova Remnants
We present a review of the first six years of Chandra X-ray Observatory
observations of supernova remnants. From the official "first-light" observation
of Cassiopeia A that revealed for the first time the compact remnant of the
explosion, to the recent million-second spectrally-resolved observation that
revealed new details of the stellar composition and dynamics of the original
explosion, Chandra observations have provided new insights into the supernova
phenomenon. We present an admittedly biased overview of six years of these
observations, highlighting new discoveries made possible by Chandra's unique
capabilities.Comment: 82 pages, 28 figures, for the book Astrophysics Update
Magnetic fields in supernova remnants and pulsar-wind nebulae
We review the observations of supernova remnants (SNRs) and pulsar-wind
nebulae (PWNe) that give information on the strength and orientation of
magnetic fields. Radio polarimetry gives the degree of order of magnetic
fields, and the orientation of the ordered component. Many young shell
supernova remnants show evidence for synchrotron X-ray emission. The spatial
analysis of this emission suggests that magnetic fields are amplified by one to
two orders of magnitude in strong shocks. Detection of several remnants in TeV
gamma rays implies a lower limit on the magnetic-field strength (or a
measurement, if the emission process is inverse-Compton upscattering of cosmic
microwave background photons). Upper limits to GeV emission similarly provide
lower limits on magnetic-field strengths. In the historical shell remnants,
lower limits on B range from 25 to 1000 microGauss. Two remnants show
variability of synchrotron X-ray emission with a timescale of years. If this
timescale is the electron-acceleration or radiative loss timescale, magnetic
fields of order 1 mG are also implied. In pulsar-wind nebulae, equipartition
arguments and dynamical modeling can be used to infer magnetic-field strengths
anywhere from about 5 microGauss to 1 mG. Polarized fractions are considerably
higher than in SNRs, ranging to 50 or 60% in some cases; magnetic-field
geometries often suggest a toroidal structure around the pulsar, but this is
not universal. Viewing-angle effects undoubtedly play a role. MHD models of
radio emission in shell SNRs show that different orientations of upstream
magnetic field, and different assumptions about electron acceleration, predict
different radio morphology. In the remnant of SN 1006, such comparisons imply a
magnetic-field orientation connecting the bright limbs, with a non-negligible
gradient of its strength across the remnant.Comment: 20 pages, 24 figures; to be published in SpSciRev. Minor wording
change in Abstrac
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