Engineering topics

Cavaliere, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Cavaliere, A..

At least 19 records

DOE OSTI2017

Meeting the Challenge from Bright and Fast Gamma-Ray Flares of 3C 279

Bright and fast gamma-ray flares with hard spectra have been recently detected from the blazar 3C 279, with apparent GeV luminosities up to 10{sup 49} erg s{sup −1}. The source is observed to flicker on timescales of minutes with no comparable optical–UV counterparts. Such observations challenge current models of high-energy emissions from 3C 279 and similar blazar sources that are dominated by relativistic jets along our line of sight with bulk Lorentz factors up to Γ ∼ 20 launched by supermassive black holes. We compute and discuss a model based on a clumpy jet comprising strings of compact plasmoids as indicated by radio observations. We follow the path of the synchrotron radiations emitted in the optical–UV bands by relativistic electrons accelerated around the plasmoids to isotropic Lorentz factors γ∼10{sup 3}. These primary emissions are partly reflected back by a leading member in the string that acts as a moving mirror for the approaching companions. Around the plasmoids, shrinking gap transient overdensities of seed photons build up. These are upscattered into the GeV range by inverse Compton interactions with the relativistic electrons accelerated in situ. We show that such a combined process produces bright gamma-ray flares with minor optical to X-ray enhancements. Main features of our model include: bright gamma-ray flares with risetimes as short as a few minutes, occurring at distances of order 10{sup 18} cm from the central black hole; Compton dominance at GeV energies by factors up to some 10{sup 2}; minimal reabsorption from local photon–photon interactions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2017

Blazar Jets Perturbed by Magneto-gravitational Stresses in Supermassive Binaries

We study particle acceleration and radiative processes in blazar jets under recurring conditions set by gravitational perturbations in supermassive binary systems. We consider the action from a companion orbiting a primary black hole of ∼10{sup 8} M{sub ⊙}, and perturbing its relativistic jet. We discuss how such conditions induce repetitive magneto-hydrodynamic stresses along the jet, and affect its inner electron acceleration and radiative processes. Specifically, we study how macroscopic perturbations related to increased jet “magnetization” end up in higher radiative outputs in the optical, X-ray, and gamma-ray bands. We first find an increase in magnetic field strength, as gauged in the optical band from the synchrotron emission of electrons accelerated in kinetic processes stimulated by reconnecting magnetic lines. The energetic electrons then proceed to up-scatter the synchrotron photons to GeV energies after the canonical synchrotron self-Compton radiation process. Our model implies a specific recurring pattern in the optical to gamma-ray emissions, made of high peaks and wide troughs. Progressing accelerations caused by spreading reconnections will produce an additional synchrotron keV component. Such outbursts provide a diagnostics for enhanced acceleration of electrons, which can up-scatter photons into the TeV range. We discuss how our model applies to the BL Lac object PG 1553+113, arguably the best candidate to now for high amplitude, recurring modulations in its gamma-ray emissions. We also consider other BL Lacs showing correlated keV–TeV radiations such as Mrk 421.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2016

THE INTRAGROUP VERSUS THE INTRACLUSTER MEDIUM

Galaxy groups differ from clusters primarily by way of their lower masses, M ∼ 10{sup 14} M {sub ⊙} versus M ∼ 10{sup 15} M {sub ⊙}. We discuss how mass affects the thermal state of the intracluster or the intragroup medium, specifically as to their entropy levels and radial profiles. We show that entropy is produced in both cases by the continuing inflow of intergalactic gas across the system boundary into the gravitational potential well. The inflow is highly supersonic in clusters, but weakly so in groups. The former condition implies strong accretion shocks with substantial conversion of a large bulk kinetic into thermal energy, whereas the latter condition implies less effective conversion of lower energies. These features produce a conspicuous difference in entropy deposition at the current boundary. Thereafter, adiabatic compression of the hot gas into the potential well converts such time histories into radial profiles throughout a cluster or a group. In addition, in both cases, a location of the system at low z in the accelerating universe or in a poor environment will starve out the inflow and the entropy production and produce flattening or even bending down of the outer profile. We analyze, in detail, the sharp evidence provided by the two groups ESO 3060170 and RXJ1159+5531 that have been recently observed in X-rays out to their virial radii and find a close and detailed match with our expectations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2015

An emerging class of gamma-ray flares from blazars: Beyond one-zone models

Blazars radiate from relativistic plasma jets with bulk Lorentz factors Γ∼10, closely aligned along our line of sight. In a number of blazars of the flat-spectrum radio quasar type, such as 3C 454.3 and 3C 279, gamma-ray flares have recently been detected with very high luminosity and few or no counterparts in the optical and soft X-ray bands. They challenge the current one-zone leptonic models of emissions from within the broad-line region (BLR). The latter envisage the optical/X-ray emissions to be produced as synchrotron radiation by the same population of highly relativistic electrons in the jet that would also yield the gamma rays by inverse Compton upscattering of surrounding soft photons. To meet the challenge, we present here a model based on primary synchrotron photons emitted in the BLR by a plasmoid moving out with the jet and scattered back toward the incoming plasmoid by an outer plasma clump acting as a mirror. We consider both a scenario based on a static mirror located outside the BLR and an alternative provided by a moving mirror geometry. We show that mirroring phenomena can locally enhance the density and anisotropy with associated relativistic boosting of soft photons within the jet, so as to trigger bright inverse Compton gamma-ray transients from nearly steady optical/X-ray synchrotron emissions. In this picture we interpret the peculiarly asymmetric light curves of the recently detected gamma-ray flares from 3C 279. Our scenario provides a promising start to understanding the widening class of bright and transient gamma-ray activities in blazars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2014

The blob crashes into the mirror: modeling the exceptional γ-ray flaring activity of 3C 454.3 in 2010 November

3C 454.3 is a prominent flat-spectrum radio quasar that in recent years attracted considerable attention because of its variable high-energy emissions. In this paper, we focus on the exceptional flaring activity of 3C 454.3 that was detected by AGILE and by Fermi-LAT in 2010 November. In the light of the time-varying data ranging from the radio, optical, and X-ray up to GeV γ-ray bands, we discuss a theoretical framework addressing all data in their overall evolution. For two weeks, the source has shown a plateau of enhanced GeV emission preceding a sudden major flare lasting about three days before decaying. The γ-ray flare onset is abrupt (about six hours), and is characterized by a prominent 'Compton dominance' with the GeV flux exceeding the pre-flare values by a factor of four to five. During this episode, the optical and X-ray fluxes increased by a factor of around two. Within the standard framework of a jet launched with a Lorentz bulk factor Γ ∼ 10 from a central black hole, we explore the yields of two alternatives. Case 1, with high-energy emission originating within the broad line region (BLR); and Case 2, with most of it produced outside at larger distances of a few parsecs. We show that Case 1 has considerable problems in explaining the whole set of multifrequency data. Case 2, instead, leads to a consistent and interesting interpretation based on the enhanced inverse Compton radiation that is produced as the jet crashes onto a mirror cloud positioned at parsec scales. This model explains the γ-ray versus optical/X-ray behavior of 3C 454.3, including the otherwise puzzling phenomena such as the prominent 'rphan' optical flare, and the enhanced line emission with no appreciable γ-ray counterpart that preceded the GeV γ-ray flare. It also accounts for the delayed onset of the latter on top of the long plateau. Our modeling of the exceptional 3C 454.3 γ-ray flare shows that while emission inside the canonical BLR is problematic, major and rapid variations can be produced at parsec scales with moderate bulk Lorentz factors Γ ≈ 15. Our 'crashed mirror' model is also applicable to other blazar flares marked by large Compton dominance of the emitted radiation such as the flare of PKS 1830–211 in 2010 October.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS1993

The soft X-ray background and galaxy clusters

We show that the background flux observed in X-rays around 1 keV sets a tight upper limit to the evolution of X-ray-emitting clusters of galaxies, once the contribution of the sources now resolved is subtracted. Specifically, if the clustering proceeds up a scale-invariant hierarchy in a critical universe, the intracluster gas content must increase faster than the dynamical mass. We model such evolution in terms of infall of the intergalactic medium into the hierarchically growing potential wells, limited by the intergalactic temperature. Thus the soft X-ray background provides constraints to the dynamical clustering and to the history of the intergalactic medium, which extend those being provided by the z-resolved luminosity functions in X-rays and complement those expected from measuring the Comptonization parameter in the microwave and far-IR bands.

Burg, R.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Dynamic telerobotic control of crystallization experiments

A dynamically controlled system has been used to prepare crystals of lysozyme. The temperature of the crystallization chamber was adjusted based upon a scintillation signal used to detect the degree of nucleation and incipient crystal growth. Experiments conducted in one country were controlled and monitored by researchers in another, providing the first demonstration of telerobotic control of a protein crystallization experiment.

Ward, K. B.↗

NASA NTRS1991

X-ray luminosity functions of clusters of galaxies

Clusters of galaxies must have a considerable intrinsic spread in their X-ray luminosities at given mass if they are formed bottom-up by direct gravitational instability. The distributions of luminosities at given mass take on the general form of a flat power law with a sharp upper cutoff, consistent with the recently obtained luminosity functions for Abell clusters of given richness classes. The quantitative features depend on the specific hierarchical cosmogony, with models including mass accretion after first collapse providing the best agreement. The same clustering mechanism, after integrating over mass, yields a steep overall luminosity function consistent with existing measurements.

Cavaliere, A.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Space distribution of extragalactic sources - Cosmology versus evolution

Alternative cosmologies have been recurrently invoked to explain in terms of global spacetime structure the apparent large increase, with increasing redshift, in the average luminosity of active galactic nuclei. These models interestingly seek to avoid the complexities of the canonical interpretation in terms of intrinsic population evolutions in a Friedmann universe. However, a problem of consistency for these cosmologies is pointed out, since they have to include also other classes of extragalactic sources, such as clusters of galaxies and BL Lac objects, for which there is preliminary evidence of a different behavior.

Cavaliere, A.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Primeval QSOs

The physical processes causing the formation of an increased number of QSOs at redshifts higher than 2 are discussed, along with the implications for the turn-on of active galactic nuclei (AGN) at the same time as QSOs. It is argued that optical and X-ray background data indicate that all but the brightest objects will decline in number at redshifts exceeding 2. Consideration is given to the possibility that accreting black holes are at the center of AGNs and formed within a few billion years of the turn-on of QSOs. A scenario is also explored wherein QSOs are remnant echoes of the epoch of galaxy formation and are thereby a suitable object with which to probe the parent population.

Cavaliere, A.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Quasars as indicators of galactic ages

Theoretical models of QSO evolution and their use in estimating the ages of galaxies containing QSOs are discussed, with a focus on the problems involved in extrapolating from statistical data on relatively nearby objects (z less than 2) to characterize distant objects. Graphs and histograms are provided, and it is concluded that the sharp decrease in the number of QSOs between z = 2 and z =3, if not the result of obscuration or some other selection effect, makes it probable that the galaxy-formation processes which led to the formation of the QSOs occurred at z greater than 5. In that case, the QSOs would be one of the only observational probes of these processes. Mechanisms which could account for the time delay between galaxy formation and QSO turn-on are considered.

Cavaliere, A.↗

NASA NTRS1982

On syntheses of the X-ray background with power-law sources

The conditions under which the combined emission from power-law sources can mimic the X-ray background (XRB) spectrum in the 3-50 keV range are considered in view of HEAO 1 A-2 experiment measurements, and it is confirmed that a good fit may be obtained. The required spectral properties of the component sources differ, however, from those observed for local active galactic nuclei. Constraints are deduced for both the low-luminosity extension and evolution of such local objects, and it is shown that any other class of sources contributing to the X-ray background must be characterized by an energy spectral index lower than about 0.4, which is the mean index of the XRB, and exhibit steeper spectra at higher energies.

De Zotti, G.↗

NASA NTRS1981

On syntheses of the X-ray background with power-law sources

The conditions under which the combined emission from power law sources can mimic the X-ray background (XRB) spectrum in the 3-50 keV range are considered in view of HEAO 1 A-2 experiment measurements, and it is confirmed that a good fit may be obtained. The required spectral properties of the component sources differ, however, from those observed for local active galactic nuclei. Constraints are deduced for both the low luminosity extension and evolution of such local objects, and it is shown that any other class of sources contributing to the X-ray background must be characterized by an energy spectral index lower than about 0.4, which is the mean index of the XRB, and exhibit sleeper spectra at higher energies.

Dezotti, G.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Description of small-scale fluctuations in the diffuse X-ray background.

An analytical study of the fluctuations on a small angular scale expected in the diffuse X-ray background in the presence of unresolved sources is presented. The source population is described by a function N(S), giving the number of sources per unit solid angle and unit apparent flux S. The distribution of observed flux, s, in each angular resolution element of a complete sky survey is represented by a function Q(s). The analytical relation between the successive, higher-order moments of N(S) and Q(s) is described. The goal of reconstructing the source population from the study of the moments of Q(s) of order higher than the second (i.e., the rms fluctuations) is discussed.

Cavaliere, A.↗

NASA NTRS1972

X-ray emission from rich clusters of galaxies.

Evaluation of the newly published Uhuru catalog, revealing significant number of rich clusters associated with X-ray sources. Combined with earlier observations of X-ray emission from the Virgo, Coma, and Perseus clusters, this suggests that most, if not all, rich clusters include an X-ray emission region of large size and of net luminosity from 10 to the 43rd to 10 to the 44th ergs/sec.

Gursky, H.↗

NASA NTRS1972

A model for the Centaurus X-3 phenomenon.

Description of a model for Cen X-3 according to which the X-ray emission comes from an atmosphere heated by shock waves produced by surface pulsations of a white dwarf. This model can explain the luminosity, period, and spectrum of Cen X-3. The way in which these quantities vary with pulsation period and amplitude is discussed.

Blumenthal, G. R.↗

NASA NTRS1971

On quasar evolution.

We examine the consequences for quasar statistics of a class of models describing the evolution of individual strong sources. The continuity equation for the change of density and luminosity with cosmological epoch determines the population, once a model for the evolution of an individual object is chosen. A dynamical model of spinning objects seems to agree satisfactorily with the present observational sample, both in density and in luminosity function; such a model requires that an individual object strongly brightens as time goes on. A genetic relationship between quasars and radio galaxies which qualitatively fits the observations is suggested by the model.

Cavaliere, A.↗

NASA NTRS1971

Rapidly changing radio images

Kinematic illusions in connection with retardation effects involving extragalactic sources with varying microwave output, noting occurrence in quasar 3C 279

Cavaliere, A.↗