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At least 199 records · Page 11

Global Energetics of Solar Flares. VII. Aerodynamic Drag in Coronal Mass Ejections

The free energy that is dissipated in a magnetic reconnection process of a solar flare, generally accompanied by a coronal mass ejection (CME), has been considered as the ultimate energy source of the global energy budget of solar flares in previous statistical studies. Here we explore the effects of the aerodynamic drag force on CMEs, which supplies additional energy from the slow solar wind to a CME event, besides the magnetic energy supply. For this purpose, we fit the analytical aerodynamic drag model of Cargill and Vršnak et al. to the height–time profiles r(t) of LASCO/SOHO data in 14,316 CME events observed during the first 8 yr (2010–2017) of the Solar Dynamics Observatory era (ensuring EUV coverage with AIA). Our main findings are (1) a mean solar wind speed of w = 472 ± 414 km s(exp −1), (2) a maximum drag-accelerated CME energy of E(drag) <~2 × 10(exp32) erg, (3) a maximum flare-accelerated CME energy of E(flare <~1.5 × 10(exp33) erg, (4) the ratio of the summed kinetic energies of all flare accelerated CMEs to the drag-accelerated CMEs amounts to a factor of 4, (5) the inclusion of the drag force slightly lowers the overall energy budget of CME kinetic energies in flares from ≈7% to ≈4%, and (6) the arrival times of CMEs at Earth can be predicted with an accuracy of ≈23%.

Aschwanden, Markus J.↗

SI IV Resonance Line Emission during Solar Flares: Non-LTE, Non-equilibrium, Radiation Transfer Simulations

The Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph routinely observes the Si IV resonance lines. When analyzing quiescent observations of these lines, it has typically been assumed that they form under optically thin conditions. This is likely valid for the quiescent Sun, but this assumption has also been applied to the more extreme flaring scenario. We used 36 electron-beam-driven radiation hydrodynamic solar flare simulations, computed using the RADYN code, to probe the validity of this assumption. Using these simulated atmospheres, we solved the radiation transfer equations to obtain the non-LTE, nonequilibrium populations, line profiles, and opacities for a model silicon atom, including charge exchange processes. This was achieved using the "minority species" version of RADYN. The inclusion of charge exchange resulted in a substantial fraction of Si IV at cooler temperatures than those predicted by ionization equilibrium. All simulations with an injected energy flux F> 5 x 10(exp 10) erg cm(exp -2) s(exp -1) resulted in optical depth effects on the Si IV emission, with differences in both intensity and line shape compared to the optically thin calculation. Weaker flares (down to F ~ 10(exp 9) erg cm(exp -2) s(exp -1)) also resulted in Si IV emission forming under optically thick conditions, depending on the other beam parameters. When opacity was significant, the atmospheres generally had column masses in excess of 5 x 10-6 g cm-2 over the temperature range 40-100 kK, and the Si IV formation temperatures were between 30 and 60 kK. We urge caution when analyzing Si IV flare observations, or when computing synthetic emission without performing a full radiation transfer calculation.

Kerr, Graham S.↗

Confirmation of a radio-selected galaxy overdensity at z = 1.11¹

We report the discovery of a galaxy overdensity at z = 1.11 associated with the z = 1.110 high-redshift radio galaxy MG1 J04426+0202 (hereafterMG0442+0202). The group, Cl 0442+0202, was found in a near-infrared survey of z > 1 radio galaxies undertaken to identify spatially coincident regions with a high density of objects red in I-K' color, typical of z > 1 elliptical galaxies. Spectroscopic observations from the Keck I telescope reveal five galaxies within 3500 of MG 0442+0202 at 1.10 < z < 1.11. These member galaxies have broadband colors and optical spectra consistent with passively evolving elliptical galaxies formed at high redshift. Archival ROSAT observations reveal a 3 detection of soft X-ray emission coincident with Cl 0442+0202 at a level 5 times greater than expected for the radio galaxy. These data suggest a rich galaxy cluster and inspired a 45 ks Chandra X-Ray Observatory observation. As expected, the radio galaxy is unresolved by Chandra but is responsible for approximately half the observed X-ray flux. The remaining ROSAT flux is resolved into four point sources within 1500 of the radio galaxy, corresponding to a surface density 2 orders of magnitude higher than average for X-ray sources at these flux levels [S(0.5–2 keV) > 5 X 10¯16 ergs cm¯² s¯¹]. One of these point sources is identified with a radio-quiet type II quasar at z = 1.863, akin to sources recently reported in deep Chandra surveys. The limit on an extended hot intracluster medium in the Chandra data is S(1–6 keV) < 1.9 X 10¯15 ergs cm¯² s¯¹ (3 σ, 30˝ radius aperture). Though the X-ray observations do not confirm the existence of a massive bound cluster at z > 1, the success of the optical=near-infrared targeting of early-type systems near the radio galaxy validates searches using radio galaxies as beacons for highredshift large-scale structure.We interpret Cl 0442+0202 as a massive cluster in the process of formation.

Spinard, Hyron↗

A strongly changing accretion morphology during the outburst decay of the neutron star x-ray binary 4U 1608-52

It is commonly assumed that the properties and geometry of the accretion flow in transient low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) significantly change when the X-ray luminosity decays below ∼10−2 of the Eddington limit (LEdd). However, there are few observational cases where the evolution of the accretion flow is tracked in a single X-ray binary over a wide dynamic range. In this work, we use NuSTAR and NICER observations obtained during the 2018 accretion outburst of the neutron star LMXB 4U 1608−52, to study changes in the reflection spectrum. We find that the broad Fe–Kα line and Compton hump, clearly seen during the peak of the outburst when the X-ray luminosity is ∼1037 erg s−1 (∼0.05 LEdd), disappear during the decay of the outburst when the source luminosity drops to ∼4.5 × 1035 erg s−1 (∼0.002 LEdd). We show that this non-detection of the reflection features cannot be explained by the lower signal-to-noise ratio at lower flux, but is instead caused by physical changes in the accretion flow. Simulating synthetic NuSTAR observations on a grid of inner disc radius, disc ionization, and reflection fraction, we find that the disappearance of the reflection features can be explained by either increased disc ionization (log ξ  4.1) or a much decreased reflection fraction. A changing disc truncation alone, however, cannot account for the lack of reprocessed Fe–Kα emission. The required increase in ionization parameter could occur if the inner accretion flow evaporates from a thin disc into a geometrically thicker flow, such as the commonly assumed formation of a radiatively inefficient accretion flow at lower mass accretion rates.

J. van den Eijnden↗

Origins of X-ray Line Emissions in Circinus X-1 at Very Low X-ray Flux

Accretion conditions and morphologies of X-ray transients containing neutron stars are still poorly understood. Circinus X-1 is an enigmatic case where we observe X-ray flux changes covering four orders of magnitude. We observed Circinus X-1 several times at its very lowest X-ray flux using the high-energy transmission grating spectrometer on board the Chandra X-ray Observatory. At a flux of 1.8 ´ 10-11 erg cm−2 s−1 we observed a single 1.6 keV blackbody spectrum. The observed continuum luminosity of 1035 erg s−1 is about two orders of magnitude too low to explain the observed photoionized luminosity, suggesting a much more complex structure of the X-ray source that is partially or entirely obscured, as had been previously suggested. This affects most emissions from the accretion disk, including previously observed accretion-disk coronal line emissions. Instead, the strongest observed photoionized lines are blueshifted by about ∼400 km s−1, and we suggest that they originate in the ionized wind of a B5Ia supergiant companion, supporting a previous identification. The neutron star in Cir X-1 is very young and should have a high magnetic field. At the observed luminosity, the emission radius of the blackbody is small enough to be associated with the accretion hot spot as the X-ray-emitting region. The small emission radius then points to a field strength below 1012 G, which would be consistent with the observation of occasional type I X-ray bursts at high magnetic fields. We discuss Cir X-1 in the context of being a high-mass X-ray binary, with some emphasis on a possible Be-star X-ray binary nature.

N S Schulz↗

Mock Catalogs for the Extragalactic X-ray Sky: Simulating AGN Surveys with ATHENA and with the AXIS Probe

We present a series of new, publicly available mock catalogs of X-ray selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs), nonactive galaxies, and clusters of galaxies. These mocks are based on up-to-date observational results on the demographic of extragalactic X-ray sources and their extrapolations. They reach fluxes below 10-20 erg cm-2 s-1 in the 0.5–2 keV band, that is, more than an order of magnitude below the predicted limits of future deep fields, and they therefore represent an important tool for simulating extragalactic X-ray surveys with both current and future telescopes. We used our mocks to perform a set of end-to-end simulations of X-ray surveys with the forthcoming ATHENA mission and with the AXIS probe, a subarcsecond resolution X-ray mission concept proposed to the Astro 2020 Decadal Survey. We find that these proposed, next generation surveys may transform our knowledge of the deep X-ray Universe. As an example, in a total observing time of 15 Ms, AXIS would detect ~225 000 AGNs and ~50 000 nonactive galaxies, reaching a flux limit of f0:5-2 ~ 5 x 10-19 erg cm-2 s-1 in the 0.5–2 keV band, with an improvement of over an order of magnitude with respect to surveys with current X-ray facilities. Consequently, 90% of these sources would be detected for the first time in the X-rays. Furthermore, we show that deep and wide X-ray surveys with instruments such as AXIS and ATHENA are expected to detect ~20 000 z > 3 AGNs and ~250 sources at redshift z > 6, thus opening a new window of knowledge on the evolution of AGNs over cosmic time and putting strong constraints on the predictions of theoretical models of black hole seed accretion in the early universe.

X-ray galaxies↗

A Year in the Life of GW 170817: The Rise and Fall of a Structured Jet from a Binary Neutron Star Merger

We present the results of our year-long afterglow monitoring of GW 170817, the first binary neutron star merger detected by Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and Advanced Virgo. New observations with the Australian Telescope Compact Array and the Chandra X-ray Telescope were used to constrain its late-time behaviour. The broad-band emission, from radio to X-rays, is well-described by a simple power-law spectrum with index β ∼ 0.585 at all epochs. After an initial shallow rise ∝t0.9, the afterglow displayed a smooth turnover, reaching a peak X-ray luminosity of LX ≈ 5 × 1039 erg s−1 at 160 d, and has now entered a phase of rapid decline, approximately ∝t−2. The latest temporal trend challenges most models of choked jet/cocoon systems, and is instead consistent with the emergence of a relativistic structured jet seen at an angle of ≈22◦ from its axis. Within such model, the properties of the explosion (such as its blast wave energy EK ≈ 2 × 1050 erg, jet width θc ≈ 4◦, and ambient density n ≈ 3 × 10−3 cm−3) fit well within the range of properties of cosmological short gamma-ray bursts.

Acceleration of particles↗

Caltech–NRAO Stripe 82 Survey (CNSS). III. The First Radio-discovered Tidal Disruption Event, CNSS J0019+00

We present the discovery of a nuclear transient with the Caltech–NRAO Stripe 82 Survey (CNSS), a dedicated radio transient survey carried out with the Karl G.Jansky Very Large Array (VLA). This transient, CNSS J001947.3+003527, exhibited a turn-on over a timescale of <~1 yr, increasing in flux density at 3 GHz from <0.14 mJy in 2014 February to 4.4 ± 0.1 mJy in 2015 March, reaching a peak luminosity of 5 x 10^28 erg s-1 Hz-1 around 2015 October. The association of CNSS J0019+00 with the nucleus (Gaia and our very-long baseline interferometry positions are consistent to within 1 pc) of a nearby S0 Seyfert galaxy at 77 Mpc, together with the radio spectral evolution, implies that this transient is most likely a tidal disruption event (TDE). Our equipartition analysis indicates the presence of a ∼15,000 km s−1 outflow, having energy ∼1049 erg. We derive the radial density profile for the circumnuclear material in the host galaxy to be proportional to R−2.5. All of these properties suggest resemblance with radio-detected thermal TDEs like ASASSN-14li and XMMSL1 J0740-85. No significant X-ray or optical emission is detected from CNSS J0019+00, although this may simply be due to the thermal emission being weak during our late-time follow-up observations. From the CNSS survey we have obtained the first unbiased measurement of the rate of radio TDEs, R(>500μJy) of about 2 × 10−3 deg−2, or equivalently a volumetric rate of about 10 Gpc−3 yr−1. This rate implies that all-sky radio surveys such as the VLA Sky Survey and those planned with ASKAP, will find many tens of radio TDEs over the next few years.

M M Anderson↗

FRB131104 Swift/BAT Data Revisited: No Evidence of a Gamma-Ray Counterpart

We present a reanalysis of the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) data around the radio detection of FRB131104. Possible evidence of a gamma-ray counterpart was presented by DeLaunay et al. However, based on our analysis using all the available BAT data, no significant emission is found in either the temporal or the image domain. We place a 5σ fluence upper limit of 3.3 × 10−6 erg cm−2 and 2.7 × 10−6 erg cm−2 (15–150 keV) with an integration time of 300 s assuming a simple power-law spectrum with photon index of −1.2 and −2.0, respectively. Our result does not support the association of this FRB with a high-energy counterpart, in agreement with growing observational evidence that most FRBs are not associated with catastrophic events such as gamma-ray bursts.

T Sakamoto↗

The JAGWAR Prowls LIGO/Virgo O3 Paper I: Radio Search of a Possible Multimessenger Counterpart of the Binary Black Hole Merger Candidate S191216ap

We present a sensitive search with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array for the radio counterpart of the gravitational wave candidate S191216ap, which is classified as a binary black hole merger and suggested to be a possible multimessenger event, based on the detection of a high-energy neutrino and a TeV photon. We carried out a blind search at C band (4–8 GHz) over 0.3 deg2 of the gamma-ray counterpart of S191216ap reported by the High-Altitude Water Cerenkov Observatory (HAWC). Our search, spanning three epochs over 130 days of postmerger and having a mean source-detection threshold of 75 μJy beam−1 (4σ), yielded five variable sources associated with active galactic nucleus activity and no definitive counterpart of S191216ap. We find <2% (3.0% ± 1.3%) of the persistent radio sources at 6 GHz to be variable on a timescale of <1 week (week–months), consistent with previous radio variability studies. Our 4σ radio luminosity upper limit of ∼1.2 × 1028 erg s−1 Hz−1 on the afterglow of S191216ap, within the HAWC error region, is 5–10 times deeper than previous binary black hole (BBH) radio afterglow searches. Comparing this upper limit with theoretical expectations given by Perna et al. for putative jets launched by BBH mergers, for on-axis jets with energy ≃1049 erg, we can rule out jet opening angles ≲ 20° (assuming that the counterpart lies within the 1σ HAWC region that we observed).

D Bhakta↗

Radiative Losses in the Chromosphere During A C-Class Flare

Context. Solar flares release an enormous amount of energy (~10(exp 32) erg) into the corona. A substantial fraction of this energy is transported to the lower atmosphere, which results in chromospheric heating. The mechanisms that transport energy to the lower solar atmosphere during a flare are still not fully understood. Aims. We aim to estimate the temporal evolution of the radiative losses in the chromosphere at the footpoints of a C-class flare, in order to set observational constraints on the electron beam parameters of a RADYN flare simulation. Methods. We estimated the radiative losses from hydrogen, and singly ionized Ca and Mg using semiempirical model atmospheres, which were inferred from a multiline inversion of observed Stokes profiles obtained with the CRISP and CHROMIS instruments on the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope. The radiative losses were computed taking into account the effect of partial redistribution and non-local thermodynamic equilibrium. To estimate the integrated radiative losses in the chromosphere, the net cooling rates were integrated between the temperature minimum and the height where the temperature reaches 10 kK. We also compared our time series of radiative losses with those from the RADYN flare simulations. Results. We obtained a high spatial-resolution map of integrated radiative losses around the flare peak time. The stratification of the net cooling rate suggests that the Ca IR triplet lines are responsible for most of the radiative losses in the flaring atmosphere. During the flare peak time, the contribution from Ca II H and K and Mgii h and k lines are strong and comparable to the Ca IR triplet (~32kW m(exp -2)). Since our flare is a relatively weak event, the chromosphere is not heated above 11 kK, which in turn yields a subdued Lyα contribution (~7kW m(exp -2)) in the selected limits of the chromosphere. The temporal evolution of total integrated radiative losses exhibits sharply rising losses (0.4kW m(exp -2) (s(exp -1)) and a relatively slow decay (0.23kW m(exp -2) s(exp -1)). The maximum value of total radiative losses is reached around the flare peak time and can go up to 175kWm􀀀2 for a single pixel located at footpoint. After a small parameter study, we find the best model-data consistency in terms of the amplitude of radiative losses and the overall atmospheric structure with a RADYN flare simulation in the injected energy flux of 5 × 10(exp 10) erg s(exp -1) cm(exp -2).

Chromosphere↗

XMM-Newton and Chandra Observations of the Candidate Fermi-LAT Pulsar 4FGL J1015.5-6030

4FGL J1015.5-6030 is an unidentified Fermi-LAT source hosting a bright, extended X-ray source whose X-ray spectrum is consistent with that of a young pulsar, yet no pulsations have been found. Here we report on XMM-Newton timing and Chandra imaging observations of the X-ray counterpart of 4FGL J1015.5-6030. We find no significant periodicity from the source and place a 3σ upper limit on its pulsed fraction of 34%. The Chandra observations resolve the point source from the extended emission. We find that the point source's spectrum is well fit by a blackbody model, with temperature kT = 0.205 ± 0.009 keV, plus a weak power-law component, which is consistent with a thermally emitting neutron star with a magnetospheric component. The extended emission spans angular scales of a few arcseconds up to about 30'' from the point source and its spectrum is well fit by a power-law model with a photon index Γ = 1.70 ± 0.05. The extended emission's spectrum and 0.5–10 keV luminosity of 4 × 10 32 erg s −1 (at a plausible distance of 2 kpc) are consistent with that of a pulsar wind nebula. Based on a comparison to other GeV and X-ray pulsars, we find that this putative pulsar is likely a middle-aged (i.e., τ ∼ 0.1–1 Myr) radio-quiet pulsar with Ė~10 34 -10 35 erg s −1 .

Pulsars↗

A Sensitive Search for Supernova Emission Associated with the Extremely Energetic and Nearby GRB 221009A

We report observations of the optical counterpart of the long gamma-ray burst GRB 221009A. Due to the extreme rarity of being both nearby (z = 0.151) and highly energetic (E ϒ,iso ≥ 10 54 erg), GRB 221009A offers a unique opportunity to probe the connection between massive star core collapse and relativistic jet formation across a very broad range of γ-ray properties. Adopting a phenomenological power-law model for the afterglow and host galaxy estimates from high-resolution Hubble Space Telescope imaging, we use Bayesian model comparison techniques to determine the likelihood of an associated supernova (SN) contributing excess flux to the optical light curve. Though not conclusive, we find moderate evidence (K Bayes =10 1.2 for the presence of an additional component arising from an associated SN, SN 2022xiw, and find that it must be substantially fainter (<67% as bright at the 99% confidence interval) than SN 1998bw. Given the large and uncertain line-of-sight extinction, we attempt to constrain the SN parameters (M Ni , M ej and E KE ) under several different assumptions with respect to the host galaxy's extinction. We find properties that are broadly consistent with previous GRB-associated SNe: M Ni = 0.05–0.25 M ⊙ , M ej = 3.5–11.1 M ⊙ , and E KE = (1.6–5.2) × 10 52 erg. We note that these properties are weakly constrained due to the faintness of the SN with respect to the afterglow and host emission, but we do find a robust upper limit on M Ni of M Ni < 0.36 M ⊙ . Given the tremendous range in isotropic gamma-ray energy release exhibited by GRBs (seven orders of magnitude), the SN emission appears to be decoupled from the central engine in these systems.

Core-collapse supernovae↗

Dark Material in the Polar Layered Deposits on Mars

Viking infrared thermal mapping (IRTM) and bistatic radar data suggest that the bulk density of the erg material is much lower than that of the average Martian surface or of dark dunes at lower latitudes.

Martian surface dark dunes Mars↗

MACHO 311.37557.169: A VY Scl star

Abstract Optical surveys, such as the MACHO project, often uncover variable stars whose classification requires follow‐up observations by other instruments. We performed X‐ray spectroscopy and photometry of the unusual variable star MACHO 311.37557.169 with XMM‐Newton in April 2018, supplemented by archival X‐ray and optical spectrographic data. The star has a bolometric X‐ray luminosity of about 1 × 10 32 erg s −1 cm −2 and a heavily absorbed two‐temperature plasma spectrum. The shape of its light curve, its overall brightness, its X‐ray spectrum, and the emission lines in its optical spectrum suggest that it is most likely a VY Scl cataclysmic variable.

Wörpel, Hauke↗

Development of spatially and temporally resolved electron density measurements for the assessment of radiation hydrodynamics simulations of laboratory X-ray photoionized plasmas

The photoionized plasma gas cell experiment is an established platform we use to make at-parameter (ξ > > 1 ergs cm s –1 ) measurements of plasma properties with application to high-energy astrophysical systems. We model the experiments with 1D radiation hydrodynamics simulations using the HELIOS-CR code to inform our understanding and assist in the interpretation of results. The simulations predict that the bulk of the plasma is in a quasi-uniform and hydrodynamically unperturbed state throughout the duration of the experiment. To evaluate this prediction, we introduced a photonic Doppler velocimetry (PDV) diagnostic to measure spatially and temporally resolved plasma electron density. The initial measurements were successful but had limitations that made model-data comparisons challenging. To address this, we re-designed the gas cell PDV diagnostic and doubled the number of measurement locations to sample across two thirds of the depth of the cell. We also present a comparison of the results from the upgraded PDV diagnostic to the HELIOS-CR simulations for the first time. As a result, the experimental data confirms the prediction of an unperturbed region in the bulk of the plasma but reveals discrepancies in the time evolution and spatial distribution of the simulated electron density.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Enhancers that direct gene expression to central nervous system vascular endothelial cells in vivo

CNS vascular endothelial cells (ECs) exhibit a distinctive gene expression program that is foundational for the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Previous research identified candidate cis-regulatory elements (CREs) that were hypothesized to control this program. In this work, transgenic mice and recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors have been used to interrogate these candidate CREs in vivo. These experiments show that an 850 bp genomic DNA segment ∼60 kb 5′ of Slc2a1 possesses enhancer activity that is (1) specific for BBB+ CNS ECs and (2) both necessary and sufficient for BBB+ EC gene expression. A screen of >8,000 genomic DNA segments from CNS EC-specific CRE candidates reveals several hundred with enhancer activity. Transcription factors ERG and LEF1 are shown to occupy sites in brain ECs that are highly enriched in candidate and experimentally validated CREs, lending strong support to a model in which canonical Wnt signaling activates the BBB program via LEF1.

CUT&RUN↗

Discovery of the most luminous quasar of the last 9 Gyr

Abstract We report the discovery of a bright ( $g = 14.5$ mag (AB), $K = 11.9$ mag (Vega)) quasar at redshift $z=0.83$ — the optically brightest (unbeamed) quasar at $z>0.4$ . SMSS J114447.77-430859.3, at a Galactic latitude of $b=+18.1^{\circ}$ , was identified by its optical colours from the SkyMapper Southern Survey (SMSS) during a search for symbiotic binary stars. Optical and near-infrared spectroscopy reveals broad Mg ii , H $\unicode{x03B2}$ , H $\unicode{x03B1}$ , and Pa $\unicode{x03B2}$ emission lines, from which we measure a black hole mass of $\log_{10}\! (M_{\mathrm{BH}}/\mathrm{M}_{\odot}) = 9.4 \pm 0.5$ . With its high luminosity, $L_{\mathrm{bol}} = (4.7\pm1.0)\times10^{47}\,\mathrm{erg\,s}^{-1}$ or $M_{i}(z=2) = -29.74$ mag (AB), we estimate an Eddington ratio of $\approx1.4$ . As the most luminous quasar known over the last ${\sim}$ 9 Gyr of cosmic history, having a luminosity $8\times$ greater than 3C 273, the source offers a range of potential follow-up opportunities.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗