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DOE OSTI2012

EMITTING ELECTRONS AND SOURCE ACTIVITY IN MARKARIAN 501

We study the variation of the broadband spectral energy distribution (SED) of the BL Lac object Mrk 501 as a function of source activity, from quiescent to flaring. Through {chi}{sup 2}-minimization we model eight simultaneous SED data sets with a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model, and examine how model parameters vary with source activity. The emerging variability pattern of Mrk 501 is complex, with the Compton component arising from {gamma}-e scatterings that sometimes are (mostly) Thomson and sometimes (mostly) extreme Klein-Nishina. This can be seen from the variation of the Compton to synchrotron peak distance according to source state. The underlying electron spectra are faint/soft in quiescent states and bright/hard in flaring states. A comparison with Mrk 421 suggests that the typical values of the SSC parameters are different in the two sources: however, in both jets the energy density is particle-dominated in all states.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF THE HIGH-ENERGY EMISSION IN GRB090926A: AN EXTERNAL SHOCK

Synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission from a reverse shock has been suggested as the origin for the high-energy component lasting 2 s in the prompt phase of GRB98080923. The model describes spectral indices, fluxes, and the duration of the high-energy component as well as a long keV tail present in the prompt phase of GRB980923. Here, we present an extension of this model to describe the high-energy emission of GRB090926A. We argue that the emission consists of two components, one with a duration less than 1 s during the prompt phase, and a second, longer-lasting GeV phase lasting hundred of seconds after the prompt phase. The short high-energy phase can be described as SSC emission from a reverse shock similar to that observed in GRB980923, while the longer component arises from the forward shock. The main assumption is that the jet is magnetized and evolves in the thick-shell case, and the calculated fluxes and break energies are all consistent with the observed values. A comparison between the resulting parameters obtained for GRB980923 and GRB090926A suggests differences in burst tails that could be attributable to the circumburst medium, and this could account for previous analyses reported in the literature for other bursts. We find that the density of the surrounding medium inferred from the observed values associated with the forward shock agrees with standard values for host galaxies such as the one associated with GRB090926A.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

LONG-TERM MONITORING OF MRK 501 FOR ITS VERY HIGH ENERGY {gamma} EMISSION AND A FLARE IN 2011 OCTOBER

As one of the brightest active blazars in both X-ray and very high energy {gamma}-ray bands, Mrk 501, is very useful for physics associated with jets from active galactic nuclei. The ARGO-YBJ experiment has monitored Mrk 501 for {gamma}-rays above 0.3 TeV since 2007 November. The largest flare since 2005 was observed from 2011 October and lasted until about 2012 April. In this paper, a detailed analysis of this event is reported. During the brightest {gamma}-ray flaring episodes from 2011 October 17 to November 22, an excess of the event rate over 6{sigma} is detected by ARGO-YBJ in the direction of Mrk 501, corresponding to an increase of the {gamma}-ray flux above 1 TeV by a factor of 6.6 {+-} 2.2 from its steady emission. In particular, the {gamma}-ray flux above 8 TeV is detected with a significance better than 4{sigma}. Based on time-dependent synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) processes, the broadband energy spectrum is interpreted as the emission from an electron energy distribution parameterized with a single power-law function with an exponential cutoff at its high-energy end. The average spectral energy distribution for the steady emission is well described by this simple one-zone SSC model. However, the detection of {gamma}-rays above 8 TeV during the flare challenges this model due to the hardness of the spectra. Correlations between X-rays and {gamma}-rays are also investigated.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

SPITZER OBSERVATIONS OF HOTSPOTS IN RADIO LOBES

We have carried out a systematic search with Spitzer Warm Mission and archival data for infrared emission from the hotspots in radio lobes that have been described by Hardcastle et al. These hotspots have been detected with both radio and X-ray observations, but an observation at an intermediate frequency in the infrared can be critical to distinguish between competing models for particle acceleration and radiation processes in these objects. Between the archival and warm mission data, we report detections of 18 hotspots; the archival data generally include detections at all four IRAC bands, the Warm Mission data only at 3.6 {mu}m. Using a theoretical formalism adopted from Godfrey et al., we fit both archival and warm mission spectral energy distributions (SEDs)-including radio, X-ray, and optical data from Hardcastle as well as the Spitzer data-with a synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model, in which the X-rays are produced by Compton scattering of the radio frequency photons by the energetic electrons which radiate them. With one exception, an SSC model requires that the magnetic field be less or much less than the equipartition value which minimizes total energy and has comparable amounts of energy in the magnetic field and in the energetic particles. This conclusion agrees with those of comparable recent studies of hotspots, and with the analysis presented by Hardcastle et al. We also show that the infrared data rule out the simplest synchrotron-only models for the SEDs. We briefly discuss the implications of these results and of alternate interpretations of the data.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

DETECTION OF THE COSMIC {gamma}-RAY HORIZON FROM MULTIWAVELENGTH OBSERVATIONS OF BLAZARS

The first statistically significant detection of the cosmic {gamma}-ray horizon (CGRH) that is independent of any extragalactic background light (EBL) model is presented. The CGRH is a fundamental quantity in cosmology. It gives an estimate of the opacity of the universe to very high energy (VHE) {gamma}-ray photons due to photon-photon pair production with the EBL. The only estimations of the CGRH to date are predictions from EBL models and lower limits from {gamma}-ray observations of cosmological blazars and {gamma}-ray bursts. Here, we present homogeneous synchrotron/synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) models of the spectral energy distributions of 15 blazars based on (almost) simultaneous observations from radio up to the highest energy {gamma}-rays taken with the Fermi satellite. These synchrotron/SSC models predict the unattenuated VHE fluxes, which are compared with the observations by imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. This comparison provides an estimate of the optical depth of the EBL, which allows us a derivation of the CGRH through a maximum likelihood analysis that is EBL-model independent. We find that the observed CGRH is compatible with the current knowledge of the EBL.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

SYNCHROTRON LIGHTCURVES OF BLAZARS IN A TIME-DEPENDENT SYNCHROTRON-SELF COMPTON COOLING SCENARIO

Blazars emit non-thermal radiation in all frequency bands from radio to γ-rays. Additionally, they often exhibit rapid flaring events at all frequencies with doubling timescale of the TeV and X-ray flux on the order of minutes, and such rapid flaring events are difficult to explain theoretically. We explore the effect of the synchrotron-self Compton cooling, which is inherently time-dependent, leading to a rapid cooling of the electrons. Having intensively discussed the resulting effects of this cooling scenario on the spectral energy distribution of blazars in previous papers, the effects of the time-dependent approach on the synchrotron lightcurve are investigated here. Taking into account the retardation due to the finite size of the source and the source geometry, we show that the time-dependent synchrotron-self Compton (SSC) cooling still has profound effects on the lightcurve compared to the usual linear (synchrotron and external Compton) cooling terms. This is most obvious if the SSC cooling takes longer than the light crossing timescale. Then, in most frequency bands, the variability timescale is up to an order of magnitude shorter than under linear cooling conditions. This is yet another strong indication that the time-dependent approach should be taken into account for modeling blazar flares from compact emission regions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

The study of TeV variability and the duty cycle of Mrk 421 from 3 Yr of observations with the milagro observatory

TeV-flaring activity with timescales as short as tens of minutes and an orphan TeV flare have been observed from the blazar Markarian 421 (Mrk 421). The TeV emission from Mrk 421 is believed to be produced by leptonic synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission. In this scenario, correlations between the X-ray and the TeV fluxes are expected, TeV orphan flares are hardly explained, and the activity (measured as duty cycle) of the source at TeV energies is expected to be equal to or less than that observed in X-rays if only SSC is considered. To estimate the TeV duty cycle of Mrk 421 and to establish limits on its variability at different timescales, we continuously observed Mrk 421 with the Milagro observatory. Mrk 421 was detected by Milagro with a statistical significance of 7.1 standard deviations between 2005 September 21 and 2008 March 15. The observed spectrum is consistent with previous observations by VERITAS. We estimate the duty cycle of Mrk 421 for energies above 1 TeV for different hypotheses of the baseline flux and for different flare selections and we compared our results with the X-ray duty cycle estimated by Resconi et al. The robustness of the results is discussed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Multiwavelength variability properties of Fermi blazar S5 0716+714

S5 0716+714 is a typical BL Lacertae object. In this paper we present the analysis and results of long-term simultaneous observations in the radio, near-infrared, optical, X-ray, and γ-ray bands, together with our own photometric observations for this source. The light curves show that the variability amplitudes in γ-ray and optical bands are larger than those in the hard X-ray and radio bands and that the spectral energy distribution (SED) peaks move to shorter wavelengths when the source becomes brighter, which is similar to other blazars, i.e., more variable at wavelengths shorter than the SED peak frequencies. Analysis shows that the characteristic variability timescales in the 14.5 GHz, the optical, the X-ray, and the γ-ray bands are comparable to each other. The variations of the hard X-ray and 14.5 GHz emissions are correlated with zero lag, and so are the V band and γ-ray variations, which are consistent with the leptonic models. Coincidences of γ-ray and optical flares with a dramatic change of the optical polarization are detected. Hadronic models do not have the same natural explanation for these observations as the leptonic models. A strong optical flare correlating a γ-ray flare whose peak flux is lower than the average flux is detected. The leptonic model can explain this variability phenomenon through simultaneous SED modeling. Different leptonic models are distinguished by average SED modeling. The synchrotron plus synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model is ruled out because of the extreme input parameters. Scattering of external seed photons, such as the hot-dust or broad-line region emission, and the SSC process are probably both needed to explain the γ-ray emission of S5 0716+714.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

A new method for measuring metallicities of young super star clusters

We demonstrate how the metallicities of young super star clusters (SSC) can be measured using novel spectroscopic techniques in the J-band. The near-infrared flux of SSCs older than ∼6 Myr is dominated by tens to hundreds of red supergiant stars. Our technique is designed to harness the integrated light of that population and produces accurate metallicities for new observations in galaxies above (M83) and below (NGC 6946) solar metallicity. In M83 we find [Z] = +0.28 ± 0.14 dex using a moderate resolution (R ∼ 3500) J-band spectrum and in NGC 6496 we report [Z] = -0.32 ± 0.20 dex from a low resolution spectrum of R ∼ 1800. Recently commissioned low resolution multiplexed spectrographs on the Very Large Telescope (KMOS) and Keck (MOSFIRE) will allow accurate measurements of SSC metallicities across the disks of star-forming galaxies up to distances of 70 Mpc with single night observation campaigns using the method presented in this paper.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Test of models of the cosmic infrared background with multiwavelength observations of the blazar 1ES 1218+30.4 in 2009

We present the results of a multi-wavelength campaign targeting the blazar 1ES 1218+30.4 with observations with the 1.3 m McGraw-Hill optical telescope, the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE), the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope, and the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS). The RXTE and VERITAS observations were spread over a 13 day period and revealed clear evidence for flux variability, and a strong X-ray and γ-ray flare on 2009 February 26 (MJD 54888). The campaign delivered a well-sampled broadband energy spectrum with simultaneous RXTE and VERITAS very high energy (VHE, >100 GeV) observations, as well as contemporaneous optical and Fermi observations. The 1ES 1218+30.4 broadband energy spectrum—the first with simultaneous X-ray and VHE γ-ray energy spectra—is of particular interest as the source is located at a high cosmological redshift for a VHE source (z = 0.182), leading to strong absorption of VHE gamma rays by photons from the optical/infrared extragalactic background light (EBL) via γ{sub VHE} + γ{sub EBL} → e {sup +} e {sup –} pair-creation processes. We model the data with a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission model and with the extragalactic absorption predicted by several recent EBL models. We find that the observations are consistent with the SSC scenario and all the EBL models considered in this work. We discuss observational and theoretical avenues to improve on the EBL constraints.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

KINEMATICS OF SUPERBUBBLES AND SUPERSHELLS IN THE IRREGULAR GALAXY, NGC 1569

We present observations in the optical lines of Hα and [S II] (λλ6717, 6731 Å) and in X-rays of the irregular galaxy, NGC 1569. The observations in Hα and [S II] were made with the UNAM scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer (PUMA) and the X-ray data were obtained from the Chandra data archive. We detected several superbubbles, filaments, and supershells in NGC 1569 for which we determined size as well as their kinematic properties. We present a catalog of expansion velocities of 12 superbubbles, listing their positions, diameters, and physical parameters. Likewise, we present a catalog of 15 filaments and 4 supershells. In order to identify possible X-ray emission from the superbubbles in this galaxy, we analyzed the X-ray emission of NGC 1569 in two energy bands: 0.2-2.0 keV (soft X-rays) and 2.0-8.0 keV (hard X-rays). Based on X-ray images, we detected X-ray emission that could possibly be related to some of the superbubbles. The spectrum of the X-ray superbubbles can be described by an optically thin thermal plasma model. In order to identify the possible coexistence of galactic super winds and superbubbles we have performed adiabatic three-dimensional N-body/smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations to follow the evolution of the most important stellar clusters in this galaxy, SSC A and SSC B, using the GADGET-2 code. Those simulations demonstrate that depending on the specific initial conditions, the formation of superbubbles or a galactic superwind can result in NGC 1569.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Near-equipartition jets with log-parabola electron energy distribution and the blazar spectral-index diagrams

Fermi-LAT analyses show that the γ-ray photon spectral indices Γ{sub γ} of a large sample of blazars correlate with the νF{sub ν} peak synchrotron frequency ν{sub s} according to the relation Γ{sub γ}=d−klog ν{sub s}. The same function, with different constants d and k, also describes the relationship between Γ{sub γ} and peak Compton frequency ν{sub C}. This behavior is derived analytically using an equipartition blazar model with a log-parabola description of the electron energy distribution (EED). In the Thomson regime, k=k{sub EC}=3b/4 for external Compton (EC) processes and k=k{sub SSC}=9b/16 for synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) processes, where b is the log-parabola width parameter of the EED. The BL Lac object Mrk 501 is fit with a synchrotron/SSC model given by the log-parabola EED, and is best fit away from equipartition. Corrections are made to the spectral-index diagrams for a low-energy power-law EED and departures from equipartition, as constrained by absolute jet power. Analytic expressions are compared with numerical values derived from self-Compton and EC scattered γ-ray spectra from Lyα broad-line region and IR target photons. The Γ{sub γ} versus ν{sub s} behavior in the model depends strongly on b, with progressively and predictably weaker dependences on γ-ray detection range, variability time, and isotropic γ-ray luminosity. Implications for blazar unification and blazars as ultra-high energy cosmic-ray sources are discussed. Arguments by Ghisellini et al. that the jet power exceeds the accretion luminosity depend on the doubtful assumption that we are viewing at the Doppler angle.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Combining cluster number counts and galaxy clustering

The abundance of clusters and the clustering of galaxies are two of the important cosmological probes for current and future large scale surveys of galaxies, such as the Dark Energy Survey. In order to combine them one has to account for the fact that they are not independent quantities, since they probe the same density field. It is important to develop a good understanding of their correlation in order to extract parameter constraints. We present a detailed modelling of the joint covariance matrix between cluster number counts and the galaxy angular power spectrum. We employ the framework of the halo model complemented by a Halo Occupation Distribution model (HOD). We demonstrate the importance of accounting for non-Gaussianity to produce accurate covariance predictions. Indeed, we show that the non-Gaussian covariance becomes dominant at small scales, low redshifts or high cluster masses. We discuss in particular the case of the super-sample covariance (SSC), including the effects of galaxy shot-noise, halo second order bias and non-local bias. We demonstrate that the SSC obeys mathematical inequalities and positivity. Using the joint covariance matrix and a Fisher matrix methodology, we examine the prospects of combining these two probes to constrain cosmological and HOD parameters. We find that the combination indeed results in noticeably better constraints, with improvements of order 20% on cosmological parameters compared to the best single probe, and even greater improvement on HOD parameters, with reduction of error bars by a factor 1.4-4.8. This happens in particular because the cross-covariance introduces a synergy between the probes on small scales. We conclude that accounting for non-Gaussian effects is required for the joint analysis of these observables in galaxy surveys.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2010

DETECTION OF VERY HIGH ENERGY {gamma}-RAY EMISSION FROM THE PERSEUS CLUSTER HEAD-TAIL GALAXY IC 310 BY THE MAGIC TELESCOPES

We report on the detection with the MAGIC telescopes of very high energy (VHE) {gamma}-rays from IC 310, a head-tail radio galaxy in the Perseus galaxy cluster, observed during the interval 2008 November to 2010 February. The Fermi satellite has also detected this galaxy. The source is detected by MAGIC at a high statistical significance of 7.6{sigma} in 20.6 hr of stereo data. The observed spectral energy distribution is flat with a differential spectral index of -2.00 {+-} 0.14. The mean flux above 300 GeV, between 2009 October and 2010 February, (3.1 {+-} 0.5) x 10{sup -12} cm{sup -2} s{sup -1}, corresponds to (2.5 {+-} 0.4)% of Crab Nebula units. Only an upper limit, of 1.9% of Crab Nebula units above 300 GeV, was obtained with the 2008 data. This, together with strong hints (>3{sigma}) of flares in the middle of 2009 October and November, implies that the emission is variable. The MAGIC results favor a scenario with the VHE emission originating from the inner jet close to the central engine. More complicated models than a simple one-zone synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) scenario, e.g., multi-zone SSC, external Compton, or hadronic, may be required to explain the very flat spectrum and its extension over more than three orders of magnitude in energy.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

COLLECTIVE EVIDENCE FOR INVERSE COMPTON EMISSION FROM EXTERNAL PHOTONS IN HIGH-POWER BLAZARS

We present the first collective evidence that Fermi-detected jets of high kinetic power (L{sub kin}) are dominated by inverse Compton emission from upscattered external photons. Using a sample with a broad range in orientation angle, including radio galaxies and blazars, we find that very high power sources (L{sub kin} > 10{sup 45.5} erg s{sup -1}) show a significant increase in the ratio of inverse Compton to synchrotron power (Compton dominance) with decreasing orientation angle, as measured by the radio core dominance and confirmed by the distribution of superluminal speeds. This increase is consistent with beaming expectations for external Compton (EC) emission, but not for synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission. For the lowest power jets (L{sub kin} < 10{sup 43.5} erg s{sup -1}), no trend between Compton and radio core dominance is found, consistent with SSC. Importantly, the EC trend is not seen for moderately high power flat spectrum radio quasars with strong external photon fields. Coupled with the evidence that jet power is linked to the jet speed, this finding suggests that external photon fields become the dominant source of seed photons in the jet comoving frame only for the faster and therefore more powerful jets.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

INTERPRETATION OF THE UNPRECEDENTEDLY LONG-LIVED HIGH-ENERGY EMISSION OF GRB 130427A

High-energy photons (>100 MeV) are detected by the Fermi/Large Area Telescope from GRB 130427A up to almost one day after the burst, with an extra hard spectral component discovered in the high-energy afterglow. We show that this hard spectral component arises from afterglow synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission. This scenario can explain the origin of >10 GeV photons detected up to {approx}30, 000 s after the burst, which would be difficult to explain via synchrotron radiation due to the limited maximum synchrotron photon energy. The lower energy multi-wavelength afterglow data can be fitted simultaneously by the afterglow synchrotron emission. The implication of detecting the SSC emission for the circumburst environment is discussed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

NEAR-INFRARED ADAPTIVE OPTICS IMAGING OF INFRARED LUMINOUS GALAXIES: THE BRIGHTEST CLUSTER MAGNITUDE-STAR FORMATION RATE RELATION

We have established a relation between the brightest super star cluster (SSC) magnitude in a galaxy and the host star formation rate (SFR) for the first time in the near-infrared (NIR). The data come from a statistical sample of ∼40 luminous IR galaxies (LIRGs) and starbursts utilizing K-band adaptive optics imaging. While expanding the observed relation to longer wavelengths, less affected by extinction effects, it also pushes to higher SFRs. The relation we find, M{sub K} ∼ –2.6log SFR, is similar to that derived previously in the optical and at lower SFRs. It does not, however, fit the optical relation with a single optical to NIR color conversion, suggesting systematic extinction and/or age effects. While the relation is broadly consistent with a size-of-sample explanation, we argue physical reasons for the relation are likely as well. In particular, the scatter in the relation is smaller than expected from pure random sampling strongly suggesting physical constraints. We also derive a quantifiable relation tying together cluster-internal effects and host SFR properties to possibly explain the observed brightest SSC magnitude versus SFR dependency.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Synchrotron self-Compton in a radiative-adiabatic fireball scenario: modelling the multiwavelength observations in some Fermi /LAT bursts

Energetic GeV photons expected from the closest and the most energetic Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) provide a unique opportunity to study the very-high-energy emission as well as the possible correlations with lower energy bands in realistic GRB afterglow models. In the standard GRB afterglow model, the relativistic homogeneous shock is usually considered to be fully adiabatic, however, it could be partially radiative. Based on the external forward-shock scenario in both stellar wind and constant-density medium, we present a radiative-adiabatic analytical model of the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) and synchrotron processes considering an electron energy distribution with a power-law index of $1\lt p\lt 2$ and $2\le p$. We show that the SSC scenario plays a relevant role in the radiative parameter $\epsilon$, leading to a prolonged evolution during the slow cooling regime. In a particular case, we derive the Fermi/LAT light curves together with the photons with energies $\ge 100$ MeV in a sample of nine bursts from the second Fermi/LAT GRB catalogue that exhibited temporal and spectral indices with $\gtrsim 1.5$ and $\approx 2$, respectively. These events can hardly be described with closure relations of the standard synchrotron afterglow model, and also exhibit energetic photons above the synchrotron limit. We have modelled the multiwavelength observations of our sample to constrain the microphysical parameters, the circumburst density, the bulk Lorentz factor, and the mechanism responsible for explaining the energetic GeV photons.

acceleration of particles↗