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At least 595 records · Page 33
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DOE OSTI2014

Trends in ultracool dwarf magnetism. I. X-ray suppression and radio enhancement

Although ultracool dwarfs (UCDs) are now known to generate and dissipate strong magnetic fields, a clear understanding of the underlying dynamo is still lacking. We have performed X-ray and radio observations of seven UCDs in a narrow range of spectral type (M6.5-M9.5) but spanning a wide range of projected rotational velocities (vsin i ≈ 3-40 km s{sup –1}). We have also analyzed unpublished archival Chandra observations of four additional objects. All of the newly observed targets are detected in the X-ray, while only one is detected in the radio, with the remainder having sensitive upper limits. We present a database of UCDs with both radio and X-ray measurements and consider the data in light of the so-called Güdel-Benz relation (GBR) between magnetic activity in these bands. Some UCDs have very bright radio emission and faint X-ray emission compared to what would be expected for rapid rotators, while others show the opposite behavior. We show that UCDs would still be radio-overluminous relative to the GBR even if their X-ray emission were at standard rapid-rotator 'saturation' levels. Recent results from Zeeman-Doppler imaging and geodynamo simulations suggest that rapidly rotating UCDs may harbor a bistable dynamo that supports either a stronger, axisymmetric magnetic field or a weaker, non-axisymmetric field. We suggest that the data can be explained in a scenario in which strong-field objects obey the GBR while weak-field objects are radio-overluminous and X-ray-underluminous, possibly because of a population of gyrosynchrotron-emitting coronal electrons that is continuously replenished by low-energy reconnection events.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

The long-term post-outburst spin down and flux relaxation of magnetar swift J1822.3–1606

The magnetar Swift J1822.3–1606 entered an outburst phase in 2011 July. Previous X-ray studies of its post-outburst rotational evolution yielded inconsistent measurements of the spin-inferred magnetic field. Here we present the timing behavior and flux relaxation from over two years of Swift, RXTE, and Chandra observations following the outburst. We find that the ambiguity in previous timing solutions was due to enhanced spin down that resembles an exponential recovery following a glitch at the outburst onset. After fitting out the effects of the recovery, we measure a long-term spin-down rate of ν-dot =(−3.0 ± 0.3)×10{sup −16} s{sup –2} which implies a dipolar magnetic field of 1.35 × 10{sup 13} G, lower than all previous estimates for this source. We also consider the post-outburst flux evolution, and fit it with both empirical and crustal cooling models. We discuss the flux relaxation in the context of both crustal cooling and magnetospheric relaxation models.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Spectral and timing nature of the symbiotic X-ray binary 4U 1954+319: The slowest rotating neutron star in an X-ray binary system

The symbiotic X-ray binary (SyXB) 4U 1954+319 is a rare system hosting a peculiar neutron star (NS) and an M-type optical companion. Its ∼5.4 hr NS spin period is the longest among all known accretion-powered pulsars and exhibited large (∼7%) fluctuations over 8 yr. A spin trend transition was detected with Swift/BAT around an X-ray brightening in 2012. The source was in quiescent and bright states before and after this outburst based on 60 ks Suzaku observations in 2011 and 2012. The observed continuum is well described by a Comptonized model with the addition of a narrow 6.4 keV Fe-Kα line during the outburst. Spectral similarities to slowly rotating pulsars in high-mass X-ray binaries, its high pulsed fraction (∼60%-80%), and the location in the Corbet diagram favor high B-field (≳ 10{sup 12} G) over a weak field as in low-mass X-ray binaries. The observed low X-ray luminosity (10{sup 33}-10{sup 35} erg s{sup –1}), probable wide orbit, and a slow stellar wind of this SyXB make quasi-spherical accretion in the subsonic settling regime a plausible model. Assuming a ∼10{sup 13} G NS, this scheme can explain the ∼5.4 hr equilibrium rotation without employing the magnetar-like field (∼10{sup 16} G) required in the disk accretion case. The timescales of multiple irregular flares (∼50 s) can also be attributed to the free-fall time from the Alfvén shell for a ∼10{sup 13} G field. A physical interpretation of SyXBs beyond the canonical binary classifications is discussed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Timing and flux evolution of the galactic center magnetar SGR J1745–2900

We present the X-ray timing and spectral evolution of the Galactic Center magnetar SGR J1745–2900 for the first ∼4 months post-discovery using data obtained with the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array and Swift observatories. Our timing analysis reveals a large increase in the magnetar spin-down rate by a factor of 2.60 ± 0.07 over our data span. We further show that the change in spin evolution was likely coincident with a bright X-ray burst observed in 2013 June by Swift, and if so, there was no accompanying discontinuity in the frequency. We find that the source 3-10 keV flux has declined monotonically by a factor of ∼2 over an 80 day period post-outburst accompanied by a ∼20% decrease in the source's blackbody temperature, although there is evidence for both flux and kT having leveled off. We argue that the torque variations are likely to be magnetospheric in nature and will dominate over any dynamical signatures of orbital motion around Sgr A*.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Extreme blazars studied with Fermi-lat and Suzaku: 1ES 0347–121 and blazar candidate HESS J1943+213

We report on our study of high-energy properties of two peculiar TeV emitters: the 'extreme blazar' 1ES 0347–121 and the 'extreme blazar candidate' HESS J1943+213 located near the Galactic plane. Both objects are characterized by quiescent synchrotron emission with flat spectra extending up to the hard X-ray range, and both were reported to be missing GeV counterparts in the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) two-year Source Catalog. We analyze a 4.5 yr accumulation of the Fermi-LAT data, resulting in the detection of 1ES 0347–121 in the GeV band, as well as in improved upper limits for HESS J1943+213. We also present the analysis results of newly acquired Suzaku data for HESS J1943+213. The X-ray spectrum is well represented by a single power law extending up to 25 keV with photon index 2.00 ± 0.02 and a moderate absorption in excess of the Galactic value, which is in agreement with previous X-ray observations. No short-term X-ray variability was found over the 80 ks duration of the Suzaku exposure. Under the blazar hypothesis, we modeled the spectral energy distributions of 1ES 0347–121 and HESS J1943+213, and we derived constraints on the intergalactic magnetic field strength and source energetics. We conclude that although the classification of HESS J1943+213 has not yet been determined, the blazar hypothesis remains the most plausible option since, in particular, the broadband spectra of the two analyzed sources along with the source model parameters closely resemble each other, and the newly available Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey data for HESS J1943+213 are consistent with the presence of an elliptical host at the distance of approximately ∼600 Mpc.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

NuSTAR observations of X-ray bursts from the magnetar 1E 1048.1–5937

We report the detection of eight bright X-ray bursts from the 6.5 s magnetar 1E 1048.1–5937, during a 2013 July observation campaign with the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array. We study the morphological and spectral properties of these bursts and their evolution with time. The bursts resulted in count rate increases by orders of magnitude, sometimes limited by the detector dead time, and showed blackbody spectra with kT ∼ 6-8 keV in the T{sub 90} duration of 1-4 s, similar to earlier bursts detected from the source. We find that the spectra during the tail of the bursts can be modeled with an absorbed blackbody with temperature decreasing with flux. The burst flux decays followed a power law of index 0.8-0.9. In the burst tail spectra, we detect a ∼13 keV emission feature, similar to those reported in previous bursts from this source as well as from other magnetars observed with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. We explore possible origins of the spectral feature such as proton cyclotron emission, which implies a magnetic field strength of B ∼ 2 × 10{sup 15} G in the emission region. However, the consistency of the energy of the feature in different objects requires further explanation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Gravitational radiation from magnetically funneled supernova fallback onto a magnetar

Protomagnetars spun up to millisecond rotation periods by supernova fallback are predicted to radiate gravitational waves via hydrodynamic instabilities for ∼10{sup 2} s before possibly collapsing to form a black hole. It is shown that magnetic funneling of the accretion flow (1) creates a magnetically confined polar mountain, which boosts the gravitational wave signal, and (2) 'buries' the magnetic dipole moment, delaying the propeller phase and assisting black hole formation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Absorption filaments toward the massive clump G0.253+0.016

ALMA HCO{sup +} observations of the infrared dark cloud G0.253+0.016 located in the central molecular zone of the Galaxy are presented. The 89 GHz emission is area-filling, optically thick, and sub-thermally excited. Two types of filaments are seen in absorption against the HCO{sup +} emission. Broad-line absorption filaments (BLAs) have widths of less than a few arcseconds (0.07-0.14 pc), lengths of 30-50 arcsec (1.2-1.8 pc), and absorption profiles extending over a velocity range larger than 20 km s{sup –1}. The BLAs are nearly parallel to the nearby G0.18 non-thermal filaments and may trace HCO{sup +} molecules gyrating about highly ordered magnetic fields located in front of G0.253+0.016 or edge-on sheets formed behind supersonic shocks propagating orthogonal to our line of sight in the foreground. Narrow-line absorption filaments (NLAs) have line widths less than 20 km s{sup –1}. Some NLAs are also seen in absorption in other species with high optical depth, such as HCN, and occasionally in emission where the background is faint. The NLAs, which also trace low-density, sub-thermally excited HCO{sup +} molecules, are mostly seen on the blueshifted side of the emission from G0.253+0.016. If associated with the surface of G0.253+0.016, the kinematics of the NLAs indicate that the cloud surface is expanding. The decompression of entrained, milli-Gauss magnetic fields may be responsible for the re-expansion of the surface layers of G0.253+0.016 as it recedes from the Galactic center following a close encounter with Sgr A.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Magnetar giant flares in multipolar magnetic fields. II. Flux rope eruptions with current sheets

We propose a physical mechanism to explain giant flares and radio afterglows in terms of a magnetospheric model containing both a helically twisted flux rope and a current sheet (CS). With the appearance of a CS, we solve a mixed boundary value problem to get the magnetospheric field based on a domain decomposition method. We investigate properties of the equilibrium curve of the flux rope when the CS is present in background multipolar fields. In response to the variations at the magnetar surface, it quasi-statically evolves in stable equilibrium states. The loss of equilibrium occurs at a critical point and, beyond that point, it erupts catastrophically. New features show up when the CS is considered. In particular, we find two kinds of physical behaviors, i.e., catastrophic state transition and catastrophic escape. Magnetic energy would be released during state transitions. This released magnetic energy is sufficient to drive giant flares, and the flux rope would, therefore, go away from the magnetar quasi-statically, which is inconsistent with the radio afterglow. Fortunately, in the latter case, i.e., the catastrophic escape, the flux rope could escape the magnetar and go to infinity in a dynamical way. This is more consistent with radio afterglow observations of giant flares. We find that the minor radius of the flux rope has important implications for its eruption. Flux ropes with larger minor radii are more prone to erupt. We stress that the CS provides an ideal place for magnetic reconnection, which would further enhance the energy release during eruptions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Signature of a spin-up magnetar from multi-band afterglow rebrightening of GRB 100814A

In recent years, more and more gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) with late rebrightenings in their multi-band afterglows have revealed the late-time activity of their central engines. GRB 100814A is a special case among the well-sampled events, with complex temporal and spectral evolution. The single power-law shallow decay index of the optical light curve observed by GROND between 640 s and 10 ks is α{sub opt}=0.57±0.02, which apparently conflicts with expectations from the simple external shock model. In particular, there is remarkable rebrightening in the optical to near-infrared bands at late times, challenging the external shock model with synchrotron emission coming from the interaction of the blast wave with the surrounding interstellar medium. In this paper, we invoke a magnetar with spin evolution to explain the complex multi-band afterglow emission of GRB 100814A. The initial shallow decay phase in the optical bands and the plateau in the X-ray can be explained as being due to energy injection from a spin-down magnetar. At late times, with materials from the fall-back disk falling onto the central object of the burster, the angular momentum of the accreted materials is transferred to the magnetar, which leads to a spin up process. As a result, the magnetic dipole radiation luminosity will increase, resulting in significant rebrightening of the optical afterglow. We show that the model can well reproduce the observed multi-band afterglow emission.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Properties of cyclotron lines in a line-forming region injected by an anisotropic continuum in accreting X-ray pulsars

I examine the characteristics of profiles of cyclotron lines formed by the superposition of a number of lines formed at a number of altitudes in line-forming regions illuminated by anisotropic injections in an accretion column, which formed around the polar cap of Roche-lobe-type accretion-powered X-ray pulsars. In the present paper, I consider the line-forming region near the walls of a cylindrical geometry illuminated from the inside of the cylinder. I also examine how the direction of the peak of a beam pattern affects the profiles of cyclotron lines. I found that the width and depth of the line in a phase-averaged spectrum provide information concerning the direction of a beam. I demonstrate that the cyclotron line has a pure absorption in the phase-averaged spectrum regardless of the height of the cylinder, which is expected to change with luminosity. On the other hand, in phase-resolved spectra, an emission-like feature can be formed in the phase with lower intensity in a short cylinder, which is expected at L∼10{sup 36} erg s{sup −1}, while a pure absorption feature tends to appear in all phases due to the superposition of a large number of lines in a tall cylinder, which is expected at L≳10{sup 37} erg s{sup −1}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

SHORT-WAVELENGTH MAGNETIC BUOYANCY INSTABILITY

Magnetic buoyancy instability plays an important role in the evolution of astrophysical magnetic fields. Here we revisit the problem introduced by Gilman of the short-wavelength linear stability of a plane layer of compressible isothermal fluid permeated by a horizontal magnetic field of strength decreasing with height. Dissipation of momentum and magnetic field is neglected. By the use of a Rayleigh-Schroedinger perturbation analysis, we explain in detail the limit in which the transverse horizontal wavenumber of the perturbation, denoted by k, is large (i.e., short horizontal wavelength) and show that the fastest growing perturbations become localized in the vertical direction as k is increased. The growth rates are determined by a function of the vertical coordinate z since, in the large k limit, the eigenmodes are strongly localized in the vertical direction. We consider in detail the case of two-dimensional perturbations varying in the directions perpendicular to the magnetic field, which, for sufficiently strong field gradients, are the most unstable. The results of our analysis are backed up by comparison with a series of initial value problems. Finally, we extend the analysis to three-dimensional perturbations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Plasma instabilities dominate radioactive transients magnetic fields: the self-confinement of leptons in Type Ia and core-collapse supernovae, and kilonovae

The light curves of radioactive transients, such as supernovae and kilonovae, are powered by the decay of radioisotopes, which release high-energy leptons through $\beta ^+$ and $\beta ^-$ decays. These leptons deposit energy into the expanding ejecta. As the ejecta density decreases during expansion, the plasma becomes collisionless, with particle motion governed by electromagnetic forces. In such environments, strong or turbulent magnetic fields are thought to confine particles, though the origin of these fields and the confinement mechanism have remained unclear. Using fully kinetic particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, we demonstrate that plasma instabilities can naturally confine high-energy leptons. These leptons generate magnetic fields through plasma streaming instabilities, even in the absence of pre-existing fields. The self-generated magnetic fields slow lepton diffusion, enabling confinement, and transferring energy to thermal electrons and ions. Our results naturally explain the positron trapping inferred from late-time observations of thermonuclear and core-collapse supernovae. Furthermore, they suggest potential implications for electron dynamics in the ejecta of kilonovae. We also estimate synchrotron radio luminosities from positrons for Type Ia supernovae and find that such emission could only be detectable with next-generation radio observatories from a Galactic or local-group supernova in an environment without any circumstellar material.

instabilities↗
DOE OSTI2017

Bondi–Hoyle accretion in a turbulent, magnetized medium

We introduce simulations of accretion on to point masses embedded in an isothermal gas that is magnetized and supersonically turbulent, as occurs for protostars in molecular clouds. We use the ORION2 adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) code to carry out ideal magnetohydrodynamic simulations for an rms Mach number $\mathcal{M}$ rms =5 and a wide range of Alfvén Mach numbers. We find that the probability density functions for accretion rates in all models are very wide (±0.5 dex) and asymmetric, tilted to low accretion rates; the mean accretion rate is about twice the median. We find that the results of Lee et al. for magnetized Bondi-Hoyle accretion with the relative velocity parallel to the field describe our results to within a factor of 2, and we suggest that this should be valid at least for $\mathcal{M}$ rms ≲ 10. Our results demonstrate that turbulent magnetic fields of the strength observed in molecular clouds reduce the accretion rate relative to the classical Bondi-Hoyle rate by a factor of a few for Alfvén Mach numbers of order unity, but this is comparable to the reduction due to supersonic hydrodynamic turbulence alone. This reduction in accretion rates should be taken into account in analytic models of competitive accretion and analytic estimates of the accretion luminosities of young stellar objects in molecular clouds.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2018

On the Energy of a “One-Dimensional” Two-Electron Atom

Based on the perturbation theory and variational method long known for a “three-dimensional” atom, the ground and first excited state energies are calculated for a “one-dimensional” two-electron atom in the “one-dimensional ortho-helium” configuration, which can be obtained experimentally in principle, as has been already done for a Na Bose condensate, or produced in a super strong magnetic field B ≫ (2α){sup 2}B{sub 0} (B{sub 0} = m{sup 2}c{sup 3}/eħ ≈ 4.41 × 10{sup 13} G). The “screening constant” σ for this atom in the ground and excited states was about 0.20 and 0.17, 0.18, respectively, depending on the relative parity PP' of the electronic states, which is somewhat smaller than in “two-dimensional” and “three-dimensional” variants (in these cases, this constant in the ground state is almost the same and about 0.3). The frequencies of the main spectral lines of a “onedimensional” He atom representing a doublet split over the relative parity PP' are found. The presence of the close lines of this doublet in the emission spectrum of magnetars at frequencies ω{sub 1,2} ≈ {1.15; 1.17}α{sup 2}(c/λC) (α = e{sup 2}/ħc, λ{sub C} =ħ/mc) corresponding to the “one-dimensional ortho-helium” would suggest the existence of a superstrong magnetic field in such astrophysical objects.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

Towards Improving luminosity using optics tuning and data-driven methods

The results of Run 24 experiments at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) for improving luminosity using optics tuning are presented in this study. In the first experiment, MADx matching was used to output magnet strengths corresponding to specific s star movements around Interaction Region 8 (IR8). The corresponding Zero Degree Calorimeter (ZDC) signal was measured in place of luminosity, and Bayesian Optimization aids search of optimal movements. It was found that values retrieved from matching were inaccurate, resulting in negative feedback loops. The second experiment focused on calculating accurate s star movements. The matching method was replaced with a linear sensitivity matrix, directly relating optics to power supply, and its null space was used to fit constraints such as hysteresis effects. At the experiment, beam losses were observed at collimators around boundary of IR8, which were fixed for the third experiment. Dynamic mode decomposition was also introduced to improve quality of turn-by-turn (TBT) data as well as accuracy and consistency of optics measurements at IR8. These improvements will be tested in the experiment of next RHIC run for luminosity optimization.

Accelerator Physics↗
DOE OSTI2016

Protostar l1455 IRS1: a rotating disk connecting to a filamentary network

We conducted IRAM-30 m C{sup 18}O (2–1) and SMA 1.3 mm continuum {sup 12}CO (2–1) and C{sup 18}O (2–1) observations toward the Class 0/I protostar L1455 IRS1 in Perseus. The IRAM-30 m C{sup 18}O results show IRS1 in a dense 0.05 pc core with a mass of 0.54 M {sub ⊙}, connecting to a filamentary structure. Inside the dense core, compact components of 350 au and 1500 au are detected in the SMA 1.3 mm continuum and C{sup 18}O, with a velocity gradient in the latter one perpendicular to a bipolar outflow in {sup 12}CO, likely tracing a rotational motion. We measure a rotational velocity profile ∝r{sup −0.75} that becomes shallower at a turning radius of ∼200 au, which is approximately the radius of the 1.3 mm continuum component. These results hint at the presence of a Keplerian disk with a radius <200 au around L1455 IRS1 with a protostellar mass of about 0.28 M {sub ⊙}. We derive a core rotation that is about one order of magnitude faster than expected. A significant velocity gradient along a filament toward IRS1 indicates that this filament is dynamically important, providing a gas reservoir and possibly responsible for the faster-than-average core rotation. Previous polarimetric observations show a magnetic field aligned with the outflow axis and perpendicular to the associated filament on a 0.1 pc scale, while on the inner 1000 au scale, the field becomes perpendicular to the outflow axis. This change in magnetic field orientations is consistent with our estimated increase in rotational energy from large to small scales that overcomes the magnetic field energy, wrapping the field lines and aligning them with the disk velocity gradient. These results are discussed in the context of the interplay between filament, magnetic field, and gas kinematics from large to small scales. Possible emerging trends are explored with a sample of 8 Class 0/I protostars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗