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Results for “Formation and Evolution of Compact Objects”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

A Parameterized Neutrino Emission Model to Study Mass Ejection in Failed Core-collapse Supernovae

Some massive stars end their lives as failed core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) and become black holes (BHs). Although in this class of phenomena the stalled supernova (SN) shock is not revived, the outer stellar envelope can still be partially ejected. This occurs because the hydrodynamic equilibrium of the star is disrupted by the gravitational mass loss of the protoneutron star (PNS) due to neutrino emission. We develop a simple parameterized model that emulates PNS evolution and its neutrino emission and use it to simulate failed CCSNe in spherical symmetry for a wide range of progenitor stars. Our model allows us to study mass ejection of failed CCSNe where the PNS collapses into a BH within ~100 ms and up to ~10 6 s. We perform failed CCSNe simulations for 262 different pre-SN progenitors and determine how the energy and mass of the ejecta depend on progenitor properties and the equation of state (EOS) of dense matter. In the case of a future failed CCSN observation, the trends obtained in our simulations can be used to place constraints on the pre-SN progenitor characteristics, the EOS, and on PNS properties at BH formation time.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

THE EXTREMELY LONG-PERIOD X-RAY SOURCE IN A YOUNG SUPERNOVA REMNANT: A THORNE-ŻYTKOW OBJECT DESCENDANT?

The origin of the 6.67 hr period X-ray source, 1E161348-5055, in the young supernova remnant RCW 103 is puzzling. We propose that it may be the descendant of a Thorne-Żytkow Object (TŻO). A TŻO may at its formation have a rapidly spinning neutron star as a core and a slowly rotating envelope. We found that the core could be braked quickly to an extremely long spin period by the coupling between its magnetic field and the envelope, and that the envelope could be disrupted by some powerful bursts or exhausted via stellar wind. If the envelope is disrupted after the core has spun down, the core will become an extremely long-period compact object, with a slow proper motion speed, surrounded by a supernova-remnant-like shell. These features all agree with the observations of 1E161348-5055. TŻOs are expected to have produced extraordinarily high abundances of lithium and rapid proton process elements that would remain in the remnants and could be used to test this scenario.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Dust supply to close binary systems

Binary systems can be born surrounded by circumbinary discs. The gaseous disc around either of the two stellar companions can have its life extended by the supply of mass arriving from the circumbinary disc. The objective of this study is to investigate the gravitational interactions exerted by a compact and eccentric binary system on the circumbinary and circumprimary discs, and the resulting transport of gas and solids between the disc components. We assume that the gas in the system behaves as a fluid, and we model its evolution by means of high-resolution hydrodynamical simulations. Dust grains are modelled as Lagrangian particles that interact with the gas and the stars. Our models indicate that significant fluxes of gas and dust proceed from the circumbinary disc towards the circumprimary disc. For the applied system parameters, grains of certain sizes are segregated outside the tidal gap generated by the stars. Consequently, the size distribution of the transported dust is not continuous, but presents a gap in the millimetre size range. In close binaries, the lifetime of an isolated circumprimary disc is found to be short, ~10 5 years, because of its low mass. However, because of the influx of gas from beyond the tidal gap, the disc around the primary star can survive much longer, ~10 6 years, as long as gas accretion from the circumbinary disc continues. The supply of solids and the extended lifetime of a circumbinary disc also aids in the possible formation of giant planets. Compared to close binary systems without a circumbinary disc, we expect a higher frequency of singleplanet or multiple-planet systems. Additionally, a planetesimal or debris belt can form in the proximity of the truncation radius of the circumprimary disc and/or around the location of the exterior edge of the tidal gap.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2007

Emission-Line Galaxies from the PEARS Hubble Ultra Deep Field: A 2-D Detection Method and First Results

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) grism PEARS (Probing Evolution And Reionization Spectroscopically) survey provides a large dataset of low-resolution spectra from thousands of galaxies in the GOODS North and South fields. One important subset of objects in these data are emission-line galaxies (ELGs), and we have investigated several different methods aimed at systematically selecting these galaxies. Here we present a new methodology and results of a search for these ELGs in the PEARS observations of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF) using a 2D detection method that utilizes the observation that many emission lines originate from clumpy knots within galaxies. This 2D line-finding method proves to be useful in detecting emission lines from compact knots within galaxies that might not otherwise be detected using more traditional 1D line-finding techniques. We find in total 96 emission lines in the HUDF, originating from 81 distinct "knots" within 63 individual galaxies. We find in general that [0 1111 emitters are the most common, comprising 44% of the sample, and on average have high equivalent widths (70% of [0 1111 emitters having rest-frame EW> 100A). There are 12 galaxies with multiple emitting knots; several show evidence of variations in H-alpha flux in the knots, suggesting that the differing star formation properties across a single galaxy can in general be probed at redshifts approximately greater than 0.2 - 0.4. The most prevalent morphologies are large face-on spirals and clumpy interacting systems, many being unique detections owing to the 2D method described here, thus highlighting the strength of this technique.

Gardner, J. P.↗
NASA NTRS1996

On the Anticorrelation Between High Accretion Luminosity and Radio Jet Ejection in Gro J1655-40 and Other Objects

A model is described in which radio jet formation in accreting objects is suppressed by processes which occur when the accretion rate approaches the Eddington limit. This was motivated by GRO J1655-40 and other objects which show an anticorrelation between high luminosity and the onset of a radio jet. The jet production mechanism employed is the Blandford-Payne MHD acceleration process, seeded by an e'e- pair wind. Observations indicate that all key ingredients of this mechanism are, or should be, present in these sources. Observed jet velocities and total powers are consistent with theoretical and numerical predictions of this model. The primary jet suppression mechanism proposed is the Papaloizou-Pringle compressible shear instability, which should disrupt the jet-producing region of the disk when the accretion rate approaches about one-third Eddington. The turn-on of the jet in GRO J 1 655 - 40 is consistent with this estimate. When super-Eddington, the disk should also drive an optically thick, subrelativistic wind, which may be a secondary jet suppression mechanism. The possible presence of such a wind is seen in the early spectral evolution of GRO J1655-40 and in the broad absorption lines of certain quasi-stellar objects (QSOs). Important tests of the model would be independent measurements of the compact object masses in these sources, a comparison of normal and broad absorption line (BAL) QSO X-ray spectra to see if the latter objects are significantly cooler, and a low-frequency search around BAL QSOs to see if at least some have fossil radio sources.

Meier, D.↗
DOE OSTI2017

On the Progenitor of Binary Neutron Star Merger GW170817

On 2017 August 17 the merger of two compact objects with masses consistent with two neutron stars was discovered through gravitational-wave (GW170817), gamma-ray (GRB 170817A), and optical (SSS17a/AT 2017gfo) observations. The optical source was associated with the early-type galaxy NGC 4993 at a distance of just ~40 Mpc, consistent with the gravitational-wave measurement, and the merger was localized to be at a projected distance of ~2 kpc away from the galaxy's center. We use this minimal set of facts and the mass posteriors of the two neutron stars to derive the first constraints on the progenitor of GW170817 at the time of the second supernova (SN). We generate simulated progenitor populations and follow the three-dimensional kinematic evolution from binary neutron star (BNS) birth to the merger time, accounting for pre-SN galactic motion, for considerably different input distributions of the progenitor mass, pre-SN semimajor axis, and SN-kick velocity. Though not considerably tight, we find these constraints to be comparable to those for Galactic BNS progenitors. The derived constraints are very strongly influenced by the requirement of keeping the binary bound after the second SN and having the merger occur relatively close to the center of the galaxy. These constraints are insensitive to the galaxy's star formation history, provided the stellar populations are older than 1 Gyr.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Searching for Compact Radio Sources Associated with UCH ii Regions

Ultra-compact (UC)H ii regions represent a very early stage of massive star formation. The structure and evolution of these regions are not yet fully understood. Interferometric observations showed in recent years that compact sources of uncertain nature are associated with some UCH ii regions. To examine this, we carried out VLA 1.3 cm observations in the A configuration of selected UCH ii regions in order to report additional cases of compact sources embedded in UCH ii regions. With these observations, we find 13 compact sources that are associated with 9 UCH ii regions. Although we cannot establish an unambiguous nature for the newly detected sources, we assess some of their observational properties. According to the results, we can distinguish between two types of compact sources. One type corresponds to sources that are probably deeply embedded in the dense ionized gas of the UCH ii region. These sources are photoevaporated by the exciting star of the region and will last for 10{sup 4}–10{sup 5} years. They may play a crucial role in the evolution of the UCH ii region as the photoevaporated material could replenish the expanding plasma and might provide a solution to the so-called lifetime problem of these regions. The second type of compact sources is not associated with the densest ionized gas of the region. A few of these sources appear resolved and may be photoevaporating objects such as those of the first type, but with significantly lower mass depletion rates. The remaining sources of this second type appear unresolved, and their properties are varied. We speculate on the similarity between the sources of the second type and those of the Orion population of radio sources.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Forming compact massive galaxies

In this paper we study a key phase in the formation of massive galaxies: the transition of star-forming galaxies into massive (M{sub stars} ∼ 10{sup 11}M{sub ⊙}), compact (r{sub e} ∼ 1 kpc) quiescent galaxies, which takes place from z ∼ 3 to z ∼ 1.5. We use HST grism redshifts and extensive photometry in all five 3D-HST/CANDELS fields, more than doubling the area used previously for such studies, and combine these data with Keck MOSFIRE and NIRSPEC spectroscopy. We first confirm that a population of massive, compact, star-forming galaxies exists at z ≳ 2, using K-band spectroscopy of 25 of these objects at 2.0 < z < 2.5. They have a median [N ii]/Hα ratio of 0.6, are highly obscured with SFR(tot)/SFR(Hα) ∼10, and have a large range of observed line widths. We infer from the kinematics and spatial distribution of Hα that the galaxies have rotating disks of ionized gas that are a factor of ∼2 more extended than the stellar distribution. By combining measurements of individual galaxies, we find that the kinematics are consistent with a nearly Keplerian fall-off from V{sub rot} ∼ 500 km s{sup −1} at 1 kpc to V{sub rot} ∼ 250 km s{sup −1} at 7 kpc, and that the total mass out to this radius is dominated by the dense stellar component. Next, we study the size and mass evolution of the progenitors of compact massive galaxies. Even though individual galaxies may have had complex histories with periods of compaction and mergers, we show that the population of progenitors likely followed a simple inside-out growth track in the size–mass plane of Δlogr{sub e}∼0.3ΔlogM{sub stars}. This mode of growth gradually increases the stellar mass within a fixed physical radius, and galaxies quench when they reach a stellar density or velocity dispersion threshold. As shown in other studies, the mode of growth changes after quenching, as dry mergers take the galaxies on a relatively steep track in the size–mass plane.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1995

High-mass X-ray binary populations. 1: Galactic modeling

Modern stellar evolutionary tracks are used to calculate the evolution of a very large number of massive binary star systems (M(sub tot) greater than or = 15 solar mass) which cover a wide range of total masses, mass ratios, and starting separations. Each binary is evolved accounting for mass and angular momentum loss through the supernova of the primary to the X-ray binary phase. Using the observed rate of star formation in our Galaxy and the properties of massive binaries, we calculate the expected high-mass X-ray binary (HMXRB) population in the Galaxy. We test various massive binary evolutionary scenarios by comparing the resulting HMXRB predictions with the X-ray observations. A major goal of this study is the determination of the fraction of matter lost from the system during the Roche lobe overflow phase. Curiously, we find that the total numbers of observable HMXRBs are nearly independent of this assumed mass-loss fraction, with any of the values tested here giving acceptable agreement between predicted and observed numbers. However, comparison of the period distribution of our HMXRB models with the observed period distribution does reveal a distinction among the various models. As a result of this comparison, we conclude that approximately 70% of the overflow matter is lost from a massive binary system during mass transfer in the Roche lobe overflow phase. We compare models constructed assuming that all X-ray emission is due to accretion onto the compact object from the donor star's wind with models that incorporate a simplified disk accretion scheme. By comparing the results of these models with observations, we conclude that the formation of disks in HMXRBs must be relatively common. We also calculate the rate of formation of double degenerate binaries, high velocity detached compact objects, and Thorne-Zytkow objects.

Dalton, William W.↗
DOE OSTI2019

Search for Subsolar Mass Ultracompact Binaries in Advanced LIGO’s Second Observing Run

Here, we present a search for subsolar mass ultracompact objects in data obtained during Advanced LIGO's second observing run. In contrast to a previous search of Advanced LIGO data from the first observing run, this search includes the effects of component spin on the gravitational waveform. We identify no viable gravitational-wave candidates consistent with subsolar mass ultracompact binaries with at least one component between $0.2 M_{⊙}-1.0 M_{⊙}$. We use the null result to constrain the binary merger rate of ($0.2 M_{⊙}, 0.2 M_{⊙}$) binaries to be less than $3.7×10^{5} Gpc^{-3} yr^{-1}$ and the binary merger rate of ($1.0 M_{⊙}, 1.0 M_{⊙}$) binaries to be less than $5.2×10^{3} Gpc^{-3} yr^{-1}$. Subsolar mass ultracompact objects are not expected to form via known stellar evolution channels, though it has been suggested that primordial density fluctuations or particle dark matter with cooling mechanisms and/or nuclear interactions could form black holes with subsolar masses. Assuming a particular primordial black hole (PBH) formation model, we constrain a population of merging $0.2 M_{⊙}$ black holes to account for less than 16% of the dark matter density and a population of merging $1.0 M_{⊙}$ black holes to account for less than 2% of the dark matter density. We discuss how constraints on the merger rate and dark matter fraction may be extended to arbitrary black hole population models that predict subsolar mass binaries.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1994

Optical observations of NGC 2915: A nearby blue compact dwarf galaxy

This paper presents B and R band Charge Coupled Device (CCD) images and medium resolution spectroscopy of NGC 2915, a relatively isolated BCD (blue compact dwarf) galaxy at a distance of approximately 5 Mpc. NGC 2915 contains two stellar populations: a high surface brightness blue core population and a red diffuse population. The core population contains all of the H II, and numerous embedded objects. It is the locus of current high mass star formation. The brightest embedded objects are likely to be young ionizing clusters, while many of the fainter objects are likely to be individual supergiant stars with masses up to approximately 25 solar mass, or blends of a few such stars. Curious aligned structures on the SE side of the galaxy are seen and their nature discussed. The spectrum of the core is dominated by bright narrow emission lines like that of a high excitation and low metallicity (less than half solar) H II region. The continuum is flat, with Balmer and Ca II features seen in absorption. The velocity of the Ca II features suggest contamination by galactic interstellar absorption. There is a significant velocity gradient in the spectra, probably indicative of rotation. Outside of its core, NGC 2915 resembles a dE (dwarf elliptical) galaxy, in that it has an exponential surface brightness profile, is red ((B-R)(sub 0) = 1.65), and has a low extrapolated central surface brightness (B(0)(sub c) = 22.44). NGC 2915's properties are compared with other BCDs, concentrating on two morphologically similar BCDs that are near enough to resolve into stars: NGC 1705 and NGC 5253. It is noted that the presence of winds in BCDs invalidates closed box chemical evolution models and the remaining constraints on star formation duration are relatively weak. Some BCDs, including NGC 2915, may be able to maintain their present star formation rate for Gyr time scales. This suggests that the overall evolution of these BCDs may be much slower than the approximately 10 Myr burst time scales commonly quoted. However, shortly after the formation of a massive (10(exp 6) solar mass) cluster a BCD will have all the properties of strong starburst galaxy).

Meurer, G. R.↗
DOE OSTI2016

THE INFLOW SIGNATURE TOWARD DIFFERENT EVOLUTIONARY PHASES OF MASSIVE STAR FORMATION

We analyze both HCN J = 1–0 and HNC J = 1–0 line profiles to study the inflow motions in different evolutionary stages of massive star formation: 54 infrared dark clouds (IRDCs), 69 high-mass protostellar objects (HMPOs), and 54 ultra-compact H ii regions (UCHIIs). Inflow asymmetry in the HCN spectra seems to be prevalent throughout all the three evolutionary phases, with IRDCs showing the largest excess in the blue profile. In the case of the HNC spectra, the prevalence of blue sources does not appear, apart from for IRDCs. We suggest that this line is not appropriate to trace the inflow motion in the evolved stages of massive star formation, because the abundance of HNC decreases at high temperatures. This result highlights the importance of considering chemistry in dynamics studies of massive star-forming regions. The fact that the IRDCs show the highest blue excess in both transitions indicates that the most active inflow occurs in the early phase of star formation, i.e., in the IRDC phase rather than in the later phases. However, mass is still inflowing onto some UCHIIs. We also find that the absorption dips of the HNC spectra in six out of seven blue sources are redshifted relative to their systemic velocities. These redshifted absorption dips may indicate global collapse candidates, although mapping observations with better resolution are needed to examine this feature in more detail.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2003

Formation and Evolution of Binary Systems Containing Collapsed Stars

This research includes theoretical studies of the formation and evolution of five types of interacting binary systems. Our main focus has been on developing a number of comprehensive population synthesis codes to study the following types of binary systems: (i) cataclysmic variables (#3, #8, #12, #15), (ii) low- and intermediate-mass X-ray binaries (#13, #20, #21), (iii) high-mass X-ray binaries (#14, #17, #22), (iv) recycled binary millisecond pulsars in globular clusters (#5, #10, #ll), and (v) planetary nebulae which form in interacting binaries (#6, #9). The numbers in parentheses refer to papers published or in preparation that are listed in this paper. These codes take a new unified approach to population synthesis studies. The first step involves a Monte Carlo selection of the primordial binaries, including the constituent masses, and orbital separations and eccentricities. Next, a variety of analytic methods are used to evolve the primary star to the point where either a dynamical episode of mass transfer to the secondary occurs (the common envelope phase), or the system evolves down an alternate path. If the residual core of the primary is greater than 2.5 solar mass, it will evolve to Fe core collapse and the production of a neutron star and a supernova explosion. In the case of systems involving neutron stars, a kick velocity is chosen randomly from an appropriate distribution and added to the orbital dynamics which determine the state of the binary system after the supernova explosion. In the third step, all binaries which commence stable mass transfer from the donor star (the original secondary in the binary system) to the compact object, are followed with a detailed binary evolution code. Finally, we include all the relevant dynamics of the binary system. For example, in the case of LMXBs, the binary system, with its recoil velocity from the supernova explosion, is followed in time through its path in the Galactic potential. For our globular cluster study, detailed three-body calculations are used to follow the interactions of the binary with passing field stars.

Rappaport, Saul↗
NASA NTRS1993

The electrospray: Fundamentals and combustion applications

Liquid fuel dispersion in practical systems is typically achieved by spraying the fuel into a polydisperse distribution of droplets evaporating and burning in a turbulent gaseous environment. In view of the nearly unsurmountable difficulties of this two-phase flow, it would be useful to use an experimental arrangement that allow a systematic study of spray evolution and burning in configurations of gradually increasing levels of complexity, starting from laminar sprays to fully turbulent ones. An Electrostatic Spray (ES) of charged droplets lends itself to this type of combustion experiments under well-defined conditions and can be used to synthesize gradually more complex spray environments. In its simplest configuration, a liquid is fed into a small metal tube maintained at several kilovolts relative to a ground electrode few centimeters away. Under the action of the electric field, the liquid meniscus at the outlet of the capillary takes a conical shape, with a thin jet emerging from the cone tip. This jet breaks up farther downstream into a fine spray of charged droplets. Several advantages distinguish the electrospray from alternative atomization techniques: the self-dispersion property of the spray due to coulombic repulsion; the absence of droplet coalescence; the potential control of the trajectories of charged droplets by suitable disposition of electrostatic fields; and the decoupling of atomization, which is strictly electrostatic, from gas flow processes. Furthermore, as recently shown in our laboratory, the electrospray can produce quasi-monodisperse droplets over a very broad size range (1-100 microns). The ultimate objective of this research project is to study the formation and burning of electrosprays of liquid fuels first in laminar regimes and then in turbulent ones. Combustion will eventually be investigated in conditions of three-dimensional droplet-droplet interaction, for which experimental studies have been limited to either qualitative observations in sprays or more quantitative observations on simplified systems consisting of a small number of droplets or droplet arrays. The compactness and potential controllability of this spray generaiton system makes it appealing for studies to be undertaken in the next two years on electrospray combustion in reduced-gravity environments such as those achievable at NASA microgravity test facilities.

Gomez, Alessandro↗
DOE OSTI2016

RADIO PROPERTIES OF THE BAT AGNs: THE FIR–RADIO RELATION, THE FUNDAMENTAL PLANE, AND THE MAIN SEQUENCE OF STAR FORMATION

We conducted 22 GHz 1″ JVLA imaging of 70 radio-quiet active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the Swift -BAT survey. We find radio cores in all but three objects. The radio morphologies of the sample fall into three groups: compact and core-dominated, extended, and jet-like. We spatially decompose each image into core flux and extended flux, and compare the extended radio emission with that predicted from previous Herschel observations using the canonical FIR–radio relation. After removing the AGN contribution to the FIR and radio flux densities, we find that the relation holds remarkably well despite the potentially different star formation physics in the circumnuclear environment. We also compare our core radio flux densities with predictions of coronal models and scale-invariant jet models for the origin of radio emission in radio-quiet AGNs, and find general consistency with both models. However, we find that the L {sub R}/ L {sub X} relation does not distinguish between star formation and non-relativistic AGN-driven outflows as the origin of radio emission in radio-quiet AGNs. Finally, we examine where objects with different radio morphologies fall in relation to the main sequence (MS) of star formation, and conclude that those AGNs that fall below the MS, as X-ray selected AGNs have been found to do, have core-dominated or jet-like 22 GHz morphologies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Observational evidence for a dark side to NGC 5128’s globular cluster system

We present a study of the dynamical properties of 125 compact stellar systems (CSSs) in the nearby giant elliptical galaxy NGC 5128, using high-resolution spectra (R ≈ 26, 000) obtained with Very Large Telescope/FLAMES. Our results provide evidence for a new type of star cluster, based on the CSS dynamical mass scaling relations. All radial velocity (v{sub r}) and line-of-sight velocity dispersion (σ{sub los}) measurements are performed with the penalized pixel fitting (ppxf ) technique, which provided σ{sub ppxf} estimates for 115 targets. The σ{sub ppxf} estimates are corrected to the 2D projected half-light radii, σ{sub 1/2}, as well as the cluster cores, σ{sub 0}, accounting for observational/aperture effects and are combined with structural parameters, from high spatial resolution imaging, in order to derive total dynamical masses (M{sub dyn}) for 112 members of NGC 5128’s star cluster system. In total, 89 CSSs have dynamical masses measured for the first time along with the corresponding dynamical mass-to-light ratios (Υ{sub V}{sup dyn}). We find two distinct sequences in the Υ{sub V}{sup dyn}–M{sub dyn} plane, which are well approximated by power laws of the forms Υ{sub V}{sup dyn}∝M{sub dyn}{sup 0.33±0.04} and Υ{sub V}{sup dyn}∝M{sub dyn}{sup 0.79±0.04}. The shallower sequence corresponds to the very bright tail of the globular cluster luminosity function (GCLF), while the steeper relation appears to be populated by a distinct group of objects that require significant dark gravitating components such as central massive black holes and/or exotically concentrated dark matter distributions. This result would suggest that the formation and evolution of these CSSs are markedly different from the “classical” globular clusters in NGC 5128 and the Local Group, despite the fact that these clusters have luminosities similar to the GCLF turnover magnitude. We include a thorough discussion of myriad factors potentially influencing our measurements.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Micro-tidal disruption events by stellar compact objects and the production of ultra-long GRBs

We explore full/partial tidal disruption events (TDEs) of stars/planets by stellar compact objects (black holes (BHs) or neutron stars (NSs)), which we term micro-TDEs. Disruption of a star/planet with mass M {sub ⋆} may lead to the formation of a debris disk around the BH/NS. Efficient accretion of a fraction (f{sub acc}=0.1 of the debris may then give rise to bright, energetic, long (10{sup 3}–10{sup 4} s), X-ray/gamma-ray flares, with total energies of up to (f{sub acc}/0.1)×10{sup 52} (M{sub ⋆}/0.6 M{sub ⊙}) erg, possibly resembling ultra-long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs)/X-ray flashes (XRFs). The energy of such flares depends on the poorly constrained accretion processes. Significantly fainter flares might be produced if most of the disk mass is blown away through strong outflows. We suggest three dynamical origins for such disruptions. In the first, a star/planet is tidally disrupted following a close random encounter with a BH/NS in a dense cluster. We estimate the BH (NS) micro-TDE rates from this scenario to be a few ×10{sup −6} (a few ×10{sup −7}) yr{sup −1} per Milky Way galaxy. Another scenario involves the interaction of wide companions due to perturbations by stars in the field, likely producing comparable but lower rates. Finally, a third scenario involves a BH/NS that gains a natal velocity kick at birth, leading to a close encounter with a binary companion and the tidal disruption of that companion. Such events could be associated with a supernova, or even with a preceding GRB/XRF event, and would likely occur hours to days after the prompt explosion; the rates of such events could be larger than those obtained from the other scenarios, depending on the preceding complex binary stellar evolution.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

DISCOVERY OF MASSIVE, MOSTLY STAR FORMATION QUENCHED GALAXIES WITH EXTREMELY LARGE Lyα EQUIVALENT WIDTHS AT z ∼ 3

We report a discovery of six massive galaxies with both extremely large Lyα equivalent widths (EWs) and evolved stellar populations at z ∼ 3. These MAssive Extremely STrong Lyα emitting Objects (MAESTLOs) have been discovered in our large-volume systematic survey for strong Lyα emitters (LAEs) with 12 optical intermediate-band data taken with Subaru/Suprime-Cam in the COSMOS field. Based on the spectral energy distribution fitting analysis for these LAEs, it is found that these MAESTLOs have (1) large rest-frame EWs of EW{sub 0} (Lyα) ∼ 100–300 Å, (2) M{sub ⋆} ∼ 10{sup 10.5}–10{sup 11.1} M{sub ⊙}, and (3) relatively low specific star formation rates of SFR/M{sub ⋆} ∼ 0.03–1 Gyr{sup −1}. Three of the six MAESTLOs have extended Lyα emission with a radius of several kiloparsecs, although they show very compact morphology in the HST/ACS images, which correspond to the rest-frame UV continuum. Since the MAESTLOs do not show any evidence for active galactic nuclei, the observed extended Lyα emission is likely to be caused by a star formation process including the superwind activity. We suggest that this new class of LAEs, MAESTLOs, provides a missing link from star-forming to passively evolving galaxies at the peak era of the cosmic star formation history.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗