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At least 865 records · Page 48
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DOE OSTI2015

QUASI-STATIC MODEL OF MAGNETICALLY COLLIMATED JETS AND RADIO LOBES. II. JET STRUCTURE AND STABILITY

This is the second in a series of companion papers showing that when an efficient dynamo can be maintained by accretion disks around supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei, it can lead to the formation of a powerful, magnetically driven, and mediated helix that could explain both the observed radio jet/lobe structures and ultimately the enormous power inferred from the observed ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays. In the first paper, we showed self-consistently that minimizing viscous dissipation in the disk naturally leads to jets of maximum power with boundary conditions known to yield jets as a low-density, magnetically collimated tower, consistent with observational constraints of wire-like currents at distances far from the black hole. In this paper we show that these magnetic towers remain collimated as they grow in length at nonrelativistic velocities. Differences with relativistic jet models are explained by three-dimensional magnetic structures derived from a detailed examination of stability properties of the tower model, including a broad diffuse pinch with current profiles predicted by a detailed jet solution outside the collimated central column treated as an electric circuit. We justify our model in part by the derived jet dimensions in reasonable agreement with observations. Using these jet properties, we also discuss the implications for relativistic particle acceleration in nonrelativistically moving jets. The appendices justify the low jet densities yielding our results and speculate how to reconcile our nonrelativistic treatment with general relativistic MHD simulations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

JET LUMINOSITY OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS: THE BLANDFORD–ZNAJEK MECHANISM VERSUS THE NEUTRINO ANNIHILATION PROCESS

A neutrino-dominated accretion flow (NDAF) around a rotating stellar-mass black hole (BH) is one of the plausible candidates for the central engine of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Two mechanisms, i.e., the Blandford–Znajek (BZ) mechanism and the neutrino annihilation process, are generally considered to power GRBs. Using the analytic solutions from Xue et al. and ignoring the effects of the magnetic field configuration, we estimate the BZ and neutrino annihilation luminosities as functions of the disk masses and BH spin parameters to contrast the observational jet luminosities of GRBs. Our results show that although the neutrino annihilation processes could account for most GRBs, the BZ mechanism is more effective, especially for long-duration GRBs. Actually, if the energy of the afterglows and flares of GRBs is included, then the distinction between these two mechanisms is more significant. Furthermore, massive disk mass and high BH spin are beneficial for powering the high luminosities of GRBs. Finally, we discuss possible physical mechanisms that could enhance the disk mass or neutrino emission rate of NDAFs and the relevant difference between these two mechanisms.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

HOMOLOGOUS FLUX ROPES OBSERVED BY THE SOLAR DYNAMICS OBSERVATORY ATMOSPHERIC IMAGING ASSEMBLY

We present the first Solar Dynamics Observatory observations of four homologous flux ropes in the active region (AR) 11745 on 2013 May 20-22. The four flux ropes are all above the neutral line of the AR, with endpoints anchoring at the same region, and have a generally similar morphology. The first three flux ropes rose with a velocity of less than 30 km s{sup –1} after their appearance, and subsequently their intensities at 131 Å decreased and the flux ropes became obscure. The fourth flux rope erupted last, with a speed of about 130 km s{sup –1} and formed a coronal mass ejection (CME). The associated filament showed an obvious anti-clockwise twist motion at the initial stage, and the twist was estimated at 4π. This indicates that kink instability possibly triggers the early rise of the fourth flux rope. The activated filament material was spatially within the flux rope and showed consistent evolution in the early stages. Our findings provide new clues for understanding the characteristics of flux ropes. Firstly, multiple flux ropes are successively formed at the same location during an AR evolution process. Secondly, a slow-rise flux rope does not necessarily result in a CME, and a fast-eruption flux rope does result in a CME.

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DOE OSTI2014

NEW VACUUM SOLAR TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS OF A FLUX ROPE TRACKED BY A FILAMENT ACTIVATION

One main goal of the New Vacuum Solar Telescope (NVST) which is located at the Fuxian Solar Observatory is to image the Sun at high resolution. Based on the high spatial and temporal resolution NVST Hα data and combined with the simultaneous observations from the Solar Dynamics Observatory for the first time, we investigate a flux rope tracked by filament activation. The filament material is initially located at one end of the flux rope and fills in a section of the rope; the filament is then activated by magnetic field cancellation. The activated filament rises and flows along helical threads, tracking the twisted flux rope structure. The length of the flux rope is about 75 Mm, the average width of its individual threads is 1.11 Mm, and the estimated twist is 1π. The flux rope appears as a dark structure in Hα images, a partial dark and partial bright structure in 304 Å, and as a bright structure in 171 Å and 131 Å images. During this process, the overlying coronal loops are quite steady since the filament is confined within the flux rope and does not erupt successfully. It seems that, for the event in this study, the filament is located and confined within the flux rope threads, instead of being suspended in the dips of twisted magnetic flux.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

ON MAGNETIC ACTIVITY BAND OVERLAP, INTERACTION, AND THE FORMATION OF COMPLEX SOLAR ACTIVE REGIONS

Recent work has revealed a phenomenological picture of the how the ∼11 yr sunspot cycle of the Sun arises. The production and destruction of sunspots is a consequence of the latitudinal-temporal overlap and interaction of the toroidal magnetic flux systems that belong to the 22 yr magnetic activity cycle and are rooted deep in the Sun's convective interior. We present a conceptually simple extension of this work, presenting a hypothesis on how complex active regions can form as a direct consequence of the intra- and extra-hemispheric interaction taking place in the solar interior. Furthermore, during specific portions of the sunspot cycle, we anticipate that those complex active regions may be particularly susceptible to profoundly catastrophic breakdown, producing flares and coronal mass ejections of the most severe magnitude.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

RECONNECTION OUTFLOW GENERATED TURBULENCE IN THE SOLAR WIND

Petschek-type time-dependent reconnection (TDR) and quasi-stationary reconnection (QSR) models are considered to understand reconnection outflow structures and the generation of local turbulence in the solar wind. Comparing TDR/QSR model predictions of the outflow structures with actual measurements shows that both models can explain the data equally well. It is demonstrated that the outflows can often generate more or less spatially extended turbulent boundary layers. The structure of a unique extended reconnection outflow is investigated in detail. The analysis of spectral scalings and spectral break locations shows that reconnection can change the local field and plasma conditions which may support different local turbulent dissipation mechanisms at their characteristic wavenumbers.

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DOE OSTI2015

ON THE ROLE OF FAST MAGNETIC RECONNECTION IN ACCRETING BLACK HOLE SOURCES

We attempt to explain the observed radio and gamma-ray emission produced in the surroundings of black holes by employing a magnetically dominated accretion flow model and fast magnetic reconnection triggered by turbulence. In earlier work, a standard disk model was used and we refine the model by focusing on the sub-Eddington regime to address the fundamental plane of black hole activity. The results do not change substantially with regard to previous work, ensuring that the details of accretion physics are not relevant in the magnetic reconnection process occurring in the corona. Rather, our work puts fast magnetic reconnection events as a powerful mechanism operating in the core region near the jet base of black hole sources on more solid ground. For microquasars and low-luminosity active galactic nuclei, the observed correlation between radio emission and the mass of the sources can be explained by this process. The corresponding gamma-ray emission also seems to be produced in the same core region. On the other hand, emission from blazars and gamma-ray bursts cannot be correlated to core emission based on fast reconnection.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

THE RELATION BETWEEN SOLAR ERUPTION TOPOLOGIES AND OBSERVED FLARE FEATURES. II. DYNAMICAL EVOLUTION

A long-established goal of solar physics is to build understanding of solar eruptions and develop flare and coronal mass ejection (CME) forecasting models. In this paper, we continue our investigation of nonlinear forces free field (NLFFF) models by comparing topological properties of the solutions to the evolution of the flare ribbons. In particular, we show that data-constrained NLFFF models of three erupting sigmoid regions (SOL2010-04-08, SOL2010-08-07, and SOL2012-05-12) built to reproduce the active region magnetic field in the pre-flare state can be rendered unstable and the subsequent sequence of unstable solutions produces quasi-separatrix layers that match the flare ribbon evolution as observed by SDO/AIA. We begin with a best-fit equilibrium model for the pre-flare active region. We then add axial flux to the flux rope in the model to move it across the stability boundary. At this point, the magnetofrictional code no longer converges to an equilibrium solution. The flux rope rises as the solutions are iterated. We interpret the sequence of magnetofrictional steps as an evolution of the active region as the flare/CME begins. The magnetic field solutions at different steps are compared with the flare ribbons. The results are fully consistent with the three-dimensional extension of the standard flare/CME model. Our ability to capture essential topological features of flaring active regions with a non-dynamic magnetofrictional code strongly suggests that the pre-flare, large-scale topological structures are preserved as the flux rope becomes unstable and lifts off.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

TURBULENT AMPLIFICATION AND STRUCTURE OF THE INTRACLUSTER MAGNETIC FIELD

We compare DNS calculations of homogeneous isotropic turbulence with the statistical properties of intracluster turbulence from the Matryoshka Run and find remarkable similarities between their inertial ranges. This allowed us to use the time-dependent statistical properties of intracluster turbulence to evaluate dynamo action in the intracluster medium, based on earlier results from a numerically resolved nonlinear magneto-hydrodynamic turbulent dynamo. We argue that this approach is necessary (a) to properly normalize dynamo action to the available intracluster turbulent energy and (b) to overcome the limitations of low Re affecting current numerical models of the intracluster medium. We find that while the properties of intracluster magnetic field are largely insensitive to the value and origin of the seed field, the resulting values for the Alfvén speed and the outer scale of the magnetic field are consistent with current observational estimates, basically confirming the idea that the magnetic field in today’s galaxy clusters is a record of its past turbulent activity.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

EVOLUTION OF MAGNETIC HELICITY AND ENERGY SPECTRA OF SOLAR ACTIVE REGIONS

We adopt an isotropic representation of the Fourier-transformed two-point correlation tensor of the magnetic field to estimate the magnetic energy and helicity spectra as well as current helicity spectra of two individual active regions (NOAA 11158 and NOAA 11515) and the change of the spectral indices during their development as well as during the solar cycle. The departure of the spectral indices of magnetic energy and current helicity from 5/3 are analyzed, and it is found that it is lower than the spectral index of the magnetic energy spectrum. Furthermore, the fractional magnetic helicity tends to increase when the scale of the energy-carrying magnetic structures increases. The magnetic helicity of NOAA 11515 violates the expected hemispheric sign rule, which is interpreted as an effect of enhanced field strengths at scales larger than 30–60 Mm with opposite signs of helicity. This is consistent with the general cycle dependence, which shows that around the solar maximum the magnetic energy and helicity spectra are steeper, emphasizing the large-scale field.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

THE INCLINATION ANGLE AND EVOLUTION OF THE BRAKING INDEX OF PULSARS WITH PLASMA-FILLED MAGNETOSPHERE: APPLICATION TO THE HIGH BRAKING INDEX OF PSR J1640–4631

The recently discovered rotationally powered pulsar PSR J1640–4631 is the first to have a braking index measured, with high enough precision, that is greater than 3. An inclined magnetic rotator in vacuum or plasma would be subject not only to spin-down but also to an alignment torque. The vacuum model can address the braking index only for an almost orthogonal rotator, which is incompatible with the single-peaked pulse profile. The magnetic dipole model with the corotating plasma predicts braking indices between 3 and 3.25. We find that the braking index of 3.15 is consistent with two different inclination angles, 18.°5 ± 3° and 56° ± 4°. The smaller angle is preferred given that the pulse profile has a single peak and the radio output of the source is weak. We infer the change in the inclination angle to be at the rate −0.°23 per century, three times smaller in absolute value than the rate recently observed for the Crab pulsar.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

CRAB FLARES DUE TO TURBULENT DISSIPATION OF THE PULSAR STRIPED WIND

We interpret γ-ray flares from the Crab Nebula as the signature of turbulence in the pulsar’s electromagnetic outflow. Turbulence is triggered upstream by dynamical instability of the wind’s oscillating magnetic field and accelerates non-thermal particles. On impacting the wind-termination shock, these particles emit a distinct synchrotron component F{sub ν,flare}, which is constantly modulated by intermittency of the upstream plasma flow. Flares are observed when the high-energy cutoff of F{sub ν,flare} emerges above the fast-declining nebular emission around 0.1–1 GeV. Simulations carried out in the force-free electrodynamics approximation predict the striped wind to become fully turbulent well ahead of the wind-termination shock, provided its terminal Lorentz factor is ≲10{sup 4}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

RESOLVING THE ROTATION MEASURE OF THE M87 JET ON KILOPARSEC SCALES

We investigate the distribution of Faraday rotation measure (RM) in the M87 jet at arcsecond scales by using archival polarimetric Very Large Array data at 8, 15, 22 and 43 GHz. We resolve the structure of the RM in several knots along the jet for the first time. We derive the power spectrum in the arcsecond-scale jet and find indications that the RM cannot be associated with a turbulent magnetic field with a 3D Kolmogorov spectrum. Our analysis indicates that the RM probed on jet scales has a significant contribution of a Faraday screen associated with the vicinity of the jet, in contrast with that on kiloparsec scales, typically assumed to be disconnected from the jet. Comparison with previous RM analyses suggests that the magnetic fields giving rise to the RMs observed in jet scales have different properties and are well less turbulent than those observed in the lobes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

CORRELATION OF CORONAL PLASMA PROPERTIES AND SOLAR MAGNETIC FIELD IN A DECAYING ACTIVE REGION

We present the analysis of a decaying active region observed by the EUV Imaging Spectrometer on Hinode during 2009 December 7–11. We investigated the temporal evolution of its structure exhibited by plasma at temperatures from 300,000 to 2.8 million degrees, and derived the electron density, differential emission measure, effective electron temperature, and elemental abundance ratios of Si/S and Fe/S (as a measure of the First Ionization Potential (FIP) Effect). We compared these coronal properties to the temporal evolution of the photospheric magnetic field strength obtained from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Michelson Doppler Imager magnetograms. We find that, while these coronal properties all decreased with time during this decay phase, the largest change was at plasma above 1.5 million degrees. The photospheric magnetic field strength also decreased with time but mainly for field strengths lower than about 70 Gauss. The effective electron temperature and the FIP bias seem to reach a “basal” state (at 1.5 × 10{sup 6} K and 1.5, respectively) into the quiet Sun when the mean photospheric magnetic field (excluding all areas <10 G) weakened to below 35 G, while the electron density continued to decrease with the weakening field. These physical properties are all positively correlated with each other and the correlation is the strongest in the high-temperature plasma. Such correlation properties should be considered in the quest for our understanding of how the corona is heated. The variations in the elemental abundance should especially be considered together with the electron temperature and density.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUNSPOT STRUCTURE AND MAGNETIC FIELD CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH SOLAR FLARES

Many previous studies have shown that magnetic fields and sunspot structures present rapid and irreversible changes associated with solar flares. In this paper, we first use five X-class flares observed by Solar Dynamics Observatory /Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager to show that not only do magnetic fields and sunspot structures show rapid, irreversible changes, but also that these changes are closely related both spatially and temporally. The magnitudes of the correlation coefficients between the temporal variations of the horizontal magnetic field and sunspot intensity are all larger than 0.90, with a maximum value of 0.99 and an average value of 0.96. Then, using four active regions during quiescent periods, three observed and one simulated, we show that in sunspot penumbra regions there also exists a close correlation between sunspot intensity and horizontal magnetic field strength in addition to the well-known correlation between sunspot intensity and the normal magnetic field strength. By connecting these two observational phenomena, we show that the sunspot structure change and magnetic field change are two facets of the same phenomena of solar flares; one change might be induced by the change of the other due to a linear correlation between sunspot intensity and magnetic field strength out of a local force balance.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

X-ray/GeV emissions from Crab-like pulsars in the lMC

We discuss X-ray and gamma-ray emissions from Crab-like pulsars, PSRs J0537-6910 and J0540-6919, in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Fermi-LAT observations have resolved the gamma-ray emissions from these two pulsars and found pulsed emissions from PSR J0540-6919. The total pulsed radiation in the X-ray/gamma-ray energy bands of PSR J0540-6919 is observed with efficiency η{sub J0540}∼0.06 (in 4π sr), which is about a factor of ten larger than η{sub Crab}∼0.006 of the Crab pulsar. Although PSR J0537-6910 has the highest spin-down power among currently known pulsars, the efficiency of the observed X-ray emissions is about two orders of magnitude smaller than that of PSR J0540-6919. This paper mainly discusses what causes the difference in the radiation efficiencies of these three energetic Crab-like pulsars. We discuss electron/positron acceleration and high-energy emission processes within the outer gap model. By solving the outer gap structure with the dipole magnetic field, we show that the radiation efficiency decreases as the inclination angle between the magnetic axis and the rotation axis increases. To explain the difference in the pulse profile and in the radiation efficiency, our model suggests that PSR J0540-6919 has an inclination angle much smaller than that of the Crab pulsar (here we assume the inclination angles of both pulsars are α<90{sup ∘}). On the other hand, we speculate that the difference in the radiation efficiencies between PSRs J0537-6910 and J0549-6919 is mainly caused by the difference in the Earth viewing angle, and that we see PSR J0537-6910 with an Earth viewing angle ζ≫90{sup ∘} (or ≪90{sup ∘}) measured from the spin axis, while we see PSR J0540-6919 with ζ∼90{sup ∘}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Geminga's puzzling pulsar wind nebula

We report on six new Chandra observations of the Geminga pulsar wind nebula (PWN). The PWN consists of three distinct elongated structures—two ≈0.2d{sub 250} pc long lateral tails and a segmented axial tail of ≈0.05d{sub 250} pc length, where d{sub 250}=d/(250 pc). The photon indices of the power-law spectra of the lateral tails, Γ≈1, are significantly harder than those of the pulsar (Γ≈1.5) and the axial tail (Γ≈1.6). There is no significant diffuse X-ray emission between the lateral tails—the ratio of the X-ray surface brightness between the south tail and this sky area is at least 12. The lateral tails apparently connect directly to the pulsar and show indications of moving footpoints. The axial tail comprises time-variable emission blobs. However, there is no evidence for constant or decelerated outward motion of these blobs. Different physical models are consistent with the observed morphology and spectra of the Geminga PWN. In one scenario, the lateral tails could represent an azimuthally asymmetric shell whose hard emission is caused by the Fermi acceleration mechanism of colliding winds. In another scenario, the lateral tails could be luminous, bent polar outflows, while the blobs in the axial tail could represent a crushed torus. In a resemblance to planetary magnetotails, the blobs of the axial tail might also represent short-lived plasmoids, which are formed by magnetic field reconnection in the relativistic plasma of the pulsar wind tail.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Molecular Gas Dominated 50 kpc Ram Pressure Stripped Tail of the Coma Galaxy D100

We have discovered large amounts of molecular gas, as traced by CO emission, in the ram pressure stripped gas tail of the Coma cluster galaxy D100 (GMP 2910), out to large distances of about 50 kpc. D100 has a 60 kpc long, strikingly narrow tail, which is bright in X-rays and Hα. Our observations with the IRAM 30 m telescope reveal in total ∼10{sup 9} M{sub ⊙} H{sub 2} (assuming the standard CO-to-H{sub 2} conversion) in several regions along the tail, thus indicating that molecular gas may dominate its mass. Along the tail, we measure a smooth gradient in the radial velocity of the CO emission that is offset to lower values from the more diffuse Hα gas velocities. Such a dynamic separation of phases may be due to their differential acceleration by ram pressure. D100 is likely being stripped at a high orbital velocity ≳2200 km s{sup −1} by (nearly) peak ram pressure. Combined effects of intra-cluster medium (ICM) viscosity and magnetic fields may be important for the evolution of the stripped interstellar matter. We propose that D100 has reached a continuous mode of stripping of dense gas remaining in its nuclear region. D100 is the second known case of an abundant molecular stripped gas tail, suggesting that conditions in the ICM at the centers of galaxy clusters may be favorable for molecularization. From comparison with other galaxies, we find that there is a good correlation between the CO flux and the Hα surface brightness in ram pressure stripped gas tails, over ∼2 dex.

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