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At least 1,009 records · Page 56

A statistical analysis of the Einstein normal galaxy sample. I - Spiral and irregular galaxies

The results of a statistical analysis of 48 spiral and irregular galaxies observed with the Einstein Observatory are reported. It is found that the X-ray luminosity is not directly correlated with the mass of the galaxies, but is strongly correlated with the blue luminosity. This suggests that most X-ray sources, including low-mass binaries, are binary systems belonging to both old disk and young arm Population I components. A real bulge population of X-ray sources exists that can contribute significantly to the X-ray luminosity of early-type spirals. The X-ray emission from a sample of 29 relatively isolated, normal elliptical and S0 galaxies is also studied, and the results are compared to those for the above sample to investigate the origin of the X-ray emission in early-type galaxies and the possible emission mechanisms. The influence of a powerful radio source and the onset of nuclear activity are also examined.

Fabbiano, G.↗

Occurrence of Radio Minihalos in a Mass-Limited Sample of Galaxy Clusters

We investigate the occurrence of radio minihalos-diffuse radio sources of unknown origin observed in the cores of some galaxy clusters-in a statistical sample of 58 clusters drawn from the Planck Sunyaev-Zeldovich cluster catalog using a mass cut (M(sub 500) greater than 6 x 10(exp 14) solar mass). We supplement our statistical sample with a similarly sized nonstatistical sample mostly consisting of clusters in the ACCEPT X-ray catalog with suitable X-ray and radio data, which includes lower-mass clusters. Where necessary (for nine clusters), we reanalyzed the Very Large Array archival radio data to determine whether a minihalo is present. Our total sample includes all 28 currently known and recently discovered radio minihalos, including six candidates. We classify clusters as cool-core or non-cool-core according to the value of the specific entropy floor in the cluster center, rederived or newly derived from the Chandra X-ray density and temperature profiles where necessary (for 27 clusters). Contrary to the common wisdom that minihalos are rare, we find that almost all cool cores-at least 12 out of 15 (80%)-in our complete sample of massive clusters exhibit minihalos. The supplementary sample shows that the occurrence of minihalos may be lower in lower-mass cool-core clusters. No minihalos are found in non-cool cores or "warm cores." These findings will help test theories of the origin of minihalos and provide information on the physical processes and energetics of the cluster cores.

catalogs↗

DISCOVERY OF γ-RAY EMISSION FROM THE STRONGLY LOBE-DOMINATED QUASAR 3C 275.1

We systematically analyze the 6 year Fermi/Large Area Telescope (LAT) data on lobe-dominated quasars (LDQs) in the complete LDQ sample from the Revised third Cambridge Catalogue of Radio Sources (3CRR) survey and report the discovery of high-energy γ-ray emission from 3C 275.1. The γ-ray emission of 3C 207 is confirmed and significant variability of the light curve is identified. We do not find statistically significant γ-ray emission from other LDQs. 3C 275.1 is the known γ-ray quasar with the lowest core dominance parameter (i.e., R = 0.11). We also show that both the northern radio hotspot and parsec jet models can reasonably reproduce the γ-ray data. The parsec jet model, however, is favored by the potential γ-ray variability on a timescale of months. We suggest that some dimmer γ-ray LDQs will be detected in the future and LDQs could contribute non-ignorably to the extragalactic γ-ray background.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Energetics and lifetimes of local radio active galactic nuclei

We present a model describing the evolution of Fanaroff–Riley type I and II radio active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and the transition between these classes. We quantify galactic environments using a semianalytic galaxy formation model and apply our model to a volume-limited low-redshift (0.03⩽z⩽0.1) sample of observed AGNs to determine the distribution of jet powers and active lifetimes at the present epoch. Radio sources in massive galaxies are found to remain active for longer, spend less time in the quiescent phase, and inject more energy into their hosts than their less massive counterparts. The jet power is independent of the host stellar mass within uncertainties, consistent with maintenance-mode AGN feedback paradigm. The environments of these AGNs are in or close to long-term heating–cooling balance. We also examine the properties of high- and low-excitation radio galactic subpopulations. The HERGs are younger than LERGs by an order of magnitude, whereas their jet powers are greater by a factor of four. The Eddington-scaled accretion rates and jet production efficiencies of these populations are consistent with LERGs being powered by radiatively inefficient advection-dominated accretion flows, whereas HERGs are fed by a radiatively efficient accretion mechanism.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Search for unresolved sources in the COBE-DMR two-year sky maps

We have searched the temperature maps from the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) Differential Microwave Radiometers (DMR) first two years of data for evidence of unresolved sources. The high-latitude sky (absolute value of b greater than 30 deg) contains no sources brighter than 192 microKelvin thermodynamic temperature (322 Jy at 53 GHz). The cumulative count of sources brighter than threshold T, N(greater than T), is consistent with a superposition of instrument noise plus scale-invariant spectrum of cosmic temperature fluctuations normalized to Q(sub rms-PS) = 17 microKelvin. We examine the temperature maps toward nearby clusters and find no evidence for any Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect, delta y less than 7.3 x 10(exp -6) (95% CL) averaged over the DMR beam. We examine the temperature maps near the brightest expected radio sources and detect no evidence of significant emission. The lack of bright unresolved sources in the DMR maps, taken with anisotropy measurements on smaller angular scales, places a weak constraint on the integral number density of any unresolved Planck-spectrum sources brighter than flux density S, n(greater than S) less than 2 x 10(exp 4)/(S/1 Jy)(exp 2)/sr.

Kogut, A.↗

Periodic Bursts of Jovian Non-Io Decametric Radio Emission

During the years 2000-2011 the radio instruments onboard Cassini, Wind and STEREO spacecraft have Recorded a large amount of the Jovian decametric radio emission (DAM). In this paper we report on the analysis of the new type of Jovian periodic radio bursts recently revealed in the decametric frequency range. These bursts, which are non-Io component of DAM, are characterized by a strong periodic reoccurrence over several Jovian days with a period approx. = 1:5% longer than the rotation rate of the planet's magnetosphere (System III). The bursts are typically observed between 4 and 12 MHz and their occurrence probability has been found to be significantly higher in the sector of Jovian Central Meridian Longitude between 300 deg. and 60 deg. (via 360 deg.). The stereoscopic multispacecraft observations have shown that the radio sources of the periodic bursts radiate in a non-axisymmetric hollow cone-like pattern and sub-corotate with Jupiter remaining active during several planet's rotations. The occurrence of the periodic non-Io DAM bursts is strongly correlated with pulses of the solar wind ram pressure at Jupiter. Moreover the periodic bursts exhibit a tendency to occur in groups every approx. 25 days. The polarization measurements have shown that the periodic bursts are right hand polarized radio emission associated with the Northern magnetic hemisphere of Jupiter. We suggest that periodic non-Io DAM bursts may be connected with the interchange instability in Io plasma torus triggered by the solar wind.

Jovian↗

The complex intracluster medium of Abell 1569 and its interaction with central radio galaxies

ABSTRACT We present the first in-depth study of X-ray emission from a nearby (z ∼ 0.0784) galaxy cluster Abell 1569 using an archival Chandra observation. A1569 consists of two unbound subclusters – a northern subcluster (A1569N) hosting a double-lobed radio galaxy 1233+169 at its centre, and a southern subcluster (A1569S) harbouring a wide-angle-tailed (WAT) radio source 1233+168. X-ray emission from A1569N and A1569S extends to a radius r ∼248 kpc and r ∼370 kpc, respectively, indicating that the two gas clumps are group-scale systems. The two subclusters have low X-ray luminosities (∼1042–43 erg s−1), average elemental abundances ∼1/4 Z⊙, low average temperatures (∼2 keV), and lack large (r ≳ 40–50 kpc) cool cores associated with the intracluster gas. We detect a pair of cavities coincident with the radio lobes of 1233+169 in A1569N. The total mechanical power associated with the cavity pair is an order of magnitude larger than the X-ray radiative loss in the cavity-occupied region, providing corroborating evidence for cavity-induced heating of the intragroup gas in A1569N. A1569S exhibits possible evidence for a small-scale cluster-subcluster merger, as indicated by its high central entropy, and the presence of local gas elongation and a density discontinuity in between the bent radio tails of 1233+168. The discontinuity is indicative of a weak merger shock with Mach Number, M ∼ 1.7. The most plausible geometry for the ongoing interaction is a head-on merger occurring between A1569S and a subcluster falling in from the west along the line bisecting the WAT tails.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

On the interpretation of the observed cometary scintillations

A previous interpretation of strong fluctuations in the intensity of a radio source observed during its occultation by the plasma tail and head of Comet Kohoutek a few days after the latter's perihelion passage is examined to explain the consequence of this interpretation that plasma irregularities moved toward the cometary nucleus with speeds of between 66 and 94 km/sec. It is shown that this reversed velocity may be associated with a nonlinear wave coupled to the turbulent plasma and propagating toward the nucleus with a typical Alfven speed. The reported abrupt cessation of the radio intensity fluctuations at a distance of 80,000 km from the nucleus is shown to be due to a rather abrupt change in the plasma density.

Ip, W.-H.↗

Variability studies of 3C 371

The compact extragalactic radio source, 3C 371, was observed with the X-ray detectors of the EXOSAT satellite for 19.5 hours in 2 observing periods separated by 18 days. This resulted in the discovery of X-ray variability of the source on time scales between 8 hours and about 25 minutes and the confirmation of earlier reports of variability on longer time scales. The short time scale variability agrees remarkably well with earlier predictions based on fitting multifrequency data from the source to a relativistically beamed inhomogeneous synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) jet model. This SSC model is frequently applied to BL Lac objects and related sources, such as 3C 371. However, the number of free parameters in model fits tends to be large, and so independent support such as from this work is important. The X-ray spectral results for 3C 371 also may provide qualitative support for the SSC model in that the spectrum probably consists of two components, with the steeper one at low photon energies. In terms of the model, the low-energy spectrum would be dominated by synchrotron emission extending down to radio energies, whereas the higher energy X-rays would be dominated by Compton radiation.

Worrall, D. M.↗

Probing the parsec-scale accretion flow of 3C 84 with millimeter wavelength polarimetry

We report the discovery of Faraday rotation toward radio source 3C 84, the active galactic nucleus in NGC 1275 at the core of the Perseus Cluster. The rotation measure (RM), determined from polarization observations at wavelengths of 1.3 and 0.9 mm, is (8.7 ± 2.3)× 10{sup 5} rad m{sup –2}, among the largest ever measured. The RM remained relatively constant over a 2 yr period even as the intrinsic polarization position angle wrapped through a span of 300°. The Faraday rotation is likely to originate either in the boundary layer of the radio jet from the nucleus or in the accretion flow onto the central black hole. The accretion flow probably is disk-like rather than spherical on scales of less than a parsec, otherwise the RM would be even larger.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Prevalence of neutral gas in centres of merging galaxies−II: nuclear H i and multiwavelength properties

Abstract Using a sample of 38 radio-loud galaxy mergers at z ≤ 0.2, we confirm the high detection rate (∼84 per cent) of H i 21-cm absorption in mergers, which is significantly higher (∼4 times) than in non-mergers. The distributions of the H i column density [$N(\rm{H\,{\small I}}$)] and velocity shift of the absorption with respect to the systemic redshift of the galaxy hosting the radio source in mergers are significantly different from that in non-mergers. We investigate the connection of the nuclear H i gas with various multiwavelength properties of the mergers. While the inferred $N(\rm{H\,{\small I}}$) and gas kinematics do not show strong (i.e. ≥3σ level) correlation with galaxy properties, we find that the incidence and $N(\rm{H\,{\small I}}$) of absorption tend to be slightly higher at smaller projected separations between the galaxy pairs and among the lower stellar mass-radio galaxies. The incidence, $N(\rm{H\,{\small I}}$) and line width of H i absorption increase from the pre-merger to the post-merger stages. The 100 per cent detection rate in post-mergers indicates that the neutral gas in the circumnuclear regions survives the coalescence period and is not yet quenched by the nuclear radio activity.

Dutta, R.↗

Radio Emission from Pulsar Wind Nebulae without Surrounding Supernova Ejecta: Application to FRB 121102

In this paper, we propose a new scenario in which a rapidly rotating strongly magnetized pulsar without any surrounding supernova ejecta repeatedly produces fast radio bursts (FRBs) via a range of possible mechanisms; simultaneously, an ultra-relativistic electron/positron pair wind from the pulsar sweeps up its ambient dense interstellar medium, giving rise to a non-relativistic pulsar wind nebula (PWN). We show that the synchrotron radio emission from such a PWN is bright enough to account for the recently discovered persistent radio source associated with the repeating FRB 121102 within reasonable ranges of the model parameters. Our PWN scenario is consistent with the non-evolution of the dispersion measure inferred from all of the repeating bursts observed in four years.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Ballistic Models for Radio Jets in Colliding Galaxies: 3C 278 (NGC 4782/4783)

We present here a general numerical simulation algorithm for ballistic radio jets. The evolution of the jets is determined by their response to mechanical forces (i.e., gravity and ram pressure). Using a previously derived collision model for the interacting pair of elliptical galaxies NGC 4782/4783, we have used this algorithm to simulate the specific two-sided jet morphology seen in the radio source associated with NGC 4782 (3C 278). This is the first time such simulations have been attempted for a galaxy pair whose relative orbit was determined independently from the jet modeling. The general morphological features of the jets in 3C 278 (e.g., position angles, lengths, curvature, and deflection angles) are well matched by the simulations, indicating that our model of the mechanical forces acting on the jets can indeed reproduce most of the basic details of the jet morphology and thereby provide an opportunity to model a combination of detailed optical, radio, and X-ray data for a wide variety of interacting radio-jet galaxies. Our models constrain the initial jet parameters (i.e., the ejection speed, direction, and starting time), the properties of the gaseous medium into which the jets are ejected, and the relative importance of gravitational deflection versus ram pressure bending in influencing the jet morphology. For 3C 278, we find that the effects of ram pressure dominate the structural evolution of the jets. In our best-fit simulation the jet ejection speed is of order 10(exp 4) km/s, to within 50%, suggesting that similar low-luminosity radio jets are also significantly subluminal. We also find that the jets are ejected within approximately 5 deg of the line of sight, the ISM in the nonjet galaxy has a much larger effect on the jet deflection than does the host galaxy, and the jet activity began just over 70 million years ago, roughly 50 million years before the pericenter passage of the two galaxies. Therefore, the onset of nuclear activity appears in 3C 278 to be related to the kinematically observed tidal shock that has been induced in the core of NGC 4782 as a result of its deeply penetrating collision with NGC 4783.

Borne, Kirk D.↗

Fast Switching and Precision Relative Astrometry at the DSN

A) We are developing new techniques to improve astrometric accuracy: 1) Reducing switching time (approx. 60s) and angular separation (approx.1deg) between quasars; 2) Use of phase delay & bandpass calibration; 3) Techniques also applicable with future DSN Array. B) Initial set of observations carried out at the DSN show great promise. C) Continue DSN observations using fainter calibrators to study robustness and to verify and validate error estimates. (Eventually demo technique with spacecraft measurements). D) Viability of technique depends on existence of sufficient number of calibrators. (Determining what fraction of radio sources are compact at the VLBA) E) May be able to use calibrators with flux density approx. 50 mJy with calibrator 1deg. G) Relative precision of approx.0.5 nrad may be achievable. E) Absolute measurement always depends on knowledge of calibrator position. (Catalog maintained and improved).

Deep Space Network (DSN)↗

HESS J1741-302: a hidden accelerator in the Galactic plane

The H.E.S.S. Collaboration has discovered a new very high energy (VHE, E > 0.1 TeV) γ-ray source, HESS J1741-302, located in the Galactic plane. Despite several attempts to constrain its nature, no plausible counterpart has been found so far at X-ray and MeV/GeV γ-ray energies, and the source remains unidentified. An analysis of 145-h of observations of HESS J1741-302 at VHEs has revealed a steady and relatively weak TeV source (~1% of the Crab Nebula flux), with a spectral index of Γ = 2.3 ± 0.2stat ± 0.2sys, extending to energies up to 10 TeV without any clear signature of a cut-off. In a hadronic scenario, such a spectrum implies an object with particle acceleration up to energies of several hundred TeV. Contrary to most H.E.S.S. unidentified sources, the angular size of HESS J1741-302 is compatible with the H.E.S.S. point spread function at VHEs, with an extension constrained to be below 0.068° at a 99% confidence level. The γ-ray emission detected by H.E.S.S. can be explained both within a hadronic scenario, due to collisions of protons with energies of hundreds of TeV with dense molecular clouds, and in a leptonic scenario, as a relic pulsar wind nebula, possibly powered by the middle-aged (20 kyr) pulsar PSR B1737-30. A binary scenario, related to the compact radio source 1LC 358.266+0.038 found to be spatially coincident with the best fit position of HESS J1741-302, is also envisaged.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

RADIO AND MID-INFRARED PROPERTIES OF COMPACT STARBURSTS: DISTANCING THEMSELVES FROM THE MAIN SEQUENCE

We investigate the relationship between 8.44 GHz brightness temperatures and 1.4 to 8.44 GHz radio spectral indices with 6.2 {mu}m polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission and 9.7 {mu}m silicate absorption features for a sample of 36 local luminous and ultraluminous infrared galaxies. We find that galaxies having small 6.2 {mu}m PAH equivalent widths (EQWs), which signal the presence of weak PAH emission and/or an excess of very hot dust, also have flat spectral indices. The three active galactic nuclei (AGN) identified through their excessively large 8.44 GHz brightness temperatures are also identified as AGN via their small 6.2 {mu}m PAH EQWs. We also find that the flattening of the radio spectrum increases with increasing silicate optical depth, 8.44 GHz brightness temperature, and decreasing size of the radio source even after removing potential AGN, supporting the idea that compact starbursts show spectral flattening as the result of increased free-free absorption. These correlations additionally suggest that the dust obscuration in these galaxies must largely be coming from the vicinity of the compact starburst itself, and is not distributed throughout the (foreground) disk of the galaxy. Finally, we investigate the location of these infrared-bright systems relative to the main sequence (star formation rate versus stellar mass) of star-forming galaxies in the local universe. We find that the radio spectral indices of galaxies flatten with increasing distance above the main sequence, or in other words, with increasing specific star formation rate. This indicates that galaxies located above the main sequence, having high specific star formation rates, are typically compact starbursts hosting deeply embedded star formation that becomes more optically thick in the radio and infrared with increased distance above the main sequence.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

CENTIMETER CONTINUUM OBSERVATIONS OF THE NORTHERN HEAD OF THE HH 80/81/80N JET: REVISING THE ACTUAL DIMENSIONS OF A PARSEC-SCALE JET

We present 6 and 20 cm Jansky Very Large Array/Very Large Array observations of the northern head of the HH 80/81/80N jet, one of the largest collimated jet systems known so far, aimed to look for knots farther than HH 80N, the northern head of the jet. Aligned with the jet and 10' northeast of HH 80N, we found a radio source not reported before, with a negative spectral index similar to that of HH 80, HH 81, and HH 80N. The fit of a precessing jet model to the knots of the HH 80/81/80N jet, including the new source, shows that the position of this source is close to the jet path resulting from the modeling. If the new source belongs to the HH 80/81/80N jet, its derived size and dynamical age are 18.4 pc and >9 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 3} yr, respectively. If the jet is symmetric, its southern lobe would expand beyond the cloud edge resulting in an asymmetric appearance of the jet. Based on the updated dynamical age, we speculate on the possibility that the HH 80/81/80N jet triggered the star formation observed in a dense core found ahead of HH 80N, which shows signposts of interaction with the jet. These results indicate that parsec-scale radio jets can play a role in the stability of dense clumps and the regulation of star formation in the molecular cloud.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Scale covariance and G-varying cosmology. IV - The log N-log S relation

The traditional radio counts N(S) and radio source models are studied within the framework of the scale-covariant cosmology developed to investigate whether the relative strength of the gravitational and electromagnetic constants is a function of cosmological epoch. It is found that a gravitational constant G varying as the inverse of t, where t is the epoch in atomic units, is consistent with all the data analyzed. For a wide class of models the present cosmology allows a finer discrimination of the deceleration parameter than does standard theory. The results, when combined with those of previous papers, namely, those from radio and optical flux and angular-diameter data analysis, favor an open universe.

Canuto, V. M.↗