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At least 1,099 records · Page 61
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DOE OSTI2011

A DEEP CHANDRA VIEW OF THE NGC 404 CENTRAL ENGINE

We present the results of a 100 ks Chandra observation of the NGC 404 nuclear region. The long exposure and excellent spatial resolution of Chandra have enabled us to critically examine the nuclear environment of NGC 404, which is known to host a nuclear star cluster and potentially an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH; on the order of a few times 10{sup 5} M{sub sun}). We find two distinct X-ray sources: a hard, central point source coincident with the optical and radio centers of the galaxy, and a soft extended region that is coincident with areas of high H{alpha} emission and likely recent star formation. When we fit the 0.3-8 keV spectra of each region separately, we find the hard nuclear point source to be dominated by a power law ({Gamma} = 1.88), while the soft off-nuclear region is best fit by a thermal plasma model (kT = 0.67 keV). We therefore find evidence for both a power-law component and hot gas in the nuclear region of NGC 404. We estimate the 2-10 keV luminosity to be 1.3{sup +0.8}{sub -0.5} x 10{sup 37} erg s{sup -1}. A low level of diffuse X-ray emission was detected out to {approx}15'' ({approx}0.2 kpc) from the nucleus. We compare our results to the observed relationships between power-law photon index and Eddington ratio for both X-ray binaries and low-luminosity active galaxies and find NGC 404 to be consistent with other low-luminosity active galaxies. We therefore favor the conclusion that NGC 404 harbors an IMBH accreting at a very low level.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

INTERFEROMETRIC CO(3-2) OBSERVATIONS TOWARD THE CENTRAL REGION OF NGC 1068

We present CO(3-2) interferometric observations of the central region of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1068 using the Submillimeter Array, together with CO(1-0) data taken with the Owens Valley Radio Observatory Millimeter Array. Both the CO(3-2) and CO(1-0) emission lines are mainly distributed within {approx}5 arcsec of the nucleus and along the spiral arms, but the intensity distributions show differences: the CO(3-2) map peaks in the nucleus, while the CO(1-0) emission is mainly located along the spiral arms. The CO(3-2)/CO(1-0) ratio is about 3.1 in the nucleus, which is four times as large as the average line ratio in the spiral arms, suggesting that the molecular gas there must be affected by the radiation arising from the active galactic nucleus. On the other hand, the line ratios in the spiral arms vary over a wide range from 0.24 to 2.34 with an average value around 0.75, which is similar to the line ratios of star formation regions, indicating that the molecular gas is affected by star formation. Besides, we see a tight correlation between CO(3-2)/(1-0) ratios in the spiral arms and star formation rate surface densities derived from Spitzer 8 {mu}m dust flux densities. We also compare the CO(3-2)/(1-0) ratio and the star formation rate at different positions within the spiral arms; both are found to decrease as the radius from the nucleus increases.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

EXPLORING THE CENTRAL SUB-PARSEC REGION OF THE {gamma}-RAY BRIGHT RADIO GALAXY 3C 84 WITH VLBA AT 43 GHz IN THE PERIOD OF 2002-2008

Following the discovery of a new radio component right before the GeV {gamma}-ray detection since 2008 August by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, we present a detailed study of the kinematics and light curve on the central sub-parsec scale of 3C 84 using the archival Very Long Baseline Array 43 GHz data covering the period between 2002 January and 2008 November. We find that the new component 'C3', previously reported by the observations with the Very Long Baseline Interferometer Exploration of Radio Astrometry, was already formed in 2003. The flux density of C3 increases moderately until 2008, and then it becomes brighter rapidly after 2008. The radio core, C1, also shows a similar trend. The apparent speed of C3 with reference to the core C1 shows moderate acceleration from 0.10c to 0.47c between 2003 November and 2008 November, but is still sub-relativistic. We further try to fit the observed broadband spectrum by the one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model using the measured apparent speed of C3. The fit can reproduce the observed {gamma}-ray emission, but does not agree with the observed radio spectral index between 22 and 43 GHz.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

THE ONGOING ASSEMBLY OF A CENTRAL CLUSTER GALAXY: PHASE-SPACE SUBSTRUCTURES IN THE HALO OF M87

The halos of galaxies preserve unique records of their formation histories. We carry out the first combined observational and theoretical study of phase-space halo substructure in an early-type galaxy: M87, the central galaxy in the Virgo cluster. We analyze an unprecedented wide-field, high-precision photometric and spectroscopic data set for 488 globular clusters (GCs), which includes new, large-radius Subaru/Suprime-Cam and Keck/DEIMOS observations. We find signatures of two substructures in position-velocity phase space. One is a small, cold stream associated with a known stellar filament in the outer halo; the other is a large shell-like pattern in the inner halo that implies a massive, hitherto unrecognized accretion event. We perform extensive statistical tests and independent metallicity analyses to verify the presence and characterize the properties of these features, and to provide more general methodologies for future extragalactic studies of phase-space substructure. The cold outer stream is consistent with a dwarf galaxy accretion event, while for the inner shell there is tension between a low progenitor mass implied by the cold velocity dispersion, and a high mass from the large number of GCs, which might be resolved by a {approx}0.5 L* E/S0 progenitor. We also carry out proof-of-principle numerical simulations of the accretion of smaller galaxies in an M87-like gravitational potential. These produce analogous features to the observed substructures, which should have observable lifetimes of {approx}1 Gyr. The shell and stream GCs together support a scenario where the extended stellar envelope of M87 has been built up by a steady rain of material that continues until the present day. This phase-space method demonstrates unique potential for detailed tests of galaxy formation beyond the Local Group.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

UNUSUAL CENTRAL ENGINE ACTIVITY IN THE DOUBLE BURST GRB 110709B

The double burst, GRB 110709B, triggered the Swift/Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) twice at 21:32:39 UT and 21:43:45 UT, respectively, on 2011 July 9. This is the first time we observed a gamma-ray burst (GRB) with two BAT triggers. In this paper, we present simultaneous Swift and Konus-WIND observations of this unusual GRB and its afterglow. If the two events originated from the same physical progenitor, their different time-dependent spectral evolution suggests they must belong to different episodes of the central engine, which may be a magnetar-to-BH accretion system.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

TWO-PHASE ICM IN THE CENTRAL REGION OF THE RICH CLUSTER OF GALAXIES A1795: A JOINT CHANDRA, XMM-NEWTON, AND SUZAKU VIEW

Based on a detailed analysis of the high-quality Chandra, XMM-Newton, and Suzaku data of the X-ray bright cluster of galaxies A1795, we report clear evidence for a two-phase intracluster medium (ICM) structure, which consists of a cool (with a temperature T{sub c} Almost-Equal-To 2.0-2.2 keV) and a hot (T{sub h} Almost-Equal-To 5.0-5.7 keV) component that coexist and dominate the X-ray emission at least in the central 80 kpc. A third weak emission component (T{sub 3} Almost-Equal-To 0.8 keV) is also detected within the innermost 144 kpc and is ascribed to a portion of interstellar medium of the cD galaxy. Deprojected spectral analysis reveals flat radial temperature distributions for both the hot phase and cool phase components. These results are consistent with the ASCA measurements reported by Xu et al. and resemble the previous findings for the Centaurus Cluster. By analyzing the emission measure ratio and gas metal abundance maps created from the Chandra data, we find that the cool phase component is more metal-enriched than the hot phase one in the 50-100 kpc region, which agrees with that found in M87. The coexistence of the cool phase and hot phase ICM cannot be realized by bubble uplifting from active galactic nuclei (AGNs) alone. Instead, the two-phase ICM properties are better reconciled with a cD corona model. In this model, the cool phase may be ascribed to the plasmas confined in magnetic loops, which are surrounded by the intruding hot phase ICM and have been polluted by metals synthesized in the cD galaxy. AGN feedback energy released in the innermost 10 kpc can serve as the heating source to prevent the loop-interior gas from cooling down to temperatures much lower than the observed value. The total gravitating mass profile exhibits a hierarchical structure, regardless of the ICM temperature modeling.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

CO-EVOLUTION OF GALAXIES AND CENTRAL BLACK HOLES: OBSERVATIONAL EVIDENCE ON THE TRIGGER OF AGN FEEDBACK

A comprehensive analysis of the extended emission-line region (EELR) around quasars is presented. A new Subaru/Suprime-Cam observation is combined with a literature search, resulting in a compilation of 81 EELR measurements for type-1 and type-2 quasars with an associated active galactic nucleus (AGN) and host galaxy properties. It is found that the EELR phenomenon shows clear correlation with the Eddington ratio, which links EELR to the constituents of principal component 1, or eigenvector 1, of the AGN emission correlations. We also find that EELR is preferentially associated with gas-rich, massive blue galaxies. This supports the idea that the primary determinant of EELR creation is gas availability and that the gas may be brought in by galaxy merger, triggering the current star formation as well as AGN activity, and also gives an explanation for the fact that most luminous EELRs are found around radio-loud sources with low Eddington ratio. By combining all the observations, it is suggested that EELR quasars occupy the massive blue corner of the green valley, the AGN realm, on the galaxy color-stellar mass diagram. Once a galaxy is pushed to this corner, an activated AGN would create an EELR by energy injection into the interstellar gas and eventually blow it away, leading to star formation quenching. The results presented here provide a piece of evidence for the presence of such an AGN feedback process, which may play a leading role in the co-evolution of galaxies and central super-massive black holes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

GRB 120422A: A LOW-LUMINOSITY GAMMA-RAY BURST DRIVEN BY A CENTRAL ENGINE

GRB 120422A is a low-luminosity gamma-ray burst (GRB) associated with a bright supernova, which distinguishes itself by its relatively short T{sub 90} ({approx}5 s) and an energetic and steep-decaying X-ray tail. We analyze the Swift Burst Alert Telescope and X-ray Telescope data and discuss the physical implications. We show that the steep decline early in the X-ray light curve can be interpreted as the curvature tail of a late emission episode around 58-86 s, with a curved instantaneous spectrum at the end of the emission episode. Together with the main activity in the first {approx}20 s and the weak emission from 40 s to 60 s, the prompt emission is variable, which points to a central engine origin in contrast to a shock-breakout origin, which is used to interpret some other nearby low-luminosity supernova GRBs. Both the curvature effect model and interpreting the early shallow decay as the coasting external forward shock emission in a wind medium provide a constraint on the bulk Lorentz factor {Gamma} to be around several. Comparing the properties of GRB 120422A and other supernova GRBs, we find that the main criterion to distinguish engine-driven GRBs from shock-breakout GRBs is the time-averaged {gamma}-ray luminosity. Engine-driven GRBs likely have a luminosity above {approx}10{sup 48} erg s{sup -1}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

STELLAR POPULATIONS IN THE CENTRAL 0.5 pc OF THE GALAXY. I. A NEW METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING LUMINOSITY FUNCTIONS AND SURFACE-DENSITY PROFILES

We present new high angular resolution near-infrared spectroscopic observations of the nuclear star cluster surrounding the Milky Way's central supermassive black hole. Using the integral-field spectrograph OSIRIS on Keck II behind the laser-guide-star adaptive optics system, this spectroscopic survey enables us to separate early-type (young, 4-6 Myr) and late-type (old, >1 Gyr) stars with a completeness of 50% down to K' = 15.5 mag, which corresponds to {approx}10 M {sub Sun} for the early-type stars. This work increases the radial extent of reported OSIRIS/Keck measurements by more than a factor of three from 4'' to 14'' (0.16 to 0.56 pc), along the projected disk of young stars. For our analysis, we implement a new method of completeness correction using a combination of star-planting simulations and Bayesian inference. We assign probabilities for the spectral type of every source detected in deep imaging down to K' = 15.5 mag using information from spectra, simulations, number counts, and the distribution of stars. The inferred radial surface-density profiles, {Sigma}(R){proportional_to}R {sup -{Gamma}}, for the young stars and late-type giants are consistent with earlier results ({Gamma}{sub early} = 0.93 {+-} 0.09, {Gamma}{sub late} = 0.16 {+-} 0.07). The late-type surface-density profile is approximately flat out to the edge of the survey. While the late-type stellar luminosity function is consistent with the Galactic bulge, the completeness-corrected luminosity function of the early-type stars has significantly more young stars at faint magnitudes compared with previous surveys with similar depth. This luminosity function indicates that the corresponding mass function of the young stars is likely less top-heavy than that inferred from previous surveys.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

THE SPIN-DOWN OF PSR J0821-4300 AND PSR J1210-5226: CONFIRMATION OF CENTRAL COMPACT OBJECTS AS ANTI-MAGNETARS

Using XMM-Newton and Chandra, we measure period derivatives for the second and third known pulsars in the class of central compact objects (CCOs) in supernova remnants, proving that these young neutron stars have exceptionally weak dipole magnetic field components. For the 112 ms PSR J0821-4300 in Puppis A, P-dot = (9.28{+-}0.36) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -18}. Its proper motion, {mu} = 61 {+-} 9 mas yr{sup -1}, was also measured using Chandra. This contributes a kinematic term to the period derivative via the Shklovskii effect, which is subtracted from P-dot to derive dipole B{sub s} = 2.9 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 10} G, a value similar to that of the first measured CCO, PSR J1852+0040 in Kes 79, which has B{sub s} = 3.1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 10} G. Antipodal surface hot spots with different temperatures and areas are deduced from the X-ray spectrum and pulse profiles. Paradoxically, such nonuniform surface temperature appears to require strong crustal magnetic fields, probably toroidal or quadrupolar components much stronger than the external dipole. A spectral feature, consisting of either an emission line at Almost-Equal-To 0.75 keV or an absorption line at Almost-Equal-To 0.46 keV, is modulated in strength with the rotation. It may be due to a cyclotron process in a magnetic field on the surface that is slightly stronger than the dipole deduced from the spin-down. We also timed anew the 424 ms PSR J1210-5226, resolving previous ambiguities about its spin-down rate. Its P-dot is (2.22 {+-} 0.02) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -17}, corresponding to B{sub s} = 9.8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 10} G. This is also compatible with a cyclotron resonance interpretation of its prominent absorption line at 0.7 keV and its harmonics. These results deepen the mystery of the origin and evolution of CCOs: Why are their numerous descendants not evident?.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

SERENDIPITOUS DETECTION OF X-RAY EMISSION FROM THE HOT BORN-AGAIN CENTRAL STAR OF THE PLANETARY NEBULA K 1-16

We report the serendipitous detection of point-like X-ray emission from the hot, PG1159-type central star of the planetary nebula (CSPN) K 1-16 by the XMM-Newton and Chandra X-Ray Observatories. The CSPN lies superimposed on a galaxy cluster that includes an X-ray-bright quasar, but we have successfully isolated the CSPN X-ray emission from the strong diffuse background contributed by the quasar and intracluster gas. We have modeled the XMM-Newton and Chandra X-ray data, taking advantage of the contrasting detection efficiencies of the two observatories to better constrain the low-energy spectral response of Chandra's Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer. We find that the CSPN X-ray spectrum is well characterized by the combination of a non-local thermodynamic equilibrium model atmosphere with T{sub *} {approx} 135 kK and a carbon-rich, optically thin thermal plasma with T{sub X} {approx} 1 MK. These results for X-ray emission from the K 1-16 CSPN, combined with those obtained for other PG1159-type objects, lend support to the 'born-again' scenario for Wolf-Rayet and PG1159 CSPNe, wherein a late helium shell flash dredges up carbon-rich intershell material and ejects this material into the circumstellar environment.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

EFFECTS OF CIRCUMNUCLEAR DISK GAS EVOLUTION ON THE SPIN OF CENTRAL BLACK HOLES

Mass and spin are the only two parameters needed to completely characterize black holes (BHs) in general relativity. However, the interaction between BHs and their environment is where complexity lies, as the relevant physical processes occur over a large range of scales. That is particularly relevant in the case of supermassive black holes (SMBHs), hosted in galaxy centers, and surrounded by swirling gas and various generations of stars. These compete with the SMBH for gas consumption and affect both dynamics and thermodynamics of the gas itself. How the behavior of such a fiery environment influences the angular momentum of the gas accreted onto SMBHs, and, hence, BH spins, is uncertain. We explore the interaction between SMBHs and their environment via first three-dimensional sub-parsec resolution simulations (ranging from {approx}0.1 pc to {approx}1 kpc scales) that study the evolution of the SMBH spin by including the effects of star formation, stellar feedback, radiative transfer, and metal pollution according to the proper stellar yields and lifetimes. This approach is crucial in investigating the impact of star formation processes and feedback effects on the angular momentum of the material that could accrete on the central hole. We find that star formation and feedback mechanisms can locally inject significant amounts of entropy in the surrounding medium, and impact the inflow inclination angles and Eddington fractions. As a consequence, the resulting trends show upper-intermediate equilibrium values for the spin parameter of a {approx_equal} 0.6-0.9, corresponding to radiative efficiencies {epsilon} {approx_equal} 9%-15%. These results suggest that star formation feedback taking place in the circumnuclear disk during the infall alone cannot induce very strong chaotic trends in the gas flow, quite independently from the different numerical parameters.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

MASSIVE BLACK HOLES IN CENTRAL CLUSTER GALAXIES

We explore how the co-evolution of massive black holes (MBHs) and galaxies is affected by environmental effects, addressing in particular MBHs hosted in the central cluster galaxies (we will refer to these galaxies in general as ''CCGs''). Recently, the sample of MBHs in CCGs with dynamically measured masses has increased, and it has been suggested that these MBH masses (M{sub BH}) deviate from the expected correlations with velocity dispersion ({sigma}) and mass of the bulge (M{sub bulge}) of the host galaxy: MBHs in CCGs appear to be ''overmassive''. This discrepancy is more pronounced when considering the M{sub BH}-{sigma} relation than the M{sub BH}-M{sub bulge} one. We show that this behavior stems from a combination of two natural factors: (1) CCGs experience more mergers involving spheroidal galaxies and their MBHs and (2) such mergers are preferentially gas poor. We use a combination of analytical and semi-analytical models to investigate the MBH-galaxy co-evolution in different environments and find that the combination of these two factors is in accordance with the trends observed in current data sets.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

THE GALACTIC CENTER S-STARS AND THE HYPERVELOCITY STARS IN THE GALACTIC HALO: TWO FACES OF THE TIDAL BREAKUP OF STELLAR BINARIES BY THE CENTRAL MASSIVE BLACK HOLE?

In this paper, we investigate the link between the hypervelocity stars (HVSs) discovered in the Galactic halo and the Galactic center (GC) S-stars, under the hypothesis that they are both the products of the tidal breakup of the same population of stellar binaries by the central massive black hole (MBH). By adopting several hypothetical models for binaries to be injected into the vicinity of the MBH and doing numerical simulations, we realize the tidal breakup processes of the binaries and their follow-up dynamical evolution. We find that many statistical properties of the detected HVSs and GC S-stars could be reproduced under some binary injecting models, and their number ratio can be reproduced if the stellar initial mass function is top-heavy (e.g., with slope {approx} - 1.6). The total number of the captured companions is {approx}50 that have masses in the range {approx}3-7 M{sub Sun} and semimajor axes {approx}< 4000 AU and survive to the present within their main-sequence lifetime. The innermost one is expected to have a semimajor axis {approx}300-1500 AU and a pericenter distance {approx}10-200 AU, with a significant probability of being closer to the MBH than S2. Future detection of such a close star would offer an important test to general relativity. The majority of the surviving ejected companions of the GC S-stars are expected to be located at Galactocentric distances {approx}< 20 kpc, and have heliocentric radial velocities {approx} - 500-1500 km s{sup -1} and proper motions up to {approx}5-20 mas yr{sup -1}. Future detection of these HVSs may provide evidence for the tidal breakup formation mechanism of the GC S-stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

X-RAY OBSERVATIONS OF DISRUPTED RECYCLED PULSARS: NO REFUGE FOR ORPHANED CENTRAL COMPACT OBJECTS

We present a Chandra X-ray survey of the disrupted recycled pulsars (DRPs), isolated radio pulsars with P > 20 ms and B{sub s} < 3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 10} G. These observations were motivated as a search for the immediate descendants of the Almost-Equal-To 10 central compact objects (CCOs) in supernova remnants (SNRs), 3 of which have similar timing and magnetic properties as the DRPs, but are bright, thermal X-ray sources consistent with minimal neutron star (NS) cooling curves. Since none of the DPRs were detected in this survey, there is no evidence that they are ''orphaned'' CCOs, NSs whose SNRs has dissipated. Upper limits on their thermal X-ray luminosities are in the range of log L{sub x} [erg s{sup -1}] = 31.8-32.8, which implies cooling ages >10{sup 4}-10{sup 5} yr, roughly 10 times the ages of the Almost-Equal-To 10 known CCOs in a similar volume of the Galaxy. The order of a hundred CCO descendants that could be detected by this method are thus either intrinsically radio quiet or occupy a different region of (P, B{sub s} ) parameter space from the DRPs. This motivates a new X-ray search for orphaned CCOs among radio pulsars with larger B-fields, which could verify the theory that their fields are buried by the fall-back of supernova ejecta, but quickly regrow to join the normal pulsar population.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

A LINK BETWEEN STAR FORMATION QUENCHING AND INNER STELLAR MASS DENSITY IN SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY CENTRAL GALAXIES

We study the correlation between galaxy structure and the quenching of star formation using a sample of Sloan Digital Sky Survey central galaxies with stellar masses 9.75 < log M{sub *}/M{sub ☉} < 11.25 and redshifts z < 0.075. Galaxy Evolution Explorer UV data are used to cleanly divide the sample into star-forming and quenched galaxies and to identify galaxies in transition (the green valley). Despite a stark difference in visual appearance between blue and red galaxies, their average radial stellar mass density profiles are remarkably similar (especially in the outer regions) at fixed mass. The inner stellar mass surface density within a radius of 1 kpc, Σ{sub 1}, is used to quantify the growth of the bulge as galaxies evolve. When galaxies are divided into narrow mass bins, their distribution in the color-Σ{sub 1} plane at fixed mass forms plausible evolutionary tracks. Σ{sub 1} seems to grow as galaxies evolve through the blue cloud, and once it crosses a threshold value, galaxies are seen to quench at fixed Σ{sub 1}. The Σ{sub 1} threshold for quenching grows with stellar mass, Σ{sub 1}∝M{sub *}{sup 0.64}. However, the existence of some star-forming galaxies above the threshold Σ{sub 1} implies that a dense bulge is necessary but not sufficient to quench a galaxy fully. This would be consistent with a two-step quenching process in which gas within a galaxy is removed or stabilized against star formation by bulge-driven processes (such as a starburst, active galactic nucleus feedback, or morphological quenching), whereas external gas accretion is suppressed by separate halo-driven processes (such as halo gas shock heating). Quenching thus depends on an interplay between the inner structure of a galaxy and its surrounding dark matter halo, and lack of perfect synchrony between the two could produce the observed scatter in color versus Σ{sub 1}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

ACCRETION AND OUTFLOW FROM A MAGNETIZED, NEUTRINO COOLED TORUS AROUND THE GAMMA-RAY BURST CENTRAL ENGINE

We calculate the structure and short-term evolution of a gamma-ray burst (GRB) central engine in the form of a turbulent torus accreting onto a stellar mass black hole. Our models apply to the short GRB events, in which a remnant torus forms after the neutron star-black hole or a double neutron star merger and is subsequently accreted. We study the two-dimensional, relativistic models and concentrate on the effects of the black hole and flow parameters as well as the neutrino cooling. We compare the resulting structure and neutrino emission to the results of our previous one-dimensional simulations. We find that the neutrino cooled torus launches a powerful mass outflow, which contributes to the total neutrino luminosity and mass loss from the system. The neutrino luminosity may exceed the Blandford-Znajek luminosity of the polar jets and the subsequent annihilation of neutrino-antineutrino pairs will provide an additional source of power to the GRB emission.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Suzaku observations of the type 2 QSO in the central galaxy of the Phoenix cluster

We report the Suzaku/XIS and HXD and Chandra/ACIS-I results on the X-ray spectra of the Phoenix cluster at the redshift z = 0.596. The spectrum of the intracluster medium (ICM) is well reproduced with the emissions from low-temperature (∼3.0 keV and ∼0.76 solar) and high-temperature (∼11 keV and ∼0.33 solar) plasmas; the former is localized at the cluster core, while the latter distributes over the cluster. In addition to these ICM emissions, a strongly absorbed power-law component is found, which is due to an active galactic nucleus (AGN) in the cluster center. The absorption column density and unobscured luminosity of the AGN are ∼3.2 × 10{sup 23} cm{sup –2} and ∼4.7 × 10{sup 45} erg s{sup –1} (2-10 keV), respectively. Furthermore, a neutral iron (Fe I) K-shell line is discovered for the first time with the equivalent width (EW) of ∼150 eV at the rest frame. The column density and the EW of the Fe I line are exceptionally large for such a high-luminosity AGN, and hence the AGN is classified as a type 2 quasi-stellar object (QSO). We speculate that a significant fraction of the ICM cooled gas would be consumed to maintain the torus and to activate the type 2 QSO. The Phoenix cluster has a massive starburst in the central galaxy, indicating that suppression in the cooling flow is less effective. This may be because the onset of the latest AGN feedback has occurred recently and has not yet been effective. Alternatively, the AGN feedback is predominantly in radiative mode, not in kinetic mode, and the torus may work as a shield to reduce its effect.

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