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At least 1,441 records · Page 80
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DOE OSTI2012

MODELING FOCUSED ACCELERATION OF COSMIC-RAY PARTICLES BY STOCHASTIC METHODS

Schlickeiser and Shalchi suggested that a first-order Fermi mechanism of focused particle acceleration could be important in several astrophysical applications. In order to investigate focused acceleration, we express the Fokker-Planck equation as an equivalent system of stochastic differential equations. We simplify the system for a set of physically motivated parameters, extend the analytical theory, and determine the evolving particle distribution numerically. While our numerical results agree with the focused acceleration rate of Schlickeiser and Shalchi for a weakly anisotropic particle distribution, we establish significant limitations of the analytical approach. Momentum diffusion is found to be more significant than focused acceleration at early times. Most critically, the particle distribution rapidly becomes anisotropic, leading to a much slower momentum gain rate. We discuss the consequences of our results for the role of focused acceleration in astrophysics.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

MAGNETIC FIELDS FROM QCD PHASE TRANSITIONS

We study the evolution of QCD phase transition-generated magnetic fields (MFs) in freely decaying MHD turbulence of the expanding universe. We consider an MF generation model that starts from basic non-perturbative QCD theory and predicts stochastic MFs with an amplitude of the order of 0.02 {mu}G and small magnetic helicity. We employ direct numerical simulations to model the MHD turbulence decay and identify two different regimes: a 'weakly helical' turbulence regime, when magnetic helicity increases during decay, and 'fully helical' turbulence, when maximal magnetic helicity is reached and an inverse cascade develops. The results of our analysis show that in the most optimistic scenario the magnetic correlation length in the comoving frame can reach 10 kpc with the amplitude of the effective MF being 0.007 nG. We demonstrate that the considered model of magnetogenesis can provide the seed MF for galaxies and clusters.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2012

THE CHEMICAL SIGNATURE OF A RELIC STAR CLUSTER IN THE SEXTANS DWARF SPHEROIDAL GALAXY-IMPLICATIONS FOR NEAR-FIELD COSMOLOGY

We present tentative evidence for the existence of a dissolved star cluster at [Fe/H] = -2.7 in the Sextans dwarf spheroidal galaxy. We use the technique of chemical tagging to identify stars that are highly clustered in a multi-dimensional chemical abundance space (C-space). In a sample of six stars, three, possibly four, stars are identified as potential cluster stars. The initial stellar mass of the parent cluster is estimated from two independent observations to be M{sub *,init}=1.9{sup +1.5}{sub -0.9}(1.6{sup +1.2}{sub -0.8}) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 5} M{sub sun}, assuming a Salpeter (Kroupa) initial mass function. If corroborated by follow-up spectroscopy, this star cluster is the most metal-poor system identified to date. Chemical signatures of remnant clusters in dwarf galaxies like Sextans provide us with a very powerful probe to the high-redshift universe. From available observational data, we argue that the average star cluster mass in the majority of the newly discovered ultra-faint dwarf galaxies was notably lower than it is in the Galaxy today and possibly lower than in the more luminous, classical dwarf spheroidal galaxies. Furthermore, the mean cumulative metallicity function of the dwarf spheroidals falls below that of the ultra-faints, which increases with increasing metallicity as predicted from our stochastic chemical evolution model. These two findings, together with a possible difference in the ([Mg/Fe]) ratio suggest that the ultra-faint dwarf galaxy population, or a significant fraction thereof, and the dwarf spheroidal population were formed in different environments and would thus be distinct in origin.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

STOCHASTIC PARTICLE ACCELERATION AND THE PROBLEM OF BACKGROUND PLASMA OVERHEATING

The origin of hard X-ray (HXR) excess emission from clusters of galaxies is still an enigma, whose nature is debated. One of the possible mechanisms to produce this emission is the bremsstrahlung model. However, previous analytical and numerical calculations showed that in this case the intracluster plasma had to be overheated very fast because suprathermal electrons emitting the HXR excess lose their energy mainly by Coulomb losses, i.e., they heat the background plasma. It was concluded also from these investigations that it is problematic to produce emitting electrons from a background plasma by stochastic (Fermi) acceleration because the energy supplied by external sources in the form of Fermi acceleration is quickly absorbed by the background plasma. In other words, the Fermi acceleration is ineffective for particle acceleration. We revisited this problem and found that at some parameter of acceleration the rate of plasma heating is rather low and the acceleration tails of nonthermal particles can be generated and exist for a long time while the plasma temperature is almost constant. We showed also that for some regime of acceleration the plasma cools down instead of being heated up, even though external sources (in the form of external acceleration) supply energy to the system. The reason is that the acceleration withdraws effectively high-energy particles from the thermal pool (analog of Maxwell demon).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

A UNIFIED MICROSCOPIC-MACROSCOPIC MONTE CARLO SIMULATION OF GAS-GRAIN CHEMISTRY IN COLD DENSE INTERSTELLAR CLOUDS

For the first time, we report a unified microscopic-macroscopic Monte Carlo simulation of gas-grain chemistry in cold interstellar clouds in which both the gas-phase and the grain-surface chemistry are simulated by a stochastic technique. The surface chemistry is simulated with a microscopic Monte Carlo method in which the chemistry occurs on an initially flat surface. The surface chemical network consists of 29 reactions initiated by the accreting species H, O, C, and CO. Four different models are run with diverse but homogeneous physical conditions including temperature, gas density, and diffusion-barrier-to-desorption energy ratio. As time increases, icy interstellar mantles begin to grow. Our approach allows us to determine the morphology of the ice, layer by layer, as a function of time, and to ascertain the environment or environments for individual molecules. Our calculated abundances can be compared with observations of ices and gas-phase species, as well as the results of other models.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

CHARACTERIZING THE OPTICAL VARIABILITY OF BRIGHT BLAZARS: VARIABILITY-BASED SELECTION OF FERMI ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

We investigate the use of optical photometric variability to select and identify blazars in large-scale time-domain surveys, in part to aid in the identification of blazar counterparts to the {approx}30% of {gamma}-ray sources in the Fermi 2FGL catalog still lacking reliable associations. Using data from the optical LINEAR asteroid survey, we characterize the optical variability of blazars by fitting a damped random walk model to individual light curves with two main model parameters, the characteristic timescales of variability {tau}, and driving amplitudes on short timescales {sigma}-circumflex. Imposing cuts on minimum {tau} and {sigma}-circumflex allows for blazar selection with high efficiency E and completeness C. To test the efficacy of this approach, we apply this method to optically variable LINEAR objects that fall within the several-arcminute error ellipses of {gamma}-ray sources in the Fermi 2FGL catalog. Despite the extreme stellar contamination at the shallow depth of the LINEAR survey, we are able to recover previously associated optical counterparts to Fermi active galactic nuclei with E {>=} 88% and C = 88% in Fermi 95% confidence error ellipses having semimajor axis r < 8'. We find that the suggested radio counterpart to Fermi source 2FGL J1649.6+5238 has optical variability consistent with other {gamma}-ray blazars and is likely to be the {gamma}-ray source. Our results suggest that the variability of the non-thermal jet emission in blazars is stochastic in nature, with unique variability properties due to the effects of relativistic beaming. After correcting for beaming, we estimate that the characteristic timescale of blazar variability is {approx}3 years in the rest frame of the jet, in contrast with the {approx}320 day disk flux timescale observed in quasars. The variability-based selection method presented will be useful for blazar identification in time-domain optical surveys and is also a probe of jet physics.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

THE DYNAMICS, APPEARANCE, AND DEMOGRAPHICS OF RELATIVISTIC JETS TRIGGERED BY TIDAL DISRUPTION OF STARS IN QUIESCENT SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES

We examine the consequences of a model in which relativistic jets can be triggered in quiescent massive black holes when a geometrically thick and hot accretion disk forms as a result of the tidal disruption of a star. To estimate the power, thrust, and lifetime of the jet, we use the mass accretion history onto the black hole as calculated by detailed hydrodynamic simulations of the tidal disruption of stars. We go on to determine the states of the interstellar medium in various types of quiescent galactic nuclei, and describe how this external matter can affect jets propagating through it. We use this information, together with a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model of the structure of the relativistic flow, to study the dynamics of the jet, the propagation of which is regulated by the density stratification of the environment and by its injection history. The breaking of symmetry involved in transitioning from one to two dimensions is crucial and leads to qualitatively new phenomena. At early times, as the jet power increases, the high pressure of the cocoon collimates the jet, increasing its shock velocity as compared to that of spherical models. We show that small velocity gradients, induced near or at the source, steepen into internal shocks and provide a source of free energy for particle acceleration and radiation along the jet's channel. The jets terminate at a working surface where they interact strongly with the surrounding medium through a combination of shock waves and instabilities; a continuous flow of relativistic fluid emanating from the nucleus supplies this region with mass, momentum, and energy. Information about the t {sup -5/3} decrease in power supply propagates within the jet at the internal sound speed. As a result, the internal energy at the jet head continues to accumulate until long after the peak feeding rate is reached. An appreciable time delay is thus expected between peaks in the short-wavelength radiation emanating near the jet's origin and the long-wavelength emission produced at the head of the jet. Many of the observed properties of the Swift 1644+57/GRB 110328A event can be understood as resulting from accretion onto and jets driven by a 10{sup 6} M {sub Sun} central mass black hole following the disruption of a sun-like star. With the inclusion of a stochastic contribution to the luminosity due to variations in the feeding rate driven by instabilities near the tidal radius, we find that our model can explain the X-ray light curve without invoking a rarely occurring deep encounter. In conjunction with the number density of black holes in the local universe, we hypothesize that the conditions required to produce the Swift event are not anomalous, but are in fact representative of the jet-driven flare population arising from tidal disruptions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

THE PANCHROMATIC HUBBLE ANDROMEDA TREASURY. III. MEASURING AGES AND MASSES OF PARTIALLY RESOLVED STELLAR CLUSTERS

The apparent age and mass of a stellar cluster can be strongly affected by stochastic sampling of the stellar initial mass function (IMF), when inferred from the integrated color of low-mass clusters ({approx}<10{sup 4} M {sub Sun }). We use simulated star clusters to show that these effects are minimized when the brightest, rapidly evolving stars in a cluster can be resolved, and the light of the fainter, more numerous unresolved stars can be analyzed separately. When comparing the light from the less luminous cluster members to models of unresolved light, more accurate age estimates can be obtained than when analyzing the integrated light from the entire cluster under the assumption that the IMF is fully populated. We show the success of this technique first using simulated clusters, and then with a stellar cluster in M31. This method represents one way of accounting for the discrete, stochastic sampling of the stellar IMF in less massive clusters and can be leveraged in studies of clusters throughout the Local Group and other nearby galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

DOES A ''STOCHASTIC'' BACKGROUND OF GRAVITATIONAL WAVES EXIST IN THE PULSAR TIMING BAND?

We investigate the effects of gravitational waves (GWs) from a simulated population of binary supermassive black holes (SMBHs) on pulsar timing array data sets. We construct a distribution describing the binary SMBH population from an existing semi-analytic galaxy formation model. Using realizations of the binary SMBH population generated from this distribution, we simulate pulsar timing data sets with GW-induced variations. We find that the statistics of these variations do not correspond to an isotropic, stochastic GW background. The ''Hellings and Downs'' correlations between simulated data sets for different pulsars are recovered on average, though the scatter of the correlation estimates is greater than expected for an isotropic, stochastic GW background. These results are attributable to the fact that just a few GW sources dominate the GW-induced variations in every Fourier frequency bin of a five-year data set. Current constraints on the amplitude of the GW signal from binary SMBHs will be biased. Individual binary systems are likely to be detectable in five-year pulsar timing array data sets where the noise is dominated by GW-induced variations. Searches for GWs in pulsar timing array data therefore need to account for the effects of individual sources of GWs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

STOCHASTIC ACCRETION AND THE VARIABILITY OF SUPERGIANT FAST X-RAY TRANSIENTS

In this paper, we consider the variability of the luminosity of a compact object (CO) powered by the accretion of an extremely inhomogeneous (clumpy) stream of matter. The accretion of a single clump results in an X-ray flare; we adopt a simple model for the response of the CO to its arrival, and derive a stochastic differential equation (SDE) for the accretion-powered luminosity L(t). We set the SDE in the equivalent form of an equation for the flare luminosity distribution (FLD) and discuss its solution in the stationary case. We apply our formalism to the analysis of the FLDs of supergiant fast X-ray transients (SFXTs), a peculiar sub-class of high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) systems. We compare our theoretical FLDs to the distributions observed in the SFXTs IGR J16479-4514, IGR J17544-2619, and XTE J1739-302. Despite its simplicity, our model agrees well with the observed distributions and allows us to predict some properties of the stellar wind. Finally, we discuss how our model may explain the difference between the broad FLDs of SFXTs and the much narrower FLDs of persistent HMXBs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

LIMITS ON THE STOCHASTIC GRAVITATIONAL WAVE BACKGROUND FROM THE NORTH AMERICAN NANOHERTZ OBSERVATORY FOR GRAVITATIONAL WAVES

We present an analysis of high-precision pulsar timing data taken as part of the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) project. We have observed 17 pulsars for a span of roughly five years using the Green Bank and Arecibo radio telescopes. We analyze these data using standard pulsar timing models, with the addition of time-variable dispersion measure and frequency-variable pulse shape terms. Sub-microsecond timing residuals are obtained in nearly all cases, and the best rms timing residuals in this set are {approx}30-50 ns. We present methods for analyzing post-fit timing residuals for the presence of a gravitational wave signal with a specified spectral shape. These optimally take into account the timing fluctuation power removed by the model fit, and can be applied to either data from a single pulsar, or to a set of pulsars to detect a correlated signal. We apply these methods to our data set to set an upper limit on the strength of the nHz-frequency stochastic supermassive black hole gravitational wave background of h{sub c} (1 yr{sup -1}) < 7 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -15} (95%). This result is dominated by the timing of the two best pulsars in the set, PSRs J1713+0747 and J1909-3744.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

THE CONTRIBUTION OF THERMALLY-PULSING ASYMPTOTIC GIANT BRANCH AND RED SUPERGIANT STARS TO THE LUMINOSITIES OF THE MAGELLANIC CLOUDS AT 1-24 {mu}m

We present the near-through mid-infrared flux contribution of thermally-pulsing asymptotic giant branch (TP-AGB) and massive red supergiant (RSG) stars to the luminosities of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC and SMC, respectively). Combined, the peak contribution from these cool evolved stars occurs at {approx}3-4 {mu}m, where they produce 32% of the SMC light, and 25% of the LMC flux. The TP-AGB star contribution also peaks at {approx}3-4 {mu}m and amounts to 21% in both galaxies. The contribution from RSG stars peaks at shorter wavelengths, 2.2 {mu}m, where they provide 11% of the SMC flux, and 7% for the LMC. Both TP-AGB and RSG stars are short lived, and thus potentially impose a large stochastic scatter on the near-IR derived mass-to-light (M/L) ratios of galaxies at rest-frame 1-4 {mu}m. To minimize their impact on stellar mass estimates, one can use the M/L ratio at shorter wavelengths (e.g., at 0.8-1 {mu}m). At longer wavelengths ({>=}8 {mu}m), emission from dust in the interstellar medium dominates the flux. In the LMC, which shows strong polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission at 8 {mu}m, TP-AGB and RSG contribute less than 4% of the 8 {mu}m flux. However, 19% of the SMC 8 {mu}m flux is from evolved stars, nearly half of which is produced by the rarest, dustiest, carbon-rich TP-AGB stars. Thus, star formation rates of galaxies, based on an 8 {mu}m flux (e.g., observed-frame 24 {mu}m at z = 2), may be biased modestly high, especially for galaxies with little PAH emission.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

FROM DUST TO PLANETESIMALS: AN IMPROVED MODEL FOR COLLISIONAL GROWTH IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS

Planet formation occurs within the gas- and dust-rich environments of protoplanetary disks. Observations of these objects show that the growth of primordial submicron-sized particles into larger aggregates occurs at the earliest evolutionary stages of the disks. However, theoretical models of particle growth that use the Smoluchowski equation to describe collisional coagulation and fragmentation have so far failed to produce large particles while maintaining a significant population of small grains. This has generally been attributed to the existence of two barriers impeding growth due to bouncing and fragmentation of colliding particles. In this paper, we demonstrate that the importance of these barriers has been artificially inflated through the use of simplified models that do not take into account the stochastic nature of the particle motions within the gas disk. We present a new approach in which the relative velocities between two particles are described by a probability distribution function that models both deterministic motion (from the vertical settling, radial drift, and azimuthal drift) and stochastic motion (from Brownian motion and turbulence). Taking both into account can give quite different results to what has been considered recently in other studies. We demonstrate the vital effect of two 'ingredients' for particle growth: the proper implementation of a velocity distribution function that overcomes the bouncing barrier and, in combination with mass transfer in high-mass-ratio collisions, boosts the growth of larger particles beyond the fragmentation barrier. A robust result of our simulations is the emergence of two particle populations (small and large), potentially explaining simultaneously a number of longstanding problems in protoplanetary disks, including planetesimal formation close to the central star, the presence of millimeter- to centimeter-sized particles far out in the disk, and the persistence of {mu}m-sized grains for millions of years.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

A NUMERICAL STUDY OF DIFFUSIVE COSMIC-RAY TRANSPORT WITH ADIABATIC FOCUSING

Focused particle transport in a nonuniform large-scale magnetic field is investigated numerically in the case of isotropic pitch-angle scattering. Evolving particle density profiles and distribution moments are computed from solutions of a system of stochastic differential equations, equivalent to the original Fokker-Planck equation for the particle distribution. Conflicting analytical predictions for the transport coefficients in the diffusion limit, independently calculated by Beeck and Wibberenz and Shalchi, are compared with the numerical results. The reasons for the discrepancies among the analytical and numerical treatments, as well as the general limitations of the diffusion model, are discussed. The telegraph equation, derived in a higher-order expansion of the particle distribution function, is shown to describe the particle transport much more accurately than the diffusion model, especially ahead of a moving density pulse.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

TIME SERIES MODELS OF THREE SETS OF RXTE OBSERVATIONS OF 4U 1543-47

The X-ray nova 4U 1543-47 was in a different physical state (low/hard, high/soft, and very high) during the acquisition of each of the three time series analyzed in this paper. Standard time series models of the autoregressive moving average (ARMA) family are fitted to these series. The low/hard data can be adequately modeled by a simple low-order model with fixed coefficients, once the slowly varying mean count rate has been accounted for. The high/soft series requires a higher order model, or an ARMA model with variable coefficients. The very high state is characterized by a succession of 'dips', with roughly equal depths. These seem to appear independently of one another. The underlying stochastic series can again be modeled by an ARMA form, or roughly as the sum of an ARMA series and white noise. The structuring of each model in terms of short-lived aperiodic and 'quasi-periodic' components is discussed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

THE QUASIPERIODIC AUTOMATED TRANSIT SEARCH ALGORITHM

We present a new algorithm for detecting transiting extrasolar planets in time-series photometry. The Quasiperiodic Automated Transit Search (QATS) algorithm relaxes the usual assumption of strictly periodic transits by permitting a variable, but bounded, interval between successive transits. We show that this method is capable of detecting transiting planets with significant transit timing variations without any loss of significance-{sup s}mearing{sup -}as would be incurred with traditional algorithms; however, this is at the cost of a slightly increased stochastic background. The approximate times of transit are standard products of the QATS search. Despite the increased flexibility, we show that QATS has a run-time complexity that is comparable to traditional search codes and is comparably easy to implement. QATS is applicable to data having a nearly uninterrupted, uniform cadence and is therefore well suited to the modern class of space-based transit searches (e.g., Kepler, CoRoT). Applications of QATS include transiting planets in dynamically active multi-planet systems and transiting planets in stellar binary systems.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

AN ASTEROID BELT INTERPRETATION FOR THE TIMING VARIATIONS OF THE MILLISECOND PULSAR B1937+21

Pulsar timing observations have revealed companions to neutron stars that include other neutron stars, white dwarfs, main-sequence stars, and planets. We demonstrate that the correlated and apparently stochastic residual times of arrival from the millisecond pulsar B1937+21 are consistent with the signature of an asteroid belt having a total mass {approx}< 0.05 M{sub Circled-Plus }. Unlike the solar system's asteroid belt, the best fit pulsar asteroid belt extends over a wide range of radii, consistent with the absence of any shepherding companions. We suggest that any pulsar that has undergone accretion-driven spin-up and subsequently evaporated its companion may harbor orbiting asteroid mass objects. The resulting timing variations may fundamentally limit the timing precision of some of the other millisecond pulsars. Observational tests of the asteroid belt model include identifying periodicities from individual asteroids, which are difficult; testing for statistical stationarity, which becomes possible when observations are conducted over a longer observing span; and searching for reflected radio emission.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

SWIFT X-RAY TELESCOPE TIMING OBSERVATIONS OF THE BLACK HOLE BINARY SWIFT J1753.5-0127: DISK-DILUTED FLUCTUATIONS IN THE OUTBURST PEAK

After a careful analysis of the instrumental effects on the Poisson noise to demonstrate the feasibility of detailed stochastic variability studies with the Swift X-Ray Telescope (XRT), we analyze the variability of the black hole X-ray binary SWIFT J1753.5-0127 in all XRT observations during 2005-2010. We present the evolution of the power spectral components along the outburst in two energy bands: soft (0.5-2 keV) and hard (2-10 keV), and in the hard band we find results consistent with those from the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). The advantage of the XRT is that we can also explore the soft band not covered by RXTE. The source has previously been suggested to host an accretion disk extending down to close to the black hole in the low hard state, and to show low-frequency variability in the soft-band intrinsic to this disk. Our results are consistent with this, with stronger low-frequency variability at low intensities in the soft than in the hard band. From our analysis, we are able to present the first measurements of the soft-band variability in the peak of the outburst. We find the soft band to be less variable than the hard band, especially at high frequencies, opposite to what is seen at low intensity. Both results can be explained within the framework of a simple two emission-region model where the hot flow is more variable in the peak of the outburst and the disk is more variable at low intensities.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗