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CHAMP cosmic rays

In this work, we study interactions of cosmological relics, $X$, of mass $m$ and electric charge $qe$ in the galaxy, including thermalization with the interstellar medium, diffusion through inhomogeneous magnetic fields and Fermi acceleration by supernova shock waves. We find that for $m \mathop{}_{\textstyle \sim}^{\textstyle <} 10^{10} q \; ~{\rm GeV}$, there is a large flux of accelerated $X$ in the disk today, with a momentum distribution $\propto 1/p^{2.5}$ extending to $(\beta p)_{max} \sim 5 \times10^4 q \; ~{\rm GeV}$. Even though acceleration in supernova shocks is efficient, ejecting $X$ from the galaxy, $X$ are continually replenished by diffusion into the disk from the halo or confinement region. For $m \mathop{}_{\textstyle \sim}^{\textstyle >} 10^{10} q \; ~{\rm GeV}$, $X$ cannot be accelerated above the escape velocity within the lifetime of the shock. The accelerated $X$ form a component of cosmic rays that can easily reach underground detectors, as well as deposit energies above thresholds, enhancing signals in various experiments. Additionally, we find that nuclear/electron recoil experiments place very stringent bounds on $X$ at low $q$; for example, $X$ as dark matter is excluded for $q$ above $10^{-9}$ for any $m$. For larger $q$, stringent bounds on the fraction of dark matter that can be $X$ are set by Cherenkov and ionization detectors. Nevertheless, very small $q$ is highly motivated by the kinetic mixing portal, and we identify regions of $(m,q)$ that can be probed by future experiments.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Multi-tracer intensity mapping: cross-correlations, line noise & decorrelation

Line intensity mapping (LIM) is a rapidly emerging technique for constraining cosmology and galaxy formation using multi-frequency, low angular resolution maps. Many LIM applications crucially rely on cross-correlations of two line intensity maps, or of intensity maps with galaxy surveys or galaxy/CMB lensing. We present a consistent halo model to predict all these cross-correlations and enable joint analyses, in 3D redshift-space and for 2D projected maps. We extend the conditional luminosity function formalism to the multi-line case, to consistently account for correlated scatter between multiple galaxy line luminosities. This allows us to model the scale-dependent decorrelation between two line intensity maps, a key input for foreground rejection and for approaches that estimate auto-spectra from cross-spectra. This also enables LIM cross-correlations to reveal astrophysical properties of the interstellar medium inacessible with LIM auto-spectra. We expose the different sources of luminosity scatter or "line noise" in LIM, and clarify their effects on the 1-halo and galaxy shot noise terms. In particular, we show that the effective number density of halos can in some cases exceed that of galaxies, counterintuitively. Using observational and simulation input, we implement this halo model for the Hα, [Oiii], Lyman-α, CO and [Cii] lines. Here, we encourage observers and simulators to measure galaxy luminosity correlation coefficients for pairs of lines whenever possible. Our code is publicly available at https://github.com/EmmanuelSchaan/HaloGen/tree/LIM. In a companion paper, we use this halo model formalism and code to highlight the degeneracies between cosmology and astrophysics in LIM, and to compare the LIM observables to galaxy detection for a number of surveys.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Constraining the local pulsar population with the cosmic-ray positron fraction

Observations of the TeV halos associated with nearby pulsars indicate that these objects inject significant fluxes of very high-energy electron-positrons pairs into the interstellar medium (ISM), thereby likely providing the dominant contribution to the cosmic-ray positron flux. In this paper, we use the cosmic-ray positron fraction as measured by the AMS-02 Collaboration to constrain the characteristics of the local pulsar population. For reasonable model parameters, we find that we can obtain good agreement with the measured positron fraction up to energies of E e ~ 300 GeV. At higher energies, the positron fraction is dominated by a small number of pulsars, making it difficult to reliably predict the shape of the expected positron fraction. The low-energy positron spectrum supports the conclusion that pulsars typically transfer approximately η ~ 5–20% of their total spindown power into the production of very high-energy electron-positron pairs, producing a spectrum of such particles with a hard spectral index, α ~ 1.5–1.7. Such pulsars typically spindown on a timescale on the order of τ ~ 10 4 years. Our best fits were obtained for models in which the radio and gamma-ray beams from pulsars are detectable to 28% and 62% of surrounding observers, respectively.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Transient shocks beyond the heliopause

The heliopause is a rich, dynamic surface affected by the time-dependent solar wind. Stream interactions due to coronal mass ejections (CMEs), corotating interaction regions (CIRs), and other transient phenomena are known to merge producing global merged interaction regions (GMIRs). Numerical simulations of the solar wind interaction with the local interstellar medium (LISM) show that GMIRs, as well other time-dependent structures in the solar wind, may produce compression/rarefaction waves and shocks in the LISM behind the heliopause. These shocks may initiate wave activity observed by the Voyager spacecraft. The magnetometer onboard Voyager 1 indeed observed a few structures that may be interpreted as shocks. We present numerical simulations of such shocks in the year of 2000, when both Voyager spacecraft were in the supersonic solar wind region, and in 2012, when Voyager 1 observed traveling shocks. In the former case, Voyager observations themselves provide time- dependent boundary conditions in the solar wind. In the latter case, we use OMNI data at 1 AU to analyze the plasma and magnetic field behavior after Voyager 1 crossed the heliospheric boundary. Numerical results are compared with spacecraft observations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The Heliotail: Theory and Modeling

Physical processes are discussed related to the heliotail which is formed when the solar wind interacts with the local interstellar medium. Although astrotails are commonly observed, the heliotail observations are only indirect. As a consequence, the direct comparison of the observed astrophysical objects and the Sun is impossible. This requires proper theoretical understanding of the heliotail formation and evolution, and numerical simulations in sufficiently large computational boxes. In this paper, we review some previous results related to the heliotail flow and show new simulations which demonstrate that the solar wind collimation inside the Parker spiral field lines diverted by the heliopause toward the heliotail is unrealistic. On the contrary, solar cycle effects ensure that the solar wind density reaches its largest values near the solar equatorial plane. We also argue that a realistic heliotail should be very long to account for the observed anisotropy of 1-10 TeV cosmic rays.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

EVIDENCE FOR A WEAK WIND FROM THE YOUNG SUN

The early history of the solar wind has remained largely a mystery due to the difficulty of detecting winds around young stars that can serve as analogs for the young Sun. Here we report on the detection of a wind from the 500 Myr old solar analog π{sup 1} UMa (G1.5 V), using spectroscopic observations from the Hubble Space Telescope. We detect H I Lyα absorption from the interaction region between the stellar wind and interstellar medium, i.e., the stellar astrosphere. With the assistance of hydrodynamic models of the π{sup 1} UMa astrosphere, we infer a wind only half as strong as the solar wind for this star. This suggests that the Sun and solar-like stars do not have particularly strong coronal winds in their youth.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

ADVECTIVE TRANSPORT OF INTERSTELLAR PLASMA INTO THE HELIOSPHERE ACROSS THE RECONNECTING HELIOPAUSE

We discuss results of magnetohydrodynamical model simulations of plasma dynamics in the proximity of the heliopause (HP). The model is shown to fit details of the magnetic field variations observed by the Voyager 1 spacecraft during the transition from the heliosphere to the local interstellar medium (LISM). We propose an interpretation of magnetic field structures observed by Voyager 1 in terms of fine-scale physical processes. Our simulations reveal an effective transport mechanism of relatively dense LISM plasma across the reconnecting HP into the heliosphere. The mechanism is associated with annihilation of magnetic sectors in the heliospheric plasma near the HP.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A LINK BETWEEN X-RAY EMISSION LINES AND RADIO JETS IN 4U 1630-47?

Recently, Díaz Trigo et al. reported an XMM-Newton detection of relativistically Doppler-shifted emission lines associated with steep-spectrum radio emission in the stellar-mass black hole candidate 4U 1630-47 during its 2012 outburst. They interpreted these lines as indicative of a baryonic jet launched by the accretion disk. Here we present a search for the same lines earlier in the same outburst using high-resolution X-ray spectra from the Chandra HETGS. While our observations (eight months prior to the XMM-Newton campaign) also coincide with detections of steep spectrum radio emission by the Australia Telescope Compact Array, we find no evidence for any relativistic X-ray emission lines. Indeed, despite ∼5 × brighter radio emission, our Chandra spectra allow us to place an upper limit on the flux in the blueshifted Fe XXVI line that is ≳ 20 × weaker than the line observed by Díaz Trigo et al. We explore several scenarios that could explain our differing results, including variations in the geometry of the jet or a mass-loading process or jet baryon content that evolves with the accretion state of the black hole. We also consider the possibility that the radio emission arises in an interaction between a jet and the nearby interstellar medium, in which case the X-ray emission lines might be unrelated to the radio emission.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DETECTABILITY OF GLYCINE IN SOLAR-TYPE SYSTEM PRECURSORS

Glycine (NH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}COOH) is the simplest amino acid relevant to life. Its detection in the interstellar medium is key to understanding the formation mechanisms of pre-biotic molecules and their subsequent delivery onto planetary systems. Glycine has been extensively searched for toward hot molecular cores, although these studies did not yield any firm detection. In contrast to hot cores, low-mass star forming regions, in particular their earliest stages represented by cold pre-stellar cores, may be better suited for the detection of glycine as well as more relevant to the study of pre-biotic chemistry in young solar system analogs. We present one-dimensional spherically symmetric radiative transfer calculations of the glycine emission expected to arise from the low-mass pre-stellar core L1544. Water vapor has recently been reported toward this core, indicating that a small fraction of the grain mantles in L1544 (∼0.5%) has been injected into the gas phase. Assuming that glycine is photo-desorbed together with water in L1544, and considering a solid abundance of glycine on ices of ∼10{sup –4} with respect to water, our calculations reveal that several glycine lines between 67 GHz and 80 GHz have peak intensities larger than 10 mK. These results show for the first time that glycine could reach detectable levels in cold objects such as L1544. This opens up the possibility of detecting glycine, and other pre-biotic species, at the coldest and earliest stages in the formation of solar-type systems with near-future instrumentation such as the Band 2 receivers of ALMA.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

EXTENDED [C II] EMISSION IN LOCAL LUMINOUS INFRARED GALAXIES

We present Herschel/PACS observations of extended [C II] 157.7 μm line emission detected on ∼1-10 kpc scales in 60 local luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) from the Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey. We find that most of the extra-nuclear emission show [C II]/FIR ratios ≥4 × 10{sup –3}, larger than the mean ratio seen in the nuclei, and similar to those found in the extended disks of normal star-forming galaxies and the diffuse interstellar medium of our Galaxy. The [C II] ''deficits'' found in the most luminous local LIRGs are therefore restricted to their nuclei. There is a trend for LIRGs with warmer nuclei to show larger differences between their nuclear and extra-nuclear [C II]/FIR ratios. We find an anti-correlation between [C II]/FIR and the luminosity surface density, Σ{sub IR}, for the extended emission in the spatially resolved galaxies. However, there is an offset between this trend and that found for the LIRG nuclei. We use this offset to derive a beam filling-factor for the star-forming regions within the LIRG disks of ∼6% relative to their nuclei. We confront the observed trend to photo-dissociation region models and find that the slope of the correlation is much shallower than the model predictions. Finally, we compare the correlation found between [C II]/FIR and Σ{sub IR} with measurements of high-redshift starbursting IR-luminous galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

AN ATMOSPHERIC STRUCTURE EQUATION FOR GRAIN GROWTH

We present a method to include the evolution of the grain size and grain opacity κ{sub gr} in the equations describing the structure of protoplanetary atmospheres. The key assumption of this method is that a single grain size dominates the grain size distribution at any height r. In addition to following grain growth, the method accounts for mass deposition by planetesimals and grain porosity. We illustrate this method by computation of a simplified atmosphere structure model. In agreement with previous works, grain coagulation is seen to be very efficient. The opacity drops to values much below the often-used ''interstellar medium opacities'' (∼1 cm{sup 2} g{sup –1}) and the atmosphere structure profiles for temperature and density resemble that of the grain-free case. Deposition of planetesimals in the radiative part of the atmosphere hardly influences this outcome as the added surface is quickly coagulated away. We observe a modest dependence on the internal structure (porosity), but show that filling factors cannot become too large because of compression by gas drag.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

THE MILKY WAY AS A HIGH-REDSHIFT GALAXY: THE IMPORTANCE OF THICK DISK FORMATION IN GALAXIES

We compare the star formation history and dynamics of the Milky Way (MW) with the properties of distant disk galaxies. During the first ∼4 Gyr of its evolution, the MW formed stars with a high star formation intensity (SFI), Σ{sub SFR} ≈ 0.6 M {sub ☉} yr{sup –1} kpc{sup –2} and as a result, generated outflows and high turbulence in its interstellar medium (ISM). This intense phase of star formation corresponds to the formation of the thick disk. The formation of the thick disk is a crucial phase that enables the MW to have formed approximately half of its total stellar mass by z ∼ 1 which is similar to ''MW progenitor galaxies'' selected by abundance matching. This agreement suggests that the formation of the thick disk may be a generic evolutionary phase in disk galaxies. Using a simple energy injection-kinetic energy relationship between the one-dimensional velocity dispersion and SFI, we can reproduce the average perpendicular dispersion in stellar velocities of the MW with age. This relationship, its inferred evolution, and required efficiency are consistent with observations of galaxies from z ≈ 0-3. The high turbulence generated by intense star formation naturally resulted in a thick disk, a chemically well-mixed ISM, and is the mechanism that links the evolution of MW to the observed characteristics of distant disk galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

THE DEARTH OF NEUTRAL HYDROGEN IN GALACTIC DWARF SPHEROIDAL GALAXIES

We present new upper limits on the neutral hydrogen (H I) content within the stellar half-light ellipses of 15 Galactic dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs), derived from pointed observations with the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) as well as Arecibo L-band Fast ALFA survey and Galactic All-Sky Survey data. All of the limits M{sub H} {sub I}{sup lim} are more stringent than previously reported values, and those from the GBT improve upon constraints in the literature by a median factor of 23. Normalizing by V-band luminosity L{sub V} and dynamical mass M {sub dyn}, we find M{sub H} {sub I}{sup lim}/L{sub V}∼10{sup −3} M{sub ⊙}/L{sub ⊙} and M{sub H} {sub I}{sup lim}/M{sub dyn}∼5×10{sup −5}, irrespective of location in the Galactic halo. Comparing these relative H I contents to those of the Local Group and nearby neighbor dwarfs compiled by McConnachie, we find that the Galactic dSphs are extremely gas-poor. Our H I upper limits therefore provide the clearest picture yet of the environmental dependence of the H I content in Local Volume dwarfs. If ram pressure stripping explains the dearth of H I in these systems, then orbits in a relatively massive Milky Way are favored for the outer halo dSph Leo I, while Leo II and Canes Venatici I have had a pericentric passage in the past. For Draco and Ursa Minor, the interstellar medium mass that should accumulate through stellar mass loss in between pericentric passages exceeds M{sub H} {sub I}{sup lim} by a factor of ∼30. In Ursa Minor, this implies that either this material is not in the atomic phase, or that another mechanism clears the recycled gas on shorter timescales.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DISCOVERY OF CARBON RADIO RECOMBINATION LINES IN M82

Carbon radio recombination lines (RRLs) at low frequencies (≲ 500 MHz) trace the cold, diffuse phase of the interstellar medium, which is otherwise difficult to observe. We present the detection of carbon RRLs in absorption in M82 with the Low Frequency Array in the frequency range of 48-64 MHz. This is the first extragalactic detection of RRLs from a species other than hydrogen, and below 1 GHz. Since the carbon RRLs are not detected individually, we cross-correlated the observed spectrum with a template spectrum of carbon RRLs to determine a radial velocity of 219 km s{sup –1}. Using this radial velocity, we stack 22 carbon-α transitions from quantum levels n = 468-508 to achieve an 8.5σ detection. The absorption line profile exhibits a narrow feature with peak optical depth of 3 × 10{sup –3} and FWHM of 31 km s{sup –1}. Closer inspection suggests that the narrow feature is superimposed on a broad, shallow component. The total line profile appears to be correlated with the 21 cm H I line profile reconstructed from H I absorption in the direction of supernova remnants in the nucleus. The narrow width and centroid velocity of the feature suggests that it is associated with the nuclear starburst region. It is therefore likely that the carbon RRLs are associated with cold atomic gas in the direction of the nucleus of M82.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

AROUND THE RING WE GO: THE COLD, DENSE RING OF MOLECULAR GAS IN NGC 1614

We present high-resolution archival Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) {sup 12}CO J = 3-2 and J = 6-5 and HCO{sup +} J = 4-3 observations and new CARMA {sup 12}CO and {sup 13}CO J = 1-0 observations of the luminous infrared galaxy NGC 1614. The high-resolution maps show the previously identified ring-like structure while the {sup 12}CO J = 3-2 map shows extended emission that traces the extended dusty features. We combined these new observations with previously published Submillimeter Array {sup 12}CO and {sup 13}CO J = 2-1 observations to constrain the physical conditions of the molecular gas at a resolution of 230 pc using a radiative transfer code and a Bayesian likelihood analysis. At several positions around the central ring-like structure, the molecular gas is cold (20-40 K) and dense (>10{sup 3.0} cm{sup –3}). The only region that shows evidence of a second molecular gas component is the ''hole'' in the ring. The {sup 12}CO-to-{sup 13}CO abundance ratio is found to be greater than 130, more than twice the local interstellar medium value. We also measure the CO-to-H{sub 2} conversion factor, α{sub CO}, to range from 0.9 to 1.5 M {sub ☉} (K km s{sup –1} pc{sup 2}){sup –1}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

COSMOLOGICAL SIMULATIONS OF GALAXY FORMATION WITH COSMIC RAYS

We investigate the dynamical impact of cosmic rays (CR) in cosmological simulations of galaxy formation using adaptive-mesh refinement simulations of a 10{sup 12} M {sub ☉} halo. In agreement with previous work, a run with only our standard thermal energy feedback model results in a massive spheroid and unrealistically peaked rotation curves. However, the addition of a simple two-fluid model for CRs drastically changes the morphology of the forming disk. We include an isotropic diffusive term and a source term tied to star formation due to (unresolved) supernova-driven shocks. Over a wide range of diffusion coefficients, the CRs generate thin, extended disks with a significantly more realistic (although still not flat) rotation curve. We find that the diffusion of CRs is key to this process, as they escape dense star-forming clumps and drive outflows within the more diffuse interstellar medium.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

THE TURBULENT DYNAMO IN HIGHLY COMPRESSIBLE SUPERSONIC PLASMAS

The turbulent dynamo may explain the origin of cosmic magnetism. While the exponential amplification of magnetic fields has been studied for incompressible gases, little is known about dynamo action in highly compressible, supersonic plasmas, such as the interstellar medium of galaxies and the early universe. Here we perform the first quantitative comparison of theoretical models of the dynamo growth rate and saturation level with three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamical simulations of supersonic turbulence with grid resolutions of up to 1024{sup 3} cells. We obtain numerical convergence and find that dynamo action occurs for both low and high magnetic Prandtl numbers Pm = ν/η = 0.1-10 (the ratio of viscous to magnetic dissipation), which had so far only been seen for Pm ≥ 1 in supersonic turbulence. We measure the critical magnetic Reynolds number, Rm{sub crit}=129{sub −31}{sup +43}, showing that the compressible dynamo is almost as efficient as in incompressible gas. Considering the physical conditions of the present and early universe, we conclude that magnetic fields need to be taken into account during structure formation from the early to the present cosmic ages, because they suppress gas fragmentation and drive powerful jets and outflows, both greatly affecting the initial mass function of stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

LABORATORY FORMATION OF FULLERENES FROM PAHS: TOP-DOWN INTERSTELLAR CHEMISTRY

Interstellar molecules are thought to build up in the shielded environment of molecular clouds or in the envelope of evolved stars. This follows many sequential reaction steps of atoms and simple molecules in the gas phase and/or on (icy) grain surfaces. However, these chemical routes are highly inefficient for larger species in the tenuous environment of space as many steps are involved and, indeed, models fail to explain the observed high abundances. This is definitely the case for the C{sub 60} fullerene, recently identified as one of the most complex molecules in the interstellar medium. Observations have shown that, in some photodissociation regions, its abundance increases close to strong UV-sources. In this Letter we report laboratory findings in which C{sub 60} formation can be explained by characterizing the photochemical evolution of large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Sequential H losses lead to fully dehydrogenated PAHs and subsequent losses of C{sub 2} units convert graphene into cages. Our results present for the first time experimental evidence that PAHs in excess of 60 C-atoms efficiently photo-isomerize to buckminsterfullerene, C{sub 60}. These laboratory studies also attest to the importance of top-down synthesis routes for chemical complexity in space.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗