强磁场中的逆Compton散射与γ射线爆能谱

本文认为强磁场中的逆Compton散射可能是γ射线爆的主要辐射机制.其能谱是由源区质子产生的低频光子经强磁场中非热电子的Compton散射形成的.我们利用非相对论情形(B/B_(cr)≤1,hv_i/m_ec~2≤1)下强磁场中的Compton散射微分截面,导出了上述Compton散射的辐射谱公式,由此很好地拟合了典型γ射线爆GB811016的观测能谱.     

Cyg X-3X光子场对γ射线的吸收效应

本文详细讨论了X射线双星Cyg X-3 的X光子场对γ射线的吸收效应.计算结果表明:当Cyg x-3 的X光子发射场处于高态时,从致密中子星附近发射的能量为10~2—10~4MeV的γ射线约有60％被其吸收,吸收过程产生的正负电子的逆Compton 散射会使出射能量10—70MeV的γ射线强度平均增加约50％.计算的γ射线能谱与实验观测结果基本相符.     

强磁场下逆康普顿散射的偏振特性

本文在Herold和我们前一工作的基础上,讨论了强磁场中不同情况(相对论情况和非相对论情况)下的逆Compton散射的偏振特性,并与无磁场情况进行了比较,得出一些有益的结果。在研究气体,尤其是具有强磁场天体的高能X射线和γ射线,甚至光学辐射机制时,这些偏振特性必须给予充分注意。     

BL Lac天体的γ射线和X射线辐射研究

收集了18个γ射线噪BL Lac天体的X射线流量密度和γ射线流量密度,以及X射线波段(1keV)和γ射线波段(＞100 MeV)的平均光谱指数,研究了它们之间的相关性.结果表明:1)X射线流量密度与γ射线流量密度在高态、低态和平均态均有较强的相关性.2)X射线波段和γ射线波段的平均光谱指数之间有较强的负相关性.3)X射线和γ射线波段的平均光谱指数与X射线和γ射线辐射流量密度在高态和平均态时均无显著的相关性.4)γ射线波段的平均光谱指数与X射线辐射流量密度的低态有较强的负相关性.X射线波段的平均光谱指数与γ射线波段的流量密度的低态之间也存在弱相关性.分析结果支持BL Lac天体的X射线和γ射线辐射可能来自同一相对论电子分布的同步辐射和同步自康普顿(SSC)辐射.     

γ射线暴X射线耀发的研究进展

γ射线暴是宇宙中恒星尺度的最剧烈爆发现象。γ射线暴瞬时辐射结束后,进入余辉辐射阶段。X射线耀发是γ射线暴X射线辐射衰减过程中出现的短时标闪耀现象。X射线耀发的脉冲轮廓具有不对称性,其上升时标小于下降时标。在部分γ射线暴中,X射线耀发的亮度达到瞬时辐射的亮度。X射线耀发的持续时间与峰值时间具有线性关系。X射线耀发的光谱比X射线余辉的光谱硬。早期X射线耀发与晚期X射线耀发相比,其脉冲轮廓较窄,光谱较硬。X射线耀发产生的物理过程类似于γ射线暴瞬时辐射的物理过程。在火球(fireball)模型中,内部壳层之间发生碰撞,产生的内激波加速电子,电子的同步辐射产生X射线耀发。当火球扫过星际介质,外激波加速电子时,电子的同步辐射也可产生X射线耀发。在光球(photospere)模型中,能量耗散发生在光学厚的区域,热辐射的光谱峰值落在X射线能段附近,γ射线暴的喷流在光球半径处会产生X射线耀发。如果射线暴喷流由坡印亭能流主导,喷流就会与星际介质相互作用,磁场的不稳定性使磁场发生耗散,产生的能量形成X射线耀发。γ射线暴的喷流具有几何效应。一部分同步辐射可能发生在喷流辐射面的高纬度处。由于曲率效应(curvature effect),各向异性辐射与各向同性辐射相比,X射线耀发的峰值出现较晚。此外,在γ射线暴发生后,黑洞会间歇性地吸积外部介质。在吸积过程中,黑洞周围的磁场会调节吸积的速率和喷流中的能量,这是出现多个X射线耀发的原因。     

双光子湮灭吸收截面和吸收系数

双光子湮灭造成的γ射线吸收是γ射线天文学辐射转移理论的一个重要内容。通过相对论变换，将目前QED理论给出的仅在动量中心参考系中表示的双光子湮灭截面推广到实验室系（观测者系），并用湮灭前两光子的能量hw,hw‘及夹角θ表示此截面，便于γ射线在天文学中的实际应用。进一步，在各向同性周边辐射场的一般前提下，求出方向平均的简化截面公式σ（w,w‘），得出方向平均的湮灭阈值条件和湮灭概率最大时两个光子能量的匹配条件。进一步确认在γ射线天文学中，双光子湮灭截面和γ光子－电子的康普顿散射截面确有可比性。最后完成了天体物理中几种常见低频辐射场如热韧致辐射场、黑体辐射场以及非热的幂律场中双光子湮灭吸收系数krr(hw)-hw的计算曲线，并给出较详细的物理讨论。     

天鹅座X-3 X光子对γ射线的吸收

通过处理天文卫星COS-B的数据,我们首次获得了Cygnus X-3的γ射线像,并且发现了150—5000 MeV高能γ辐射与2—12keV X辐射强度的负相关现象,即X射线高态时的γ辐射比低态时弱. γ-X负相关现象可以用吸积盘X射线冕区中密集的X射线光子对γ射线的吸收作用解释.     

γ射线暴的时变分析

γ射线暴是天空中突然的硬X射线/γ射线爆发现象,有着非常复杂的光变曲线。由于光变现象和辐射过程直接相关,因此,研究γ射线暴的时变规律是非常重要的。对γ射线暴的一些时变现象以及通过时变研究得出的分类、脉冲形状、功率谱、时间演化、光度等性质进行了总结,并对一些结果进行了讨论。     

太阳脉冲式硬X射线爆发的谱分析理论

本文对脉冲式硬X射线暴的X辐射谱提出新的理论分析方法。指出电子数密度能态函数必须遵循基本动力学方程。在一些典型的源函数情形下,求得了电子数密度的能谱解。它们可以用来作为脉冲式硬X射线暴X辐射谱分析的基础。文中也对这些能态函数作了初步讨论,有助于说明X辐射谱的软化现象。     

甚高能γ天文学简介

介绍了天体物理过程中的甚高能γ射线(TeV能段)的发射机制、探测方法和甚高能,γ射线天文学对于宇宙线和天体物理学研究的意义.还简要概述了国内外的甚高能,γ天文学探测实验以及所取得的物理成果.     

The Review of γ-ray Astronomical Observing Techniques

$\gamma$-ray is a unique probe for extreme events in the universe. Detecting the $\gamma$-ray provides an important opportunity to understand the composition of universe, the evolution of stars, the origin of cosmic rays, etc. $\gamma$-ray astronomy involves in various frontier scientific issues, and the observed energy spectrum spans over a wide range from a few hundreds of keV to a few hundreds of TeV. Different $\gamma$-ray telescopes are in need for different scientific goals and spectral bands. In this work, 5 kinds of space- and ground-based $\gamma$-ray observing techniques were summarized, including the Coded-aperture telescopes, Compton telescopes, Pair-production telescopes, Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes, and Extensive Air Shower Arrays. The progress in $\gamma$-ray astronomy in the past 70 years, motivated by the observation capability, was reviewed. Great achievements have been made in the high-energy domain and very-high-energy domain, while because of the limited missions conducted, as well as a lower sensitivity comparing with other domains, discoveries in low- and medium-energy are few, and due to the high observation difficulty, as well as the late start, relevant scientific yields in ultra- and extremely-high energy are limited. Moreover, the future planned missions and capabilities of the $\gamma$-ray telescopes and their possible scientific outputs were discussed. Among these missions, low- and medium-energy space telescopes e-ASTROGAM (enhanced-ASTROGAM), AMEGO (All-sky Medium Energy Gamma-ray Observatory), and very-high-energy ground-based arrays LHAASO (Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory) and CTA (Cherenkov Telescope Array) greatly improve sensitivity than their corresponding last generation, thus expect very likely to further expand our knowledge on the $\gamma$-universe.     

Absorption of gamma-rays by X-ray photons around an accretion binary source

Simulation calculations have been made to examine the modification effect of a hot X-ray photon field on a-ray spectrum by the photon-photon pair production and inverse Compton scattering processes. The Cyg X-3 system was used as a paradigm. It is shown that a-ray spectrum can change significantly when passing through the ambient keV X-ray photon field of an accretion binary source. For Cyg X-3, a significant amount of r-rays originated near the central source in the range of 10²-10⁴ MeV could be absorbed by the extended X-ray photons from accretion disk corona in a high X-ray luminosity state and, on the other hand, the inverse Compton effect of secondary electrons could cause a considerable increase in intensity of-rays between ~ 10 MeV and ~ 50 MeV. The relevance of the absorption effect for observations is discussed.     

Exact and numerical solutions of the kompaneets equation: Evolution of the spectrum and average frequencies

The evolution of the spectrum of isotropic uniform radiation in an infinite space filled with a homogeneous, nonrelativistic electron gas is calculated by solving the Kompaneets equation. For an infinitely narrow initial spectrum, the time dependence of the average frequency and frequency dispersion is determined in a linear approximation of the equation. Characteristic times corresponding to changes in the character of this dependence are introduced. Two schemes are proposed for the numerical solution of the nonlinear equation: a nonconservative scheme with a grid that is uniform in frequency and a conservative scheme with automatic selection of an adaptive grid in frequency and time. For the linear equation the method yields results consistent with calculations of its solutions in terms of an eigenfunction expansion of the Kompaneets operator calculated in [D. I. Nagirner and V. M. Loskutov, Astrofizika, 40, 97 (1977)]. The influence of nonlinearity on the evolution of the spectrum of initially monochromatic radiation of various intensities is traced as an example of the application of the method.     

Green’s function for the linear Kompaneets equation

Green’s function for the linear Kompaneets equation is calculated; it is expressed in terms of a Whittaker function W_2,iμ(Z) or a MacDonald function K_iμ(z) with a purely imaginary index. A method is proposed for calculating these functions. Langer’s asymptotic solution for large μ is refined in Cherry’s second approximation. With a series expansion for small values of the argument and the asymptotic form for large values, this approximation enables one to calculate Green’s function to five significant figures. Solutions of the Kompaneets equation will be used to estimate the accuracy of numerical methods and to calculate the evolution of the spectrum of a photon gas during Compton scattering, as well as the average frequencies and the dispersion of photon frequencies for different initial spectra. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 40, No. 1, pp. 97–116, January–March, 1997.     

Diffusion approximation in the theory of radiative transfer

The transfer process of hard X-ray radiation passing through a cold plasma is studied in this paper under the diffusion approximation. We call such a particular transfer process a down-Comptonization. A diffusion equation describing this process is derived and its potential applications in astrophysics and radiation physics are also pointed out.     

Probable spectral steepening of UHEγ-rays of nuclear origin and its consequences

Recent accelerator data based parameterization of the inclusive cross section (c −s) forπ0 production in hadronic collisions and an explicit incorporation of the finiteness of the relevant projectile hadron spectrum suggest a significant steepening in the spectrum (by as much as 0.4 in the spectral index) of the secondaryγ-ray towards the end of the spectrum. We emphasize here that this spectral steepening in conjunction with the possibility that in the bright X-ray binaries the maximum energy to which theγ-ray producing progenitor protons may be accelerated is only ∼ l0 PeV, may imply an effective efficiency forγ-ray production,ε, as reckoned by the PeV arrays, one or two orders smaller than the previous estimates. To explain the genesis of a given PeV photon flux from an X-ray binary, one, therefore, has to. accordingly consider a much higher value of the progenitor proton beam luminosity,L _p . This requirement may raise further questions regarding the actual genesis of PeVγ-rays in X-ray binaries, or alternatively, on the veracity of the high values of the PeV photon fluxes reported by earlier experiments.     

Non-thermal emission processes in massive binaries

In this paper, I present a general discussion of several astrophysical processes likely to play a role in the production of non-thermal emission in massive stars, with emphasis on massive binaries. Even though the discussion will start in the radio domain where the non-thermal emission was first detected, the census of physical processes involved in the non-thermal emission from massive stars shows that many spectral domains are concerned, from the radio to the very high energies. First, the theoretical aspects of the non-thermal emission from early-type stars will be addressed. The main topics that will be discussed are respectively the physics of individual stellar winds and their interaction in binary systems, the acceleration of relativistic electrons, the magnetic field of massive stars, and finally the non-thermal emission processes relevant to the case of massive stars. Second, this general qualitative discussion will be followed by a more quantitative one, devoted to the most probable scenario where non-thermal radio emitters are massive binaries. I will show how several stellar, wind and orbital parameters can be combined in order to make some semi-quantitative predictions on the high-energy counterpart to the non-thermal emission detected in the radio domain. These theoretical considerations will be followed by a census of results obtained so far, and related to this topic. These results concern the radio, the visible, the X-ray and the γ-ray domains. Prospects for the very high energy γ-ray emission from massive stars will also be addressed. Two particularly interesting examples—one O-type and one Wolf-Rayet binary—will be considered in details. Finally, strategies for future developments in this field will be discussed.     

Collective Spectra of Resonant Inverse Compton Scattering of Assembly of Relativistic Electrons in Intense Magnetic Fields*

The resonant inverse Compton scattering (RICS) of relativistic electrons in intense magnetic fields is an efficient mechanism for producing the highenergy γ-rays. In our previous work it is suggested that the early-stage γ-ray radiation of γ-ray bursts (GRBs) may be mainly produced by this mechanism. By using this mechanism, some puzzles in the study of GRBs can be clarified, e.g., the origin of the Amati relation obtained from the statistics of observations, the formation of the observed two-segment (broken) power-law spectra, the relevant “deadline problem”, the polarization property, etc. Herein our discussion will be focused on the formation of the broken power-law spectra. Based on the formula of the RICS spectral power of individual fast electrons, we have derived the simplified analytical formula of the collective RICS radiation spectrum (RICS spectral luminosity) produced by the assembly of relativistic electrons in an intense magnetic field when they pass through the ambient low-frequency radiation field, and applied it to several typical low-frequency radiation fields (e.g., the black-body radiation field, power-law radiation field and thermal bremsstrahlung field) around the central neutron star, for the convenience of comparison with the observed spectra. Our calculations indicate that the RICS radiation mechanism has a very high efficiency in the hard X-ray and γ-ray wavebands, if the matching condition (i.e., the condition approximate to resonance) is satisfied, and that independent of the ambient radiation field, the produced spectra are commonly the two-segment power-law spectra. Additionally, it is suggested that the RICS mechanism might be an ideal highly-efficient radiation mechanism for the high-energy emissions (hard X-rays and γ-rays) of the GRBs, soft γ-ray repeated bursts (SGRs) and γ-ray pulsars (GRPs).     

Gamma-ray probe of cosmic ray pressure in galaxy clusters and cosmological implications

Cosmic rays produced in cluster accretion and merger shocks provide pressure to the intracluster medium (ICM) and affect the mass estimates of galaxy clusters. Although direct evidence for cosmic ray ions in the ICM is still lacking, they produce γ-ray emission through the decay of neutral pions produced in their collisions with ICM nucleons. We investigate the capability of the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope ( GLAST ) and imaging atmospheric Čerenkov telescopes (IACTs) for constraining the cosmic ray pressure contribution to the ICM. We show that GLAST can be used to place stringent upper limits, a few per cent for individual nearby rich clusters, on the ratio of pressures of the cosmic rays and thermal gas. We further show that it is possible to place tight (≲10 per cent) constraints for distant  ( z ≲ 0.25)  clusters in the case of hard spectrum, by stacking signals from samples of known clusters. The GLAST limits could be made more precise with the constraint on the cosmic ray spectrum potentially provided by IACTs. Future γ-ray observations of clusters can constrain the evolution of cosmic ray energy density, which would have important implications for cosmological tests with upcoming X-ray and Sunyaev–Zel'dovich effect cluster surveys.