Cosmic‐ray rejection for single spectroscopic CCD images by means of template matching

This article describes a novel algorithm for cosmic‐ray rejection in single spectroscopic CCD images. This algorithm is based on a variation of template matching. It focuses on identifying those pixels belong to spectra, while other conventional algorithms tried to locate the cosmic‐ray hits directly. The main principle is applying template matching to find suspicious blocks, which is followed by surface patching to locate the legitimate pixels accurately. Therefore, the rest pixels are the ones corrupted by cosmic‐ray hits. Meanwhile, almost all the parameters are automatically extracted from the images. Examples of its performance are given for both simulated and observed images. It shows an advantage of significantly low false alarm rate with relatively high detection rate (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Statistical algorithms for identification of astronomical X‐ray sources

Observations of present and future X‐ray telescopes include a large number of ipitous sources of unknown types. They are a rich source of knowledge about X‐ray dominated astronomical objects, their distribution, and their evolution. The large number of these sources does not permit their individual spectroscopical follow‐up and classification. Here we use Chandra Multi‐Wavelength public data to investigate a number of statistical algorithms for classification of X‐ray sources with optical imaging follow‐up. We show that up to statistical uncertainties, each class of X‐ray sources has specific photometric characteristics that can be used for its classification. We assess the relative and absolute performance of classification methods and measured features by comparing the behaviour of physical quantities for statistically classified objects with what is obtained from spectroscopy. We find that among methods we have studied, multi‐dimensional probability distribution is the best for both classifying source type and redshift, but it needs a sufficiently large input (learning) data set. In absence of such data, a mixture of various methods can give a better final result.We discuss some of potential applications of the statistical classification and the enhancement of information obtained in this way. We also assess the effect of classification methods and input data set on the astronomical conclusions such as distribution and properties of X‐ray selected sources. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

X‐ray luminosity functions of different morphological and X‐ray type AGN populations

Luminosity functions are one of the most important observational clues when studying galaxy evolution over cosmic time. In this paper we present the X‐ray luminosity functions for X‐ray detected AGN in the SXDS and GWS fields. The limiting fluxes of our samples are 9.0 ×10^–15 and 4.8 ×10^–16 erg cm^–2 s^–1 in the 0.5–7.0 keV band in the two fields, respectively. We carried out analysis in three X‐ray bands and in two redshift intervals up to z ≤ 1.4. Moreover, we derive the luminosity functions for different optical morphologies and X‐ray types. We confirm strong luminosity evolution in all three bands, finding the most luminous objects at higher redshift. However, no signs of density evolution are found in any tested X‐ray band. We obtain similar results for compact and early‐type objects. Finally, we observe the “Steffen effect”, where X‐ray type‐1 sources are more numerous at higher luminosities in comparison with type‐2 sources. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Using X‐ray observations to identify the particle acceleration mechanisms in VHE SNRs and “dark” VHE sources

Very high energy (VHE) γ‐ray observations have proven to be very successful in localizing Galactic acceleration sites of VHE particles. Observations of shell‐type supernova remnants have confirmed that particles are accelerated to VHE energies in supernova blast waves; the interpretation of the γ‐ray data in terms of hadronic or leptonic particle components in these objects relies nevertheless strongly on input from X‐ray observations. The largest identified Galactic VHE source class consists of pulsar wind nebulae, as detected in X‐rays. Many of the remaining VHE sources remain however unidentified until now. With X‐ray observations of these enigmatic “dark” objects one hopes to solve the following questions: What is the astrophysical nature of these sources? Are they predominantly electron or hadron accelerators? And what is their contribution to the overall cosmic ray energy budget? The paper aims to provide an overview over the identification status of the Galactic VHE source population. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Tracing low‐energy cosmic‐rays by charge exchange X‐ray emission

Hadronic cosmic rays of energies below about 100 MeV nucleon^–1 are thought to be an important component of the Galactic ecosystem. However, since these particles cannot be detected near Earth due to the solar modulation effect, their composition and flux in the interstellar medium are very uncertain. Atomic interactions of low‐energy cosmic rays with interstellar gas can produce a characteristic nonthermal X‐ray emission comprising very broad lines from de‐excitations in fast ions following charge exchange. We suggest that broad lines at ∼0.57 and ∼0.65 keV could be detected from a dark molecular cloud in the local interstellar medium. These lines would be produced by fast oxygen ions of kinetic energies around 1 MeV nucleon^–1 (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Galactic X‐ray source populations

The landscape of Galactic X‐ray sources made of accreting binaries, isolated objects and active stellar coronae has been significantly modified by the advent of the Chandra, XMM‐Newton and INTEGRAL satellites. New types of relatively low X‐ray luminosity X‐ray binaries have been unveiled in the Galactic disc, while deep observations of the central regions have revealed large numbers of X‐ray binaries of so far poorly constrained nature. Because of the high spatial resolution needed and faint X‐ray luminosities generally emitted, studying the dependency of the X‐ray source composition with parent stellar population, Galactic disc, bulge, nuclear bulge, etc., is only practicable in our Galaxy. The evolutionary links between low L_X X‐ray binaries and classical X‐ray luminous accreting systems are still open in many cases. In addition, the important question of the nature of the compact sources contributing to the Galactic ridge hard X‐ray emission remains unresolved. We review the most important results gathered by XMM‐Newton over the last years in this domain and show how future observations could be instrumental in addressing several of these issues. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Supersoft X‐ray sources

The workshop “Supersoft X‐ray Sources – New Developments” brought together observers and theoretician to discuss the present status and unsolved problems of supersoft source research. A large part of the workshop was devoted to optical novae and their supersoft state. Large samples of supersoft X‐ray sources were presented from nearby galaxies, as well as extensive monitoring campaigns ofbright individual sources. The theoretical modelling oflight curves and high‐resolution X‐ray spectra are well underway, but details are often not yet understood (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

27‐day variations of solar indices and cosmic ray neutron monitor intensities

Solar activity indices (coronal, chromospheric as well as photospheric) and cosmic ray neutron monitor rates (different cut‐off rigidity) have been used to study 27‐day variations in the years from 1957 to 2004. Daily data were employed for this purpose, analysed by the FFT and wavelet techniques. To work with a continuous data set for the cosmic rays (CR), the ‘Composite Cosmic Ray’ (CCR) set was first created from the observations carried out at different neutron monitor stations. The CCR frequency analysis shows significant 27‐day variations in the intensity of CR, with its amplitude's values very sensitive to the sign of the quantity qA. The most significant 27‐day variations of CR were found not to correlate with those of other solar indices. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Toward an unbiased sample of X‐ray selected normal galaxies outside the local Universe

This paper shows that our understanding of the statistical properties of X‐ray selected normal galaxies (e.g. X‐ray luminosity function) can be significantly improved by combining a wide‐area XMM‐Newton survey with the moderare resolution and high S/N optical spectroscopy of the SDSS. Such a combined dataset has the potential to minimise uncertainties that affect existing normal galaxy samples at X‐rays, such as small number statistics, cosmic variance, AGN contamination and incompleteness at bright X‐ray luminosities. It is demonstrated that a 100 deg² XMM‐Newton survey in the SDSS area to the limit f_X(0.5–2 keV) ≈ 5 × 10^–15 erg cm^–2 s^–1 will detect over 400 X‐ray selected normal galaxies with excellent control over systematic biases, thereby providing tight contraints on the X‐ray luminosity function at z ≈ 0.1. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The X‐ray source population of the Andromeda galaxy M 31

First studies of the X‐ray source population of M 31 were performed with the Einstein Observatory and ROSAT. High resolution Chandra Observatory images not only spatially resolved the center area but also supernova remnants (SNRs) in the galaxy. Source catalogues of restricted areas were presented with high astrometric accuracy. Also luminosity function studies and studies of individual sources based on Chandra and XMM‐Newton observations led to a better knowledge of the X‐ray source population. An XMM‐Newton source catalog based on archival observations revealed more than 850 sources down to a 0.2–4.5 keV luminosity of 10³⁵ erg s^–1. EPIC hardness ratios as well as informations from earlier X‐ray, optical, and radio catalogues were used to distinguish between different source classes (SNRs, supersoft sources (SSSs), X‐ray binaries (XRBs), globular cluster sources within M 31, and foreground stars and objects in the background). However, many sources could only be classified as “hard”. These sources may either be XRBs or Crab‐like SNRs in M 31 or background sources. Two of the globular cluster sources could be identified as low mass XRBs with a neutron star as compact object as they showed type I X‐ray bursts. Many of the SSSs were identified as optical novae. Inspired by these results an XMM‐Newton survey of the entire D₂₅ disk of M 31 and a dedicated program to monitor X‐ray counterparts of optical novae in M 31 was started. We discuss implications for further nearby galaxy studies. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Supersoft X‐ray sources and the progenitors of Type Ia supernovae

Supersoft X‐ray sources have been proposed as one of the major channels to produce Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). However, the true nature of the progenitors has remained an unsolved problem. In this review I summarize the present status of our understanding of SN Ia progenitors, the main classes of progenitor models and recent observational constraints. At present, neither the single‐degenerate nor the double‐degenerate model can be ruled out, and indeed more than one channel may be required to explain the observed SN Ia diversity. Finally, I discuss the origin of the lightcurve peak – lightcurve width relation (the ‘Phillips relation’) and show that it is expected to depend on metallicity; this needs to be taken into account in high‐precision cosmological applications (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A near‐infrared/optical/X‐ray survey in the centre of σ Orionis

Because of the intense brightness of the OB‐type multiple star system σ Ori, the low‐mass stellar and substellar populations close to the centre of the very young σ Orionis cluster is poorly know. I present an IJHK_s survey in the cluster centre, able to detect from the massive early‐type stars down to cluster members below the deuterium burning mass limit. The near‐infrared and optical data have been complemented with X‐ray imaging. Ten objects have been found for the first time to display high‐energy emission. Previously known stars with clear spectroscopic youth indicators and/or X‐ray emission define a clear sequence in the I vs. I – K_s diagram. I have found six new candidate cluster members that follow this sequence. One of them, in the magnitude interval of the brown dwarfs in the cluster, displays X‐ray emission and a very red J – K_s colour, indicative of a disc. Other three low‐mass stars have excesses in the K_s band as well. The frequency of X‐ray emitters in the area is 80±20 %. The spatial density of stars is very high, of up to 1.6±0.1 arcmin^–2. There is no indication of lower abundance of substellar objects in the cluster centre. Finally, I also report two cluster stars with X‐ray emission located at only 8000–11000 AU to σ Ori AB, two sources with peculiar colours and an object with X‐ray emission and near‐infrared magnitudes similar to those of previously‐known substellar objects in the cluster. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Status of the ROTSE‐III telescope network

ROTSE‐III is a homogeneous worldwide array of 4 robotic telescopes. They were designed to provide optical observations of γ ‐ray burst (GRB) afterglows as close as possible to the start of γ ‐ray emission. ROTSE‐III is fulfilling its potential for GRB science, and provides optical observations for a variety of astrophysical sources in the interim between GRB events. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Multi‐Messenger Cosmic Particles

A54 Cosmic Ray Acceleration in Galactic Wind Shocks A71 Detection of Ultra‐High Energy Cosmic Rays and Neutrinos with LOFAR A80 Status of the gravitational‐wave detector GEO600 A87 Recent Results and Future of the MAGIC gamma‐ray telescope A92 Cosmic ray detection with the radio technique A93 Cosmic Ray Physics with IceCube A94 The resonance‐like gamma‐ray absorption processes for use in astrophysics A97 Geometry reconstruction of air shower fluorescence detectors revisited A102 Supermassive Binary Black Holes & Radio Jets A108 Muonic Component of Air Showers Measured by KASCADE‐Grande A110 Towards new frontiers: observation of photons with energies above 10¹⁸ eV A112 The IceCube Neutrino Telescope A114 The ground‐based gamma‐ray observatory CTA A116 IceCube: Recent Results and Prospects A117 Particle Physics with AMANDA and IceCube A118 Altitude dependence of fluorescence light emission by extensive air showers A120 Neutrino‐induced cascades in AMANDA & IceCube A122 Enhancement Telescopes for the Pierre Auger Southern Observatory in Argentina A123 Proton spectra from relativistic shock environments in AGN and GRBs A124 The Baikal Neutrino Telescope – Physics Results A127 Searches for point‐like sources of cosmic neutrinos with IceCube A128 The MAGIC/IceCube Target of Opportunity Programtest run A131 Supernova detection with IceCube: from low to high energy neutrinos A132 Measurement of the UHECR energy spectrum from hybrid data of the Pierre Auger Observatory A133 Extension of IceCube at Lower Energy: the Use of AMANDA as Nested Array and the Future Prospectives A135 Searching for neutrinos with the Pierre Auger Observatory A138 Search for Transient Emission of Neutrinos in IceCube A140 Acoustic Neutrino Detection in Antarctic Ice A159 AMANDA limits on the diffuse muon‐neutrino flux: physics implications A164 Investigation of the Radio Emission of Cosmic Ray Air Showers with LOPES A168 The Northern Site of the Pierre Auger Observatory A170 Shower reconstruction and size spectra with KASCADE‐Grande data A171 Neutrinos from Gamma Ray Bursts: predictions and limits from AMANDA‐II data A172 Simulation study of shower profiles from ultra‐high energy cosmic rays A174 Upper limit to the photon fraction in cosmic rays above 10¹⁹ eV from the Pierre Auger Observatory A176 Astrophysics at MeV energies A180 Study of the Cosmic Ray Composition above 0.4 EeV using the Longitudinal Profiles of Showers observed at the Pierre Auger Observatory A185 Backgrounds for UHE horizontal neutrino showers A186 The Front‐End Cards of the Pierre Auger Surface Detectors: Test Results and Performance in the Field A187 Monte Carlo Studies for MAGIC‐II A194 Measuring the proton‐air cross section from logitudinal air shower profiles A195 The UHECR energy spectrummeasured at the Pierre Auger Observatory A203 Highlights of Observations of Galactic Sources with the MAGIC telescope A207 Adesign study for a 12.5 m ∅︁ Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescope for ground‐based γ ‐ray astronomy A210 The Future of Long‐Wavelengths Radio‐Astronomy in Germany: LOFAR and GLOW A211 Online Monitoring of the Pierre Auger Observatory A216 OPTIMA‐Burst – Catching GRB Afterglows (and other Transients) with High Time Resolution A227 JEM‐EUSO mission A232 Rapid Variations in AGN: Clues on Particle Accelerators A235 Systematic search forVHEgamma‐ray emission from X‐ray bright high‐frequency peaked BL Lac objects A237 Prospects for GeV Astronomy in the Era of GLAST A241 Improvements of the energy reconstruction for the MAGIC telescope by means of analysis and Monte Carlo techniques A265 Discovery of VHE γ ‐rays from BL Lacertae with the MAGIC telescope A266 Results of two observation cycles of LS I+61°303 with the MAGIC telescope A267 Wide Range Multifrequency Observations of Northern TeV Blazars A269 Diffusive and convective cosmic ray transport in elliptical galaxies     

Kolmogorov–Smirnov test as a tool to study the distribution of ultra-high energy cosmic ray sources

We analyse in detail the two-dimensional Kolmogorov–Smirnov test as a tool to learn about the distribution of the sources of the ultra-high energy cosmic rays. We confront, in particular, models based on active galactic nuclei observed in X-rays, galaxies observed in H  i and isotropic distributions, discussing how this method can be used not only to reject isotropy but also to support or reject specific source models, extending results obtained recently in the literature.     

基于暗物质粒子探测卫星的宇宙线直接探测研究

高能宇宙线的起源、加速和传播是重大的前沿科学问题,回答该问题需要对宇宙线的能谱、各向异性以及各类高能天体电磁辐射进行精确观测.通过空间粒子探测器对宇宙线各成分能谱的直接测量是研究宇宙线物理问题的重要手段.中国于2015年底发射并持续运行至今的暗物质粒子探测卫星以其大接受度、高能量分辨率等特点,在宇宙线直接探测方面取得了系列重要成果,揭示出质子、氦核、硼碳和硼氧比例等宇宙线能谱的新结构,为理解宇宙线起源等科学问题提供了新的依据.介绍了暗物质粒子探测卫星的仪器设置、运行状况、科学成果及其物理意义.     

Correcting second‐order contamination in low‐resolution spectra

An empirical method for correcting low‐resolution astronomical spectra for second‐order contamination is presented. The method was developed for correcting spectra obtained with grism#4 of the ALFOSC spectrograph at the Nordic Optical Telescope and the performance is demonstrated on spectra of two nearby bright Type Ia supernovae. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Statistical analysis for the Q‐factor of twin kHz QPOs

Using the recently published data of twin kHz quasi‐period oscillations (QPOs) in neutron stars of low‐mass X‐ray binaries (LMXBs), we study the different profiles between bright Z sources and less luminous Atoll sources. The quality factors of upper kHz QPOs show a narrow distribution both for Z sources and Atoll sources, which concentrate at 7.98 and 9.75, respectively. The quality factors of lower kHz QPOs show a narrow distribution for Z sources and a broader distribution for Atoll sources, which concentrate at 5.25 and 86.22, respectively. In order to investigate the relation between the quality factor and the peak frequency of kHz QPOs, we fit the data with power‐law, linear, and exponential functions, respectively. There is an obvious trend that the quality factors increase with the peak frequencies both for upper and lower QPOs. The implications of our results are discussed (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

On the angular distribution of IceCube high‐energy events

The detection of high‐energy astro‐physical neutrinos of extraterrestrial origin by the IceCube neutrino observatory in Antarctica has opened a unique window to the cosmos that may help to probe both the distant Universe and our cosmic backyard. The arrival directions of these high‐energy events have been interpreted as uniformly distributed on the celestial sphere. Here, we revisit the topic of the putative isotropic angular distribution of these events applying Monte Carlo techniques to investigate a possible anisotropy. A modest evidence for anisotropy is found. An excess of events appears projected towards a section of the Local Void, where the density of galaxies with radial velocities below 3000 km s^–1 is rather low, suggesting that this particular group of somewhat clustered sources are located either very close to the Milky Way or perhaps beyond 40 Mpc. The results of further analyses of the subsample of southern hemisphere events favour an origin at cosmological distances with the arrival directions of the events organized in a fractal‐like structure. Although a small fraction of closer sources is possible, remote hierarchical structures appear to be the main source of these very energetic neutrinos. Some of the events may have their origin at the IBEX ribbon. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)