The Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect in the millimetric region

We analyse the spectral shape and possible spurious distortions of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect, arising from the interaction of the cosmic background radiation with hot gases of rich clusters, in the millimetric region. We show that one can measure this effect with high accuracy with present-day infrared detectors, obtaining a larger amount of information than by using radio systems. In particular, one can accurately measure the temperature of the cosmic background radiation without the usual absolute calibration of the detector.     

Large-Scale Motions in Superclusters: Their Imprint in the Cosmic Microwave Background

We study the spectral distortions of the cosmic microwave background radiation induced by the effect in clusters of galaxies when the target electrons have a modified Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution with a high-energy nonthermal tail. Bremsstrahlung radiation from this type of electron distribution may explain the suprathermal X-ray emission observed in some clusters such as the Coma Cluster and A2199 and serve as an alternative to the classical but problematic inverse Compton scattering interpretation. We show that the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect can be used as a powerful tool to probe the electron distribution in clusters of galaxies and discriminate among these different interpretations of the X-ray excess. The existence of a nonthermal tail can have important consequences for cluster-based estimators of cosmological parameters.     

Is the diffuse gamma background radiation generated by Galactic cosmic rays?

We explore the possibility that the diffuse gamma-ray background radiation (GBR) at high Galactic latitudes could be dominated by inverse Compton scattering of cosmic ray (CR) electrons on the cosmic microwave background radiation and on starlight from our own galaxy. Assuming that the mechanisms accelerating Galactic CR hadrons and electrons are the same, we derive simple and successful relations between the spectral indices of the GBR above a few MeV and the CR electrons and CR nuclei above a few GeV. We reproduce the observed intensity and angular dependence of the GBR, in directions away from the Galactic disc and centre, without recourse to hypothetical extragalactic sources.     

太阳圆面活动体光谱分析方法的比较

在研究暗条、耀斑等日面活动体的光谱时，观测谱线上都叠加上一定强度的背景光影响。如何消去这种影响对分析结果影响较大。目前，经典的方法有两大类：第一类是减法消去法，这种方法广泛为国内学者采用；第二类方法是除法消去法，即国外学者提出的（微）方模型方法。本文通过误差传递方法，比较了上述二大类方法，结果发现，所有方法的误差传递形式都是一样的，但（微）方模型的背景光误差可能要小些，至少从理论上讲要处理得合理些，因此（微）方模型要优越些。然而，从根本上讲，可以说，到目前为止，太阳圆面背景光处理问题还没有彻底解决。这方面的工作有待进一步探索。     

Thermal synchrotron radiation and its Comptonization in compact X-ray sources

We investigate the process of synchrotron radiation from thermal electrons at semirelativistic and relativistic temperatures. We find an analytic expression for the emission coefficient for random magnetic fields with an accuracy significantly higher than those derived previously. We also present analytic approximations to the synchrotron turnover frequency, treat Comptonization of self-absorbed synchrotron radiation, and give simple expressions for the spectral shape and the emitted power. We also consider modifications of the above results by bremsstrahlung.
We then study the importance of Comptonization of thermal synchrotron radiation in compact X-ray sources. We first consider emission from hot accretion flows and active coronae above optically thick accretion discs in black hole binaries and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We find that for plausible values of the magnetic field strength, this radiative process is negligible in luminous sources, except for those with hardest X-ray spectra and stellar masses. Increasing the black hole mass results in a further reduction of the maximum Eddington ratio from this process. Then, X-ray spectra of intermediate-luminosity sources, e.g. low-luminosity AGNs, can be explained by synchrotron Comptonization only if they come from hot accretion flows, and X-ray spectra of very weak sources are always dominated by bremsstrahlung. On the other hand, synchrotron Comptonization can account for power-law X-ray spectra observed in the low states of sources around weakly magnetized neutron stars.     

Instability of Electrons Trapped by the Coronal Magnetic Field and Its Evidence in the Fine Structure (Zebra Pattern) of Solar Radio Spectra

Solar radio emission is a significant source of information regarding coronal plasma parameters and the processes occurring in the solar atmosphere. High resolution frequency, space, and time observations together with the developed theory make it possible to retrieve physical conditions in the radiation source and recognize the radiation mechanisms responsible for various kinds of solar radio emission. In particular, the high brightness temperature of many bursts testifies to coherent radiation mechanisms, that is, to plasma instabilities in the corona. As an example, the fine structure of solar radio spectra looking like a set of quasi-harmonic stripes of enhanced and lowered radiation, which is observed against the type IV continuum at the post-flare phase of activity, is considered. It is shown that such emission arises from a trap-like source filled with a weakly anisotropic equilibrium plasma and a small addition of electrons which have a shortage of small velocities perpendicular to the magnetic field. For many recorded events with the mentioned fine spectral structure the instability processes responsible for the observed features are recognized. Namely, the background type IV continuum is due to the loss-cone instability of hot non-equilibrium electrons, and the enhanced striped radiation results from the double-plasma-resonance effect in the regions where the plasma frequency f _p coincides with the harmonics of electron gyrofrequency f _B ; f _p=sf _B . Estimations of the electron number density and magnetic field in the coronal magnetic traps, as well as the electron number density and velocities of hot electrons necessary to excite the radiation with the observed fine structure, are given. It is also shown that in some cases several ensembles of non-equilibrium electrons can coexist in magnetic traps during solar flares and that its radio signature sensitively depends on the parameters of the distribution functions of the various ensembles.     

Determining the Physical Parameters of the System V1413 Aql in Its Quiescent and Active States in 20122017

We present the results of our spectroscopic observations for the classical symbiotic star V1413 Aql in 20122017. In this period the system was in both active and rare (for it) quiescent states. In 2012 the optical spectrum was dominated by the radiation from the erupted hot component of spectral type F47 III. In 2017 the system passed to a quiescent state that lasted at least three months. In this period lines of ions with high ionization potentials, such as He II 4686 Å and CIV 5802 Å, appeared in the spectrum. The temperature and luminosity of the hot component in this period were $$T_{\textrm{hot}}\approx 90\,000$$ K and $$L_{\textrm{hot}}\approx 1800L_{\odot}$$. We show that the quiescent state in 2017 differs little in its time and energy characteristics from the previous active state observed in 1993.     

Nature of the background ultraviolet radiation field at high redshifts

We have tried to determine the flux of the ultraviolet background radiation field from the column density ratios of various ions in several absorption systems observed in the spectra of QSOs. We find that in most cases the flux is considerably higher than what has been estimated to be contributed by the AGNs. The excess flux could originate locally in hot stars. In a few cases we have been able to show that such galactic flux can only contribute a part of the total required flux. The results suggest that the background gets a significant contribution from an unseen QSO population.     

GeV gamma-ray attenuation and the high-redshift UV background

We present new calculations of the evolving UV background out to the epoch of cosmological reionization and make predictions for the amount of GeV gamma-ray attenuation by electron–positron pair production. Our results are based on recent semi-analytic models of galaxy formation, which provide predictions of the dust-extinguished UV radiation field due to starlight, and empirical estimates of the contribution due to quasars. We account for the reprocessing of ionizing photons by the intergalactic medium. We test whether our models can reproduce estimates of the ionizing background at high redshift from flux decrement analysis and proximity effect measurements from quasar spectra, and identify a range of models that can satisfy these constraints. Pair production against soft diffuse photons leads to a spectral cut-off feature for gamma rays observed between 10 and 100 GeV. This cut-off varies with redshift and the assumed star formation and quasar evolution models. We find only negligible amounts of absorption for gamma rays observed below 10 GeV for any emission redshift. With observations of high-redshift sources in sufficient numbers by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and new ground-based instruments, it should be possible to constrain the extragalactic background light in the UV and optical portion of the spectrum.     

A study of giant radio galaxies at RATAN-600

We report the results of flux density measurements in the extended components of thirteen giant radio galaxies, made with the RATAN-600 in the centimeter range. Supplementing them with the WENSS, NVSS and GB6 survey data we constructed the spectra of the studied galaxy components. We computed the spectral indices in the studied frequency range and demonstrate the need for a detailed account of the integral contribution of such objects into the background radiation.     

Microwave background radiation related evidence in favour of the standard model

The discovery of the 3K microwave background radiation (MBR) and its interpretation as a relict of the hot big bang was probably the most important observation that led to the elevation of the hot big bang model to the status of a ‘Standard Model’. The temperature of this background is consistent with the primordial nucleosynthesis hypothesis. Detailed measurements of the spectrum and angular anisotropy of this radiation background have been found — within the measurement errors - to be consistent with the expectations of the Standard Model and with the formation of structure from the gravitational growth of primordial seed density perturbations within this framework.     

The photoionization effect of the ultraviolet background on the colour–magnitude relation of elliptical galaxies

We have examined the effects of the ultraviolet background radiation (UVB) on the colour–magnitude relation (CMR) of elliptical galaxies in clusters of galaxies in the hierarchical clustering scenario by using a semi-analytic model of galaxy formation. In our model the UVB photoionizes gas in dark haloes and suppresses the cooling of the diffuse hot gas on to galaxy discs. By using a semi-analytic model without the effect of the UVB, Kauffmann & Charlot found that the CMR can be reproduced by strong supernova heating because such supernova feedback suppresses the chemical enrichment in galaxies, especially for small galaxies. We find that the CMR also becomes bluer because of the UVB, in a different way from the effect of supernova feedback. While supernova feedback suppresses the chemical enrichment by a similar mechanism to galactic winds, the UVB suppresses the cooling of the hot gas. This induces suppression of the metallicity of the intracluster medium (ICM). In our model we find that the existence of the UVB can plausibly account for an observed ICM metallicity that is equal to nearly 0.3 times the solar value, and that in this case we can reproduce the CMR and the metallicity of the ICM simultaneously.     

Spectral properties of the accretion discs around rotating black holes

We study the radiation properties of an accretion disc around a rotating black hole. We solve the hydrodynamic equations and calculate the transonic solutions of accretion disc in the presence of shocks. Then we use these solutions to generate the radiation spectrum in the presence of radiative heating and cooling processes. We present the effect of spin parameter of the black hole on the emitted radiation spectrum. In addition, attention has also been paid to the variation in energy spectral index with Kerr parameter and accretion rate. We find that spectral index becomes harder as the spin parameter changes from negative (accretion disc is counter-rotating with respect to the black hole spin) to a positive value. Finally, we compute and compare the spectral characteristics due to a free-fall flow and a transonic flow. We notice significant differences in high energy contributions from these two solutions.     

Formation mechanisms of “Negative”-intensity spots in the cosmic microwave background radiation and distant objects

We consider the formation mechanisms of “negative”-intensity spots in the radio band for various astrophysical conditions. For wavelengths λ<1.5 mm, the regions of reduced temperature (relative to the cosmic microwave background radiation, CMBR) are shown to be produced only by high-redshift objects moving at peculiar velocities. The main processes are CMBR Thomson scattering and bremsstrahlung. We show that the effect δT/T can be ～10^?5 in magnitude. We derive simple analytic expressions, which allow the redshifts, electron densities, and linear sizes of these regions to be estimated from observed spectral and spatial parameters. Additional observational methods for refining these parameters are outlined.     

A model of the cosmic infrared background produced by distant galaxies

The extragalactic background radiation produced by distant galaxies emitting in the far infrared limits the sensitivity of telescopes operating in this range due to confusion. We have constructed a model of the infrared background based on numerical simulations of the large-scale structure of the Universe and the evolution of dark matter halos. The predictions of this model agree well with the existing data on source counts. We have constructed maps of a sky field with an area of 1 deg² directly from our simulated observations and measured the confusion limit. At wavelengths 100–300 μm the confusion limit for a 10-m telescope has been shown to be at least an order of magnitude lower than that for a 3.5-m one. A spectral analysis of the simulated infrared background maps clearly reveals the large-scale structure of the Universe. The two-dimensional power spectrum of these maps has turned out to be close to that measured by space observatories in the infrared. However, the fluctuations in the number of intensity peaks observed in the simulated field show no clear correlation with superclusters of galaxies; the large-scale structure has virtually no effect on the confusion limit.     

Implications of modified AGN spectra due to absorption by infrared photons

Recent observations of high energy photons from active galactic nuclei (AGN) have lead to a renewed interest in the effect of gamma-ray cascading in background radiation fields. In recent years, numerous authors have explored possible modifications to the observed high energy photon spectra from AGN due to propagation through such fields. This paper will re-examine a number of these issues. The major conclusions of this paper are: (1) The reaction γ + γ → e⁺ + e⁻ provides a highly sensitive probe of background infrared (IR) fields. However little can be inferred about the specific nature of the IR background or the effect on spectra from more distant AGN from a study of nearby sources alone. Currently, only upper limits to the background IR density can be established. (2) The contribution of secondary photons from pair-cascading off of background microwave and infrared radiation is most likely unobservable in the regime of 1 TeV unless the strength of extragalactic magnetic fields are much less than 10⁻¹³ G and the inherent source spectra continue to much higher energies. The possible contribution from this process may be conclusively ruled out through further spectral measurements of AGN in the TeV regime during high and low states. (3) There is little hope of unambiguously extracting the values of either the Hubble constant or Ω from γ-γ attenuation measurements. (4) The sensitivity of the attenuation to the density of the background IR produced prior to the epoch of the observed source suggests a future possibility to probe directly the evolution of the background IR radiation through multiple source observations.     

星系团内物理过程对宇宙微波背景辐射的影响

观测表明,富星系团内存在着大量的高温热电子.它们将与微波背景光子相互作用.本文考虑了星系团集合使微波背景辐射产生的畸变.我们的理论估计表明,富星系团集合的高温热电子散射背景光子,使背景辐射谱偏离黑体辐射谱.在背景谱的维恩区,畸变小于2.74K黑体峰值强度的1％,这个结果与最近COBE卫星的探测结果是一致的.没有得到Matsumoto所探测到的在700μm附近有相当于黑体谱峰值强度10％的重大畸变.星系作为微引力透镜,对背景辐射的影响不可能探测得到.星系团内热电子的轫致辐射在微波波段更弱.     

The broad-band X-ray spectrum of Mrk 3

We use non-simultaneous Ginga ASCA ROSAT observations to investigate the complex X-ray spectrum of the Seyfert 2 galaxy Mrk 3. We find that the composite spectrum can be well described in terms of a heavily cut-off hard X-ray continuum, iron Kα emission and a soft X-ray excess, with spectral variability confined to changes in the continuum normalization and the flux in the iron line. Previous studies have suggested that the power-law continuum in Mrk 3 is unusually hard. We obtain a canonical value for the energy index of the continuum (i.e., α ≈ 0.7) when a warm absorber (responsible for an absorption edge observed near 8 keV) is included in the spectral model. Alternatively, the inclusion of a reflection component yields a comparable power-law index. The soft-excess flux cannot be modelled solely in terms of pure electron scattering of the underlying power-law continuum. However, a better fit to the spectral data is obtained if we include the effects of both emission and absorption in a partially photoionized scattering medium. In particular, the spectral feature prominent at ∼ 0.9 keV could represent O VIII recombination radiation produced in a hot photoionized medium. We discuss our results in the context of other recent studies of the soft X-ray spectra of Seyfert 2 galaxies.     

Interaction of hot plasma with radiation of magnetic white dwarfs

The influence of radiation on the electron velocity distribution in a hot nonrelativistic plasma localized near the surface of magnetic white dwarfs is investigated. The part played by the plasma in the formation of cyclotron features in the optical spectrum of these stars is studied. The region of parameters where the transverse temperature of plasma is defined by the brightness temperature of extraordinary radiation at the gyrofrequency is found. When escaping from the plasma in a homogeneous magnetic field, this component forms a cyclotron line in absorption. The ordinary radiation at the gyrofrequency and both modes at higher cyclotron harmonics are in emission or absorption depending on the magnetic field strength and hot plasma density. Possible interpretation of the observed spectral features of magnetic white dwarfs in terms of the developed theory is discussed.