The contribution of pulsars to diffuse gamma-rays in the Large Magellanic Cloud

We study the contribution of young pulsars, with characteristic ages of less than 10⁶ yr, to the diffuse γ-ray emission from the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Based on the outer gap model for γ-ray emission proposed by Zhang & Cheng and pulsar properties in the LMC given by Hartmann, Brown & Schnepf, we simulate the properties of the young pulsars in the LMC. We show that γ-rays produced by the pulsars in the LMC may make an important contribution to the diffuse γ-rays in the LMC, especially in the high-energy range. We calculate the γ-ray energy spectrum of the pulsars in the LMC and show that the γ-ray component contributed by the pulsars to the diffuse γ-rays in the high-energy range (above ∼1 GeV) becomes dominant. We expect that none of the young pulsars should be detectable as an individual point source of γ-ray emission by EGRET. We also expect that pulsar contribution above ∼1 GeV in the SMC is very important.     

A new γ-ray pulsar: PSR 0740-28

We made a period folding analysis on two sets of COS-B observations and obtained a clearly pulsed phase structure in the γ-ray photons from the direction of PSR 0740-28. The phase diagrams from the two different data sets have a similar structure and the period and period rate are close to radio expectations. The probability of the two phase structures arising by chance is less than 2×10⁻⁵. Hence we believe PSR 0740-28 is a new γ-ray pulsar.     

Radio haloes from simulations and hadronic models – I. The Coma cluster

We use the results from a constrained, cosmological magnetohydrodynamic simulation of the Local Universe to predict the radio halo and the γ-ray flux from the Coma cluster and compare it to current observations. The simulated magnetic field within the Coma cluster is the result of turbulent amplification of the magnetic field during the build-up of the cluster. The magnetic seed field originates from starburst driven, galactic outflows. The synchrotron emission is calculated assuming a hadronic model. We follow four approaches with different distributions for the cosmic ray proton population within galaxy clusters. The radial profile of the radio halo can only be reproduced with a radially increasing energy fraction within the cosmic ray proton population, reaching >100 per cent of the thermal-energy content at ≈1 Mpc, for example the edge of the radio-emitting region. Additionally, the spectral steepening of the observed radio halo in Coma cannot be reproduced, even when accounting for the negative flux from the thermal Sunyaev–Zeldovich effect at high frequencies. Therefore, the hadronic models are disfavoured from the present analysis. The emission of γ-rays expected from our simulated Coma is still below the current observational limits (by a factor of ∼6) but would be detectable by FERMI observations in the near future.     

The pionic contribution to diffuse γ-rays: upper limits

Diffuse γ-rays probe the highest-energy processes at the largest scales. Here we derive model-independent constraints on the hadronic contribution to the Galactic and extragalactic γ-ray spectra at in the energy range 50 MeVE_γ10 GeV. The hadronic component is dominated by emission from neutral pions, with a characteristic spectrum symmetric about m_π⁰/2. We exploit the well-defined properties of the pion decay spectrum to quantify the maximum pionic fraction of the observed γ-ray intensity. We find that the Galactic spectrum above 30 MeV can be atmost about 50% pionic. The maximum pionic contribution to the extragalactic spectrum is energy dependent; it also depends on the redshift range over which the sources are distributed, ranging from as low as about 20% for pions generated very recently, to as much as 90% if the pions are generated around redshift 10. The implications of these constraints for models of γ-ray and neutrino emission are briefly discussed.     

Estimation of energy of supernovae in large and small Magellanic clouds

Based on the theory of the radio evolution of supernova remnants and the theory of x-ray emission, we have derived an expression for the energy of supernova eruption directly in terms of the observed radio flux density and x-ray luminosity. This method is used to estimate the energy of the supernova explosions in LMC and SMC. Our calculated values fall in the range 10⁴⁹ – 10⁵¹ ergs, with the values for Type I supernovae systematically smaller than those for Type II, at about 10⁴⁹ ergs. We point out that the most likely cause for the discrepancy between the statistical and theoretical N-D relations is incompletness of data. We also point out, in the two clouds, the vast majority of large sources are still in the phase of adiabatic expansion.     

Galactic gamma halo by heavy neutrino annihilations?

The diffused gamma halo around our Galaxy recently discovered by EGRET could be produced by annihilations of heavy relic neutrinos N (of fourth generation), whose mass is within a narrow range (M_Z/2<m_N<M_Z). Neutrino annihilation in the halo may lead to either ultrarelativistic electron pairs whose Inverse Compton Scattering on infrared and optical galactic photons could be the source of observed GeV gamma rays, or prompt 100 MeV–1 GeV photons (due to neutral pion secondaries) born by reactions. The consequent gamma flux (10⁻⁷–10⁻⁶ cm⁻² s⁻¹ sr⁻¹) is well comparable to the EGRET observed one, and it is also compatible with the narrow window of neutrino mass 45 GeV <m_N<50 GeV, recently required to explain the underground DAMA signals.The presence of heavy neutrinos of fourth generation do not contribute much to solve the dark matter problem of the Universe, but may be easily detectable by outcoming LEP II data.     

Absorption of nuclear γ-rays on the starlight radiation in FR I sources: the case of Centaurus A

Several BL Lac objects are confirmed sources of variable and strongly Doppler-boosted TeV emission produced in the nuclear portions of their relativistic jets. It is more than probable that also many of the Fanaroff–Riley type I (FR I) radio galaxies, believed to be the parent population of BL Lacs, are TeV sources, for which Doppler-hidden nuclear γ-ray radiation may be only too weak to be directly observed. Here we show, however, that about 1 per cent of the total time-averaged TeV radiation produced by the active nuclei of low-power FR I radio sources is inevitably absorbed and re-processed by photon–photon annihilation on the starlight photon field, and the following emission of the created and quickly isotropized electron–positron pairs. In the case of the radio galaxy Centaurus A, we found that the discussed mechanism can give a distinctive observable feature in the form of an isotropic γ-ray halo. It results from the electron–positron pairs injected to the interstellar medium of the inner parts of the elliptical host by the absorption process, and upscattering starlight radiation via the inverse-Compton process mainly to the GeV–TeV photon energy range. Such a galactic γ-ray halo is expected to possess a characteristic spectrum peaking at ∼0.1 TeV photon energies, and the photon flux strong enough to be detected by modern Cherenkov Telescopes and, in the future, by GLAST. These findings should apply as well to the other nearby FR I sources.     

Nightside ionosphere of Venus

Venera 9, 10 measurements of the nightside ionospheric profile and the night airglow were used for investigating ionosphere formation processes. The upper ionospheric layer may be formed by HeI 584 Å radiation; the lower layer by meteorite ionization. Upper limits on the electron energy flux, <4 × 10⁸eV cm⁻² s⁻¹, the helium ion flux <10⁷ cm⁻² s⁻¹, the nitric oxide mixing ratio, <1.5 × 10⁻⁴ and the atomic sulphur mixing ratio, <10⁻⁶, are deduced for ionospheric altitudes.     

XMM-Newton observations of the nearby brown dwarf LP 944-20

The nearby (d=5.0 pc) brown dwarf LP 944-20 was observed with the XMM-Newton satellite on 07 January 2001. The target was detected with the Optical Monitor (V=16.736±0.081), but it was not detected during the ≈48 ks observation with the X-ray telescopes. We determine a 3σ upper limit for the X-ray emission from this object of L_X<3.1×10²³ ergs·s⁻¹, equivalent to a luminosity ratio upper limit of log(L_X/L_bol)≤−6.28. This measurement improves by a factor of three the previous Chandra limit on the quiescent X-ray flux. This is the most sensitive limit ever obtained on the quiescent X-ray emission of a brown dwarf. Combining the XMM-Newton data with previous ROSAT and Chandra data, we derive flare duty cycles as a function of their luminosities. We find that very strong flares [Log(L_X/L_bol)>−2.5] are very rare (less than 0.7% of the time). Flares like the one detected by Chandra [Log(L_X/L_bol)=−4.1] have a duty cycle of about 6%, which is lower than the radio flare duty cycle (13%). When compared with other M dwarfs, LP 944-20 appears to be rather inactive in X-rays despite of its relative youth, fast rotation and its moderately strong activity at radio wavelengths.     

Thermal emission at radio frequencies from supernova remnants and a modified theoretical Σ–D relation

In this paper, we discuss known discrepancies between theoretically derived and empirically measured relations between the radio surface brightness Σ and the diameter D of supernova remnants (SNRs): these relations are commonly known as the Σ–D relations. We argue that these discrepancies may be at least partially explained by taking into account thermal emission at radio frequencies from SNRs at particular evolutionary stages and located in particular environments. The major contributions of this paper may be summarized as follows: (i) we consider thermal emission at radio frequencies from SNRs in the following scenarios: a relatively young SNR evolving in a dense molecular cloud environment (n  100–1000 cm⁻³) and an extremely evolved SNR expanding in a dense warm medium (n  1–10 cm⁻³). Both of these SNRs are assumed to be in the adiabatic phase of evolution. We develop models of the radio emission from both of these types of SNRs and each of these models demonstrate that through the thermal bremsstrahlung process significant thermal emission at radio frequencies is expected from both types of SNR. Based on a literature search, we claim that thermal absorption or emission at radio frequencies has been detected for one evolved Galactic SNR and four young Galactic SNRs with similar properties to our modelled evolved and young SNRs. (ii) We construct artificial radio spectra for both of these two types of SNRs: in particular, we discuss our simulated spectrum for the evolved Galactic SNR OA 184. By including thermal emission in our simulated spectra, we obtain different slopes in Σ–D relations: these new slopes are in closer agreement to empirically obtained relations than the theoretically derived relations which do not take thermal emission into account. (iii) Lastly, we present an additional modification to the theoretical Σ–D relation for SNRs in the adiabatic expansion phase. This modification is based on the convolution of the synchrotron emissivity with the emissivity derived in this paper for thermal bremsstrahlung emission from an ionized gas cloud (that is, a theoretical construct of an SNR).     

Radio planetary nebulae in the Magellanic Clouds

We report the extragalactic radio-continuum detection of 15 planetary nebulae (PNe) in the Magellanic Clouds (MCs) from recent Australia Telescope Compact Array+Parkes mosaic surveys. These detections were supplemented by new and high-resolution radio, optical and infrared observations which helped to resolve the true nature of the objects. Four of the PNe are located in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) and 11 are located in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Based on Galactic PNe the expected radio flux densities at the distance of the LMC/SMC are up to ∼2.5 and ∼2.0 mJy at 1.4 GHz, respectively. We find that one of our new radio PNe in the SMC has a flux density of 5.1 mJy at 1.4 GHz, several times higher than expected. We suggest that the most luminous radio PN in the SMC (N S68) may represent the upper limit to radio-peak luminosity because it is approximately three times more luminous than NGC 7027, the most luminous known Galactic PN. We note that the optical diameters of these 15 Magellanic Clouds (MCs) PNe vary from very small (∼0.08 pc or 0.32 arcsec; SMP L47) to very large (∼1 pc or 4 arcsec; SMP L83). Their flux densities peak at different frequencies, suggesting that they may be in different stages of evolution. We briefly discuss mechanisms that may explain their unusually high radio-continuum flux densities. We argue that these detections may help solve the 'missing mass problem' in PNe whose central stars were originally  1–8 M_⊙  . We explore the possible link between ionized haloes ejected by the central stars in their late evolution and extended radio emission. Because of their higher than expected flux densities, we tentatively call this PNe (sub)sample –'Super PNe'.     

Probing pulsar winds using inverse Compton scattering

We investigate the effects of inverse Compton scattering by electrons and positrons in the unshocked winds of rotationally-powered binary pulsars. This process can scatter low energy target photons to produce gamma rays with energies from MeV to TeV. The binary radio pulsars PSR B1259−63 and PSR J0045−73 are both in close eccentric orbits around bright main sequence stars which provide a huge density of low energy target photons. The inverse Compton scattering process transfers momentum from the pulsar wind to the scattered photons, and therefore provides a drag which tends to decelerate the pulsar wind. We present detailed calculations of the dynamics of a pulsar wind which is undergoing inverse Compton scattering, showing that the deceleration of the wind of PSR B1259−63 due to ‘inverse Compton drag' is small, but that this process may confine the wind of PSR J0045−73 before it attains pressure balance with the outflow of its companion star. We calculate the spectra and light curves of the resulting inverse Compton emission from PSR B1259−63 and show that if the size of the pulsar wind nebula is comparable to the binary separation, then the γ-ray emission from the unshocked wind may be detectable by atmospheric Cherenkov detectors or by the new generation of satellite-borne γ-ray detectors such as INTEGRAL and GLAST. This mechanism may therefore provide a direct probe of the freely-expanding regions of pulsar winds, previously thought to be invisible.     

A discussion on the mass loss formulae for OH/IR stars

It is found that the mass loss rate derived from S₂₅/S₁₂ is generally greater than that from the OH flux. This suggests an increasing loss rate with time. It is found that the gas-to-dust ratio decreases during the evolution Of OH/IR stars. An empirical relation between the gas-to-dust ratio and the dust mass loss rate is derived, leading to a formula for calculating the total mass loss rate directly from the IRAS 60 μm flux. OH/IR stars with silicate emission have a larger range of mass loss ratio, from 10⁻⁷ to 10⁻⁵ M/yr; those with silicate absorption, a smaller range between 10⁻⁵ and 10⁻⁴ M/yr. So a large increase in the mass loss rate takes place during the emission phase.     

High energy gamma-rays from cygnus X-3

Simultaneous observations by the ESA satellite COS-B show that the 2–12 keV X-rays and 150–5000 MeV gamma-rays of Cyg X-3 are negatively correlated. A clear gamma-ray image of Cyg X-3 can be obtained between June 1977 and June 1980, when the X-ray emission was low, to yield a flux of P(E > 100MeV) ~ 1 × 10⁻⁶cm⁻²s⁻¹.     

The radio and X-ray properties of Abell 2319

New radio and X-ray data are reported for the rich cluster Abell 2319. This object is known from optical data to consist of two separate clusters, which are displaced by about 10′ in the NW direction, and could be in a pre-merger state.

In the radio domain, the cluster is characterized by the presence of a central diffuse halo source, more extended and powerful than the prototype halo in the Coma cluster. The radio halo shows an irregular structure, elongated in the NE-SW direction, and also extended towards the NW. We also report data on the extended radio galaxies located within the halo, or in its proximity.

The cluster X-ray brightness distribution shows an elongated structure towards the NW, in the radial region between 6′–12′, i.e. in the direction of the subcluster. This feature is exactly coincident with the NW extension of the radio halo. In addition, more substructural features are identified which could be due to an ongoing merger of the cluster with yet another mass component.

The radio halo morphology is correlated with the X-ray structure and the existence of merger processes in the cluster. The cluster merger can provide energy to maintain the radio halo, while the origin of the relativistic particles seems more problematic.     

Spectrum of the relic neutrino background from past supernovae and cosmological models

It is greatly expected that the relic neutrino background from past supernovae will be detected by Superkamiokande (SK) which is now under construction. We calculate the spectrum and the event rate at SK systematically by using the results of simulations of a supernova explosion and reasonable supernova rates. We also investigate the effect of a cosmological constant, Λ, on the spectrum, since some recent cosmological observations strongly suggest the existence of Λ. We find following results. (1) The spectrum has a peak at about 3 MeV, which is much lower than that of previous estimates (6–10 MeV). (2) The event rate at SK in the range from 10 MeV to 50 MeV, where the relic neutrinos from past supernovae are dominant, is about 25h₅₀²(R_SN/0.1 yr⁻¹)(n_Gh₅₀⁻³/0.02 Mpc⁻³) events per year, where R_SN is the supernova rate in a galaxy, n_G is the number density of galaxies, and h₅₀ = H₀/(50 km/s Mpc), where H₀ is the Hubble constant. (3) The event rate is almost insensitive to Λ. The flux increases in the low energy side (< 10 MeV) with increasing Λ, but decreases in the high energy side (> 10 MeV) in models in which the integrated number of supernovae in one galaxy is fixed.     

Cosmic and Galactic neutrino backgrounds from thermonuclear sources

We estimate energy spectra and fluxes at the Earth’s surface of the cosmic and Galactic neutrino backgrounds produced by thermonuclear reactions in stars. The extra-galactic component is obtained by combining the most recent estimates of the cosmic star formation history and the stellar initial mass function with accurate theoretical predictions of the neutrino yields all over the thermonuclear lifetime of stars of different masses. Models of the structure and evolution of the Milky Way are used to derive maps of the expected flux generated by Galactic sources as a function of sky direction. The predicted neutrino backgrounds depend only slightly on model parameters. In the relevant 50 keV–10 MeV window, the total flux of cosmic neutrinos ranges between 20 and 65 cm⁻² s⁻¹. Neutrinos reaching the Earth today have been typically emitted at redshift z2. Their energy spectrum peaks at E0.1–0.3 MeV. The energy and entropy densities of the cosmic background are negligible with respect to the thermal contribution of relic neutrinos originated in the early universe. In every sky direction, the cosmic background is outnumbered by the Galactic one, whose integrated flux amounts to 300–1000 cm⁻² s⁻¹. The emission from stars in the Galactic disk contributes more than 95% of the signal.     

Photometric measurements of the O2 U.V. nightglow

Measurements of the O₂(A³Σ − X³Σ) Herzberg system in the night airglow have been made with the ESRO TD-1 satellite in the wavelength range 2400–3100 A. The slant emission rate varies from 3.5 to 15 kR, indicating an irregular structure of the atomic oxygen near the turbopause. A statistical maximum intensity is found near the tropic in the winter hemisphere. The intensity profile is consistent with excitation by three-body recombination of oxygen atoms. The observed total emission rate can be accounted for by reasonable atomic oxygen densities and an O₂(A³Σ) production efficiency of about 20% if quenching by N₂ occurs at the rate deduced from laboratory and other airglow measurements.     

On the prospect of inferring the halo structure and the masses of dark objects through parallax microlensing

We study the proposed use of parallax microlensing in the direction of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) to separate the effects of the mass function of dark massive halo objects (MHOs or 'machos') on the one hand, and their spatial distribution and kinematics on the other. This disentanglement is supposed to allow a much better determination of the two than could be achieved entirely on the basis of the durations of events. We restrict our treatment to the same class of power-law spherical models for the halo of MHOs studied in a previous paper by Marković 38 Sommer-Larsen, and assume that one can eliminate microlensing events caused by massive objects outside the halo (e.g., the LMC halo). Whereas the duration-based error in the average MHO mass, μ¯ ≡  M ¯/M, exceeds (at N  = 100 events) μ¯ by a factor of 2 or more, parallax microlensing remarkably brings it down to 15–20 per cent of μ¯, regardless of the shape of the mass function. In addition, the slope α of the mass function, d n /dμ ∝ μ^α, can be inferred relatively accurately (σ_α < 0.4) for a broader range, −3 < α < 0. The improvement in the inference of the halo structure is also significant: the index γ of the density profile ( ρ ∼  R ^−γ) can be obtained with the error σ_γ < 0.4. While in a typical situation the errors for the parameters specifying the velocity dispersion profile are of about the same magnitude as the parameters themselves, virtually all the uncertainty is 'concentrated' in linear combinations of the parameters that may have little influence on the profile, thus allowing its reasonably accurate inference.     

Neutrino-induced and atmospheric single-muon fluxes measured over five decades of intensity by LVD at Gran Sasso Laboratory

We report data taken by the LVD Experiment during a live-time period of 11 556 h. We have measured the muon intensity at slant depths of standard rock from about 3000 hg/cm² to about 20 000 hg/cm². This is an exclusive study, namely our data include only events containing single muons. This interval of slant depth extends into the region where the dominant source of underground muons seen by LVD is the interaction of atmospheric neutrinos with the rock surrounding LVD. The interesting result is that this flux is independent of slant depth beyond a slant depth of about 14 000 hg/cm² of standard rock. Due to the unique topology of the Gran Sasso Laboratory the muons beyond about 14 000 hg/cm² of standard rock are at a zenithal angle near 90°. Hence we have, for this fixed angle, a muon flux which is independent of slant depth. This is direct evidence that this flux is due to atmospheric neutrinos interacting in the rock surrounding LVD. The value of this flux near 90° is (8.3 ± 2.6) × 10⁻¹³ cm⁻² s⁻¹ sr⁻¹, which is the first reported measurement at a zenithal angle near 90° and for slant depths between 14 000 and 20 000 hg/cm². Our data cover over five decades of vertical intensity, and can be fit with just three parameters over the full range of our experiment. This is the first time a single experiment reports the parameters of a fit made to the vertical intensity over such a large range of standard rock slant depth. The results are compared with a Monte Carlo simulation which has as one of the two free parameters γ_πκ, the power index of the differential energy spectrum of the pions and kaons in the atmosphere. This comparison yields a value of 2.75 ± 0.03 for γ_πκ, where the error includes the systematic uncertainties. Our data are compared to other measurements made in our slant depth interval. We also report the value of the muon flux in Gran Sasso at θ = 90° as a function of the azimuthal angle.