arXiv subjects

A. V. Ivanchik

Publications and source records attributed to A. V. Ivanchik.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Neutral chlorine and molecular hydrogen at high redshift

Chlorine and molecular hydrogen are known to be tightly linked together in the cold phase of the local interstellar medium through rapid chemical reactions. We present here the first systematic study of this relation at high redshifts using H$_2$-bearing damped Ly$α$ systems (DLAs) detected along quasar lines of sight. Using high-resolution spectroscopic data from VLT/UVES and Keck/HIRES, we report the detection of Cl$\,$I in 9 DLAs (including 5 new detections) out of 18 high-$z$ DLAs with $N($H$_2) \ge 10^{17.3}\,$cm$^{-2}$ (including a new H$_2$ detection at $z=3.09145$ towards J$\,$2100$-$0641) and present upper limits for the remaining 9 systems. We find a $\sim$5$\,σ$ correlation between $N$(Cl$\,$I) and $N$(H$_2$) with only $\sim$0.2$\,$dex dispersion over the range 18.1$\,<\,$log$\,N$(H$_2$)$\,<\,$20.1, thus probing column densities 10 times lower those seen towards nearby stars, roughly following the relation $N$(Cl$\,$I$) \approx 1.5\times10^{-6} \times N($H$_2)$. This relation between column densities is surprisingly the same at low and high redshift suggesting that the physical and chemical conditions are similar for a given H$_2$ (or Cl$\,$I) column density. In turn, the $N({Cl$\,$I})/N({\rm H_2})$ ratio is found to be uncorrelated with the overall metallicity in the DLA. Our results confirm that neutral chlorine is an excellent tracer of molecule-rich gas and show that the molecular fraction or/and metallicity in the H$_2$-bearing component of DLA could possibly be much higher than the line-of-sight average values usually measured in DLAs.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2015

Partial covering of emission regions of Q 0528-250 by intervening H$_2$ clouds

We present an analysis of the molecular hydrogen absorption system at z$_{\rm abs}$ = 2.811 in the spectrum of the blazar Q0528-250. We demonstrate that the molecular cloud does not cover the background source completely. The partial coverage reveals itself as a residual flux in the bottom of saturated H_2 absorption lines. This amounts to about (2.22$\pm$0.54)% of the continuum and does not depend on the wavelength. This value is small and it explains why this effect has not been detected in previous studies of this quasar spectrum. However, it is robustly detected and significantly higher than the zero flux level in the bottom of saturated lines of the Ly-alpha forest, (-0.21$\pm$0.22)%. The presence of the residual flux could be caused by unresolved quasar multicomponents, by light scattered by dust, and/or by jet-cloud interaction. The H$_2$ absorption system is very well described by a two-component model without inclusion of additional components when we take partial coverage into account. The derived total column densities in the H$_2$ absorption components A and B are logN(H$_2$)[cm$^{-2}$] = 18.10$\pm$0.02 and 17.82$\pm$0.02, respectively. HD molecules are present only in component B. Given the column density, logN(HD)= 13.33$\pm$0.02, we find N(HD)/2N(H$_2$)=(1.48$\pm$0.10)x10$^{-5}$, significantly lower than previous estimations. We argue that it is crucial to take into account partial coverage effects for any analysis of H$_2$ bearing absorption systems, in particular when studying the physical state of high-redshift interstellar medium.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2014

Molecular hydrogen absorption systems in Sloan Digital Sky Survey

We present a systematic search for molecular hydrogen absorption systems at high redshift in quasar spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) II Data Release 7 and SDSS-III Data Release 9. We have selected candidates using a modified profile fitting technique taking into account that the Ly$α$ forest can effectively mimic H$_2$ absorption systems at the resolution of SDSS data. To estimate the confidence level of the detections, we use two methods: a Monte-Carlo sampling and an analysis of control samples. The analysis of control samples allows us to define regions of the spectral quality parameter space where H$_2$ absorption systems can be confidently identified. We find that H$_2$ absorption systems with column densities $\log {\rm N_{H_2}} > 19$ can be detected in only less than 3% of SDSS quasar spectra. We estimate the upper limit on the detection rate of saturated H$_2$ absorption systems ($\log {\rm N_{H_2}} > 19$) in Damped Ly-$α$ (DLA) systems to be about 7%. We provide a sample of 23 confident H$_2$ absorption system candidates that would be interesting to follow up with high resolution spectrographs. There is a 1$σ$ $r-i$ color excess and non-significant $A_{\rm V}$ extinction excess in quasar spectra with an H$_2$ candidate compared to standard DLA-bearing quasar spectra. The equivalent widths (EWs) of C II, Si II and Al III (but not Fe II) absorptions associated with H$_2$ candidate DLAs are larger compared to standard DLAs. This is probably related to a larger spread in velocity of the absorption lines in the H$_2$ bearing sample.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2014

The Thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect of Primordial Recombination Radiation

It is well known that recombination radiation of primordial hydrogen-helium plasma leads to the distortions of the planckian spectrum shape of the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB). We discuss the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect with taking into account primordial recombination radiation (PRR). Since in the thermal SZ effect the redistribution of the photons depends on the derivatives of the spectrum, the value of relative correction to SZ effect due to PRR significantly higher than relative corrections due to PRR in the initial spectrum. Calculations of corrections to the thermal SZ effect due to PRR show that depending on the cluster parameters: 1) in the range of frequencies $ν$ = 0.3 - 700 GHz where the cosmic microwave background (CMB) dominates and spectrum is very close to the planckian one the relative corrections due to PRR have an order of $10^{-9} - 10^{-6}$ of "pure" SZ effect (i.e. SZ effect for pure planckian spectrum). The difference of intensities of PRR coming from different directions (through intracluster and near intercluster medium) reaches values up to 22 mJy/ster at $ν\simeq 337$ GHz (maximum in considered range). 2) In the range of frequencies $ν$ = 700 - 5000 GHz where cosmic infrared background (CIB) becomes significant or even dominates the relative corrections due to PRR can reach $10^{-8}$ - $10^{-5}$ of "pure" SZ effect. Corresponding intensity difference reaches values up to 25 mJy/ster (at $ν\simeq 1700$ GHz). In addition we suggest a modification of the method of electron gas temperature determination using corrections of the SZ effect due to PRR. Such modification allows one to simplify the determination of the cluster electron gas temperature in comparison with known methods.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

Influence of Gamma-Ray Emission on the Isotopic Composition of Clouds in the Interstellar Medium

We investigate one mechanism of the change in the isotopic composition of cosmologically distant clouds of interstellar gas whose matter was subjected only slightly to star formation processes. According to the standard cosmological model, the isotopic composition of the gas in such clouds was formed at the epoch of Big Bang nucleosynthesis and is determined only by the baryon density in the Universe. The dispersion in the available cloud composition observations exceeds the errors of individual measurements. This may indicate that there are mechanisms of the change in the composition of matter in the Universe after the completion of Big Bang nucleosynthesis. We have calculated the destruction and production rates of light isotopes (D, 3He, 4He) under the influence of photonuclear reactions triggered by the gamma-ray emission from active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We investigate the destruction and production of light elements depending on the spectral characteristics of the gamma-ray emission. We show that in comparison with previous works, taking into account the influence of spectral hardness on the photonuclear reaction rates can increase the characteristic radii of influence of the gamma-ray emission from AGNs by a factor of 2-8. The high gamma-ray luminosities of AGNs observed in recent years increase the previous estimates of the characteristic radii by two orders of magnitude. This may suggest that the influence of the emission from AGNs on the change in the composition of the medium in the immediate neighborhood (the host galaxy) has been underestimated.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

Partial coverage of the Broad Line Region of Q1232+082 by an intervening H2-bearing cloud

We present a detailed analysis of the partial coverage of the Q1232+082 (z_em =2.57) broad line region by an intervening H_2-bearing cloud at z_abs=2.3377. Using curve of growth analysis and line profile fitting, we demonstrate that the H_2-bearing component of the cloud covers the QSO intrinsic continuum source completely but only part of the Broad Line Region (BLR). We find that only 48\pm6 % of the C IV BLR emission is covered by the C I absorbing gas. We observe residual light (~6 %) as well in the bottom of the O I λ1302 absorption from the cloud, redshifted on top of the QSO Lyman-α emission line. Therefore the extent of the neutral phase of the absorbing cloud is not large enough to cover all of the background source. The most likely explanation for this partial coverage is the small size of the intervening cloud, which is comparable to the BLR size. We estimate the number densities in the cloud: n_H2~110 cm^{-3} for the H_2-bearing core and n_H ~30 cm^{-3} for the neutral envelope. Given the column densities, N(H2)=(3.71\pm0.97)\times10^19 cm^{-2} and N(H I)=(7.94\pm1.6)\times10^20 cm^{-2}, we derive the linear size of the H_2-bearing core and the neutral envelope along the line of sight to be l_H2~0.15^{+0.05}_{-0.05} pc and l_HI~8.2^{+6.5}_{-4.1} pc, respectively. We estimate the size of the C IV BLR by two ways (i) extrapolating size-luminosity relations derived from reverberation observations and (ii) assuming that the H_2-bearing core and the BLR are spherical in shape and the results are ~0.26 and ~0.18 pc, respectively. The large size we derive for the extent of the neutral phase of the absorbing cloud together with a covering factor of ~0.94 of the Lyman-α emission means that the Lyman-α BLR is probably fully covered but that the Lyman-α emission extends well beyond the limits of the BLR.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

HD/H2 Molecular Clouds in the Early Universe: The Problem of Primordial Deuterium

We have detected new HD absorption systems at high redshifts, z_abs=2.626 and z_abs=1.777, identified in the spectra of the quasars J0812+3208 and Q1331+170, respectively. Each of these systems consists of two subsystems. The HD column densities have been determined: log(N(HD),A)=15.70+/-0.07 for z_A=2.626443(2) and log(N(HD),B)=12.98+/-0.22 for z_B=2.626276(2) in the spectrum of J0812+3208 and log(N(HD),C)=14.83+/-0.15 for z_C=1.77637(2) and log(N(HD),D)=14.61+/-0.20 for z_D=1.77670(3) in the spectrum of Q1331+170. The measured HD/H2 ratio for three of these subsystems has been found to be considerably higher than its values typical of clouds in our Galaxy. We discuss the problem of determining the primordial deuterium abundance, which is most sensitive to the baryon density of the Universe Ω_{b}. Using a well-known model for the chemistry of a molecular cloud, we have estimated the isotopic ratio D/H=HD/2H_2=(2.97+/-0.55)x10^{-5} and the corresponding baryon density Ω_{b}h^2=0.0205^{+0.0025}_{-0.0020}. This value is in good agreement with Ω_{b}h^2=0.0226^{+0.0006}_{-0.0006} obtained by analyzing the cosmic microwave background radiation anisotropy. However, in high-redshift clouds, under conditions of low metallicity and low dust content, hydrogen may be incompletely molecularized even in the case of self-shielding. In this situation, the HD/2H_2 ratio may not correspond to the actual D/H isotopic ratio. We have estimated the cloud molecularization dynamics and the influence of cosmological evolutionary effects on it.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

HD molecules at high redshift: The absorption system at z=2.3377 towards Q 1232+082

We present a detailed analysis of the H_2 and HD absorption lines detected in the Damped Lyman-alpha (DLA) system at z_abs=2.3377 towards the quasar Q1232+082. We show that this intervening cloud has a covering factor smaller than unity and covers only part of the QSO broad emission line region. The zero flux level has to be corrected at the position of the saturated H_2 and optically thin HD lines by about 10%. We accurately determine the Doppler parameter for HD and CI lines (b = 1.86+/-0.20 km/s). We find a ratio N(HD)/N(H_2)=(7.1 +3.7 -2.2)x10^-5 that is significantly higher than what is observed in molecular clouds of the Galaxy. Chemical models suggest that in the physical conditions prevailing in the central part of molecular clouds, deuterium and hydrogen are mostly in their molecular forms. Assuming this is true, we derive D/H = (3.6 +1.9 -1.1)x10^-5. This implies that the corresponding baryon density of the Universe is Ω_b h^2 = (0.0182 +0.0047 -0.0042). This value coincides within 1σwith that derived from observations of the CMBR as well as from observations of the D/H atomic ratio in low-metallicity QSO absorption line systems. The observation of HD at high redshift is therefore a promising independent method to constrain Ω_b. This observation indicates as well a low astration factor of deuterium. This can be interpreted as the consequence of an intense infall of primordial gas onto the associated galaxy.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Effect of Radiative Feedbacks for Resonant Transitions during Cosmological Recombination

The inhibition of the total HI $n\leftrightarrow 1$ transition rate by delayed resonant reabsorption of HI $(n+1)\to 1$ photons by HI $n\to 1$ line which is possible due to cosmological redshift is considered semi-analytically. The method taking into account this effect in the frame of simple three-level approximation model of recombination is suggested. It is confirmed that the resonant feedbacks affect ionization fraction at the level about 0.2% for the epoch of last scattering. Similar consideration of HeI $2^1P\leftrightarrow 1^1S$ $\Rightarrow$ HeI $2^3P\leftrightarrow 1^1S$ feedback for helium is provided. It is confirmed that allowance of this feedback leads to increase of predicted free electron fraction by 0.12% at $z\simeq 2300$. It is shown that taking into account absorption and thermalization of HeI $2^1P\leftrightarrow 1^1S$ resonant superequilibrium photons (during their redshifting to the HeI $2^3P\leftrightarrow 1^1S$ frequency) by small amount of neutral hydrogen ($10^{\rm -7} - 10^{\rm -4}$ of total number of hydrogen atoms and ions) existing in helium recombination epoch is important for correct consideration of this helium feedback.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Directional Radiation and Photodissociation Regions in Molecular Hydrogen Clouds

Some astrophysical observations of molecular hydrogen point to a broadening of the velocity distribution for molecules at excited rotational levels. This effect is observed in both Galactic and high redshift clouds. Analysis of H_2, HD, and CI absorption lines has revealed the broadening effect in the absorption system of QSO 1232+082 (z_{abs}=2.33771). We analyze line broadening mechanisms by considering in detail the transfer of ultraviolet radiation (in the resonance lines of the Lyman and Werner H_2 molecular bands) for various velocity distributions at excited rotational levels. The mechanism we suggest includes the saturation of the lines that populate excited rotational levels (radiative pumping) and manifests itself most clearly in the case of directional radiation in the medium. Based on the calculated structure of a molecular hydrogen cloud in rotational level populations, we have considered an additional mechanism that takes into account the presence of a photodissociation region. Note that disregarding the broadening effects we investigated can lead to a significant systematic error when the data are processed.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2008

HeII->HeI Recombination of Primordial Helium Plasma Including the Effect of Neutral Hydrogen

The HeII->HeI recombination of primordial helium plasma (z = 1500 - 3000) is considered in terms of the standard cosmological model. This process affects the formation of cosmic microwave background anisotropy and spectral distortions. We investigate the effect of neutral hydrogen on the HeII->HeI recombination kinetics with partial and complete redistributions of radiation in frequency in the HeI resonance lines. It is shown that to properly compute the HeII->HeI recombination kinetics, one should take into account not only the wings in the absorption and emission profiles of the HeI resonance lines, but also the mechanism of the redistribution of resonance photons in frequency. Thus, for example, the relative difference in the numbers of free electrons for the model using Doppler absorption and emission profiles and the model using a partial redistribution in frequency is 1 - 1.3% for the epoch z = 1770 - 1920. The relative difference in the numbers of free electrons for the model using a partial redistribution in frequency and the model using a complete redistribution in frequency is 1 - 3.8% for the epoch z = 1750 - 2350.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Rapid HeII->HeI recombination and radiation concerned with this process

Recombination of the primordial helium plasma (HeII->HeI, $z \simeq 1500 - 3000$) is considered. This process has an effect on the CMBR anisotropy and CMBR spectrum distortion. In this work an influence of neutral hydrogen on kinetics of HeII->HeI recombination is investigated in the frame of the standard cosmological model. It is shown that small amount of neutral hydrogen ($10^{-5} - 10^{-2}$ of total number of hydrogen ions and atoms) leads to acceleration of HeII->HeI recombination at $z\lesssim 2000$ and at $z\lesssim 1600$ quasi-equilibrium HeII->HeI recombination (according to the Saha formula) becomes valid.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Two-Photon 2s<->1s Transitions during Recombination of Hydrogen in the Universe

Based on the standard cosmological model, we calculate the correction to the rate of two-photon 2s<->1s transitions in the hydrogen atom under primordial hydrogen plasma recombination conditions that arises when the induced transitions under equilibrium background radiation with a blackbody spectrum and plasma recombination radiation are taken into account.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

CMBR distortion concerned with recombination of the primordial hydrogen plasma

CMBR distortion concerned with recombination of the primordial plasma is calculated in frequency band from 1 GHz to 100 GHz in the frame of the standard cosmological model for different values of cosmological density parameters: nonrelativistic matter density $Ω_m$ and baryonic matter density $Ω_b$. Comparison of these results with observational data which will be obtained from planned experiments may be used for independent determination of the cosmological parameters $Ω_m$ and $Ω_b$.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Puzzle of the constancy of fundamental constants

We discuss experiments and observations aimed at testing the possible space-time variability of fundamental physical constants, predicted by the modern theory. Specifically, we consider two of the dimensionless physical parameters which are important for atomic and molecular physics: the fine-structure constant and the electron-to-proton mass ratio. We review the current status of such experiments and critically analyze recent claims of a detection of the variability of the fine-structure constant on the cosmological time scale. We stress that such a detection remains to be checked by future experiments and observations. The tightest of the firmly established upper limits read that the considered constants could not vary by more than 0.015% on the scale of 10 Gigayears.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2000

Testing cosmological variability of fundamental constants

One of the topical problems of contemporary physics is a possible variability of the fundamental constants. Here we consider possible variability of two dimensionless constants which are most important for calculation of atomic and molecular spectra (in particular, the X-ray ones): the fine-structure constant α=e^2/\hbar c and the proton-to-electron mass ratio μ=m_p/m_e. Values of the physical constants in the early epochs are estimated directly from observations of quasars - the most powerful sources of radiation, whose spectra were formed when the Universe was several times younger than now. A critical analysis of the available results leads to the conclusion that present-day data do not reveal any statistically significant evidence for variations of the fundamental constants under study. The most reliable upper limits to possible variation rates at the 95% confidence level, obtained in our work, read: |\dotα/α| < (1.4e-14)/yr, |\dotμ/μ| < (1.5e-14)/yr on the average over the last ten billion years.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv1998

The fine-structure constant: a new observational limit on its cosmological variation and some theoretical consequences

Endeavours of the unification of the four fundamental interactions have resulted in a development of theories having cosmological solutions in which low-energy limits of fundamental physical constants vary with time. The validity of such theoretical models should be checked by comparison of the theoretical predictions with observational and experimental bounds on possible time-dependences of the fundamental constants. Based on high-resolution measurements of quasar spectra, we obtain the following direct limits on the average rate of the cosmological time variation of the fine-structure constant α: |\dotα/α| < 1.9 \times 10^{-14} yr^{-1} is the most likely limit, and |\dotα/α| < 3.1 \times 10^{-14} yr^{-1} is the most conservative limit. Analogous estimates published previously, as well as other contemporary tests for possible variations of α(those based on the "Oklo phenomenon", on the primordial nucleosynthesis models, and others) are discussed and compared with the present upper limit. We argue that the present result is the most conservative one.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

Testing cosmological variability of the proton-to-electron mass ratio using the spectrum of PKS 0528-250

Multidimensional cosmologies allow for variations of fundamental physical constants over the course of cosmological evolution, and different versions of the theories predict different time dependences. In particular, such variations could manifest themselves as changes of the proton-to-electron mass ratio μ=m_p/m_e over the period of ~ 10^{10} years since the moment of formation of high-redshift QSO spectra. Here we analyze a new, high-resolution spectrum of the z=2.81080 molecular hydrogen absorption system toward the quasar PKS 0528-250 to derive a new observational constraint to the time-averaged variation rate of the proton-to-electron mass ratio. We find |\dotμ / μ| < 1.5 \times 10^{-14}/year, which is much tighter than previously measured limits.

astro-ph↗