arXiv subjects

Antonio Stamerra

Publications and source records attributed to Antonio Stamerra.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Statistical treatment of searches for counterparts of positionally-uncertain astrophysical sources: from flux upper limits to detection

Rapid growth of the multimessenger and multiwavelength astrophysics had led to an increasing number of observations of the same events with instruments with different point spread functions. In particular pointing instruments with good angular resolution are used to pin-point the source of poorly-localized alert. In case no clear detection of the source counterpart is reached, the interpretation of the results requires statistical analysis. We investigate two approaches using the probability density function of the alert: frequentist and Bayesian, as well as agnostic approach not using this information. We discuss the advantages and problems of all the methods, and compare their reliability and performance. We consider both a simple one-dimensional toy simulations and a realistic use case of full simulations of the follow-up of a gravitational wave event with gamma-ray telescopes. The performance of both frequentist and Bayesian approaches for weak signals is comparable and superior to the agnostic one.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2026

Constraints on the intergalactic magnetic field from Fermi-LAT observations of GRB 221009A

A cosmological origin of the magnetic fields in large scale structures of the Universe would require a non-negligible magnetic field in cosmic voids, which, however, remains undetected. Gamma-ray emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) offers the opportunity to indirectly probe such an intergalactic magnetic field (IGMF), as gamma rays interact with cosmic radiation fields, producing electron-positron pairs, and initiate an electromagnetic cascade. The deflection of the pairs in the IGMF results in a time-delayed signal at GeV energies. Using observations with the Fermi Large Area Telescope of the GRB 221009A, we are able to derive the most stringent constraints to date from the non-observation of the cascade and rule out magnetic fields B < 2.5 x 10^{-17} G at 95% confidence level for a coherence length larger than 1 Mpc. Our results are comparable to limits obtained from blazar observations but do not suffer from assumptions on the duty cycle of the gamma-ray source or whether inverse-Compton scattering losses dominate over the development of plasma instabilities.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Sensipy: simulate gamma-ray observations of transient astrophysical sources

We present sensipy, an open-source Python toolkit for simulating observations of transient astrophysical sources, particularly in the high-energy (HE, keV-GeV) and very-high-energy (VHE, GeV-TeV) gamma-ray ranges. The most explosive events in our universe are often short-lived, emitting the bulk of their energy in a relatively narrow time window. Due to often rapidly fading emission profiles, understanding how and when to observe these sources is crucial both to test theoretical predictions and efficiently optimize available telescope time. The information extracted from the tools included in sensipy can be used to help astronomers investigate the detectability of sources considering various theoretical assumptions about their emission processes and mechanisms. This information can further help to justify the feasibility of proposed observations, estimate detection rates (events/year) for various classes of sources, and provide scheduling insight in realtime during gamma-ray and multi-messenger observational campaigns.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

The very high energy view of gamma-ray bursts with the MAGIC telescopes

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are one of the main targets for the observations of the MAGIC telescopes. As a result of the effort in improving the sensitivity of the instrument and the automatic follow-up strategy, MAGIC detected two GRBs in the very-high-energy (VHE, $E>100$ GeV) range, namely GRB 190114C and GRB 201216C. In GRB 190114C ($z=0.42$), the data collected by MAGIC revealed a new emission component at sub-TeV energies in the afterglow of the GRB. The very rich multi-wavelength dataset, spanning 17 orders of magnitude in energy, allowed to perform a detailed modelling of the broadband emission. The multi-wavelength data could be modelled within a one-zone synchrotron-self Compton scenario with internal $γ-γ$ absorption, where the model parameters are compatible with those found in previous GRB afterglow studies below GeV energies. Similarly, GRB 201216C broadband emission could be explained using the same model, although the amount of simultaneous multi-wavelength data is reduced with respect to GRB 190114C. In particular, GRB 201216C challenged the current MAGIC detection potential, as its redshift was determined to be $z=1.1$, strongly reducing the observed gamma-ray flux but making it the most distant source detected at VHE. These two detections, accompanied by evidence of VHE emission from a few more GRBs, opened up new questions such as the presence of sub-TeV emission in different classes and phases of GRBs. In this contribution we will present the status of the MAGIC GRB follow-up program, with an highlight on its detected GRBs. Moreover we will show the results on the GRBs observed by MAGIC from 2013 to 2019 with no evidence of VHE emission, in particular for those with simultaneous X-ray observations and redshift $z<2$. We will discuss the implications of these results for GRB physics and the challenges and prospects for future GRB observations with MAGIC.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Unveiling the periodic variability patterns of the X-ray emission from the blazar PG 1553+113

The search for periodicity in the multi-wavelength high variable emission of blazars is a key feature to understand dynamical processes at work in this class of active galactic nuclei. The blazar PG 1553+113 is an attractive target due to the evidence of periodic oscillations observed at different wavelengths, with a solid proof of a 2.2-year modulation detected in the $γ$-ray, UV and optical bands. We aim at investigating the variability pattern of the PG 1553+113 X-ray emission using a more than 10-years long light curve, in order to robustly assess the presence or lack of a periodic behavior whose evidence is only marginal so far. We conducted detailed statistical analyses, studying in particular the variability properties of the X-ray emission of PG 1553+113 by computing the Lomb-Scargle periodograms, which are suited for the analyses of unevenly sampled time series, and adopting epoch folding techniques. We find out a modulation pattern in the X-ray light curve of PG 1553+113 with a period of $\sim$1.4 years, about 35% shorter than the one observed in the $γ$-ray domain. Our finding is in agreement with the recent spectro-polarimetric analyses and supports the presence of more dynamical phenomena simultaneously at work in the central engine of this quasar.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

Intergalactic magnetic field studies by means of $γ$-ray emission from GRB 190114C

The presence of delayed GeV emission after a strong transient, such as a GRB (Gamma-Ray Burst), in the VHE (Very-High Energy, $E>100$ GeV) band can be the signature of a non-zero magnetic field in the intergalactic medium. We used a synchrotron self-Compton multiwavelength model to infer an analytical description of the intrinsic VHE spectrum (corrected for absorption by the Extragalactic Background Light, EBL) of GRB$\,$190114C to predict the lightcurves and SEDs of the delayed emission with Monte Carlo simulations for different IGMF (Intergalactic Magnetic Field) configurations (strengths $B=8\times10^{-21}$ G, $10^{-20}$ G, $3\times 10^{-20}$G and correlation length $λ>1$ Mpc), and compared them with the Fermi-LAT (Fermi Large Area Telescope) limits computed for several exposure times. We found that Fermi LAT is not sensitive enough to constrain any IGMF strengths using GRB$\,$190114C.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

Detection methods for the Cherenkov Telescope Array at very-short exposure times

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) will be the next generation ground-based observatory for very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray astronomy, with the deployment of tens of highly sensitive and fast-reacting Cherenkov telescopes. It will cover a wide energy range (20 GeV - 300 TeV) with unprecedented sensitivity. To maximize the scientific return, the observatory will be provided with an online software system that will perform the first analysis of scientific data in real-time. This study investigates the precision and accuracy of available science tools and analysis techniques for the short-term detection of gamma-ray sources, in terms of sky localization, detection significance and, if significant detection is achieved, a first estimation of the integral photon flux. The scope is to evaluate the feasibility of the algorithms' implementation in the real-time analysis of CTA. In this contribution we present a general overview of the methods and some of the results for the test case of the short-term detection of a gamma-ray burst afterglow, as the VHE counterpart of a gravitational wave event.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2021

Searching for very-high-energy electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational-wave events with the Cherenkov Telescope Array

The detection of electromagnetic (EM) emission following the gravitational wave (GW) event GW170817 opened the era of multi-messenger astronomy with GWs and provided the first direct evidence that at least a fraction of binary neutron star (BNS) mergers are progenitors of short Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs). GRBs are also expected to emit very-high energy (VHE, > 100 GeV) photons, as proven by the recent MAGIC and H.E.S.S. observations. One of the challenges for future multi-messenger observations will be the detection of such VHE emission from GRBs in association with GWs. In the next years, the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) will be a key instrument for the EM follow-up of GW events in the VHE range, owing to its unprecedented sensitivity, rapid response, and capability to monitor a large sky area via scan-mode operation. We present the CTA GW follow-up program, with a focus on the searches for short GRBs possibly associated with BNS mergers. We investigate the possible observational strategies and we outline the prospects for the detection of VHE EM counterparts to transient GW events.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

Following up GW Alerts With MAGIC: The Third LIGO/Virgo Observation Run

The first two LIGO and Virgo observation runs have been important milestones in the gravitational wave (GW) field, thanks to the detection of GW signals from ten binary black hole systems and a binary neutron star system. In order to fully characterize the emitting source, the remnant object and its environment, electromagnetic follow-up observations at different wavelengths are essential, as learned from the GW170817/GRB170817A case. Given the quite large localization uncertainties provided by interferometers, the main challenge faced by facilities with a narrow field of view (e.g. Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes, IACTs) is to setup a suitable follow-up strategy in order to observe sky regions with the highest probability to host the electromagnetic (EM) counterpart of the GW signal. As member of the EM follow-up community, the MAGIC collaboration joined this effort in 2014. As the third observation run (O3) is currently ongoing, where both LIGO and Virgo are expected to have much better sensitivities, MAGIC is refining its follow-up strategy to maximize the chances of observing the EM counterparts as soon as possible. In this contribution we will describe this strategy, focusing on the different observation cases, which mainly depends on the information available from both GW and EM partner facilities.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

Following up Transient Sources at Very High Energies with MAGIC

Several classes of sources are known to emit different messengers. Among them, transient sources are a special case, due to their serendipitous occurrence, time variability and duration on different timescales. They are associated with explosive and catastrophic events where very compact objects like neutron stars and black holes are involved. The difficulty of observing such elusive and possibly short-lasting events requires a fast reaction and a well-organized alert network between different experiments. In order to characterize them in the best possible way, instruments with a wide field of view should serve as external triggers for facilities with small sky coverage. MAGIC, as a Cherenkov telescope, belongs to the latter category. The search for transients by MAGIC is possible thanks to an automatic alert system listening to the alerts sent by the Gamma-ray Coordinate Network (GCN). In this contribution we describe the MAGIC alert system, which was designed mainly for the follow-up of Gamma-Ray Bursts in its initial conception. The alert system was recently updated in a multi-messenger context, receiving alerts also from neutrino and GW observatories. Finally we will present the MAGIC program for transient sources and how it was adapted in the current multi-wavelength and multi-messenger panorama.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

The gravitational-wave follow-up program of the Cherenkov Telescope Array

The birth of gravitational-wave / electromagnetic astronomy was heralded by the joint observation of gravitational waves (GWs) from a binary neutron star (BNS) merger by Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo, GW170817, and of gamma-rays from the short gamma-ray burst GRB170817A by the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) and INTEGRAL. This detection provided the first direct evidence that at least a fraction of BNSs are progenitors of short GRBs. GRBs are now also known to emit very-high-energy (VHE, > 100 GeV) photons as has been shown by recent independent detections of the GRBs 1901114C and 180720B by the ground-based gamma-ray detectors MAGIC and H.E.S.S. In the next years, the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) will boost the searches for VHE counterparts thanks to its unprecedented sensitivity, rapid response and capability to monitor large sky areas via survey-mode operation. In this contribution, we present the CTA program of observations following the detection of GW events. We discuss various follow-up strategies and links to multi-wavelength and multi-messenger observations. Finally we outline the capabilities and prospects of detecting VHE emission from GW counterparts.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

Black holes, gravitational waves and fundamental physics: a roadmap

The grand challenges of contemporary fundamental physics---dark matter, dark energy, vacuum energy, inflation and early universe cosmology, singularities and the hierarchy problem---all involve gravity as a key component. And of all gravitational phenomena, black holes stand out in their elegant simplicity, while harbouring some of the most remarkable predictions of General Relativity: event horizons, singularities and ergoregions. The hitherto invisible landscape of the gravitational Universe is being unveiled before our eyes: the historical direct detection of gravitational waves by the LIGO-Virgo collaboration marks the dawn of a new era of scientific exploration. Gravitational-wave astronomy will allow us to test models of black hole formation, growth and evolution, as well as models of gravitational-wave generation and propagation. It will provide evidence for event horizons and ergoregions, test the theory of General Relativity itself, and may reveal the existence of new fundamental fields. The synthesis of these results has the potential to radically reshape our understanding of the cosmos and of the laws of Nature. The purpose of this work is to present a concise, yet comprehensive overview of the state of the art in the relevant fields of research, summarize important open problems, and lay out a roadmap for future progress.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2018

Searching for Gamma-Ray counterparts to Gravitational Waves from merging binary neutron stars with the Cherenkov Telescope Array

The merger of binary neutron star (BNS) systems are predicted to be progenitors of short gamma-ray bursts (GRBs); the definitive probe of this association came with the recent detection of gravitational waves (GWs) from a BNS merger by Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo (GW170817), in coincidence with the short GRB 170817A observed by Fermi-GBM and INTEGRAL. Short GRBs are also expected to emit very-high energy (VHE, > 100 GeV) photons and VHE electromagnetic (EM) upper limits have been set with observations performed by ground-based gamma-ray detectors and during the intense EM follow-up campaign associated with GW170817/GRB 170817A. In the next years, the searches for VHE EM counterparts will become more effective thanks to the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA): this instrument will be fundamental for the EM follow-up of transient GW events at VHE, owing to its unprecedented sensitivity, rapid response (few tens of seconds) and capability to monitor large sky areas via survey-mode operation. We present a comprehensive study on the prospects for joint GW and VHE EM observations of merging BNSs with Advanced LIGO, Advanced Virgo and CTA, based on detailed simulations of the multi-messenger emission and detection. We propose a new observational strategy optimized on the prior assumptions about the EM emission. The method can be further generalized to include other electromagnetic emission models. According to this study CTA will cover most of the region of the GW skymap for the intermediate and most energetic on-axis GRBs associated to the GW event. We estimate the expected joint GW and VHE EM detection rates and we found this rate goes from 0.08 up to 0.5 events per year for the most energetic EM sources.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2017

A new method to unveil blazars among multi-wavelength counterparts of Unassociated Fermi gamma-ray Sources

We discuss a new method for unveiling the possible blazar AGN nature among the numerous population of Unassociated Gamma-ray sources (UGS) in the Fermi catalogues. Our tool relies on positional correspondence of the Fermi object with X-ray sources (mostly from Swift-XRT), correlated with other radio, IR and optical data in the field. We built a set of Spectral Energy Distributions (SED) templates representative of the various blazar classes, and we quantitatively compared them to the observed multi-wavelength flux density data for all Swift-XRT sources found within the Fermi error-box, by taking advantage of some well-recognised regularities in the broad-band spectral properties of the objects. We tested the procedure by comparison with a few well-known blazars, and tested the chance for false positive recognition of UGS sources against known pulsars and other Galactic and extragalactic sources. Based on our spectral recognition tool, we find the blazar candidate counterparts for 14 2FGL UGSs among 183 selected at high galactic latitudes. Further our tool also allows us rough estimates of the redshift for the candidate blazar. In a few cases in which this has been possible (i.e. when the counterpart was a SDSS object), we verified that our estimate is consistent with the measured redshift. The estimated redshifts of the proposed UGS counterparts are larger, on average, than those of known Fermi blazars, a fact that might explain the lack of previous association or identification in published catalogues.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

Prospects for joint observations of gravitational waves and gamma rays from merging neutron star binaries

The detection of the events GW150914 and GW151226, both consistent with the merger of a binary black hole system (BBH), opened the era of gravitational wave (GW) astronomy. Besides BBHs, the most promising GW sources are the coalescences of binary systems formed by two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole. These mergers are thought to be connected with short Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs), therefore combined observations of GW and electromagnetic (EM) signals could definitively probe this association. We present a detailed study on the expectations for joint GW and high-energy EM observations of coalescences of binary systems of neutron stars with Advanced Virgo and LIGO and with the \emph{Fermi} gamma-ray telescope. To this scope, we designed a dedicated Montecarlo simulation pipeline for the multimessenger emission and detection by GW and gamma-ray instruments, considering the evolution of the GW detector sensitivities. We show that the expected rate of joint detection is low during the Advanced Virgo and Advanced LIGO 2016-2017 run; however, as the interferometers approach their final design sensitivities, the rate will increase by $\sim$ a factor of ten. Future joint observations will help to constrain the association between short GRBs and binary systems and to solve the puzzle of the progenitors of GWs. Comparison of the joint detection rate with the ones predicted in this paper will help to constrain the geometry of the GRB jet.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

A model for periodic blazars

We describe a scenario to explain blazar periodicities with timescales of $\sim$ few years. The scenario is based on a binary super-massive black hole (SMBH) system in which one of the two SMBH carries a jet. We discuss the various mechanisms that can cause the jet to precess and produce corkscrew patterns through space with a scale of $\sim$ few pc. It turns out that the dominant mechanism responsible for the precession is simply the imprint of the jet-carrying SMBH orbital speed on the jet. Gravitational deflection and Lense-Thirring precession (due to the gravitational field of the other SMBH) are second order effects. We complement the scenario with a kinematical jet model which is inspired to the spine-sheath structure observed in M87. One of the main advantages of such a structure is that it allows the peak of the synchrotron emission to scale with frequency according to $νF\propto ν^ξ$ as the viewing angle is changed, where $ξ$ is not necessarily 3 or 4 as in the case of jets with uniform velocity, but can be $ξ\sim 1$. Finally, we apply the model to the source PG1553+113, which has been recently claimed to show a $T_{\rm obs}=(2.18\pm 0.08)\text{ yr}$ periodicity. We are able to reproduce the optical and gamma-ray light curves and multiple synchrotron spectra simultaneously. We also give estimates of the source mass and size.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2015

Detection of very-high-energy gamma rays from the most distant and gravitationally lensed blazar QSO B0218+357 using the MAGIC telescope system

QSO B0218+357 is a blazar located at a cosmological redshift of z=0.944. It is gravitationally lensed by a spiral galaxy at a redshift of z=0.68. The blazar and its lens are well studied in the radio through X-ray bands, and several blazar outbursts were detected by Fermi-LAT at energies above 100 MeV. Strong gravitational lensing was invoked to explain the two components appar- ent in the radio and GeV light curves, separated by 10-12 days. In July 2014 another outburst was observed by Fermi-LAT, triggering follow-up observations with the MAGIC telescopes at energies above 100 GeV. The observations were scheduled at the expected time of arrival of the component delayed by the strong gravitational field of the lens, resulting in a firm detection of QSO B0218+357. Using the combined Fermi-LAT and MAGIC data sets, we report on variability of this unique blazar, the most distant among all currently known very high energy sources.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2011

MAGIC Telescopes observation of the BL Lac objects 1ES 1215+303 and 1ES 1218+304

The two BL Lac objects, 1ES 1215+303 and 1ES 1218+304, separated by 0.8 degree, were observed with the MAGIC Cherenkov telescopes in 2010-2011. The January 2011 observations resulted in the first detection above 100 GeV of 1ES 1215+303 (known also as ON-325) which has been flagged as a promising Very High Energy (VHE, E > 100 GeV) gamma-ray source candidate by the Fermi-LAT Collaboration in October 2010. The January 2011 observations were triggered by the high optical state of the source, as reported by the Tuorla blazar monitoring program. A comparison with the 2010 data suggests that 1ES 1215+303 was also flaring in VHE gamma-rays. In addition, the Swift Target of Opportunity (ToO) observations in X-rays showed that the flux was almost doubled with respect to previous observations (December 2009). Instead, 1ES 1218+304 is a well known VHE gamma-ray emitter located in the same field of view, which was then simultaneously observed with MAGIC. In this contribution we present preliminary results of the MAGIC observations of these two VHE gamma-ray emitting AGNs.

astro-ph.HE↗