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C. C. Cheung

Publications and source records attributed to C. C. Cheung.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The First Multi-Messenger Nova: External Shocks, TeV Photons, and Neutrinos in the Next Eruption of T CrB

T Coronae Borealis is the most compelling anticipated Galactic recurrent nova and one of the best opportunities to test whether nova eruptions can become genuine multi-messenger transients. Recent observational work on classical novae has shown that the GeV $\gamma$-ray luminosity correlates strongly with the differential velocity between interacting outflows, suggesting that shock power depends strongly on velocity contrast. We apply this empirical framework to T CrB and compare it with the 2021 eruption of RS Ophiuchi, the only nova securely detected at TeV energies. We argue that T CrB may lie at the extreme high-$\Delta v$ end of the nova population and that its strongest shock should arise at the external interaction between the nova ejecta and the slow circumbinary medium. This makes the external shock the most likely site of any TeV emission, while the GeV signal may contain contributions from both internal, if present, and external shocks. Because T CrB is substantially closer than RS Oph, it is an especially favorable target for TeV detection. The neutrino case is promising but more uncertain because it depends sensitively on the density and structure of the circumbinary material. We also revisit the recurrence time of T CrB. Using the observed scatter of better-sampled recurrent novae, we infer a representative population-scale recurrence of $T_{\rm rec}\simeq80\pm12$ yr. Taken together, its proximity and potentially extreme shock velocities make T CrB perhaps the best opportunity for a nova to become the first securely established multi-messenger nova.

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Broad-band Spectral Modeling of Large-Scale X-ray Jets in High-Redshift Quasars: An MHD-Informed Approach

We present a systematic spectral analysis of kiloparsec-scale jets in high-redshift quasars, modeling their radio-to-X-ray emission as synchrotron radiation and inverse-comptonization of CMB by relativistic electrons. In contrast to the homogeneous one-zone approximation commonly adopted in the literature, we describe the jet as a current-carrying, axially symmetric outflow with a purely toroidal magnetic field in magnetohydrostatic equilibrium and with radial velocity shear. In this framework, the pressure, magnetic-field, and bulk-velocity profiles are linked self-consistently, capturing the radial stratification of the emitting region without introducing additional free parameters. For any individual source, the model effectively retains only a small number of free parameters, including the total jet power, $L_{\rm j}$, and the on-axis bulk Lorentz factor, $\Gamma_0$. We consider two prescriptions for the radial distribution of the radiating electrons -- proportional either to the gas pressure or to the rest-frame magnetic energy density -- and two toroidal-field profiles, yielding four model variants. Applying the model to a sample of ten quasar jets at $z \geq 2.5$ with X-ray features resolved by \textit{Chandra}, we perform Bayesian parameter inference and model comparison. The Bayesian evidence systematically favors electron distributions that follow the gas pressure rather than the magnetic energy density, while the data discriminate only weakly between the assumed field profiles. The inferred jet powers, reaching $L_{\rm j} \sim 10^{49}\,\mathrm{erg\,s^{-1}}$, are systematically larger than those obtained from one-zone models, and the corresponding global jet magnetization parameters are low. None of the derived quantities, including $\Gamma_0 \sim \mathcal{O}(10)$, shows a significant monotonic trend with redshift.

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Gamma-ray signature of superluminous supernovae: Fermi-LAT GeV detection of SN 2017egm and evidence of a central engine

Superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) are a rare class of transients with peak luminosities 10-100 times greater than those of standard core-collapse supernovae (SNe). The mechanisms powering their extreme brightness remain debated, with circumstellar medium (CSM) interaction, or energy injection from a central engine like a magnetar wind nebula being the most plausible scenarios. To further constrain the underlying mechanism, we carried out a systematic search for GeV gamma-ray emission using the Fermi-LAT telescope from a sample of nearby hydrogen-poor (Type I) and hydrogen-rich (Type II) SLSNe over the past 16 years. Among the sample, only SN 2017egm shows significant gamma-ray emission, with likelihood test statistic (TS) values of 26-33 (i.e., >5$\sigma$) depending on the adopted time window. The signal arises between 50 and 160 days after explosion and is well described by a power-law spectrum with index $\Gamma=2.17 \pm 0.23$. The emission is consistent both in terms of its light curve and its spectrum, with predictions from magnetar models requiring either low nebular magnetization or faster spin-down than dipole losses. The CSM shell interaction scenario can reproduce the observed flux level but not the observed timing of the gamma-ray signal. In addition, the observed ratio, $L_{\gamma}/L_{opt} \sim 1$, is inconsistent with theoretical expectations and not in line with ratio measurements in other interacting CSM-dominated objects (e.g., novae or SNe) where this ratio is less than $10^{-2}$. Our study strongly suggests that a central engine like a magnetar plays a key role in this SLSN and could explain the bulk of the optical and gamma-ray light curves properties. Finally, simulations of 50 hours of CTAO observations indicate that a SN 2017egm-like event would be detectable up to 140 Mpc in the magnetar model but not in the CSM model due to strong gamma-gamma absorption.

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Powerful Radio Sources in the Southern Sky. IV. Observations of the G4Jy-3CRE Catalog with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder

A recent 2023 paper by Massaro et al. introduced the G4Jy-3CRE, a new catalog of the brightest radio sources in the southern hemisphere that serve as a southern equivalent to the Third Cambridge Catalog Revised (3CR). The G4Jy-3CRE catalog selected 264 sources from the GLEAM-4Jy survey based on the same criteria used to select the sources in the 3CR. In this paper, we present new Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) continuuum imaging of the G4Jy-3CRE catalog. We use the three most recent data releases from the Rapid ASKAP Continuum Survey (RACS), covering the sky south of +30{\deg}decl.: RACS-low1, RACS-mid, and RACS-high. Together, these data releases cover a range of frequencies from 600 to 1800 MHz. The RACS surveys have improved spatial resolution and sensitivity over archival surveys at the same frequency, enabling us to classify 173 sources (66% of the sample) with morphologies indicative of the presence of jets, 37 of which did not show jet activity on archival radio maps. We were able to effectively classify FRI/FRII galaxies up to a redshift of z = 1.35. Moreover, we identified six optical counterparts for sources that were either previously unidentified or ambiguous.

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What Drives the Bimodal Distribution of Eddington-Scaled Radio Luminosity in Nearby Early-Type Galaxies?

{Early-type galaxies host low-luminosity active galactic nuclei, traced by radio emission spanning parsec- to kiloparsec scales.} {We investigate the Eddington-scaled radio luminosity distribution of 117 nearby early-type galaxies to test for bimodality and assess the role of host-galaxy properties, extending results from a 62-galaxy sample \cite{Wojtowicz2023}.} {We compile galaxies with directly measured black hole masses and 1.4,GHz and 3,GHz flux densities. Statistical tests assess bimodality, while VLASS imaging, host-galaxy kinematics, and central stellar structure characterize radio-dim and -bright sources.} {Using the 117-galaxy sample, we confirm that $L_{\rm 1.4,GHz}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}}$ is bimodal, with an antimode at $\approx -8.6$, which disappears when black hole masses are inferred from the $M_{\rm BH}$-$\sigma_\star$ relation. Radio-bright galaxies host resolved jets, while radio-dim systems show compact nuclear emission often exceeding that expected from star formation (FIR-radio correlation). Radio-bright galaxies are mainly slow rotators with depleted cores; radio-dim galaxies are predominantly fast rotators.} {Nearby early-type galaxies show a clear bimodality in Eddington-scaled radio luminosity, separating compact, radio-dim nuclei from extended, radio-bright systems. The dichotomy correlates with host-galaxy kinematics and central structure, indicating that sustained jet production depends primarily on galaxy assembly history and feeding mode rather than black hole mass or accretion rate alone. Radio-dim emission likely reflects intermittent, stochastic delivery of magnetized gas, plausibly via tidal disruption of giant-branch stars near the SMBH.}

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Fermi-LAT detections of novae V1723 Sco and V6598 Sgr

Context. Numerous classical novae have been observed to emit {\gamma}-rays (E > 100 MeV) detected by the Fermi-LAT. The prevailing hypothesis attributes this emission to the interaction of accelerated particles within shocks in the nova ejecta. However, the lack of non-thermal X-ray detection coincident with the {\gamma}-rays remains a challenge to this theory. Methods. We performed similar analyses of the Fermi-LAT data for both novae to determine the duration, localization, and spectral properties of the {\gamma}-ray emission. These results were compared with optical data from the AAVSO database and X-ray observations from NuSTAR, available for V1723 Sco 2024 only, to infer the nature of the accelerated particles. Finally, we used a physical emission model to extract key parameters related to particle acceleration. Results. V1723 Sco 2024 was found to be a very bright {\gamma}-ray source with an emission duration of 15 days allowing us to constrain the spectral index and the total energy of accelerated protons. Despite early NuSTAR observations, no non-thermal X-ray emission was detected simultaneously with the {\gamma}-rays. However, unexpected {\gamma}-ray and thermal hard X-ray emission were observed more than 40 days after the nova outburst, suggesting that particle acceleration can occur even several weeks post-eruption. V6598 Sgr 2023, on the other hand, was detected by the Fermi-LAT at a significance level of 4{\sigma}over just two days, one of the shortest {\gamma}-ray emission durations ever recorded, coinciding with a rapid decline in optical brightness. Finally, the high ratio of {\gamma}-ray to optical luminosities and {\gamma}-ray to X-ray luminosities for both novae, as well as the curvature of the {\gamma}-ray spectrum of V1723 Sco below 500 MeV, are all more consistent with the hadronic than the leptonic scenario for {\gamma}-ray generation in novae.

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Gamma-ray Time Delay and Magnification Ratio in the Gravitationally-Lensed Blazar PKS 1830-211

We present the characterization of macrolensing properties of the gravitationally lensed system PKS 1830-211, utilizing data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope. While at gamma-rays we can not spatially resolve the lensed images, a macrolensing-induced time pattern is expected in the blazar's lightcurve, resulting from the delay between variable gamma-ray components originating from its two brightest lensed images. Compared to our previous study, here we employ high-quality lightcurves coupled with prolonged outburst activity, and improved time-series techniques. Analyzing six independent data segments, we identified a delay of 20.26 +/- 0.62 days (statistical and stochastic uncertainty), with a chance detection probability at the 2.5 x $10^{-5}$ level (post-trial). We also present a novel approach to the magnification ratio estimate based on a comparison with simulated data. Our work suggests that the gamma-ray flux ratio between the two main lens components is $\mu_{\gamma} \lesssim$ 1.8. We do not observe convincing evidence of microlensing effects, as previously claimed. The measured gamma-ray time delay is in 2-sigma tension with radio-based estimates, suggesting either distinct emission sites, underestimated radio uncertainties, or gamma-ray production in a region opaque to radio. Our study highlights the potential of well sampled lightcurves and advanced time-series techniques to distinguish true lensing-induced delays from stochastic variability. When combined with improved radio constraints and refined lens models, PKS 1830-211 and similar sources constitute promising systems for time-delay cosmography, offering new insights into both jet structure and cosmological parameters.

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Exploring the connection between compact object mergers and fast X-ray transients: The cases of LXT 240402A and EP250207b

The connection between compact object mergers and some extragalactic fast X-ray transients (FXRTs) has long been hypothesized, but never ultimately established. In this work, we investigate two FXRTs, the LEIA X-ray Transient LXT 240402A and the Einstein Probe EP250207b, whose precise positions lie close to nearby ($z\!\lesssim\!0.1$) quiescent galaxies with negligible probability of chance coincidence, identifying them as particularly promising cases of merger-driven explosions in the local Universe. We used Chandra to derive accurate localizations for both events and secure otherwise ambiguous associations with their optical counterparts. Deep optical and near-infrared observations with VLT, GTC, and LBT were performed to characterize the surrounding environment and search for kilonova emission, the hallmark of neutron star mergers. Complementary early-time X-ray monitoring with Swift and Einstein Probe was used to constrain the non-thermal afterglow. We find that both FXRTs remain compatible with a compact binary merger progenitor, which produced low-mass ejecta and kilonova emission subdominant to the afterglow. However, alternative explanations such as a distant ($z\!\gtrsim\!1$) core-collapse supernova cannot be conclusively ruled out.

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Periodic Gamma-ray Modulation of the blazar PG 1553+113 Confirmed by Fermi-LAT and Multi-wavelength Observations

A 2.1-year periodic oscillation of the gamma-ray flux from the blazar PG 1553+113 has previously been tentatively identified in almost 7 year of data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope. After 15 years of Fermi sky-survey observations, doubling the total time range, we report >7 cycle gamma-ray modulation with an estimated significance of 4 sigma against stochastic red noise. Independent determinations of oscillation period and phase in the earlier and the new data are in close agreement (chance probability <0.01). Pulse timing over the full light curve is also consistent with a coherent periodicity. Multiwavelength new data from Swift X-Ray Telescope, Burst Alert Telescope, and UVOT, and from KAIT, Catalina Sky Survey, All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae, and Owens Valley Radio Observatory ground-based observatories as well as archival Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer satellite-All Sky Monitor data, published optical data of Tuorla, and optical historical Harvard plates data are included in our work. Optical and radio light curves show clear correlations with the gamma-ray modulation, possibly with a nonconstant time lag for the radio flux. We interpret the gamma-ray periodicity as possibly arising from a pulsational accretion flow in a sub-parsec binary supermassive black hole system of elevated mass ratio, with orbital modulation of the supplied material and energy in the jet. Other astrophysical scenarios introduced include instabilities, disk and jet precession, rotation or nutation, and perturbations by massive stars or intermediate-mass black holes in polar orbit.

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NuSTAR observations of a varying-flux quasar in the Epoch of Reionization

With enough X-ray flux to be detected in a 160s scan by SRG/eROSITA, the $z = 6.19$ quasar CFHQS J142952+544717 is, by far, the most luminous X-ray source known at $z > 6$. We present deep (245 ks) NuSTAR observations of this source; with $\sim180$ net counts in the combined observations, CFHQS J142952+544717 is the most distant object ever observed by the observatory. Fortuitously, this source was independently observed by Chandra $\sim110$ days earlier, enabling the identification of two nearby (30'' and 45'' away), fainter X-ray sources. We jointly fit both Chandra and NuSTAR observations--self-consistently including interloper sources--and find that, to greater than 90% confidence, the observed 3-7 keV flux varied by a factor of $\sim2.6$ during that period, corresponding to approximately two weeks in the quasar rest-frame. This brightening is one the most extreme instances of statistically significant X-ray variability seen in the Epoch of Reionization. We discuss possible scenarios that could produce such rapid change, including X-ray emission from jets too faint at radio frequencies to be observed.

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Search for Extended GeV Sources in the Inner Galactic Plane

The recent detection of extended $\gamma$-ray emission around middle-aged pulsars is interpreted as inverse-Compton scattering of ambient photons by electron-positron pairs escaping the pulsar wind nebula, which are confined near the system by unclear mechanisms. This emerging population of $\gamma$-ray sources was first discovered at TeV energies and remains underexplored in the GeV range. To address this, we conducted a systematic search for extended sources along the Galactic plane using 14 years of Fermi-LAT data above 10 GeV, aiming to identify a number of pulsar halo candidates and extend our view to lower energies. The search covered the inner Galactic plane ($\lvert l\rvert\leq$ 100$^{\circ}$, $\lvert b\rvert\leq$ 1$^{\circ}$) and the positions of known TeV sources and bright pulsars, yielding broader astrophysical interest. We found 40 such sources, forming the Second Fermi Galactic Extended Sources Catalog (2FGES), most with 68% containment radii smaller than 1.0$^{\circ}$ and relatively hard spectra with photon indices below 2.5. We assessed detection robustness using field-specific alternative interstellar emission models and by inspecting significance maps. Noting 13 sources previously known as extended in the 4FGL-DR3 catalog and five dubious sources from complex regions, we report 22 newly detected extended sources above 10 GeV. Of these, 13 coincide with H.E.S.S., HAWC, or LHAASO sources; six coincide with bright pulsars (including four also coincident with TeV sources); six are associated with 4FGL point sources only; and one has no association in the scanned catalogs. Notably, six to eight sources may be related to pulsars as classical pulsar wind nebulae or pulsar halos.

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GRB 221009A: the B.O.A.T Burst that Shines in Gamma Rays

We present a complete analysis of Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) data of GRB 221009A, the brightest Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) ever detected. The burst emission above 30 MeV detected by the LAT preceded by 1 s the low-energy (< 10 MeV) pulse that triggered the Fermi Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor (GBM), as has been observed in other GRBs. The prompt phase of GRB 221009A lasted a few hundred seconds. It was so bright that we identify a Bad Time Interval (BTI) of 64 seconds caused by the extremely high flux of hard X-rays and soft gamma rays, during which the event reconstruction efficiency was poor and the dead time fraction quite high. The late-time emission decayed as a power law, but the extrapolation of the late-time emission during the first 450 seconds suggests that the afterglow started during the prompt emission. We also found that high-energy events observed by the LAT are incompatible with synchrotron origin, and, during the prompt emission, are more likely related to an extra component identified as synchrotron self-Compton (SSC). A remarkable 400 GeV photon, detected by the LAT 33 ks after the GBM trigger and directionally consistent with the location of GRB 221009A, is hard to explain as a product of SSC or TeV electromagnetic cascades, and the process responsible for its origin is uncertain. Because of its proximity and energetic nature, GRB 221009A is an extremely rare event.

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Early-time gamma-ray constraints on cosmic-ray acceleration in the core-collapse SN 2023ixf with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

While SNRs have been considered the most relevant Galactic CR accelerators for decades, CCSNe could accelerate particles during the earliest stages of their evolution and hence contribute to the CR energy budget in the Galaxy. Some SNRs have indeed been associated with TeV gamma-rays, yet proton acceleration efficiency during the early stages of an SN expansion remains mostly unconstrained. The multi-wavelength observation of SN 2023ixf, a Type II SN in the nearby galaxy M101, opens the possibility to constrain CR acceleration within a few days after the collapse of the RSG stellar progenitor. With this work, we intend to provide a phenomenological, quasi-model-independent constraint on the CR acceleration efficiency during this event at photon energies above 100 MeV. We performed a maximum-likelihood analysis of gamma-ray data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope up to one month after the SN explosion. We searched for high-energy emission from its expanding shock, and estimated the underlying hadronic CR energy reservoir assuming a power-law proton distribution consistent with standard diffusive shock acceleration. We do not find significant gamma-ray emission from SN 2023ixf. Nonetheless, our non-detection provides the first limit on the energy transferred to the population of hadronic CRs during the very early expansion of a CCSN. Under reasonable assumptions, our limits would imply a maximum efficiency on the CR acceleration of as low as 1%, which is inconsistent with the common estimate of 10% in generic SNe. However, this result is highly dependent on the assumed geometry of the circumstellar medium, and could be relaxed back to 10% by challenging spherical symmetry. A more sophisticated, inhomogeneous characterisation of the shock and the progenitor's environment is required before establishing whether or not Type II SNe are indeed efficient CR accelerators at early times.

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Characterizing the Gamma-ray Emission Properties of the Globular Cluster M5 with the Fermi-LAT

We analyzed the globular cluster M5 (NGC 5904) using 15 years of gamma-ray data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT). Using rotation ephemerides generated from Arecibo and FAST radio telescope observations, we searched for gamma-ray pulsations from the seven millisecond pulsars (MSPs) identified in M5. We detected no significant pulsations from any of the individual pulsars. Also, we searched for possible variations of the gamma-ray emission as a function of orbital phase for all the six MSPs in binary systems, but did not detect any significant modulations. The gamma-ray emission from the direction of M5 is well described by an exponentially cutoff power-law spectral model, although other models cannot be excluded. The phase-averaged emission is consistent with being steady on a time scale of a few months. We estimate the number of MSPs in M5 to be between 1 and 10, using the gamma-ray conversion efficiencies for well-characterized gamma-ray MSPs in the Third Fermi Large Area Telescope Catalog of Gamma-ray Pulsars, suggesting that the sample of known MSPs in M5 is (nearly) complete, even if it is not currently possible to rule out a diffuse component of the observed gamma rays from the cluster.

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Multiwavelength Study of Dark Globule DC 314.8-5.1: Point Source Identification and Diffuse Emission Characterization

We present an analysis of multi-wavelength observations of the dark globule DC\,314.8--5.1, using data from the Gaia optical, 2MASS near-infrared, and WISE mid-infrared surveys, dedicated imaging with the Spitzer Space Telescope, and X-ray data obtained with the Swift-XRT Telescope (XRT). The main goal was to identify possible pre-main sequence stars (PMSs) and young stellar objects (YSOs) associated with the globule. For this, we studied the infrared colors of all point sources within the boundaries of the cloud. After removing sources with non-stellar spectra, we investigated the Gaia parallaxes for the YSO candidates, and found that none are physically related to DC\,314.8--5.1. In addition, we searched for X-ray emission from pre-main sequence stars with Swift-XRT, and found no 0.5--10\,keV emission down to a luminosity level $\lesssim 10^{31}$erg\,s$^{-1}$, typical of a PMS with mass\,$\ge 2 M_\odot$. Our detailed inspection therefore supports a very young, ``pre-stellar core'' evolutionary stage for the cloud. Based on archival Planck and IRAS data, we moreover identify the presence of hot dust, with temperatures $\gtrsim 100$\,K, in addition to the dominant dust component at 14\,K, originating with the associated reflection nebula.

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Powerful Radio Sources in the Southern Sky. II. A SWIFT X-Ray Perspective

We recently constructed the G4Jy-3CRE, a catalog of extragalactic radio sources based on the GLEAM 4-Jy (G4Jy) sample, with the aim of increasing the number of powerful radio galaxies and quasars with similar selection criteria to those of the revised release of the Third Cambridge catalog (3CR). The G4Jy-3CRE consists of a total of 264 radio sources mainly visible from the Southern Hemisphere. Here, we present an initial X-ray analysis of 89 G4Jy-3CRE radio sources with archival X- ray observations from the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. We reduced a total of 615 Swift observations, for about 0.89 Msec of integrated exposure time, we found X-ray counterparts for 61 radio sources belonging to the G4Jy-3CRE, 11 of them showing extended X-ray emission. The remaining 28 sources do not show any X-ray emission associated with their radio cores. Our analysis demonstrates that X-ray snapshot observations, even if lacking uniform exposure times, as those carried out with Swift, allow us to (i) verify and/or re ne the host galaxy identi cation; (ii) discover the extended X-ray emission around radio galaxies of the intracluster medium when harbored in galaxy clusters, as the case of G4Jy 1518 and G4Jy 1664, and (iii) detect X-ray radiation arising from their radio lobes, as for G4Jy 1863.

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Powerful Radio Sources in the Southern Sky. I. Optical Identifications

Since the early sixties, our view of radio galaxies and quasars has been drastically shaped by discoveries made thanks to observations of radio sources listed in the Third Cambridge catalog and its revised version (3CR). However, the largest fraction of data collected to date on 3CR sources was performed with relatively old instruments, rarely repeated and/or updated. Importantly, the 3CR contains only objects located in the Northern Hemisphere thus having limited access to new and innovative astronomical facilities. To mitigate these limitations we present a new catalog of powerful radio sources visible from the Southern Hemisphere, extracted from the GLEAM 4-Jy (G4Jy) catalog and based on equivalent selection criteria as the 3CR. This new catalog, named G4Jy- 3CRE, where the E stands for "equivalent", lists a total of 264 sources at declination below -5 degrees and with 9 Jy limiting sensitivity at ~178 MHz. We explored archival radio maps obtained with different surveys and compared then with optical images available in the Pan-STARRS, DES and DSS databases to search for optical counterparts of their radio cores. We compared mid-infrared counterparts, originally associated in the G4Jy, with the optical ones identified here and we present results of a vast literature search carried out to collect redshift estimates for all G4Jy-3CRE sources resulting in a total of 145 reliable z measurements.

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The extremely X-ray luminous radio-loud quasar CFHQS J142952+544717 at $z=6.18$ under Chandra high-angular resolution lens

We present the first X-ray observation at sub-arcsecond resolution of the high-redshift ($z=6.18$) radio-loud quasar CFHQS J142952+544717 (J1429). The ~100 net-count 0.3-7 keV spectrum obtained from $\sim 30$ ksec Chandra exposure is best fit by a single power-law model with a photon index $Γ=2.0\pm0.2$ and no indication of an intrinsic absorber, implying a 3.6-72 keV rest-frame luminosity $L_{\rm X}=(2.3^{+0.6}_{-0.5})\times10^{46}$ erg s$^{-1}$. We identify a second X-ray source at 30 arcsec, distance from J1429 position, with a soft ($Γ\simeq 2.8$) and absorbed (equivalent hydrogen column density $N_{\rm H} <13.4\times 10^{20}$ cm$^{-2}$) spectrum, which likely contaminated J1429 spectra obtained in lower angular resolution observations. Based on the analysis of the Chandra image, the bulk of the X-ray luminosity is produced within the central $\sim 3$ kpc region, either by the disk/corona system, or by a moderately aligned jet. In this context, we discuss the source properties in comparison with samples of low- and high-redshift quasars. We find indication of a possible excess of counts over the expectations for a point-like source in a 0.5 arcsec-1.5 arcsec ($\sim 3-8$ kpc) annular region. The corresponding X-ray luminosity at J1429 redshift is $4\times 10^{45}$ erg s$^{-1}$. If confirmed, this emission could be related to either a large-scale X-ray jet, or a separate X-ray source.

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