arXiv subjects

C. F. Turley

Publications and source records attributed to C. F. Turley.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2021

Model independent search for transient multimessenger events with AMON using outlier detection methods

The Astrophysical Multimessenger Observatory Network (AMON) receives subthreshold data from multiple observatories in order to look for coincidences. Combining more than two datasets at the same time is challenging because of the range of possible signals (time windows, energies, number of events...). However, outlier detection methods can circumvent this issue by identifying any signal divergent from the background (e.g. scrambled data). We propose to use these methods to make a model independent combination of the subthreshold data of neutrino and gamma ray experiments. Using the python outlier detection (PyOD) package, it allows us to test several methods from a simple "k-nearest neighbours" algorithm to a more sophisticated Generative Adversarial Active Learning neural networks which generates data points to better discriminate inliers from outliers.

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arXiv2021

Multimessenger Gamma-Ray and Neutrino Coincidence Alerts using HAWC and IceCube sub-threshold Data

The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) and IceCube observatories, through the Astrophysical Multimessenger Observatory Network (AMON) framework, have developed a multimessenger joint search for extragalactic astrophysical sources. This analysis looks for sources that emit both cosmic neutrinos and gamma rays that are produced in photo-hadronic or hadronic interactions. The AMON system is running continuously, receiving sub-threshold data (i.e. data that is not suited on its own to do astrophysical searches) from HAWC and IceCube, and combining them in real-time. We present here the analysis algorithm, as well as results from archival data collected between June 2015 and August 2018, with a total live-time of 3.0 years. During this period we found two coincident events that have a false alarm rate (FAR) of $<1$ coincidence per year, consistent with the background expectations. The real-time implementation of the analysis in the AMON system began on November 20th, 2019, and issues alerts to the community through the Gamma-ray Coordinates Network with a FAR threshold of $<4$ coincidences per year.

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arXiv2019

A Search for Cosmic Neutrino and Gamma-Ray Emitting Transients in 7.3 Years of ANTARES and Fermi LAT Data

We analyze 7.3 years of ANTARES high-energy neutrino and Fermi LAT γ-ray data in search of cosmic neutrino + γ-ray (ν+γ) transient sources or source populations. Our analysis has the potential to detect either individual ν+γ transient sources (durations δt < 1000~s), if they exhibit sufficient γ-ray or neutrino multiplicity, or a statistical excess of ν+γ transients of lower multiplicities. Treating ANTARES track and cascade event types separately, we establish detection thresholds by Monte Carlo scrambling of the neutrino data, and determine our analysis sensitivity by signal injection against scrambled datasets. We find our analysis is sensitive to ν+γ transient populations responsible for $>$5\% of the observed gamma-coincident neutrinos in the track data at 90\% confidence. Applying our analysis to the unscrambled data reveals no individual ν+γ events of high significance; two ANTARES track + Fermi γ-ray events are identified that exceed a once per decade false alarm rate threshold ($p=17\%$). No evidence for subthreshold ν+γ source populations is found among the track ($p=39\%$) or cascade ($p=60\%$) events. While TXS 0506+056, a blazar and variable (non-transient) Fermi γ-ray source, has recently been identified as the first source of high-energy neutrinos, the challenges in reconciling observations of the Fermi γ-ray sky, the IceCube high-energy cosmic neutrinos, and ultra-high energy cosmic rays using only blazars suggest a significant contribution by other source populations. Searches for transient sources of high-energy neutrinos remain interesting, with the potential for neutrino clustering or multimessenger coincidence searches to lead to discovery of the first ν+γ transients.

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arXiv2018

A Multimessenger Picture of the Flaring Blazar TXS 0506+056: implications for High-Energy Neutrino Emission and Cosmic Ray Acceleration

Detection of the IceCube-170922A neutrino coincident with the flaring blazar TXS 0506+056, the first and only 3-sigma high-energy neutrino source association to date, offers a potential breakthrough in our understanding of high-energy cosmic particles and blazar physics. We present a comprehensive analysis of TXS 0506+056 during its flaring state, using newly collected Swift, NuSTAR, and X-shooter data with Fermi observations and numerical models to constrain the blazar's particle acceleration processes and multimessenger (electromagnetic and high-energy neutrino) emissions. Accounting properly for electromagnetic cascades in the emission region, we find a physically-consistent picture only within a hybrid leptonic scenario, with gamma-rays produced by external inverse-Compton processes and high-energy neutrinos via a radiatively-subdominant hadronic component. We derive robust constraints on the blazar's neutrino and cosmic-ray emissions and demonstrate that, because of cascade effects, the 0.1-100keV emissions of TXS 0506+056 serve as a better probe of its hadronic acceleration and high-energy neutrino production processes than its GeV-TeV emissions. If the IceCube neutrino association holds, physical conditions in the TXS 0506+056 jet must be close to optimal for high-energy neutrino production, and are not favorable for ultra-high-energy cosmic-ray acceleration. Alternatively, the challenges we identify in generating a significant rate of IceCube neutrino detections from TXS 0506+056 may disfavor single-zone models. In concert with continued operations of the high-energy neutrino observatories, we advocate regular X-ray monitoring of TXS 0506+056 and other blazars in order to test single-zone blazar emission models, clarify the nature and extent of their hadronic acceleration processes, and carry out the most sensitive possible search for additional multimessenger sources.

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arXiv2018

A Coincidence Search for Cosmic Neutrino and Gamma-Ray Emitting Sources Using IceCube and Fermi LAT Public Data

We present results of an archival coincidence analysis between Fermi LAT gamma-ray data and public neutrino data from the IceCube neutrino observatory's 40-string (IC40) and 59-string (IC59) observing runs. Our analysis has the potential to detect either a statistical excess of neutrino + gamma-ray ($ν$+$γ$) emitting transients or, alternatively, individual high gamma-multiplicity events, as might be produced by a neutrino observed by IceCube coinciding with a LAT-detected gamma-ray burst. Dividing the neutrino data into three datasets by hemisphere (IC40, IC59-North, and IC59-South), we construct uncorrelated null distributions by Monte Carlo scrambling of the neutrino datasets. We carry out signal-injection studies against these null distributions, demonstrating sensitivity to individual $ν$+$γ$ events of sufficient gamma-ray multiplicity, and to $ν$+$γ$ transient populations responsible for $>$14% (IC40), $>$9% (IC59-North), or $>$8% (IC59-South) of the gamma-coincident neutrinos observed in these datasets, respectively. Analyzing the unscrambled neutrino data, we identify no individual high-significance neutrino + high gamma-multiplicity events, and no significant deviations from the test statistic null distributions. However, we observe a similar and unexpected pattern in the IC59-North and IC59-South residual distributions that we conclude reflects a possible correlation ($p=7.0\%$) between IC59 neutrino positions and persistently bright portions of the Fermi gamma-ray sky. This possible correlation should be readily testable using eight years of further data already collected by IceCube. We are currently working with Astrophysical Multimessenger Observatory Network (AMON) partner facilities to generate low-latency $ν$+$γ$ alerts from Fermi LAT gamma-ray, IceCube and ANTARES neutrino data and distribute these in real time to AMON follow-up partners.

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arXiv2016

Discovery of a transient gamma-ray counterpart to FRB 131104

We report our discovery in Swift satellite data of a transient gamma-ray counterpart (3.2$σ$ confidence) to the fast radio burst FRB131104, the first such counterpart to any FRB. The transient has duration $T_{90} \gtrsim 100$s and fluence $S_γ\approx 4\times 10^{-6}$ erg cm$^{-2}$, increasing the energy budget for this event by more than a billion times; at the nominal $z\approx 0.55$ redshift implied by its dispersion measure, the burst's gamma-ray energy output is $E_γ\approx 5\times 10^{51}$ erg. The observed radio to gamma-ray fluence ratio for FRB131104 is consistent with a lower limit we derive from Swift observations of another FRB, which is not detected in gamma-rays, and with an upper limit previously derived for the brightest gamma-ray flare from SGR 1806-20, which was not detected in the radio. X-ray, ultraviolet, and optical observations beginning two days after the FRB do not reveal any associated afterglow, supernova, or transient; Swift observations exclude association with the brightest 65% of Swift gamma-ray burst X-ray afterglows, while leaving the possibility of an associated supernova at much more than 10% the FRB's nominal distance, $D\gtrsim 320$ Mpc, largely unconstrained. Transient high-luminosity gamma-ray emission arises most naturally in a relativistic outflow or shock breakout, as for example from magnetar flares, gamma-ray bursts, relativistic supernovae, and some types of galactic nuclear activity. Our discovery thus bolsters the case for an extragalactic origin for some FRBs and suggests that future rapid-response observations might identify long-lived counterparts, resolving the nature of these mysterious phenomena and realizing their promise as probes of cosmology and fundamental physics.

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arXiv2016

Search for Blazar Flux-Correlated TeV Neutrinos in IceCube 40-String Data

We present a targeted search for blazar flux-correlated high-energy ($\varepsilon_ν> 1$ TeV) neutrinos from six bright northern blazars, using the public database of northern-hemisphere neutrinos detected during "IC40" 40-string operations of the IceCube neutrino observatory (April 2008 to May 2009). Our six targeted blazars are subjects of long-term monitoring campaigns by the VERITAS TeV gamma-ray observatory. We use the publicly-available VERITAS lightcurves to identify periods of excess and flaring emission. These predefined intervals serve as our "active temporal windows" in a search for an excess of neutrinos, relative to Poisson fluctuations of the near-isotropic atmospheric neutrino background which dominates at these energies. After defining the parameters of an optimized search, we confirm the expected Poisson behavior with Monte Carlo simulations prior to testing for excess neutrinos in the actual data. We make two searches: One for excess neutrinos associated with the bright flares of Mrk 421 that occurred during the IC40 run, and one for excess neutrinos associated with the brightest emission periods of five other blazars (Mrk 501, 1ES 0805+524, 1ES 1218+304, 3C66A, and W Comae), all significantly fainter than the Mrk 421 flares. We find no significant excess of neutrinos from the preselected blazar directions during the selected temporal windows. We derive 90%-confidence upper limits on the number of expected flux-associated neutrinos from each search. These limits are consistent with previous point-source searches and Fermi GeV flux-correlated searches. Our upper limits are sufficiently close to the physically-interesting regime that we anticipate future analyses using already-collected data will either constrain models or yield discovery of the first blazar-associated high-energy neutrinos.

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