arXiv subjects

D. F. Torres

Publications and source records attributed to D. F. Torres.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2012

The extended X-ray emission around RRAT J1819-1458

We present new imaging and spectral analysis of the recently discovered extended X-ray emission around the high magnetic field rotating radio transient RRAT J1819-1458. We used two Chandra observations performed for this object in 2008 May 31 and 2011 May 28, respectively. The diffuse X-ray emission was detected with a significance of \sim19 sigma in the image obtained by combining the two observations. Neither long-term spectral nor timing variability have been observed from the source or the nebula. RRAT J1819-1458 shows an unusual high X-ray efficiency of L_x(0.3-5 keV)/Edot_{rot} \sim 0.15 at converting spin-down power into X-ray luminosity. The most favourable scenario for the origin of this extended X-ray emission is either a pulsar-wind nebula (PWN) or a scattering halo. A magnetically powered scenario for the extended emission is viable only in the case of a Compton nebula, while can be tentatively disfavoured in the case of synchrotron emission.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2012

CTA and cosmic-ray diffusion in molecular clouds

Molecular clouds act as primary targets for cosmic-ray interactions and are expected to shine in gamma-rays as a by-product of these interactions. Indeed several detected gamma-ray sources both in HE and VHE gamma-rays (HE: 100 MeV < E < 100 GeV; VHE: E > 100 GeV) have been directly or indirectly associated with molecular clouds. Information on the local diffusion coefficient and the local cosmic-ray population can be deduced from the observed gamma-ray signals. In this work we concentrate on the capability of the forthcoming Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTA) to provide such measurements. We investigate the expected emission from clouds hosting an accelerator, exploring the parameter space for different modes of acceleration, age of the source, cloud density profile, and cosmic ray diffusion coefficient. We present some of the most interesting cases for CTA regarding this science topic. The simulated gamma-ray fluxes depend strongly on the input parameters. In some cases, from CTA data it will be possible to constrain both the properties of the accelerator and the propagation mode of cosmic rays in the cloud.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2012

Binaries with the eyes of CTA

The binary systems that have been detected in gamma rays have proven very useful to study high-energy processes, in particular particle acceleration, emission and radiation reprocessing, and the dynamics of the underlying magnetized flows. Binary systems, either detected or potential gamma-ray emitters, can be grouped in different subclasses depending on the nature of the binary components or the origin of the particle acceleration: the interaction of the winds of either a pulsar and a massive star or two massive stars; accretion onto a compact object and jet formation; and interaction of a relativistic outflow with the external medium. We evaluate the potentialities of an instrument like the Cherenkov telescope array (CTA) to study the non-thermal physics of gamma-ray binaries, which requires the observation of high-energy phenomena at different time and spatial scales. We analyze the capability of CTA, under different configurations, to probe the spectral, temporal and spatial behavior of gamma-ray binaries in the context of the known or expected physics of these sources. CTA will be able to probe with high spectral, temporal and spatial resolution the physical processes behind the gamma-ray emission in binaries, significantly increasing as well the number of known sources. This will allow the derivation of information on the particle acceleration and emission sites qualitatively better than what is currently available.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2012

Gamma-ray signatures of cosmic ray acceleration, propagation, and confinement in the era of CTA

Galactic cosmic rays are commonly believed to be accelerated at supernova remnants via diffusive shock acceleration. Despite the popularity of this idea, a conclusive proof for its validity is still missing. Gamma-ray astronomy provides us with a powerful tool to tackle this problem, because gamma rays are produced during cosmic ray interactions with the ambient gas. The detection of gamma rays from several supernova remnants is encouraging, but still does not constitute a proof of the scenario, the main problem being the difficulty in disentangling the hadronic and leptonic contributions to the emission. Once released by their sources, cosmic rays diffuse in the interstellar medium, and finally escape from the Galaxy. The diffuse gamma-ray emission from the Galactic disk, as well as the gamma-ray emission detected from a few galaxies is largely due to the interactions of cosmic rays in the interstellar medium. On much larger scales, cosmic rays are also expected to permeate the intracluster medium, since they can be confined and accumulated within clusters of galaxies for cosmological times. Thus, the detection of gamma rays from clusters of galaxies, or even upper limits on their emission, will allow us to constrain the cosmic ray output of the sources they contain, such as normal galaxies, AGNs, and cosmological shocks. In this paper, we describe the impact that the Cherenkov Telescope Array, a future ground-based facility for very-high energy gamma-ray astronomy, is expected to have in this field of research.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2012

Prospects for Observations of Pulsars and Pulsar Wind Nebulae with CTA

The last few years have seen a revolution in very-high gamma-ray astronomy (VHE; E>100 GeV) driven largely by a new generation of Cherenkov telescopes (namely the H.E.S.S. telescope array, the MAGIC and MAGIC-II large telescopes and the VERITAS telescope array). The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) project foresees a factor of 5 to 10 improvement in sensitivity above 0.1 TeV, extending the accessible energy range to higher energies up to 100 TeV, in the Galactic cut-off regime, and down to a few tens GeV, covering the VHE photon spectrum with good energy and angular resolution. As a result of the fast development of the VHE field, the number of pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) detected has increased from one PWN in the early '90s to more than two dozen firm candidates today. Also, the low energy threshold achieved and good sensitivity at TeV energies has resulted in the detection of pulsed emission from the Crab Pulsar (or its close environment) opening new and exiting expectations about the pulsed spectra of the high energy pulsars powering PWNe. Here we discuss the physics goals we aim to achieve with CTA on pulsar and PWNe physics evaluating the response of the instrument for different configurations.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2012

INTEGRAL and Swift/XRT observations on IGR J18179-1621

IGR J18179-1621 is a hard X-ray binary transient discovered recently by INTEGRAL. Here we report on detailed timing and spectral analysis on IGR J18179-1621 in X-rays based on available INTEGRAL and Swift data. From the INTEGRAL analysis, IGR J18179-1621 is detected with a significance of 21.6 sigma in the 18-40 keV band by ISGRI and 15.3 sigma in the 3-25 keV band by JEM-X, between 2012-02-29 and 2012-03-01. We analyze two quasisimultaneous Swift ToO observations. A clear 11.82 seconds pulsation is detected above the white noise at a confidence level larger than 99.99%. The pulse fraction is estimated as 22+/-8% in 0.2-10 keV. No sign of pulsation is detected by INTEGRAL/ISGRI in the 18-40 keV band. With Swift and INTEGRAL spectra combined in soft and hard X-rays, IGR J18179-1621 could be fitted by an absorbed power law with a high energy cutoff plus a Gaussian absorption line centered at 21.5 keV. An additional absorption intrinsic to the source is found, while the absorption line is evidence for most probably originated from cyclotron resonant scattering and suggests a magnetic field in the emitting region of \sim 2.4 \times 10^12 Gauss.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2012

Long-term monitoring of the high-energy gamma-ray emission from LS I +61° 303 and LS 5039

The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) reported the first definitive GeV detections of the binaries LS I +61\degree 303 and LS 5039 in the first year after its launch in June, 2008. These detections were unambiguous as a consequence of the reduced positional uncertainty and the detection of modulated gamma-ray emission on the corresponding orbital periods. An analysis of new data from the LAT, comprising 30 months of observations, identifies a change in the gamma-ray behavior of LS I +61\degree 303. An increase in flux is detected in March 2009 and a steady decline in the orbital flux modulation is observed. Significant emission up to 30GeV is detected by the LAT; prior datasets led to upper limits only. Contemporaneous TeV observations no longer detected the source, or found it -in one orbit- close to periastron, far from the phases at which the source previously appeared at TeV energies. The detailed numerical simulations and models that exist within the literature do not predict or explain many of these features now observed at GeV and TeV energies. New ideas and models are needed to fully explain and understand this behavior. A detailed phase-resolved analysis of the spectral characterization of LS I +61\degree 303 in the GeV regime ascribes a power law with an exponential cutoff spectrum along each analyzed portion of the system's orbit. The on-source exposure of LS 5039 is also substantially increased with respect to our prior publication. In this case, whereas the general gamma-ray properties remain consistent, the increased statistics of the current dataset allows for a deeper investigation of its orbital and spectral evolution.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2011

Deep Chandra observations of TeV binaries II: LS 5039

We report on Chandra observations of the TeV emitting High Mass X-ray Binary LS 5039, for a total exposure of ~70ks, using the ACIS-S camera in Continuos Clocking mode to search for a possible X-ray pulsar in this system. We did not find any periodic or quasi-periodic signal in the 0.3-0.4 and 0.75-0.9 orbital phases, and in a frequency range of 0.005-175 Hz. We derived an average pulsed fraction 3sigma upper limit for the presence of a periodic signal of ~15% (depending on the frequency and the energy band), the deepest limit ever reached for this object. If the X-ray emission of LS 5039 is due (at least in part) to a rotational powered pulsar, the latter is either spinning faster than ~5.6 ms, or having a beam pointing away from our line of sight, or contributing to ~15% of the total X-ray emission of the system in the orbital phases we observed.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2010

Pulsars with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder

The Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) is a 36-element array with a 30-square-degree field of view being built at the proposed SKA site in Western Australia. We are conducting a Design Study for pulsar observations with ASKAP, planning both timing and search observations. We provide an overview of the ASKAP telescope and an update on pulsar-related progress.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2010

Deep Chandra observations of TeV binaries I: LSI +61 303

We report on a 95ks Chandra observation of the TeV emitting High Mass X-ray Binary LSI +61 303, using the ACIS-S camera in Continuos Clocking mode to search for a possible X-ray pulsar in this system. The observation was performed while the compact object was passing from phase 0.94 to 0.98 in its orbit around the Be companion star (hence close to the apastron passage). We did not find any periodic or quasi-periodic signal (at this orbital phase) in a frequency range of 0.005-175 Hz. We derived an average pulsed fraction 3 sigma upper limit for the presence of a periodic signal of ~10% (although this limit is strongly dependent on the frequency and the energy band), the deepest limit ever reached for this object. Furthermore, the source appears highly variable in flux and spectrum even in this very small orbital phase range, in particular we detect two flares, lasting thousands of seconds, with a very hard X-ray spectrum with respect to the average source spectral distribution. The X-ray pulsed fraction limits we derived are lower than the pulsed fraction of any isolated rotational-powered pulsar, in particular having a TeV counterpart. In this scenario most of the X-ray emission of LSI +61 303 should necessarily come from the interwind or inner-pulsar wind zone shock rather than from the magnetosphere of the putative pulsar. Furthermore, we did not find evidence for the previously suggested extended X-ray emission (abridged).

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2009

Model analysis of the very high energy detections of the starburst galaxies M82 and NGC 253

In the light of recent results detecting the nearest starburst galaxies M 82 and NGC 253 at very high energy (VHE), we present a multi-wavelength model succesfully explaining their gamma-ray diffuse emission. The detection of M 82 was presented by VERITAS collaboration in the recent ICRC, while the integral flux of the fainter NGC253 has just been published by HESS Collaboration. Also, in the 2009 Fermi Symposium itself, Fermi data coming from the direction of both galaxies was released, thus confirming their detection in the high energy (HE) regime. Slight and reasonable variations in the space parameter of already published models can fully account for the HE and VHE emission coming from M 82 and NGC 253, while agreeing with previous data detected from radio to infrared. We explore these changes and the implications they have for the cosmic-ray distribution in these galaxies.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2009

Microquasar observations with the MAGIC telescope

Microquasars, X-ray binaries displaying relativistic jets driven by accretion onto a compact object, are some of the most efficient accelerators in the Galaxy. Theoretical models predict Very High Energy (VHE) emission at the base of the jet where particles are accelerated to multi-TeV energies. This emission could be detected by present IACTs. %Moreover, gamma-ray fluxes should increase during flaring events when accretion rates are enhanced. The MAGIC telescope observed the microquasars GRS 1915+105, Cyg X-3, Cyg X-1 and SS433 for ~ 150 hours in total from 2005 to 2008. We triggered our observations by using multi wavelength information through radio flaring alerts with the RATAN telescope as well as by ensuring the low/hard state of the source through RXTE/ASM and Swift/BAT monitoring data. We report on the upper limits on steady and variable emission from these sources over this long period.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2009

The MAGIC highlights of the gamma ray binary LS I +61 303

The discovery of emission of TeV gamma rays from X-ray binaries has triggered an intense effort to better understand the particle acceleration, absorption, and emission mechanisms in compact binary systems. Here we present the pioneering effort of the MAGIC collaboration to understand the very high energy emission of the prototype system LS I +61 303. We report on the variable nature of the emission from LS I +61 303 and show that this emission is indeed periodic. The system shows regular outburst at TeV energies in phase phi=0.6-0.7 and detect no signal at periastron (phi~ 0.275). Furthermore we find no indication of spectral variation along the orbit of the compact object and the spectral energy distribution is compatible with a simple power law with index Gamma=2.6+-0.2_(stat)+-0.2_(sys). To answer some of the open questions concerning the emission process of the TeV radiation we conducted a multiwavelength campaign with the MAGIC telescope, XMM-Newton, and Swift in September 2007. We detect a simultaneous outburst at X-ray and TeV energies, with the peak at phase 0.62 and a similar shape at both wavelengths. A linear fit to the strictly simultaneous X-ray/TeV flux pairs provides r=0.81 -0.21 +0.06. Here we present the observations and discuss the implications of the obtained results to the emission processes in the system.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2008

Radio detections towards unidentified variable EGRET sources

Context. A considerable fraction of the gamma-ray sources discovered with the Energetic Gamma-Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) remain unidentified. The EGRET sources that have been properly identified are either pulsars or variable sources at both radio and gamma-ray wavelengths. Most of the variable sources are strong radio blazars.However, some low galactic-latitude EGRET sources, with highly variable gamma-ray emission, lack any evident counterpart according to the radio data available until now. Aims. The primary goal of this paper is to identify and characterise the potential radio counterparts of four highly variable gamma-ray sources in the galactic plane through mapping the radio surroundings of the EGRET confidence contours and determining the variable radio sources in the field whenever possible. Methods. We have carried out a radio exploration of the fields of the selected EGRET sources using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) interferometer at 21 cm wavelength, with pointings being separated by months. Results. We detected a total of 151 radio sources. Among them, we identified a few radio sources whose flux density has apparently changed on timescales of months. Despite the limitations of our search, their possible variability makes these objects a top-priority target for multiwavelength studies of the potential counterparts of highly variable, unidentified gamma-ray sources.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

The GeV-TeV Connection in Galactic gamma-ray sources

Recent observations with atmospheric Cherenkov telescope systems such as H.E.S.S. and MAGIC have revealed a large number of new sources of very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-rays from 100 GeV - 100 TeV, mostly concentrated along the Galactic plane. At lower energies (100 MeV - 10 GeV) the satellite-based instrument EGRET revealed a population of sources clustering along the Galactic Plane. Given their adjacent energy bands a systematic correlation study between the two source catalogues seems appropriate. Here, the populations of Galactic sources in both energy domains are characterised on observational as well as on phenomenological grounds. Surprisingly few common sources are found in terms of positional coincidence and spectral consistency. These common sources and their potential counterparts and emission mechanisms will be discussed in detail. In cases of detection only in one energy band, for the first time consistent upper limits in the other energy band have been derived. The EGRET upper limits are rather unconstraining due to the sensitivity mismatch to current VHE instruments. The VHE upper limits put strong constraints on simple power-law extrapolation of several of the EGRET spectra and thus strongly suggest cutoffs in the unexplored energy range from 10 GeV - 100 GeV. Physical reasons for the existence of cutoffs and for differences in the source population at GeV and TeV energies will be discussed. Finally, predictions will be derived for common GeV - TeV sources for the upcoming GLAST mission bridging for the first time the energy gap between current GeV and TeV instruments.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Observations of microquasars with the MAGIC telescope

We report on the results from the observations in very high energy band (VHE, E_gamma > 100GeV) of the black hole X-ray binary (BHXB) Cygnus X-1. The observations were performed with the MAGIC telescope, for a total of 40 hours during 26 nights, spanning the period between June and November 2006. We report on the results of the searches for steady and variable gamma-ray signals, including the first experimental evidence for an intense flare, of duration between 1.5 and 24 hours.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Chandra Observations of the Gamma-ray Binary LSI+61303: Extended X-ray Structure?

We present a 50 ks observation of the gamma-ray binary LSI+61303 carried out with the ACIS-I array aboard the Chandra X-ray Observatory. This is the highest resolution X-ray observation of the source conducted so far. Possible evidence of an extended structure at a distance between 5 and 12 arcsec towards the North of LSI+61303 have been found at a significance level of 3.2 sigma. The asymmetry of the extended emission excludes an interpretation in the context of a dust-scattered halo, suggesting an intrinsic nature. On the other hand, while the obtained source flux, of F_{0.3-10 keV}=7.1^{+1.8}_{-1.4} x 10^{-12} ergs/cm^2/s, and hydrogen column density, N_{H}=0.70+/-0.06 x 10^{22} cm^{-2}, are compatible with previous results, the photon index Gamma=1.25+/-0.09 is the hardest ever found. In light of these new results, we briefly discuss the physics behind the X-ray emission, the location of the emitter, and the possible origin of the extended emission ~0.1 pc away from LSI+61303.

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arXiv2006

A microquasar model applied to unidentified gamma-ray sources

Among unidentified gamma-ray sources in the galactic plane, there are some that present significant variability and have been proposed to be high-mass microquasars. To deepen the study of the possible association between variable low galactic latitude gamma-ray sources and microquasars, we have applied a leptonic jet model based on the microquasar scenario that reproduces the gamma-ray spectrum of three unidentified gamma-ray sources, 3EG J1735-1500, 3EG J1828+0142 and GRO J1411-64, and is consistent with the observational constraints at lower energies. We conclude that if these sources were generated by microquasars, the particle acceleration processes could not be as efficient as in other objects of this type that present harder gamma-ray spectra. Moreover, the dominant mechanism of high-energy emission should be synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) scattering, and the radio jets may only be observed at low frequencies. For each particular case, further predictions of jet physical conditions and variability generation mechanisms have been made in the context of the model. Although there might be other candidates able to explain the emission coming from these sources, microquasars cannot be excluded as counterparts. Observations performed by the next generation of gamma-ray instruments, like GLAST, are required to test the proposed model.

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