arXiv subjects

Denis Leahy

Publications and source records attributed to Denis Leahy.

85 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2009

Quark-nova explosion inside a collapsar: application to Gamma Ray Bursts

If a quark-nova occurs inside a collapsar, the interaction between the quark-nova ejecta (relativistic iron-rich chunks) and the collapsar envelope, leads to features indicative of those observed in Gamma Ray Bursts. The quark-nova ejecta collides with the stellar envelope creating an outward moving cap (Gamma ~ 1-10) above the polar funnel. Prompt gamma-ray burst emission from internal shocks in relativistic jets (following accretion onto the quark star) become visible after the cap becomes optically thin. Model features include: (i) precursor activity (optical, X-ray, gamma-ray), (ii) prompt gamma-ray emission, and (iii) afterglow emission. We discuss SN-less long duration GRBs, short hard GRBs (including association and non-association with star forming regions), dark GRBs, the energetic X-ray flares detected in Swift GRBs, and the near-simultaneous optical and gamma-ray prompt emission observed in GRBs in the context of our model.

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arXiv2008

Dynamical and thermal evolution of the quark-nova ejecta

We explore the dynamical and thermal evolution of the ejected neutron star crust in a Quark-Nova explosion. Typical explosion energies and ejected crust masses result in relativistic ejection with Lorentz factors of a few to a few hundred. The ejecta undergoes a rapid cooling and stretching resulting in break up into many small pieces (clumps) when the ejecta is only ~ 100 km from the explosion site. The number and size of the clumps depends on whether the breakup occurs in the liquid or solid phase. For these two cases, the clump number is ~ 10^3 (liquid phase) or ~ 10^7 (solid phase) and, at break up, are spherical (size ~ 10^4 cm; liquid phase) or needle shaped (~ 10^4x10^2 cm; solid phase).

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arXiv2008

Supernova SN2006gy as a first ever Quark Nova?

The most luminous Supernova SN2006gy (more than a 100 times brighter than a typical supernova) has been a challenge to explain by standard models. For example, pair instability supernovae which are luminous enough seem to have too slow a rise, and core collapse supernovae do not seem to be luminous enough. We present an alternative scenario involving the quark-nova phenomenon (an explosive transition of the newly born neutron star to a quark star) in which a second explosion (delayed) occurs inside the ejecta of a normal supernova. The reheated supernova ejecta can radiate at higher levels for longer periods of time primarily due to reduced adiabatic expansion losses, unlike the standard supernova case. We find an encouraging match between the resulting lightcurve and that observed in the case of SN2006gy suggesting that we might have at hand the first ever signature of a quark-nova. Successful application of our model to SN2005gj and SN2005ap is also presented.

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arXiv2008

Quark-nova remnants III:Application to RRATs

This is the third paper of a series of papers where we explore the evolution of iron-rich ejecta from quark-novae. In the first paper, we explored the case where a quark-nova ejecta forms a degenerate shell, supported by the star's magnetic field, with applications to SGRs. In the second paper we considered the case where the ejecta would have sufficient angular momentum to form a degenerate Keplerian torus and applied such a system to two AXPs, namely 1E2259 + 586 and 4U0142 + 615. Here we explore the late evolution of the degenerate torus and find that it can remain unchanged for $\sim 10^{6}$ years before it becomes non-degenerate. This transition from a degenerate torus (accretion dominated) to a non-degenerate disk (no accretion), occurs about $10^{6}$ years following the quark-nova, and exhibits features that are reminiscent of observed properties of RRATs. Using this model, we can account for the duration of both the radio bursts and the quiet phase, as well as the observed radio flux from RRATs. The unique on and off activity of the radio pulsar PSR B1931 + 24 is similar to that of "old RRATs" in our model. For old RRATs, in our model, the spin-down rate during the radio loud phase is about a factor 1.6 larger than when it is quiet, remarkably similar to what has been measured for PSR B1931 + 24. We discuss a connection between XDINs and RRATs and argue that some XDINs may be ``dead RRATs'' that have already consumed their non-degenerate disk.

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arXiv2007

Birth rates of SGRs and AXPs: delayed amplification of magnetic field

We present new determination of the birth rate of AXPs and SGRS and their associated SNRs. We find a high birth rate of 1/(500 yr) for AXPs/SGRs and 1/(1700 yr) for associated SNRs. These high rates suggest that all massive stars (greater than ~ 25 M_sun) give rise to remnants with magnetar-like fields. Recent observations indicate that fossil fields cannot explain such high fields in the progenitor stars. Dynamo mechanisms during the birth of the neutron stars require spin rates much faster than either observations or theory indicate. Here, we propose the neutron stars form with normal (~ 10^{12} G) magnetic fields, which are then amplified to 10^{14}-10^{15} G after a delay of a few hundred years. The amplification is speculated to be a consequence of color ferromagnetism and occurs after the neutron star core reaches quark-deconfinement density. This delayed amplification alleviates many difficulties in interpreting simultaneously the high birth rate and high magnetic fields of AXPs/SGRs and their link to massive stars.

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arXiv2007

Fall-back crust around a quark-nova compact remnant II: The degenerate torus case with applications to AXPs

In the first paper of this series we explored the case where a quark-nova ejecta forms a degenerate shell, supported by the star's magnetic field. Herein, we consider the case where the ejecta has sufficient angular momentum to form a Keplerian torus, and we show that the density and temperature of the torus are such that it will remain degenerate throughout it's lifetime. We go on to discuss the evolution of such a torus and apply it to two AXPs, namely 1E2259$+$586 and 4U0142$+$615. As it turns out, using our model we can account for many of the observations of these objects including the quiescent phase luminosity, and blackbody temperatures during quiescence and bursting phases. Furthermore, for 1E2259$+$586 our model explains the steep and slow decay components seen in the burst lightcurve, as well as the rotation period glitches and enhanced spin-down rate. We also estimate the mass of the degenerate torus to be of the order of $10^{-6}M_{\odot}$, and speculate that the observed optical/infrared emission from 4U0142$+$615 might be a signature of the thin degenerate torus we describe here.

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arXiv2007

Fall-back crust around a quark-nova compact remnant I: The degenerate shell case with applications to SGRs, AXPs and XDINs

We explore the formation and evolution of debris ejected around quark stars in the Quark Nova scenario, and the application to Soft Gamma-ray Repeaters (SGRs) and Anomolous X-ray Pulsars (AXPs). If an isolated neutron star explodes as a Quark Nova, an Iron-rich shell of degenerate matter forms out of the fall-back (crust) material. Our model can account for many of the observed features of SGRs and AXPs such as: (i) the two types of bursts (giant and regular); (ii) the spin-up and spin-down episodes during and following the bursts with associated persistant increases in $\dot{P}$; (iii) the energetics of the boxing day burst, SGR1806$+$20; (iv) the presence of an Iron line as observed in SGR1900$+$14; (v) the correlation between the far-Infrared and the X-ray fluxes during the bursting episode and the quiescent phase; (vi) the hard X-ray component observed in SGRs during the giant bursts, and (vii) the discrepancy between the ages of SGRs/AXPs and their supernova remnants. We also find a natural evolutionary relationship between SGRs and AXPs in our model which predicts that only the youngest SGRs/AXPs are most likely to exhibit strong bursting. Many features of X-ray Dim Isolated Neutron stars (XDINs) are also accounted for in our model such as, (i) the two-component blackbody spectra; (ii) the absorption lines around 300 eV; and (iii) the excess optical emission.

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arXiv2007

SGRs and AXPs proposed as ancestors of the Magnificent seven

The recently suggested correlation between the surface temperature and the magnetic field in isolated neutron stars does not seem to work well for SGRs, AXPs and X-ray dim isolated neutron stars (XDINs; specifically the Magnificent Seven or M7). Instead by appealing to a Color-Flavor Locked Quark Star (CFLQS) we find a more natural explanation. In this picture, the heating is provided by magnetic flux expulsion from a crust-less superconducting quark star. Combined with our previous studies concerning the possibility of SGRs, AXPs, and XDINs as CFLQSs, this provides another piece of evidence that these objects are all related. Specifically, we propose that XDINs are the descendants of SGRs and AXPs.

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arXiv2006

Light Curves for Rapidly-Rotating Neutron Stars

We present raytracing computations for light emitted from the surface of a rapidly-rotating neutron star in order to construct light curves for X-ray pulsars and bursters. These calculations are for realistic models of rapidly-rotating neutron stars which take into account both the correct exterior metric and the oblate shape of the star. We find that the most important effect arising from rotation comes from the oblate shape of the rotating star. We find that approximating a rotating neutron star as a sphere introduces serious errors in fitted values of the star's radius and mass if the rotation rate is very large. However, in most cases acceptable fits to the ratio M/R can be obtained with the spherical approximation.

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arXiv2006

Magnetic Field Decay and Period Evolution of Anomalous X-Ray Pulsars in the Context of Quark Stars

We discuss a model wherein soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs), anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs), and radio quiet isolated neutron stars (RQINSs) are all compact objects exhibiting superconductivity, namely color-flavor locked quark stars. In particular we calculate the magnetic field decay due to the expulsion of spin-induced vortices from the star's superfluid-superconducting interior, and the resultant spin-down rate. We find that, for initial parameters characteristic of AXPs/SGRs ($10^{13}<B<10^{14}~\rm{G}$; $3<P<12~\rm{s}$), the magnetic field strengths and periods remain unchanged within a factor of two for timescales of the order of $5\times 10^{5} - 5\times 10^{7}~\rm{yrs}$ given a quark star of radius $10~\rm{km}$. Within these timescales, we show that the observed period clustering in RQINSs can be explained by compactness, as well as calculate how the magnetic field and period evolve in a manner concurrent with RQINS observations.

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arXiv2005

3-Dimensional Simulations of the Reorganization of a Quark Star's Magnetic Field as Induced by the Meissner Effect

In a previous paper (Ouyed et al. 2004) we presented a new model for soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGR), based on the onset of colour superconductivity in quark stars. In this model, the bursts result from the reorganization of the exterior magnetic field following the formation of vortices that confine the internal magnetic field (the \mz effect). Here we extend the model by presenting full 3-dimensional simulations of the evolution of the inclined exterior magnetic field immediately following vortex formation. The simulations capture the violent reconnection events in the entangled surface magnetic field as it evolves into a smooth, more stable, configuration which consists of a dipole field aligned with the star's rotation axis. The total magnetic energy dissipated in this process is found to be of the order of $10^{44} \mathrm{erg}$ and, if it is emitted as synchrotron radiation, peaks typically at $280 \mathrm{keV}$. The intensity decays temporally in a way resembling SGRs and AXPs (anomalous X-ray pulsars), with a tail lasting from a few to a few hundred times the rotation period of the star, depending on the initial inclination between the rotation and dipole axis. One of the obvious consequences of our model's final state (aligned rotator) is the suppression of radio-emission in SGRs and AXPs following their bursting era. We suggest that magnetar-like magnetic field strength alone cannot be responsible for the properties of SGRs and AXPs, while a quark star entering the ``Meissner phase'' is compatible with the observational facts. We compare our model to observations and highlight our predictions.

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arXiv2005

Radio Spectral Index Study of the SNRs OA184 and VRO42.05.01

New images of the Supernova Remnants (SNRs) OA184 and VRO42.05.01 are presented at 408 MHz and 1420 MHz, from the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey (CGPS) data. The SNRs' flux densities at both 408 MHz and 1420 MHz are found and corrected for flux from compact sources within the SNRs. The integrated flux-density based spectral indices (S$_ν$$\propto$$ν$$^{-α}$) are 0.25+-0.03 for OA184 and 0.36+-0.06 for VRO42.05.01. These agree with the respective T-T plot spectral indexes of 0.23+-0.06 and 0.36+-0.03. OA184's spectral index is smaller than previously published values. The older flux density values of OA184 from lower resolution data include a contribution from a non-SNR ridge emission region and from compact sources within OA184. Subtracting these contributions results in a spectral index of 0.32+-0.06 (38 MHz to 2695 MHz) or 0.28+-0.06 (408 MHz to 2695 MHz). Correction of published fluxes for point sources for VRO.42.05.01 results in a spectral index of 0.32+-0.05 for 38 MHz to 2695 MHz. We also find spatial variations of spectral index. For OA184 $α$ varies from 0.1 to 0.3 (with errors $\simeq$0.1). For VRO42.05.01, the shell region has $α$=0.31 and the wing region has $α=0.47$ (with errors $\simeq$0.03).

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arXiv2005

Radio Spectral Index Variations of the SNR HB3

We present images of the SNR HB3 at both 408 MHz and 1420 MHz from the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey mainly based on data from the Synthesis Telescope of the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory. We reproduce the 100m-Effelsberg HB3 image at 2695 MHz at large scale, and find that there exists a background emission gradient across the HB3 area. Based on our analysis of background emission and the boundary between W3 and HB3, we give HB3's flux density as 68.6 +/- 11.5 Jy at 408 MHz and 44.8 +/- 12.0 Jy at 1420 MHz, after subtracting flux from compact sources within HB3. The integrated flux-density-based spectral index between 408 MHz and 1420 MHz is 0.34 +/- 0.15. The averaged T-T plot spectral index using all subareas is 0.36. Our measurement values are less than a previously published value of 0.6. The 408-1420 MHz spectral index varies spatially in HB3 in the range 0.1 to 0.7. We investigate the data used by previous authors, and consider more data at 232 MHz, 3650 MHz and 3900 MHz which are not included in previous calculations. There is evidence for two spectral indices for HB3 in the radio band, i.e., 0.63 (38 - 610 MHz) and 0.32 (408 - 3900 MHz). This is consistent with the spatial variations: the low frequency data mainly reflects the steeper indices and the high frequency data mainly reflects the flatter indices.

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