arXiv subjects

E. Waxman

Publications and source records attributed to E. Waxman.

52 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2002

Collapsar Uncorking and Jet Eruption in GRB

We show that the collapsar model of gamma-ray bursts results in a series of successive shocks and rarefaction waves propagating in the "cork" of stellar material being pushed ahead of the jet, as it emerges from the massive stellar progenitor. These shocks result in a series of characteristic, increasingly shorter and harder thermal X-ray pulses, as well as a non-thermal gamma-ray pulse, which precede the usual non-thermal MeV gamma-rays. We consider jets escaping from both compact (CO or He dwarf) and blue supergiant stellar progenitors. The period, fluence and hardness of the pulses serves as a diagnostic for the size and density of the outer envelope of the progenitor star.

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arXiv2002

GeV Emission from TeV Blazars and Intergalactic Magnetic Fields

Several high-frequency peaked BL Lac objects such as Mrk 501 are strong TeV emitters. However, a significant fraction of the TeV gamma rays emitted are likely to be absorbed in interactions with the diffuse IR background, yielding electron-positron pairs. Hence, the observed TeV spectrum must be steeper than the intrinsic one. Using the recently derived intrinsic $γ$-ray spectrum of Mrk 501 during its 1997 high state, we study the inverse-Compton scattering of cosmic microwave photons by the resulting electron-positron pairs, which implies the existence of a hitherto undiscovered GeV emission. The typical duration of the GeV emission is determined by the flaring activity time and the energy-dependent magnetic deflection time. We numerically calculate the scattered photon spectrum for different intergalactic magnetic field (IGMF) strengths, and find a spectral turnover and flare duration at GeV energies which are dependent on the field strength. We also estimate the scattered photon flux in the quiescent state of Mrk 501. The GeV flux levels predicted are consistent with existing EGRET upper limits, and should be detectable above the synchrotron -- self Compton (SSC) component with the {\em Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope} ({\em GLAST}) for IGMFs $\lesssim 10^{-16}$ G, as expected in voids. Such detections would provide constraints on the strength of weak IGMFs.

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arXiv2002

TeV Neutrinos from Galactic Microquasar Jets

We discuss the possibility that microquasar jets may be powerful emitters of TeV neutrinos. We estimate the neutrino fluxes produced by photopion production in the jets of a sample of identified microquasars and microquasar candidates, for which available data enables rough determination of the jet parameters. We demonstrate that in several of the sources considered, the neutrino flux at Earth, produced in events similar to those observed, can exceed the detection threshold of a km^2 neutrino detector. Sources with bulk Lorentz factors larger than those characteristic of the sample considered here, directed along our line of sight may be very difficult to resolve at radio wavelengths and hence may be difficult to identify as microqusar candidates. However these sources can be identified through their neutrino and gamma-ray emission.

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arXiv2002

Neutrino flux predictions for known Galactic microquasars

It has been proposed recently that Galactic microquasars may be prodigious emitters of TeV neutrinos that can be detected by upcoming km^2 neutrino telescopes. In this paper we consider a sample of identified microquasars and microquasar candiates, for which available data enables rough determination of the jet parameters. By employing the parameters inferred from radio observations of various jet ejection events, we determine the neutrino fluxes that should have been produced during these events by photopion production in the jet. Despite the large uncertainties in our analysis, we demonstrate that in several of the sources considered, the neutrino flux at Earth, produced in events similar to those observed, would exceed the detection threshold of a km^2 neutrino detector. The class of microquasars may contain also sources with bulk Lorentz factors larger than those characteristic of the sample considered here, directed along our line of sight. Such sources, which may be very difficult to resolve at radio wavelengths and hence may be difficult to identify as microqusar candidates, may emit neutrinos with fluxes significantly larger than typically obtained in the present analysis. These sources may eventually be identified through their neutrino and gamma-ray emission.

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arXiv2001

TeV Neutrinos from Successful and Choked Gamma-Ray Bursts

Core collapse of massive stars resulting in a relativistic fireball jet which breaks through the stellar envelope is a widely discussed scenario for gamma-ray burst production. For very extended or slow rotating stars, the fireball may be unable to break through the envelope. Both penetrating and choked jets will produce, by photo-meson interactions of accelerated protons, a burst of neutrinos with energies in excess of 5 TeV while propagating in the envelope. The predicted flux, from both penetrating and chocked fireballs, should be easily detectable by planned cubic kilometer neutrino telescopes.

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arXiv2001

The X-ray afterglow of GRB000926 observed by BeppoSAX and Chandra: a mildly collimated fireball in a dense medium ?

We present X-ray observations of the afterglow of GRB000926 performed around and after the break observed in the optical light curve two days after the burst. The steep X-ray light curve observed around the break confirms the presence of this feature in X-rays. However, the spectral and temporal properties are not consistent with a standard jet scenario based on synchrotron emission, requiring a more complicated model. We find that X-ray and optical data are compatible with a moderately collimated fireball (with opening angle $θ\approx25 °$) expanding in a dense medium ($n\approx 4\times 10^4$ cm$^{-3}$). This produces two breaks in the light curve. The first, at $t\approx$ 2 days, is due to jet behavior. The second, around 5 days, is attributed to the transition of the fireball to a non-relativistic expansion. This transition predicts a{\it flattening} of the light curve, that explains the late X-ray measurement in excess above the extrapolation of the simple jet scenario, and is also consistent with optical data.

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arXiv2001

Efficiency and spectrum of internal gamma-ray burst shocks

We present an analysis of the Internal Shock Model of GRBs, where gamma-rays are produced by internal shocks within a relativistic wind. We show that observed GRB characteristics impose stringent constraints on wind and source parameters. We find that a significant fraction, of order 20 %, of the wind kinetic energy can be converted to radiation, provided the distribution of Lorentz factors within the wind has a large variance and provided the minimum Lorentz factor is higher than 10^(2.5)L_(52)^(2/9), where L=10^(52)L_(52)erg/s is the wind luminosity. For a high, >10 %, efficiency wind, spectral energy breaks in the 0.1 to 1 MeV range are obtained for sources with dynamical time R/c < 1 ms, suggesting a possible explanation for the observed clustering of spectral break energies in this range. The lower limit to wind Lorenz factor and the upper limit, around (R/10^7 cm)^(-5/6) MeV to observed break energies are set by Thomson optical depth due to electron positron pairs produced by synchrotron photons. Natural consequences of the model are absence of bursts with peak emission energy significantly exceeding 1 MeV, and existence of low luminosity bursts with low, 1 keV to 10 keV, break energies.

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arXiv2001

On the Neutrino Flux from Gamma-Ray Bursts

Observations imply that gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are produced by the dissipation of the kinetic energy of a highly relativistic fireball. Photo-meson interactions of protons with gamma-rays within the fireball dissipation region are expected to convert a significant fraction of fireball energy to >10^14 eV neutrinos. We present an analysis of the internal shock model of GRBs, where production of synchrotron photons and photo-meson neutrinos are self-consistently calculated, and show that the fraction of fireball energy converted to high energy neutrinos is not sensitive to uncertainties in fireball model parameters, such as the expansion Lorentz factor and characteristic variability time. This is due in part to the constraints imposed on fireball parameters by observed GRB characteristics, and in part to the fact that for parameter values for which the photo-meson optical depth is high (implying high proton energy loss to pion production) neutrino production is suppressed by pion and muon synchrotron losses. The neutrino flux is therefore expected to be correlated mainly with the observed gamma-ray flux. The time averaged neutrino intensity predicted by the model, ~10^-8.5 GeV/cm^2 s sr, is consistent with the flux predicted by the assumption that GRBs are the sources of >10^19 eV cosmic-rays.

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arXiv2000

Gamma-Ray Bursts

Ultra-high-energy, >10^19 eV, cosmic-ray and high energy, ~10^14 eV, neutrino production in GRBs is discussed in the light of recent GRB and cosmic-ray observations. Emphasis is put on model predictions that can be tested with operating and planned cosmic-ray and neutrino detectors, and on the prospects of testing for neutrino properties.

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arXiv2000

Gamma-Ray Bursts, Cosmic-Rays and Neutrinos

The gamma-ray burst (GRB) model for production of ultra-high-energy cosmic-rays (UHECRs) is based on the hypothesis that GRBs arise from the dissipation of the kinetic energy of relativistic fireballs at cosmological distances. Recent GRB afterglow observations support the validity of this hypothesis and provide quantitative support for the model. The inferred physical fireball parameters imply that protons may be accelerated to >10^20 eV, and the inferred GRB energy generation rate is similar to that required to account for the observed flux of UHECRs. Strong suppression of UHECR flux is expected in this model above 10^19.7 eV, due to proton interaction with CMB photons. Strong deviations from model flux derived under the assumption of uniform source distribution is expected above 10^20 eV, due to source clustering. The flux above 10^20.5 eV is expected to be dominated by few, narrow spectrum sources. While model predictions can not be tested (with high confidence level) at present, the predicted signatures should be observed with the planned Auger and Telescope-Array UHECR detectors. A natural consequence of the GRB model of UHECR production is the conversion of a large fraction, ~10%, of the fireball energy to accompanying burst of \~10^14 eV and ~10^18 eV neutrinos. A km^2 neutrino detector would observe several tens of events per year correlated with GRBs, and test for neutrino properties (e.g. flavor oscillations, for which upward moving tau's would be a unique signature, and coupling to gravity) with an accuracy many orders of magnitude better than is currently possible.

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arXiv1999

On the energy of gamma-ray bursts

We show that gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow observations strongly suggest, within the fireball model framework, that radiating electrons are shock accelerated to a power-law energy distribution, with universal index p \approx 2.2, and that the fraction of shock energy carried by electrons, ξ_e, is universal and close to equipartition, ξ_e ~ 1/3. For universal p and ξ_e, a single measurement of the X-ray afterglow flux on the time scale of a day provides a robust estimate of the fireball energy per unit solid angle, ε, averaged over a conical section of the fireball of opening angle θ~ 0.1. Applying our analysis to BeppoSAX afterglow data we find that: (i) Fireball energies are in the range of 4πε=10^{51.5} to 10^{53.5} erg; (ii) The ratio of observed $γ$-ray to total fireball energy per unit solid angle, ε_γ/ ε, is of order unity, satisfying abs[log10(ε_γ/ε)]<0.5; (iii) If fireballs are jet like, their opening angle should satisfy θ>=0.1. Our results imply that if typical opening angles are θ~ 0.1, a value consistent with our analysis, the total energy associated with a GRB event is in the range of 10^{50} erg to 10^{51.5} erg.

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arXiv1999

A 450-day light curve of the radio afterglow of GRB 970508: Fireball calorimetry

We report on the results of an extensive monitoring campaign of the radio afterglow of GRB 970508, lasting 450 days after the burst. The spectral and temporal radio behavior indicate that the fireball has undergone a transition to sub-relativistic expansion at t~100 days. This allows us to perform "calorimetry" of the explosion. The derived total energy, ~5\times 10^{50} erg, is well below the ~5\times 10^{51} erg inferred under the assumption of spherical symmetry from gamma-ray and early afterglow observations. A natural consequence of this result, which can also account for deviations at t<100 days from the spherical relativistic fireball model predictions, is that the fireball was initially a wide-angle jet of opening angle ~30 degrees. Our analysis also allows to determine the energy fractions carried by electrons and magnetic field, and the density of ambient medium surrounding the fireball. We find that during the sub-relativistic expansion electrons and magnetic field are close to equipartition, and that the density of the ambient medium is ~1/cm^3. The inferred density rules out the possibility that the fireball expands into a strongly non-uniform medium, as would be expected, e.g., in the case of a massive star progenitor.

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arXiv1999

High energy cosmic-rays and neutrinos from cosmological gamma-ray burst fireballs

The recent detection of delayed, low energy emission from Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) sources confirmed the cosmological origin of the bursts and provided support for models where GRBs are produced by the dissipation of the kinetic energy of relativistic fireballs. In this review, ultra high energy, >10^{19} eV, cosmic-ray and high energy, 100 TeV, neutrino production in GRBs is discussed in the light of recent GRB and cosmic-ray observations. Emphasis is put on model predictions that can be tested with operating and planned cosmic-ray and neutrino detectors. The predicted neutrino intensity, E^2 dN/dE=3\times 10^{-9} GeV/(cm^2 s sr) for 10^{14} eV<E<10^{16} eV, implies that a km^2 neutrino detector would observe tens of events per year correlated with GRBs, and will be able to test for neutrino properties with an accuracy many orders of magnitude better than is currently possible. The predicted production rate of high-energy protons, which is consistent with that required to account for the observed ultra-high-energy cosmic-ray (UHECR) flux, implies that operating and planned cosmic-ray detectors can test the GRB model for UHECR production. If the predicted sources are found, cosmic-ray detectors will provide us with a technique to investigate the inter-galactic magnetic field.

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arXiv1999

Towards a Model for the Progenitors of Gamma-Ray Bursts

We consider models for gamma-ray bursts in which a collimated jet expands either into a homogeneous medium or into a stellar wind environment, and calculate the expected afterglow temporal behavior. We show that (i) following a break and a faster decay, afterglows should exhibit a flattening, which may be detectable in both the radio and optical bands; (ii) Only observations at times much shorter than a day can clearly distinguish between a fireball interacting with a homogeneous medium and one interacting with a stellar wind. Using our results we demonstrate that constraints can be placed on progenitor models. In particular, existing data imply that while some long duration bursts may be produced by collapses of massive stars, it is almost certain that not all long duration bursts are produced by such progenitors.

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arXiv1999

Dust sublimation by GRBs and its implications

The prompt optical flash recently detected accompanying GRB990123 suggests that, for at least some GRBs, gamma-ray emission is accompanied by prompt optical-UV emission with luminosity L(1-7.5eV)=10^{49}(ΔΩ/4π)erg/s, where ΔΩis the solid angle into which gamma-ray and optical-UV emission is beamed. Such an optical-UV flash can destroy dust in the beam by sublimation out to an appreciable distance, approximately 10 pc, and may clear the dust out of as much as 10^7(ΔΩ/4π)M_sun of molecular cloud material on an apparent time scale of 10 seconds. Detection of time dependent extinction on this time scale would therefore provide strong constraints on the GRB source environment. Dust destruction implies that existing, or future, observations of not-heavily-reddened fireballs are not inconsistent with GRBs being associated with star forming regions. In this case, however, if gamma-ray emission is highly beamed, the expanding fireball would become reddened on a 1 week time scale. If the optical depth due to dust beyond approximately 8 pc from the GRB is 0.2<τ_V<2, most of the UV flash energy is converted to infra-red, λ\sim 1 micron, radiation with luminosity \sim 10^{41} erg/s extending over an apparent duration of \sim 20(1+z)(ΔΩ/0.01) day. Dust infra-red emission may already have been observed in GRB970228 and GRB980326, and may possibly explain their unusual late time behavior.

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arXiv1998

No Radio Afterglow from the Gamma-Ray Burst of February 28, 1997

We present radio observations of the gamma-ray burster GRB 970228 made with the Very Large Array (VLA) and the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) spanning a range of postburst timescales from one to 300 days. A search for a time-variable radio source was conducted covering an area which included a fading X-ray source and an optical transient, both of which are thought to be the long wavelength counterparts to the gamma-ray burst. At the position of the optical transient sensitive limits between 10 uJy and 1 mJy can be placed on the absence of a radio counterpart to GRB 970228 between 1.4 and 240 GHz. We apply a simple formulation of a fireball model which has been used with some success to reproduce the behavior of the optical and X-ray light curves. Using this model we conclude that the radio non-detections are consistent with the peak flux density of the afterglow lying between 20-40 uJy and it requires that the optical flux peaked between 4 and 16 hours after the burst.

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