Vrijhk Photometry of PKS 0537-441 and PKS 2155-304 in 2006-2008
We report the 2006-2008 light curves obtained with the REM telescope in VRIJHK bands for the two BL Lac objects PKS 0537-441 and PKS 2155-304
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arXiv subjects
Elena Pian
Publications and source records attributed to Elena Pian.
The metamorphosis of Supernova SN2008D/XRF080109: a link between Supernovae and GRBs/Hypernovae
The only supernovae (SNe) to have shown early gamma-ray or X-ray emission thus far are overenergetic, broad-lined Type Ic SNe (Hypernovae - HNe). Recently, SN 2008D shows several novel features: (i) weak XRF, (ii) an early, narrow optical peak, (iii) disappearance of the broad lines typical of SNIc HNe, (iv) development of He lines as in SNeIb. Detailed analysis shows that SN 2008D was not a normal SN: its explosion energy (KE ~ 6*10^{51} erg) and ejected mass (~7 Msun) are intermediate between normal SNeIbc and HNe. We derive that SN 2008D was originally a ~30Msun star. When it collapsed a black hole formed and a weak, mildly relativistic jet was produced, which caused the XRF. SN 2008D is probably among the weakest explosions that produce relativistic jets. Inner engine activity appears to be present whenever massive stars collapse to black holes.
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Asphericity in Supernova Explosions from Late-Time Spectroscopy
Core-collapse supernovae (CC-SNe) are the explosions that announce the death of massive stars. Some CC-SNe are linked to long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and are highly aspherical. One important question is to what extent asphericity is common to all CC-SNe. Here we present late-time spectra for a number of CC-SNe from stripped-envelope stars, and use them to explore any asphericity generated in the inner part of the exploding star, near the site of collapse. A range of oxygen emission-line profiles is observed, including a high incidence of double-peaked profiles, a distinct signature of an aspherical explosion. Our results suggest that all CC-SNe from stripped-envelope stars are aspherical explosions and that SNe accompanied by GRBs exhibit the highest degree of asphericity.
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INTEGRAL and Swift Observations of Blazars in Outburst
The blazars 3C 454.3, PKS 0537-441 and PKS 2155-304 are traditionally known to be among the most active sources of this class. They emit at all frequencies, up to the gamma-rays, and are good probes of multiwavelength nuclear variability. The first two have also luminous broad emission line regions. We have recently monitored them with various facilities, including Swift and INTEGRAL, and have interpreted their variations with models of non-thermal radiation from a relativistic jet. In particular, we have tested for the first two sources the hypothesis that the variability is produced within the jet through internal shocks, i.e. collisions of relativistic plasma blobs. This allows a parameterization of all physical quantities as functions of the bulk Lorentz factor. We have made the critical assumption that every flaring episode is characterized by a fixed amount of energy. The model reproduces brilliantly the multiwavelength data and especially the gamma-ray spectra, when available. The model is not applicable to PKS 2155-304, the variability of which is caused by independent variations of few individual parameters.
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SN 2006aj Associated with XRF 060218 At Late Phases: Nucleosynthesis-Signature of A Neutron Star-Driven Explosion
Optical spectroscopy and photometry of SN 2006aj have been performed with the Subaru telescope at t > 200 days after GRB060218, the X-ray Flash with which it was associated. Strong nebular emission-lines with an expansion velocity of v ~ 7,300 km/s were detected. The peaked but relatively broad [OI]6300,6363 suggests the existence of ~ 2 Msun of materials in which ~1.3 Msun is oxygen. The core might be produced by a mildly asymmetric explosion. The spectra are unique among SNe Ic in (1) the absence of [CaII]7291,7324 emission, and (2) a strong emission feature at ~ 7400A, which requires ~ 0.05 Msun of newly-synthesized 58Ni. Such a large amount of stable neutron-rich Ni strongly indicates the formation of a neutron star. The progenitor and the explosion energy are constrained to 18 Msun < Mms < 22 Msun and E ~ (1 - 3) 10^{51} erg, respectively.
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Keck and ESO-VLT View of the Symmetry of the Ejecta of the XRF/SN 2006aj
Nebular-phase spectra of SN 2006aj, which was discovered in coincidence with X-ray flash 060218, were obtained with Keck in 2006 July and the Very Large Telescope in 2006 September. At the latter epoch spectropolarimetry was also attempted, yielding an upper limit of ~ 2% for the polarization. The spectra show strong emission lines of [OI] and MgI], as expected from a Type Ic supernova, but weak CaII lines. The [FeII] lines that were strong in the spectra of SN 1998bw are much weaker in SN 2006aj, consistent with the lower luminosity of this SN. The outer velocity of the line-emitting ejecta is ~ 8000 km/s in July and ~ 7400 km/s in September, consistent with the relatively low kinetic energy of expansion of SN 2006aj. All emission lines have similar width, and the profiles are symmetric, indicating that no major asymmetries are present in the ejecta at the velocities sampled by the nebular lines (v < 8000 km/s), except perhaps in the innermost part. The spectra were modelled with a non-LTE code. The mass of 56Ni required to power the emission spectrum is ~ 0.20 Msun, in excellent agreement with the results of early light curve modelling. The oxygen mass is ~ 1.5 Msun, again much less than in SN 1998bw but larger by ~ 0.7 Msun than the value derived from the early-time modelling. The total ejected mass is ~ 2 Msun below 8000 km/s. This confirms that SN 2006aj was only slightly more massive and energetic than the prototypical Type Ic SN 1994I, but also indicates the presence of a dense inner core, containing ~ 1 Msun of mostly oxygen and carbon. The presence of such a core is inferred for all broad-lined SNe Ic. This core may have the form of an equatorial oxygen-dominated region, but it is too deep to affect the early light curve and too small to affect the late polarization spectrum.
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The host galaxy of GRB 011121: Morphology and Spectral Energy Distribution
(Abridged) We present a detailed study of the host galaxy of GRB 011121 (at z = 0.36) based on high-resolution imaging in 5 broad-band, optical and near-infrared filters with HST and VLT/ISAAC. The surface brightness profile of this galaxy is best fitted by a Sersic law with index ~ 2 - 2.5 and a rather large effective radius (~ 7.5 kpc). Both the morphological analysis and the F450W - F702W colour image suggest that the host galaxy of GRB 011121 is either a disk-system with a rather small bulge, or one hosting a central, dust-enshrouded starburst. Hence, we modeled the integrated spectral energy distribution of this galaxy by combining stellar population and radiative transfer models, assuming properties representative of nearby starburst or normal star-forming, Sbc-like galaxies. A range of plausible fitting solutions indicates that the host galaxy of GRB 011121 has a stellar mass of 3.1 - 6.9 x10^9 Msun, stellar populations with a maximum age ranging from 0.4 to 2 Gyr, and a metallicity ranging from 1 to 29 per cent of the solar value. Starburst models suggest this galaxy to be nearly as opaque as local starbursts (with an A_V = 0.27 - 0.76 mag). Alternatively, normal star-forming Sbc-like models suggest a high central opacity whereas A_V = 0.12$ -- 0.57 mag along the line of sight. For this subluminous galaxy (with L_B/Lstar_B = 0.26), we determine a model-dependent SFR of 2.4 - 9.4 Msun/yr. The SFR per unit luminosity (9.2 - 36.1 Msun/yr/(L_B/Lstar_B)) is high compared to those of most GRB host galaxies, but consistent with those of most of the hosts at similar low redshift. Our results suggest that the host galaxy of GRB 011121 is a rather large disk-system in a relatively early phase of its star formation history.
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Optical observations of GRB 060218/SN 2006aj and its host galaxy
The supernova SN 2006aj associated with GRB 060218 is the second-closest GRB-SN observed to date ($z$=0.033) and is the clearest example of a SN associated with a Swift GRB with the earliest optical spectroscopy. Its optical data showed that this is the fastest evolving and among the least luminous GRB-SNe (70% as luminous as SN1998bw). However, its expansion velocity and a comparison with other stripped-envelope SNe suggest that SN2006aj is an intermediate object between Type Ic GRB-SNe and those not accompained by a GRB. High-resolution optical spectroscopy together with SDSS pre-burst observations revealed that the host galaxy of SN2006aj is a low-luminosity, metal-poor star-forming dwarf galaxy.
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A neutron-star-driven X-ray flash associated with supernova SN 2006aj
Supernovae connected with long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are hyper-energetic explosion resulting from the collapse of very massive stars (about 40Mo, where Mo is the mass of the Sun) stripped of their outher hydrogen and helium envelopes. A very massive progenitor, collapsing to a black hole, was thought to be a requirement for the launch of a GRB. Here we report the results of modelling the spectra and light curve of SN 2006aj, which demonstrate that the supernova had a much smaller explosion energy and ejected much less mass than the other GRB-sueprnovae, suggesting that it was produced by a star whose initial mass was only about 20Mo. A star of this mass is expected to form a neutron star rather than a black hole when its core collapses. The smaller explosion energy of SN 2006aj is matched by the weakness and softness of GRB 060218 (an X-ray flash), and the weakness of the radio flux of the supernova. Our results indicate that the supernova-GRB connection extends to a much broader range of stellar masses than previously thought, possibly involving different physical mechanisms: a `collapsar' for the more massive stars collapsing to a black hole, and magnetic activity of the nascent neutron star for the less massive stars.
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Infrared and Optical Observations of GRB 030115 and its Extremely Red Host Galaxy: Implications for Dark Bursts
We present near-infrared (nIR) and optical observations of the afterglow of GRB 030115. Discovered in an infrared search at Kitt Peak 5 hours after the burst trigger, this afterglow is amongst the faintest observed in the R-band at an early epoch, and exhibits very red colors, with $R-K\approx 6$. The magnitude of the optical afterglow of GRB 030115 is fainter than many upper limits for other bursts, suggesting that without early nIR observations it would have been classified as a ``dark'' burst. Both the color and optical magnitude of the afterglow are likely due to dust extinction and indicate that at least some optical afterglows are very faint due to dust along the line of sight. Multicolor {\it Hubble Space Telescope} observations were also taken of the host galaxy and the surrounding field. Photometric redshifts imply that the host, and a substantial number of faint galaxies in the field are at $z \sim 2.5$. The overdensity of galaxies is sufficiently great that GRB 030115 may have occurred in a rich high-redshift cluster. The host galaxy shows extremely red colors (R-K=5) and is the first GRB host to be classified as an Extremely Red Object (ERO). Some of the galaxies surrounding the host also show very red colors, while the majority of the cluster are much bluer, indicating ongoing unobscured star formation. As it is thought that much of high redshift star formation occurs in highly obscured environments it may be that GRB 030115 represent a transition object, between the relatively unobscured afterglows seen to date and a population which are very heavily extinguished, even in the nIR.
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Models for the Type Ic Hypernova SN 2003lw associated with GRB 031203
The Gamma-Ray Burst 031203 at a redshift z=0.1055 revealed a highly reddened Type Ic Supernova, SN 2003lw, in its afterglow light. This is the third well established case of a link between a long-duration GRB and a type Ic SN. The SN light curve is obtained subtracting the galaxy contribution and is modelled together with two spectra at near-maximum epochs. A red VLT grism 150I spectrum of the SN near peak is used to extend the spectral coverage, and in particular to constrain the uncertain reddening, the most likely value for which is E_{G+H}(B-V) about 1.07 +/- 0.05. Accounting for reddening, SN 2003lw is about 0.3 mag brighter than the prototypical GRB-SN 1998bw. Light curve models yield a 56Ni mass of about 0.55 solar mass. The optimal explosion model is somewhat more massive (ejecta mass about 13 solar mass) and energetic (kinetic energy about 6 times 10^52 erg) than the model for SN 1998bw, implying a massive progenitor (40 - 50 solar mass). The mass at high velocity is not very large (1.4 solar mass above 30000 km/s, but only 0.1 solar mass above 60000 km/s), but is sufficient to cause the observed broad lines. The similarity of SNe 2003lw and 1998bw and the weakness of their related GRBs, GRB031203 and GRB980425, suggest that both GRBs may be normal events viewed slightly off-axis or a weaker but possibly more frequent type of GRB.
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INTEGRAL observations of the blazar 3C454.3 in outburst
In Spring 2005, the blazar 3C454.3 underwent a dramatic outburst at all wavelengths from mm to X-rays. This prompted INTEGRAL observations, accomplished in 15-18 May 2005. The source was detected by the INTEGRAL instruments from 3 to 200 keV in a bright state (~5 x 10E-10 cgs), at least a factor of 2-3 higher than previously observed. This is one of the brightest blazar detections achieved by INTEGRAL. During the 2.5 days of INTEGRAL monitoring, we detected a ~20% decrease in the hard X-rays (20-40 keV), indicating that we have sampled the decaying part of the flare. The decrease is less apparent in the soft X-rays (5-15 keV). The simultaneous optical variations are weakly correlated with those at soft X-rays, and not clearly correlated with those at hard X-rays. The spectral energy distribution exhibits two components, as typically seen in blazars, which can be modeled with synchrotron radiation and inverse Compton scattering occurring in a region external to the broad line region.
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Hubble Space Telescope ultraviolet spectroscopy of blazars: emission lines properties and black hole masses
The ultraviolet (UV) spectra of 16 blazars ( ~1) from the archives of the Hubble Space Telescope Faint Object Spectrograph have been analyzed in order to study in a systematic way the properties oftheir broad UV emission lines. We find that the luminosities of the most prominent and intense lines, Ly_alpha and C IV lambda1549, are similar to those of normal radio-loud quasars at comparable redshifts. However, the equivalent widths of blazar lines are significantly smaller than those of radio-loud quasars. Therefore, while the intrinsic broad line region luminosity of blazars appears to be indistinguishable from that of radio-loud quasars, their continuum must be comparatively higher, most probably due to relativistic beaming. We have combined the UV luminosities of the de-beamed continuum with the emitting gas velocity to derive estimates of the masses of the central supermassive black holes. The size of the broad line region was computed in two ways: 1) via an empirical relationship between UV continuum luminosity and broad line region size, and 2) through the external photon density required by blazar models to reproduce the inverse Compton components observed at gamma-rays. The second method yields significantly different results from the first method, suggesting that it provides only a very rough estimate or a lower limit on the size of the broad line region. We find that the average mass of the central black holes in blazars is ~2.8e8 Msun, with a large dispersion, comparable to those computed for other radio-loud active galactic nuclei.
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A Deep Search with HST for Late Time Supernova Signatures in the Hosts of XRF 011030 and XRF 020427
X-ray Flashes (XRFs) are, like Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs), thought to signal the collapse of massive stars in distant galaxies. Many models posit that the isotropic equivalent energies of XRFs are lower than those for GRBs, such that they are visible from a reduced range of distances when compared with GRBs. Here we present the results of two epoch Hubble Space Telescope imaging of two XRFs. These images taken approximately 45 and 200 days post burst reveal no evidence for an associated supernova in either case. Supernovae such as SN 1998bw would have been visible out to z ~1.5 in each case, while fainter supernovae such as SN 2002ap would have been visible to z ~ 1. If the XRFs lie at such large distances, their energies would not fit the observed correlation between the GRB peak energy and isotropic energy release, in which soft bursts are less energetic. We conclude that, should these XRFs reside at low redshifts ($z<0.6$), either their line of sight is heavily extinguished, or they are associated with extremely faint supernovae, or, unlike GRBs, these XRFs do not have temporally coincident supernovae.
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A second glance at SN 2002ap and the M74 field with XMM-Newton
We have re-observed the field of M74 in January 2003 with XMM-Newton, 11 months after the X-ray detection of SN 2002ap. From a comparison of the two XMM-Newton observations we obtain more accurate values for the X-ray luminosity and colours of the source five days after the event, and a limit on its decline rate. We compare its X-ray behaviour (prompt soft X-ray emission, relatively low luminosity) with that of other Type Ic SNe, and speculate that SN 2002ap may share some physical properties (low mass-loss rate and high-velocity stellar wind from the progenitor star) with the candidate hypernova/GRB progenitor SN 1998bw, but with a lower (non-relativistic) speed of the ejecta. We suggest that the X-ray emission observed in 2002 is likely to come from the radiatively-cooling reverse shock, at a temperature kT ~ 0.8 keV, and that this soft component was already detected 5 d after the event because the absorbing column density of the cool shell between the forward and reverse shocks was only ~ 10^{20} cm^{-2}, ie, the shell was optically thin in the soft X-ray band. The new XMM-Newton data also allowed us to continue monitoring two bright variable sources in M74 that had reached peak luminosities > 10^{39} erg s^{-1} in previous XMM-Newton and Chandra observations. Finally, we used two Chandra observations from 2001 to investigate the luminosity and colour distribution of the X-ray source population of M74, typical of moderately-active late-type spirals.
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A very energetic supernova associated with the gamma-ray burst of 29 March 2003
Over the past five years evidence has mounted that long-duration (> 2 s) gamma-ray bursts (GRBs)--the most brilliant of all astronomical explosions--signal the collapse of massive stars in our Universe. This evidence was originally based on the probable association of one unusual GRB with a supernova, but now includes the association of GRBs with regions of massive star formation in distant galaxies, the appearance of supernova-like 'bumps' in the optical afterglow light curves of several bursts and lines of freshly synthesized elements in the spectra of a few X-ray afterglows. These observations support, but do not yet conclusively demonstrate, the idea that long-duration GRBs are associated with the deaths of massive stars, presumably arising from core collapse. Here we report evidence that a very energetic supernova (a hypernova) was temporally and spatially coincident with a GRB at redshift z = 0.1685. The timing of the supernova indicates that it exploded within a few days of the GRB, strongly suggesting that core-collapse events can give rise to GRBs, thereby favouring the 'collapsar' model.
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Recent highlights in the X-ray study of blazars
Blazars exhibit flux and spectral variations of largest amplitude at the highest frequencies. Therefore, monitoring their variability at X- and gamma-rays is the most effective tool to peer into the mighty powerhouse of these sources. High energy observations of the brightest blazars with the latest generation of satellites have allowed a detailed study of their behavior and have critically improved our understanding of the physics of blazar jets. I will review some of the recent results of blazar multiwavelength monitoring with emphasis on the X-ray campaigns accomplished with BeppoSAX and I will describe some of the future programs for blazar investigation from space, particularly with INTEGRAL.
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Optical Observations of Afterglows
Optical, infrared and ultraviolet observations of GRB fields have allowed detection of counterparts and host galaxies of the high energy transients, thus crucially contributing to our present knowledge of the GRB phenomenon. Measurements of afterglow variable emission, polarized light, redshifted absorption and emission line spectra, as well as host galaxies brightnesses and colors have clarified many fundamental issues related to the radiation mechanisms and environments of GRBs, setting the background towards disclosing the nature of their progenitors.
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