arXiv subjects

Fabio Pizzolato

Publications and source records attributed to Fabio Pizzolato.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2015

NGC 2276: a remarkable galaxy with a large number of ULXs

The starbusting, nearby (D = 32.9 Mpc) spiral (Sc) galaxy NGC2276 belongs to the sparse group dominated by the elliptical galaxy NGC2300. NGC2276 is a remarkable galaxy, as it displays a disturbed morphology at many wavelengths. This is possibly due to gravitational interaction with the central elliptical galaxy of the group. Previous ROSAT and XMM-Newton observations resulted in the detection of extended hot gas emission and of a single very bright (~1.e41 erg/s) ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) candidate. Here we report on a study of the X-ray sources of NGC2276 based on CHANDRA data taken in 2004. CHANDRA was able to resolve 16 sources, 8 of which are ULXs, and to reveal that the previous ULX candidate is actually composed of a few distinct objects. We construct the luminosity function of NGC2276, which can be interpreted as dominated by high mass X-ray binaries, and estimate the star formation rate (SFR) to be ~5-15 Msun/yr, consistent with the values derived from optical and infrared observations. By means of numerical simulations, we show that both ram pressure and viscous transfer effects are necessary to produce the distorted morphology and the high SFR observed in NGC2276, while tidal interaction have a marginal effect.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2012

PSR J0357+3205: the tail of the turtle

Using a new XMM-Newton observation, we have characterized the X-ray properties of the middle-aged radio-quiet gamma-ray pulsar J0357+3205 (named Morla) and its tail. The X-ray emission from the pulsar is consistent with a magnetospheric non-thermal origin plus a thermal emission from a hot spot (or hot spots). The lack of a thermal component from the whole surface makes Morla the coldest neutron star in its age range. We found marginal evidence for a double-peaked modulation of the X-ray emission. The study of the 9'-long tail confirmed the lack of extended emission near the pulsar itself. The tail shows a very asymmetric brightness profile and its spectrum lacks any spatial variation. We found the nebular emission to be inconsistent with a classical bow-shock, ram-pressure dominated pulsar wind nebula. We propose thermal bremsstrahlung as an alternative mechanism for Morla's tail emission. In this scenario, the tail emission comes from the shocked interstellar medium (ISM) material heated up to X-ray temperatures. This can fully explain the peculiar features of the tail, assuming a hot, moderately dense interstellar medium around the pulsar. For a bremsstrahlung-emitting tail, we can estimate the pulsar distance to be between 300 and 900 pc. A pulsar velocity of about 1900 km/s is required - which would make Morla the pulsar with the largest velocity - and high inclination angles (>70 degrees) are preferred. We propose Morla's nebula as the first example of a new "turtle's tail" class of thermally-emitting nebulae associated to high velocity pulsars.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2012

Stochastic accretion and the variability of supergiant fast X-ray transients

In this paper we consider the variability of the luminosity of a compact object (CO) powered by the accretion of an extremely inhomogeneous ("clumpy") stream of matter. The accretion of a single clump results in an X-ray flare: we adopt a simple model for the response of the CO to the accretion of a single clump, and derive a stochastic differential equation (SDE) for the accretion powered luminosity $L(t)$. We put the SDE in the equivalent form of an equation for the flares' luminosity distribution (FLD), and discuss its solution in the stationary case. As a case study, we apply our formalism to the analysis of the FLDs of Super-Giant Fast X-ray Transients (SFXTs), a peculiar sub-class of High Mass X-ray Binary Systems (HMXBs). We compare our theoretical FLDs to the distributions observed in the SFXTs IGR J16479-4514, IGR J17544-2619 and XTE J1739-302. Despite its simplicity, our model fairly agrees with the observed distributions, and allows to predict some properties of the stellar wind. Finally, we discuss how our model may explain the difference between the broad FLD of SFXTs and the much narrower distribution of persistent HMXBs.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2010

The population of ULXs in the spiral galaxy NGC 2276

We present results for X-ray point sources in the Sc galaxy NGC 2276, obtained by analyzing Chandra data. The galaxy is known to be very active in many wavelengths, possibly due to gravitational interaction with the central elliptical of the group, NGC 2300. However, previous XMM-Newton observations resulted in the detection of only one bright ULX and extended hot gas emission. We present here the X-ray population in NGC 2276 which comprises 17 sources. We found that 6 of them are new ULX sources in this spiral galaxy resolved for the first time by Chandra. We constructed the Luminosity Function that can be interpreted as mainly due of High Mass X-ray binaries, and estimate the Star Formation rate (SFR) to be SFR ~ 5-10 M_sun/yr.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Correlation of AGN Jet Power with the Entropy Profile in Cooling Flow Clusters

We find that the power of jets that inflate bubble pairs in cooling flow clusters of galaxies correlates with the size of the inner region where the entropy profile is flat, as well as with the gas mass in that region and the entropy floor (the entropy value at the center of the cluster). These correlations strengthen the cold feedback mechanism that is thought to operate in cooling flow clusters and during galaxy formation. In the cold feedback mechanism the central super-massive black hole (SMBH) is fed with cold clumps that originate in an extended region of the cooling flow volume, in particular from the inner region that has a flat entropy profile. Such a process ensures a tight feedback between radiative cooling and heating by the SMBH (the AGN). The derived expressions should be used instead of the Bondi accretion rate when studying AGN feedback. We find that the mass of molecular gas also correlates with the entropy profile parameters, despite that the jet power does not correlate with the molecular gas mass. This further suggests that the entropy profile is a fundamental parameter determining cooling and feedback in cooling flow clusters.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Solving the angular momentum problem in the cold feedback mechanism of cooling flows

We show that cold clumps in the intra--cluster medium (ICM) efficiently lose their angular momentum as they fall in, such that they can rapidly feed the central AGN and maintain a heating feedback process. Such cold clumps are predicted by the cold feedback model, a model for maintaining the ICM in cooling flows hot by a feedback process. The clumps very effectively lose their angular momentum in two channels: the drag force exerted by the ICM and the random collisions between clumps when they are close to the central black hole. We conclude that the angular momentum cannot prevent the accretion of the cold clumps, and the cold feedback mechanism is a viable model for a feedback mechanism in cooling flows. Cold feedback does not suffer from the severe problems of models that are based on the Bondi accretion.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

The Moderate Cooling Flow Model and Feedback in Galaxy Formation

For the recent four years we have been studying feedback heating in cooling flow (CF) clusters by AGN activity that inflate bubbles by jets; this short contribution to a meeting summarizes our main results. To achieve our results we had to self-consistently inflate the bubbles with jets, rather than inject them artificially. Our main results are as follows (1) Feedback mechanisms that are based on Bondi accretion fail. Instead, the accretion to the central super-massive black hole (SMBH) is in the form of cold dense blobs that fall-in from an extended region. (2) Slow massive wide (SMW) jets, or rapidly precessing jets, can inflate bubbles similar to those observed in CF clusters. (3) Contrary to some claims in the literature, the inflated bubbles are stable for a relatively long time, becoming unstable only at later times. (4) A single bubble inflation episode excites multiple sound waves and shocks. These can then heat the intracluster medium (ICM). (5) Mixing of the bubble material to the ICM is efficient, and can serve as a main heating channel. (6) The heating processes work in all directions, and can explain the heating of the ICM in CF in clusters and in galaxies.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2008

1E161348-5055 in the Supernova Remnant RCW 103: A Magnetar in a Young Low Mass Binary System?

We suggest that the unique X-ray source 1E161348-5055 at the centre of the supernova remnant RCW 103 consists of a neutron star in close orbit with a low mass main sequence star. The time signature of 6.67 hr is interpreted as the neutron star's spin period. This requires the neutron star to be endowed with a high surface magnetic field of~10^15 G. Magnetic or/and material (propeller) torques are able to spin rapidly the young neutron star down to an asymptotic, equilibrium spin period in close synchronism with the orbital period, similarly to what happens in the Polar Cataclysmic Variables. 1E161348-5055 could be the first case of a magnetar born in a young low mass binary system.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Inflating Fat Bubbles in Clusters of Galaxies by Wide Jets

We conduct two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of jets expanding in the intra-cluster medium (ICM). We find that for a fat, i.e. more or less spherical, bubble attached to the center to be formed the jet should have high momentum flux and a large opening angle. Typically, the half opening angle should be >50 degrees, and the large momentum flux requires a jet speed of \~10,000 km/sec. The inflation process involves vortices and local instabilities which mix some ICM with the hot bubble. These results predict that most of the gas inside the bubble has a temperature of 3x10^8<T<3x10^9 K, and that large quantities of the cooling gas in cooling flow clusters are expelled back to the intra-cluster medium, and heated up. The magnetic fields and relativistic electrons that produce the synchrotron radio emission might be formed in the shock wave of the jet.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Cold Feedback in Cooling-Flow Galaxy Clusters

We put forward an alternative view to the Bondi-driven feedback between heating and cooling of the intra-cluster medium (ICM) in cooling flow galaxies and clusters. We adopt the popular view that the heating is due to an active galactic nucleus (AGN), i.e. a central black hole accreting mass and launching jets and/or winds. We propose that the feedback occurs with the entire cool inner region (5-30 kpc). A moderate cooling flow does exist here, and non-linear over-dense blobs of gas cool fast and are removed from the ICM before experiencing the next major AGN heating event. Some of these blobs may not accrete on the central black hole, but may form stars and cold molecular clouds. We discuss the conditions under which the dense blobs may cool to low temperatures and feed the black hole.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

On the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability of Radio Bubbles in Galaxy Clusters

We consider the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the early evolution of the rarefied radio bubbles (cavities) observed in many cooling flow clusters of galaxies. The top of a bubble becomes prone to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability as the bubble rises through the intra-cluster medium (ICM). We show that while the jet is powering the inflation, the deceleration of the bubble-ICM interface is able to reverse the Rayleigh-Taylor instability criterion. In addition, the inflation introduces a drag effect which increases substantially the instability growth time. The combined action of these two effects considerably delays the onset of the instability. Later on, when the magnitude of the deceleration drops or the jet fades, the Rayleigh-Taylor and the Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities set in and eventually disrupt the bubble. We conclude that the initial deceleration and drag, albeit unable to prevent the disruption of a bubble, may significantly lengthen its lifetime, removing the need to invoke stabilising magnetic fields.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

On the Nature of Feedback Heating in Cooling Flow Clusters

We study the feedback between heating and cooling of the intra-cluster medium (ICM) in cooling flow (CF) galaxies and clusters. We adopt the popular view that the heating is due to an active galactic nucleus (AGN), i.e. a central black hole accreting mass and launching jets and/or winds. We propose that the feedback occurs with the entire cool inner region (r <~ 5-30 kpc), where the non-linear over-dense blobs of gas with a density contrast >~2 cool fast and are removed from the ICM before experiencing the next major AGN heating event. We term this scenario "cold-feedback". Some of these blobs cool and sink toward the central black hole, while others might form stars and cold molecular clouds. We derive the conditions under which the dense blobs formed by perturbations might cool to low temperatures (T <~ 10^4 K), and feed the black hole. The main conditions are found to be: (1) An over-dense blob must be prevented from reaching an equilibrium position in the ICM: therefore it has to cool fast, and the density profile of the ambient gas should be shallow; (2) Non-linear perturbations are required: they might have chiefly formed by previous AGN activity; (3) The cooling time of these non-linear perturbations should be short relative to few times the typical interval between successive AGN outbursts. (4) The blobs should be magnetically disconnected from their surroundings, in order not to be evaporated by thermal conduction.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Feedback Heating with Slow Jets in Cooling Flow Clusters

We propose a scenario in which a large fraction, or even most, of the gas cooling to low temperatures of T<10^4 K in cooling flow clusters, directly gains energy from the central black hole. Most of the cool gas is accelerated to non-relativistic high velocities, v ~ 10^3-10^4 km/sec, after flowing through, or close to, an accretion disk around the central black hole. A poorly collimated wind (or double not-well collimated opposite jets) is formed. According to the proposed scenario, this gas inflates some of the X-ray deficient bubbles, such that the average gas temperature inside these bubbles (cavities) in cooling flow clusters is kT_b ~< 100 keV. A large fraction of these bubbles will be very faint, or not detectable, in the radio. The bright rims of these weak smaller bubbles will appear as ripples. We suggest that the X-ray ripples observed in the Perseus cluster, for example, are not sound waves, but rather the rims of radio-faint weak bubbles which are only slightly hotter than their environment. This scenario is incorporated into the moderate cooling flow model; although not a necessary ingredient in that model, it brings it to better agreement with observations. In the moderate cooling flow model a cooling flow does exist, but the mass cooling rate is ~<10% of that in old versions of cooling flow models.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Radiative cooling, heating and thermal conduction in M87

The crisis of the standard cooling flow model brought about by Chandra and XMM-Newton observations of galaxy clusters, has led to the development of several models which explore different heating processes in order to assess if they can quench the cooling flow. Among the most appealing mechanisms are thermal conduction and heating through buoyant gas deposited in the ICM by AGNs. We combine Virgo/M87 observations of three satellites (Chandra, XMM-Newton and Beppo-SAX) to inspect the dynamics of the ICM in the center of the cluster. Using the spectral deprojection technique, we derive the physical quantities describing the ICM and determine the extra-heating needed to balance the cooling flow assuming that thermal conduction operates at a fixed fraction of the Spitzer value. We assume that the extra-heating is due to buoyant gas and we fit the data using the model developed by Ruszkowski and Begelman (2002). We derive a scale radius for the model of $\sim 5$ kpc, which is comparable with the M87 AGN jet extension, and a required luminosity of the AGN of a $few \times 10^{42}$ erg s$^{-1}$, which is comparable to the observed AGN luminosity. We discuss a scenario where the buoyant bubbles are filled of relativistic particles and magnetic field responsible for the radio emission in M87. The AGN is supposed to be intermittent and to inject populations of buoyant bubbles through a succession of outbursts. We also study the X-ray cool component detected in the radio lobes and suggest that it is structured in blobs which are tied to the radio buoyant bubbles.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Is the gas in cooling-flows multi-phase?

Employing XMM-Newton EPIC data we perform a detailed comparison between different spectral models to test whether the gas in cooling-flows is multi-phase or not. Our findings all point in the same direction, namely that gas in cooling-flows does not show the wide distribution of temperatures expected from standard multi-phase models. This result has profound implications for cooling-flow models. Firstly, the large absorption column depths inferred by previous analysis of cooling-flow spectra are most likely an artifact following from the application of an incorrect spectral model to the data. Secondly, the mass deposition and mass flow are likely to be much smaller than previously thought. Last, but perhaps not least, the term "cooling-flow" cluster is probably no longer appropriate, as it describes a phenomenon of smaller entity and impact than previously thought. We propose to substitute it with that of "cool-core" cluster. The latter definition is less ambitious than the first, as it reflects only an observational fact rather than an inferred physical property, the flow, but has the undeniable advantage of being firmer.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Spin and magnetism in old neutron stars

The thermal, spin and magnetic evolution of neutron stars in the old low mass binaries is first explored. Recycled to very short periods via accretion torques, the neutron stars lose their magnetism progressively. If accretion proceeds undisturbed for 100 Myrs these stars can rotate close to break up with periods far below the minimum observed of 1.558 ms. We investigate their histories using population synthesis models to show that a tail should exist in the period distribution below 1.558 ms. The search of these ultrafastly spinning neutron stars as pulsars can help discriminating among the various equations of state for nuclear matter, and can shed light into the physics of binary evolution. The evolution of isolated neutron stars in the Galaxy is explored beyond the pulsar phase. Moving through the tenuous interstellar medium, these old solitary neutron stars lose their rotational energy. Whether also their magnetism fades is still a mystery. A population synthesis model has revealed that only a tiny fraction of them is able to accrete from the interstellar medium, shining in the X-rays. There is the hope that these solitary stars will eventually appear as faint sources in the Chandra sky survey. This might give insight on the long term evolution of the magnetic field in isolated objects.

astro-ph↗