arXiv subjects

Gerry Skinner

Publications and source records attributed to Gerry Skinner.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Detection of positron in-flight annihilation from the Galaxy

Although the annihilation of positrons towards the Galactic centre was established more than 50 years ago through the detection of a 511 keV $\gamma$-ray line, the origin of the positrons remains unknown. The $\gamma$-ray line should be accompanied by continuum emission from positron in-flight annihilation, which, until now, has not been detected. We aim to detect positron in-flight annihilation emission, as it provides information on the kinetic energy of the positrons that is key in determining the origin of Galactic positrons. We analysed archival data obtained by the COMPTEL instrument on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory satellite to search for positron in-flight annihilation emission in the MeV energy range. Our analysis revealed extended emission in the MeV energy range towards the bulge of the Galaxy, which we attribute to in-flight annihilation of positrons produced with kinetic energies of $\sim$2 MeV. The observed spectrum suggests that positrons are produced quasi-mono-energetically, which could occur by the annihilation of dark matter particles with masses of $\sim$3 MeV, or through bulk motion in the jet of the microquasar 1E1740.7-2942. We furthermore detected a point-like emission component in the MeV energy range towards the Galactic centre that is the plausible low-energy counterpart of the Fermi-LAT source 4FGLJ1745.6-2859. The broad band spectrum of the source may be explained by the injection of pair plasma from the supermassive black hole Sgr A$^\ast$ into the interstellar medium, which would also explain the point-like 511 keV line emission component that was discovered by INTEGRAL/SPI at the Galactic centre. The observed positron in-flight annihilation spectrum towards the Galactic bulge excludes $\beta^+$ decays from radioactive isotopes, as well as any mechanism producing highly relativistic positrons as the origin of the Galactic bulge positrons.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2022

Exploring the MeV Sky with a Combined Coded Mask and Compton Telescope: The Galactic Explorer with a Coded Aperture Mask Compton Telescope (GECCO)

The sky at MeV energies is currently poorly explored. Here we present an innovative mission concept that builds on and improves past and currently proposed missions at such energies. We outline the motivations for combining a coded mask and a Compton telescope and we define the scientific goals of such a mission. The Galactic Explorer with a Coded Aperture Mask Compton Telescope (GECCO) is a novel concept for a next-generation telescope covering hard X-ray and soft gamma-ray energies. The potential and importance of this approach that bridges the observational gap in the MeV energy range are presented. With the unprecedented angular resolution of the coded mask telescope combined with the sensitive Compton telescope, a mission such as GECCO can disentangle the discrete sources from the truly diffuse emission. Individual Galactic and extragalactic sources are detected. This also allows to understand the gamma-ray Galactic center excess and the Fermi Bubbles, and to trace the low-energy cosmic rays, and their propagation in the Galaxy. Nuclear and annihilation lines are spatially and spectrally resolved from the continuum emission and from sources, addressing the role of low-energy cosmic rays in star formation and galaxy evolution, the origin of the 511 keV positron line, fundamental physics, and the chemical enrichment in the Galaxy. Such an instrument also detects explosive transient gamma-ray sources, which enable identifying and studying the astrophysical objects that produce gravitational waves and neutrinos in a multi-messenger context. By looking at a poorly explored energy band it also allows discoveries of new astrophysical phenomena.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2009

Measuring the Accreting Stellar and Intermediate Mass Black Hole Populations in the Galaxy and Local Group

The population of stellar black holes (SBHs) in the Galaxy and galaxies generally is poorly known in both number and distribution. SBHs are the fossil record of the massive stars in galaxy evolution and may have produced some (if not all) of the intermediate mass (\gsim100\Msun) black holes (IMBHs) and, in turn, the central supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in galactic nuclei. For the first time, a Galaxy-wide census of accreting black holes, and their more readily recognizable tracer population, accreting neutron stars (NSs), could be measured with a wide-field hard X-ray imaging survey and soft X-ray and optical/IR prompt followup -- as proposed for the EXIST mission.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2009

The Dynamic X-ray Sky of the Local Universe

Over the next decade, we can expect time domain astronomy to flourish at optical and radio wavelengths. In parallel with these efforts, a dedicated transient "machine" operating at higher energies (X-ray band through soft gamma-rays) is required to reveal the unique subset of events with variable emission predominantly visible above 100 eV. Here we focus on the transient phase space never yet sampled due to the lack of a sensitive, wide-field and triggering facility dedicated exclusively to catching high energy transients and enabling rapid coordinated multi-wavelength follow-up. We first describe the advancements in our understanding of known X-ray transients that can only be enabled through such a facility and then focus on the classes of transients theoretically predicted to be out of reach of current detection capabilities. Finally there is the exciting opportunity of revealing new classes of X-ray transients and unveiling their nature through coordinated follow-up observations at longer wavelengths.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2006

Development of Ground-testable Phase Fresnel Lenses in Silicon

Diffractive/refractive optics, such as Phase Fresnel Lenses (PFL's), offer the potential to achieve excellent imaging performance in the x-ray and gamma-ray photon regimes. In principle, the angular resolution obtained with these devices can be diffraction limited. Furthermore, improvements in signal sensitivity can be achieved as virtually the entire flux incident on a lens can be concentrated onto a small detector area. In order to verify experimentally the imaging performance, we have fabricated PFL's in silicon using gray-scale lithography to produce the required Fresnel profile. These devices are to be evaluated in the recently constructed 600-meter x-ray interferometry testbed at NASA/GSFC. Profile measurements of the Fresnel structures in fabricated PFL's have been performed and have been used to obtain initial characterization of the expected PFL imaging efficiencies.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2006

Formation flying for a Fresnel lens observatory mission

The employment of a large area Phase Fresnel Lens (PFL) in a gamma-ray telescope offers the potential to image astrophysical phenomena with micro-arcsecond angular resolution. In order to assess the feasibility of this concept, two detailed studies have been conducted of formation flying missions in which a Fresnel lens capable of focussing gamma-rays and the associated detector are carried on two spacecraft separated by up to 10$^6$ km. These studies were performed at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Integrated Mission Design Center (IMDC) which developed spacecraft, orbital dynamics, and mission profiles. The results of the studies indicated that the missions are challenging but could be accomplished with technologies available currently or in the near term. The findings of the original studies have been updated taking account of recent advances in ion thruster propulsion technology.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

A Persistent High-Energy Flux from the Heart of the Milky Way : Integral's view of the Galactic Center

The Ibis/Isgri imager on Integral detected for the first time a hard X-ray source, IGR J17456-2901, located within 1' of Sgr A* over the energy range 20-100 keV. Here we present the results of a detailed analysis of ~7 Ms of Integral observations of the GC. With an effective exposure of 4.7 Ms we have obtained more stringent positional constraints on this HE source and constructed its spectrum in the range 20-400 keV. Furthermore, by combining the Isgri spectrum with the total X-ray spectrum corresponding to the same physical region around SgrA* from XMM data, and collected during part of the Integral observations, we constructed and present the first accurate wide band HE spectrum for the central arcmins of the Galaxy. Our complete analysis of the emission properties of IGR shows that it is faint but persistent with no variability above 3 sigma contrary to what was alluded to in our first paper. This result, in conjunction with the spectral characteristics of the X-ray emission from this region, suggests that the source is most likely not point-like but, rather, that it is a compact, yet diffuse, non-thermal emission region. The centroid of IGR is estimated to be R.A.=17h45m42.5, decl.=-28deg59'28'', offset by 1' from the radio position of Sgr A* and with a positional uncertainty of 1'. Its 20-400 keV luminosity at 8 kpc is L=5.4x10^35 erg/sec. Very recently, Hess detected of a source of ~TeV g-rays also located within 1' of Sgr A*. We present arguments in favor of an interpretation according to which the photons detected by Integral and Hess arise from the same compact region of diffuse emission near the central BH and that the supernova remnant Sgr A East could play an important role as a contributor of very HE g-rays to the overall spectrum from this region.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Fresnel lenses for X-ray and Gamma-ray Astronomy

Phase Fresnel lenses have the same imaging properties as zone plates, but with the possibility of concentrating all of the incident power into the primary focus, increasing the maximum theoretical efficiency from 11% to close to 100%. For X-rays, and in particular for gamma-rays, large, diffraction-limited phase Fresnel lenses can be made relatively easily. The focal length is very long - for example up to a million kms. However, the correspondingly high `plate-scale' of the image means that the ultra-high (sub-micro-arc-second) angular resolution possible with a diffraction limited gamma-ray lens a few metres in diameter can be exploited with detectors having mm spatial resolution. The potential of such systems for ultra-high angular resolution astronomy, and for attaining the sensitivity improvements desperately needed for certain other studies, are reviewed and the advantages and disadvantages vis-a-vis alternative approaches are discussed. We report on reduced-scale 'proof-of-principle tests' which are planned and on mission studies of the implementation of a Fresnel telescope on a space mission with lens and detector on two spacecraft separated by one million km. Such a telescope would be capable of resolving emission from super-massive black holes on the scale of their event horizons and would have the sensitivity necessary to detect gamma-ray lines from distant supernovae. We show how diffractive/refractive optics leads to a continuum of possible system designs between filled aperture lenses and wideband interferometric arrays.

astro-ph↗