arXiv subjects

I. A. Vaiman

Publications and source records attributed to I. A. Vaiman.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

Upper limits on the isotropic diffuse flux of cosmic PeV photons from Carpet-2 observations

Isotropic diffuse gamma-ray flux in the PeV energy band is an important tool for multimessenger tests of models of the origin of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos and for new-physics searches. So far, this flux has not yet been observed. Carpet-2 is an air-shower experiment capable of detecting astrophysical gamma rays with energies above 0.1 PeV. Here we report the upper limits on the isotropic gamma-ray flux from Carpet-2 data obtained in 1999-2011 and 2018-2022. These results, obtained with the new statistical method based on the shape of the muon-number distribution, summarize Carpet-2 observations as the upgraded installation, Carpet-3, starts its operation.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2022

Modelling the persistent low-state $γ$-ray emission of the PKS 1510-089 blazar with electromagnetic cascades initiated in hadronuclear interactions

Blazars may accelerate protons and/or nuclei as well as electrons. The hadronic component of accelerated particles in blazars may constitute the bulk of their high-energy budget; nevertheless, this component is elusive due to a high value of the energy threshold of proton interaction with photon fields inside the source. However, broad line regions (BLRs) of some flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) may contain a sufficient amount of matter to render primary protons "visible" in $γ$ rays via hadronuclear interactions. In the present paper we study the persistent $γ$-ray emission of the FSRQ PKS 1510-089 in its low state utilizing the publicly-available Fermi-LAT data, as well as using the spectrum measured with the MAGIC imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. We find an indication for an excess of $γ$ rays at the energy range $\gtrsim 20$ GeV with respect to a simple baseline log-parabolic intrinsic spectral model. This excess could be explained in a scenario invoking hadronuclear interactions of primary protons on the BLR material with the subsequent development of electromagnetic cascades in photon fields. We present a Monte Carlo calculation of the spectrum of this cascade component, taking as input the BLR photon field spectrum calculated with the Cloudy code. To our knowledge, this is the first calculation of electromagnetic cascade spectrum inside a blazar based on a direct calculation of the photon field spectrum with a spectral synthesis code.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

EAS observation conditions in the SPHERE-2 balloon experiment

The SPHERE project studies primary cosmic rays by detection of the Cherenkov light of extensive air showers reflected from the snowy surface of the earth. Measurements with the aerial-based detector SPHERE-2 were performed in 2011-2013. The detector was lifted by the balloon at altitudes up to 900 m above snowed surface of Lake Baikal, Russia. The results of the experiment are summarized now in a series of papers that opens with this article. An overview of the SPHERE-2 detector telemetry monitoring systems is presented along with the analysis of the measurements conditions including atmosphere profile. The analysis of the detector state and environment atmosphere conditions monitoring provided various cross-checks of detector calibration, positioning and performance.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

Observation of photons above 300 TeV associated with a high-energy neutrino from the Cygnus region

Galactic sites of acceleration of cosmic rays to energies of order 10^15 eV and higher, dubbed PeVatrons, reveal themselves by recently discovered gamma radiation of energies above 100 TeV. However, joint gamma-ray and neutrino production, which marks unambiguously cosmic-ray interactions with ambient matter and radiation, was not observed until now. In November 2020, the IceCube neutrino observatory reported an ~150 TeV neutrino event from the direction of one of the most promising Galactic PeVatrons, the Cygnus Cocoon. Here we report on the observation of a 3.1-sigma (post trial) excess of atmospheric air showers from the same direction, observed by the Carpet-2 experiment and consistent with a few-months flare in photons above 300 TeV, in temporal coincidence with the neutrino event. The fluence of the gamma-ray flare is of the same order as that expected from the neutrino observation, assuming the standard mechanism of neutrino production. This is the first evidence for the joint production of high-energy neutrinos and gamma rays in a Galactic source.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2020

Can we constrain the extragalactic magnetic field from very high energy observations of GRB 190114C?

Primary very high energy $γ$-rays from $γ$-ray bursts (GRBs) are partially absorbed on extragalactic background light (EBL) photons with subsequent formation of intergalactic electromagnetic cascades. Characteristics of the observable cascade $γ$-ray signal are sensitive to the strength and structure of the extragalactic magnetic field (EGMF). GRB 190114C was recently detected with the MAGIC imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes, for the first time allowing to estimate the observable cascade intensity. We inquire whether any constraints on the EGMF strength and structure could be obtained from publicly-available $γ$-ray data on GRB 190114C. We present detailed calculations of the observable cascade signal for various EGMF configurations. We show that the sensitivity of the Fermi-LAT space $γ$-ray telescope is not sufficient to obtain such constraints on the EGMF parameters. However, next-generation space $γ$-ray observatories such as MAST would be able to detect pair echoes from GRBs similar to GRB 190114C for the EGMF strength below 10^{-17}--10^{-18} G.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

The SPHERE-2 detector for observation of extensive air showers in 1 PeV -- 1 EeV energy range

The SPHERE-2 balloon-borne detector designed for extensive air shower (EAS) observations using EAS optical Vavilov-Cherenkov radiation (``Cherenkov light''), reflected from the snow-covered surface of Lake Baikal is described. We briefly discuss the concept behind the reflected Cherenkov light method, characterize the conditions at the experimental site and overview the construction of the tethered balloon used to lift the SPHERE-2 telescope above the surface. This paper is mainly dedicated to a detailed technical description of the detector, including its optical system, sensitive elements, electronics, and data acquisition system (DAQ). The results of some laboratory and field tests of the optical system are presented.

astro-ph.IM↗