arXiv subjects

I. V. Moskalenko

Publications and source records attributed to I. V. Moskalenko.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2010

Global cosmic-ray related luminosity and energy budget of the Milky Way

We use the GALPROP code for cosmic-ray (CR) propagation to calculate the broad-band luminosity spectrum of the Milky Way related to CR propagation and interactions in the interstellar medium. This includes gamma-ray emission from the production and subsequent decay of neutral pions, bremsstrahlung, and inverse Compton scattering, and synchrotron radiation. The Galaxy is found to be nearly a CR electron calorimeter, but {\it only} if gamma ray emitting processes are taken into account. Synchrotron radiation alone accounts for only one third of the total electron energy losses with ~10-20% of the total synchrotron emission from secondary CR electrons and positrons. The relationship between far-infrared and radio luminosity that we find from our models is consistent with that found for galaxies in general. The results will be useful for understanding the connection between diffuse emissions from radio through gamma rays in ``normal'' (non-AGN dominated) galaxies, as well as for estimating the broad-band extragalactic diffuse background from these kinds of galaxies.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2010

Constraints on Cosmological Dark Matter Annihilation from the Fermi-LAT Isotropic Diffuse Gamma-Ray Measurement

The first published Fermi large area telescope (Fermi-LAT) measurement of the isotropic diffuse gamma-ray emission is in good agreement with a single power law, and is not showing any signature of a dominant contribution from dark matter sources in the energy range from 20 to 100 GeV. We use the absolute size and spectral shape of this measured flux to derive cross section limits on three types of generic dark matter candidates: annihilating into quarks, charged leptons and monochromatic photons. Predicted gamma-ray fluxes from annihilating dark matter are strongly affected by the underlying distribution of dark matter, and by using different available results of matter structure formation we assess these uncertainties. We also quantify how the dark matter constraints depend on the assumed conventional backgrounds and on the Universe's transparency to high-energy gamma-rays. In reasonable background and dark matter structure scenarios (but not in all scenarios we consider) it is possible to exclude models proposed to explain the excess of electrons and positrons measured by the Fermi-LAT and PAMELA experiments. Derived limits also start to probe cross sections expected from thermally produced relics (e.g. in minimal supersymmetry models) annihilating predominantly into quarks. For the monochromatic gamma-ray signature, the current measurement constrains only dark matter scenarios with very strong signals.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Observations of Milky Way Dwarf Spheroidal galaxies with the Fermi-LAT detector and constraints on Dark Matter models

We report on the observations of 14 dwarf spheroidal galaxies with the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope taken during the first 11 months of survey mode operations. The Fermi telescope provides a new opportunity to test particle dark matter models through the expected gamma-ray emission produced by pair annihilation of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). Local Group dwarf spheroidal galaxies, the largest galactic substructures predicted by the cold dark matter scenario, are attractive targets for such indirect searches for dark matter because they are nearby and among the most extreme dark matter dominated environments. No significant gamma-ray emission was detected above 100 MeV from the candidate dwarf galaxies. We determine upper limits to the gamma-ray flux assuming both power-law spectra and representative spectra from WIMP annihilation. The resulting integral flux above 100 MeV is constrained to be at a level below around 10^-9 photons cm^-2 s^-1. Using recent stellar kinematic data, the gamma-ray flux limits are combined with improved determinations of the dark matter density profile in 8 of the 14 candidate dwarfs to place limits on the pair annihilation cross-section of WIMPs in several widely studied extensions of the standard model. With the present data, we are able to rule out large parts of the parameter space where the thermal relic density is below the observed cosmological dark matter density and WIMPs (neutralinos here) are dominantly produced non-thermally, e.g. in models where supersymmetry breaking occurs via anomaly mediation. The gamma-ray limits presented here also constrain some WIMP models proposed to explain the Fermi and PAMELA e^+e^- data, including low-mass wino-like neutralinos and models with TeV masses pair-annihilating into muon-antimuon pairs. (Abridged)

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Cosmic-ray electrons, synchrotron and magnetic fields in the Galaxy

The cosmic-ray propagation code GALPROP has recently been enhanced in the areas of Galactic magnetic field and synchrotron radiation. A full 3D treatment is now implemented. We describe these enhancements and show applications to the interpretation of non-thermal radio surveys and gamma rays, to probe the Galactic cosmic-ray electron spectrum and magnetic fields.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2009

The GALPROP Cosmic-Ray Propagation Code

The Galactic cosmic-ray propagation code GALPROP is designed to make predictions of many kinds of data self-consistently, including direct cosmic-ray measurements, gamma rays and synchrotron radiation. In the decade since its conception it has undergone considerable development, which is continuing. A public version was made available a few years ago, supported by a website. We describe the new features of the current version which will become part of the next public release. Plans for future developments are also mentioned.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2009

A Galactic Cosmic-Ray Database

Despite a century of cosmic-ray measurements there seems to have been no attempt to collect these data systematically for use by the CR community. The result is that everyone makes their own collection as required, a large duplication of effort. Therefore we have started a project to place published Galactic CR measurements in a database available online. It currently addresses energies up to 100 TeV, including elemental spectra, secondary/primary nuclei ratios, antiprotons, electrons and positrons. It is updated regularly as data appears in the literature. It is supported by access software. The community is encouraged to participate by providing data, pointing out errors or omissions, and suggestions for improvements.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2008

A Measurement of the Spatial Distribution of Diffuse TeV Gamma Ray Emission from the Galactic Plane with Milagro

Diffuse $γ$-ray emission produced by the interaction of cosmic-ray particles with matter and radiation in the Galaxy can be used to probe the distribution of cosmic rays and their sources in different regions of the Galaxy. With its large field of view and long observation time, the Milagro Gamma Ray Observatory is an ideal instrument for surveying large regions of the Northern Hemisphere sky and for detecting diffuse $γ$-ray emission at very high energies. Here, the spatial distribution and the flux of the diffuse $γ$-ray emission in the TeV energy range with a median energy of 15 TeV for Galactic longitudes between 30$^\circ$ and 110$^\circ$ and between 136$^\circ$ and 216$^\circ$ and for Galactic latitudes between -10$^\circ$ and 10$^\circ$ are determined. The measured fluxes are consistent with predictions of the GALPROP model everywhere except for the Cygnus region ($l\in[65^\circ,85^\circ]$). For the Cygnus region, the flux is twice the predicted value. This excess can be explained by the presence of active cosmic ray sources accelerating hadrons which interact with the local dense interstellar medium and produce gamma rays through pion decay.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

Pre-launch estimates for GLAST sensitivity to Dark Matter annihilation signals

We investigate the sensitivity of the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) to indirectly detect weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) through the $γ$-ray signal that their pair annihilation produces. WIMPs are among the favorite candidates to explain the compelling evidence that about 80% of the mass in the Universe is non-baryonic dark matter (DM). They are serendipitously motivated by various extensions of the standard model of particle physics such as Supersymmetry and Universal Extra Dimensions (UED). With its unprecedented sensitivity and its very large energy range (20 MeV to more than 300 GeV) the main instrument on board the GLAST satellite, the Large Area Telescope (LAT), will open a new window of discovery. As our estimates show, the LAT will be able to detect an indirect DM signature for a large class of WIMP models given a cuspy profile for the DM distribution. Using the current state of the art Monte Carlo and event reconstruction software developed within the LAT collaboration, we present preliminary sensitivity studies for several possible sources inside and outside the Galaxy. We also discuss the potential of the LAT to detect UED via the electron/positron channel. Diffuse background modeling and other background issues that will be important in setting limits or seeing a signal are presented.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Hadronic Gamma Rays from Supernova Remnants

A gas cloud near a supernova remnant (SNR) provides a target for pp-collisions leading to subsequent gamma-ray emission through neutral pion decay. The assumption of a power-law ambient spectrum of accelerated particles with index near -2 is usually built into models predicting the spectra of very-high energy (VHE) gamma-ray emission from SNRs. However, if the gas cloud is located at some distance from the SNR shock, this assumption is not necessarily correct. In this case, the particles which interact with the cloud are those leaking from the shock and their spectrum is approximately monoenergetic with the injection energy gradually decreasing as the SNR ages. In the GLAST energy range the gamma-ray spectrum resulting from particle interactions with the gas cloud will be flatter than expected, with the cutoff defined by the pion momentum distribution in the laboratory frame. We evaluate the flux of particles escaping from a SNR shock and apply the results to the VHE diffuse emission detected by the HESS at the Galactic centre.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

The Diffuse Galactic Gamma-Ray Emission Model for GLAST LAT

Diffuse emission from the Milky Way dominates the gamma-ray sky. About 80% of the high-energy luminosity of the Milky Way comes from processes in the interstellar medium. The Galactic diffuse emission traces interactions of energetic particles, primarily protons and electrons, with the interstellar gas and radiation field, thus delivering information about cosmic-ray spectra and interstellar mass in distant locations. Additionally, the Galactic diffuse emission is the celestial foreground for the study of gamma-ray point sources and the extragalactic diffuse gamma-ray emission. We report on the latest developments in the modelling of the Galactic diffuse emission, which will be used for the Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) investigations.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Very High Energy Gamma Rays from Supernova Remnants and Constraints on the Galactic Interstellar Radiation Field

The large-scale Galactic interstellar radiation field (ISRF) is the result of stellar emission and dust re-processing of starlight. Where the energy density of the ISRF is high (e.g., the Galactic Centre), the dominant gamma-ray emission in individual supernova remnants (SNRs), such as G0.9+0.1, may come from inverse Compton (IC) scattering of the ISRF. Several models of the ISRF exist. The most recent one, which has been calculated by us, predicts a significantly higher ISRF than the well-used model of Mathis, Mezger, and Panagia. However,comparison with data is limited to local observations. Based on our current estimate of the ISRF we predict the gamma-ray emission in the SNRs G0.9+0.1 and RXJ1713, and pair-production absorption features above 20 TeV in the spectra of G0.9+0.1, J1713-381, and J1634-472. We discuss how GLAST, along with current and future very high energy instruments, may be able to provide upper bounds on the large-scale ISRF.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Dark matter burners: Preliminary estimates

We show that a star orbiting close enough to an adiabatically grown supermassive black hole can capture a large number of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) during its lifetime. WIMP annihilation energy release in low- to medium-mass stars is comparable with or even exceeds the luminosity of such stars due to thermonuclear burning. The excessive energy release in the stellar core may result in an evolution scenario different from what is expected for a regular star. The model thus predicts the existence of unusual stars within the central parsec of galactic nuclei. If found, such stars would provide evidence for the existence of particle dark matter. White dwarfs seem to be the most promising candidates to look for. The signature of a white dwarf burning WIMPs would be a very hot star with mass and radius characteristic for a white dwarf, but with luminosity exceeding the typical luminosity of a white dwarf by orders of magnitude <50L_sun. A white dwarf with a highly eccentric orbit around the central black hole may exhibit variations in brightness correlated with the orbital phase.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Discovery of TeV Gamma-Ray Emission from the Cygnus Region of the Galaxy

The diffuse gamma radiation arising from the interaction of cosmic ray particles with matter and radiation in the Galaxy is one of the few probes available to study the origin of the cosmic rays. Milagro is a water Cherenkov detector that continuously views the entire overhead sky. The large field-of-view combined with the long observation time makes Milagro the most sensitive instrument available for the study of large, low surface brightness sources such as the diffuse gamma radiation arising from interactions of cosmic radiation with interstellar matter. In this paper we present spatial and flux measurements of TeV gamma-ray emission from the Cygnus Region. The TeV image shows at least one new source MGRO J2019+37 as well as correlations with the matter density in the region as would be expected from cosmic-ray proton interactions. However, the TeV gamma-ray flux as measured at ~12 TeV from the Cygnus region (after excluding MGRO J2019+37) exceeds that predicted from a conventional model of cosmic ray production and propagation. This observation indicates the existence of either hard-spectrum cosmic-ray sources and/or other sources of TeV gamma rays in the region.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Observations of the Li, Be, and B isotopes and constraints on cosmic-ray propagation

The abundance of Li, Be, and B isotopes in galactic cosmic rays (GCR) between E=50-200 MeV/nucleon has been observed by the Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer (CRIS) on NASA's ACE mission since 1997 with high statistical accuracy. Precise observations of Li, Be, B can be used to constrain GCR propagation models. \iffalse Precise observations of Li, Be, and B in addition to well-measured production cross-sections are used to further constrain GCR propagation models. \fi We find that a diffusive reacceleration model with parameters that best match CRIS results (e.g. B/C, Li/C, etc) are also consistent with other GCR observations. A $\sim$15--20% overproduction of Li and Be in the model predictions is attributed to uncertainties in the production cross-section data. The latter becomes a significant limitation to the study of rare GCR species that are generated predominantly via spallation.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Understanding limitations in the determination of the diffuse Galactic gamma-ray emission

We discuss uncertainties and possible sources of errors associated with the determination of the diffuse Galactic gamma-ray emission using the EGRET data. Most of the issues will be relevant also in the GLAST era. The focus here is on issues that impact evaluation of dark matter annihilation signals against the diffuse gamma-ray emission of the Milky Way.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Attenuation of VHE gamma rays by the Milky Way interstellar radiation field

The attenuation of very high energy gamma rays by pair production on the Galactic interstellar radiation field has long been thought of as negligible. However, a new calculation of the interstellar radiation field consistent with multi-wavelength observations by DIRBE and FIRAS indicates that the energy density of the Galactic interstellar radiation field is higher, particularly in the Galactic center, than previously thought. We have made a calculation of the attenuation of very high energy gamma rays in the Galaxy using this new interstellar radiation field which takes into account its nonuniform spatial and angular distributions. We find that the maximum attenuation occurs around 100 TeV at the level of about 25% for sources located at the Galactic center, and is important for both Galactic and extragalactic sources.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Dissipation of Magnetohydrodynamic Waves on Energetic Particles: Impact on Interstellar Turbulence and Cosmic Ray Transport

The physical processes involved in diffusion of Galactic cosmic rays in the interstellar medium are addressed. We study the possibility that the nonlinear MHD cascade sets the power-law spectrum of turbulence which scatters charged energetic particles. We find that the dissipation of waves due to the resonant interaction with cosmic ray particles may terminate the Kraichnan-type cascade below wavelengths 10^13 cm. The effect of this wave dissipation has been incorporated in the GALPROP numerical propagation code in order to asses the impact on measurable astrophysical data. The energy-dependence of the cosmic-ray diffusion coefficient found in the resulting self-consistent model may explain the peaks in the secondary to primary nuclei ratios observed at about 1 GeV/nucleon.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Diffuse gamma-ray emission: lessons and perspectives

The Galactic diffuse emission is potentially able to reveal much about the sources and propagation of cosmic rays (CR), their spectra and intensities in distant locations. It can possibly unveil WIMP dark matter (DM) through its annihilation signatures. The extragalactic background may provide vital information about the early stages of the universe, neutralino annihilation, and unresolved sources (blazars?) and their cosmological evolution. The gamma-ray instrument EGRET on the CGRO contributed much to the exploration of the Galactic diffuse emission. The new NASA Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) is scheduled for launch in 2007; study of the diffuse gamma-ray emission is one of the priority goals. We describe current understanding of the diffuse emission and its potential for future discoveries.

astro-ph↗