arXiv subjects

J. E. Grove

Publications and source records attributed to J. E. Grove.

54 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2010

Eight gamma-ray pulsars discovered in blind frequency searches of Fermi LAT data

We report the discovery of eight gamma-ray pulsars in blind frequency searches using the LAT, onboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Five of the eight pulsars are young (tau_c<100 kyr), energetic (Edot>10^36 erg/s), and located within the Galactic plane (|b|<3 deg). The remaining three are older, less energetic, and located off the plane. Five pulsars are associated with sources included in the LAT bright gamma-ray source list, but only one, PSR J1413-6205, is clearly associated with an EGRET source. PSR J1023-5746 has the smallest characteristic age (tau_c=4.6 kyr) and is the most energetic (Edot=1.1E37 erg/s) of all gamma-ray pulsars discovered so far in blind searches. PSRs J1957+5033 and J2055+25 have the largest characteristic ages (tau_c~1 Myr) and are the least energetic (Edot~5E33 erg/s) of the newly-discovered pulsars. We present the timing models, light curves, and detailed spectral parameters of the new pulsars. We used recent XMM observations to identify the counterpart of PSR J2055+25 as XMMU J205549.4+253959. In addition, publicly available archival Chandra X-ray data allowed us to identify the likely counterpart of PSR J1023-5746 as a faint, highly absorbed source, CXOU J102302.8-574606. The large X-ray absorption indicates that this could be among the most distant gamma-ray pulsars detected so far. PSR J1023-5746 is positionally coincident with the TeV source HESS J1023-575, located near the young stellar cluster Westerlund 2, while PSR J1954+2836 is coincident with a 4.3 sigma excess reported by Milagro at a median energy of 35 TeV. Deep radio follow-up observations of the eight pulsars resulted in no detections of pulsations and upper limits comparable to the faintest known radio pulsars, indicating that these can be included among the growing population of radio-quiet pulsars in our Galaxy being uncovered by the LAT, and currently numbering more than 20.

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

Fermi LAT Search for Photon Lines from 30 to 200 GeV and Dark Matter Implications

Dark matter (DM) particle annihilation or decay can produce monochromatic $γ$-rays readily distinguishable from astrophysical sources. $γ$-ray line limits from 30 GeV to 200 GeV obtained from 11 months of Fermi Large Area Space Telescope data from 20-300 GeV are presented using a selection based on requirements for a $γ$-ray line analysis, and integrated over most of the sky. We obtain $γ$-ray line flux upper limits in the range $0.6-4.5\times 10^{-9}\mathrm{cm}^{-2}\mathrm{s}^{-1}$, and give corresponding DM annihilation cross-section and decay lifetime limits. Theoretical implications are briefly discussed.

astro-ph.HE↗

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

The Spectral Energy Distribution of Fermi bright blazars

(Abridged) We have conducted a detailed investigation of the broad-band spectral properties of the γ-ray selected blazars of the Fermi LAT Bright AGN Sample (LBAS). By combining our accurately estimated Fermi gamma-ray spectra with Swift, radio, infra-red, optical and other hard X-ray/gamma-ray data, collected within three months of the LBAS data taking period, we were able to assemble high-quality and quasi-simultaneous Spectral Energy Distributions (SED) for 48 LBAS blazars.The SED of these gamma-ray sources is similar to that of blazars discovered at other wavelengths, clearly showing, in the usual Log $ν$ - Log $ν$ F$_ν$ representation, the typical broad-band spectral signatures normally attributed to a combination of low-energy synchrotron radiation followed by inverse Compton emission of one or more components. We have used these SEDs to characterize the peak intensity of both the low and the high-energy components. The results have been used to derive empirical relationships that estimate the position of the two peaks from the broad-band colors (i.e. the radio to optical and optical to X-ray spectral slopes) and from the gamma-ray spectral index. Our data show that the synchrotron peak frequency $ν_p^S$ is positioned between 10$^{12.5}$ and 10$^{14.5}$ Hz in broad-lined FSRQs and between $10^{13}$ and $10^{17}$ Hz in featureless BL Lacertae objects.We find that the gamma-ray spectral slope is strongly correlated with the synchrotron peak energy and with the X-ray spectral index, as expected at first order in synchrotron - inverse Compton scenarios. However, simple homogeneous, one-zone, Synchrotron Self Compton (SSC) models cannot explain most of our SEDs, especially in the case of FSRQs and low energy peaked (LBL) BL Lacs. (...)

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2002

Gamma ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) Balloon Flight Engineering Model: Overview

The Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) Large Area Telescope (LAT) is a pair-production high-energy (>20 MeV) gamma-ray telescope being built by an international partnership of astrophysicists and particle physicists for a satellite launch in 2006, designed to study a wide variety of high-energy astrophysical phenomena. As part of the development effort, the collaboration has built a Balloon Flight Engineering Model (BFEM) for flight on a high-altitude scientific balloon. The BFEM is approximately the size of one of the 16 GLAST-LAT towers and contains all the components of the full instrument: plastic scintillator anticoincidence system (ACD), high-Z foil/Si strip pair-conversion tracker (TKR), CsI hodoscopic calorimeter (CAL), triggering and data acquisition electronics (DAQ), commanding system, power distribution, telemetry, real-time data display, and ground data processing system. The principal goal of the balloon flight was to demonstrate the performance of this instrument configuration under conditions similar to those expected in orbit. Results from a balloon flight from Palestine, Texas, on August 4, 2001, show that the BFEM successfully obtained gamma-ray data in this high-background environment.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) Balloon Flight Data Handling Overview

The GLAST Balloon Flight Engineering Model (BFEM) represents one of 16 towers that constitute the Large Area Telescope (LAT), a high-energy (>20 MeV) gamma-ray pair-production telescope being built by an international partnership of astrophysicists and particle physicists for a satellite launch in 2006. The prototype tower consists of a Pb/Si pair-conversion tracker (TKR), a CsI hodoscopic calorimeter (CAL), an anti-coincidence detector (ACD) and an autonomous data acquisition system (DAQ). The self-triggering capabilities and performance of the detector elements have been previously characterized using positron, photon and hadron beams. External target scintillators were placed above the instrument to act as sources of hadronic showers. This paper provides a comprehensive description of the BFEM data-reduction process, from receipt of the flight data from telemetry through event reconstruction and background rejection cuts. The goals of the ground analysis presented here are to verify the functioning of the instrument and to validate the reconstruction software and the background-rejection scheme.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Study of the Largest Multiwavelength Campaign of the Microquasar GRS 1915+105

We present the results from a multiwavelength campaign of GRS 1915+105 performed from 2000 April 16 to 25. This is one of the largest coordinated set of observations ever performed for this source, covering the wide energy band in radio (13.3-0.3 cm), near-infrared (J-H-K), X-rays and Gamma-rays (from 1 keV to 10 MeV). During the campaign GRS 1915+105 was predominantly in the "plateau" (or low/hard) state but sometimes showed soft X-ray oscillations: before April 20.3, rapid, quasi-periodic (~= 45 min) flare-dip cycles were observed. The radio flares observed on April 17 shows frequency- dependent peak delay, consistent with an expansion of synchrotron-emitting region starting at the transition from the hard-dip to the soft-flare states in X-rays. On the other hand, infrared flares on April 20 appear to follow (or precede) the beginning of X-ray oscillations with an inconstant time delay of ~= 5-30 min. This implies that the infrared emitting region is located far from the black hole by >~ 10E13 cm, while its size is <~ 10E12 cm constrained from the time variability. We find a good correlation between the quasi-steady flux level in the near-infrared band and in the X-ray band. From this we estimate that the reprocessing of X-rays, probably occurring in the outer parts of the accretion disk, accounts for about 20-30% of the observed K magnitude in the plateau state. The OSSE spectrum in the 0.05-10 MeV band is represented by a single power law with a photon index of 3.1 extending to ~1 MeV with no cutoff. The power-law slope above ~30 keV is found to be very similar between different states in spite of large flux variations in soft X-rays, implying that the electron energy distribution is not affected by the change of the state in the accretion disk.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Multifrequency Observations of the Virgo Blazars 3C 273 and 3C 279 in CGRO Cycle 8

We report first observational results of multifrequency campaigns on the prominent Virgo blazars 3C 273 and 3C 279 which were carried out in January and February 1999. Both blazars are detected from radio to gamma-ray energies. We present the measured X- to gamma-ray spectra of both sources, and for 3C 279 we compare the 1999 broad-band (radio to gamma-ray) spectrum to measured previous ones.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1999

X-Ray/Gamma-Ray Observations of the PSR B1259-63/SS 2883 system near Apastron

We report the results from X-ray and hard X-ray observations of the PSR B1259-63/SS 2883 system with the ASCA and CGRO satellites, performed between 1995 February and 1996 January when the pulsar was near apastron. The system was clearly detected in each of the two ASCA observations with luminosity in the 1-10 keV band of Lx = (9 +- 3) x10^32 (d/2 kpc)^2 erg/s, while CGRO/OSSE did not detect significant hard X-rays from the system. X-ray spectra obtained with ASCA are well-fit by a single power-law spectrum with a photon index of 1.6 +- 0.3. No pulsations were detected in either the ASCA or the OSSE data. We combine all existing X-ray and hard X-ray observations and present the orbital modulation in the luminosity and photon index for the entire orbit. The results are in agreement with predictions based on a synchrotron emission model from relativistic particles in a shocked pulsar wind interacting with the gaseous outflow from the Be star.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1999

Beam Test of Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope Components

A beam test of GLAST (Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope) components was performed at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center in October, 1997. These beam test components were simple versions of the planned flight hardware. Results on the performance of the tracker, calorimeter, and anti-coincidence charged particle veto are presented.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv1998

Timing Noise Properties of GRO J0422+32

OSSE observed the transient black hole candidate GRO J0422+32 (XN Per 92) between 1992 Aug 11 and 1992 Sep 17. High time resolution data were obtained in several energy bands over the 35-600 keV range with a sampling rate of 8 ms. Power spectra at energies below 175 keV show substantial low-frequency red noise with a shoulder at a few tens of mHz, peaked noise with characteristic frequency near 0.2 Hz, and a second shoulder at a few Hz. The frequencies of the shoulders and the peak are independent of energy and source intensity. The complex cross spectrum indicates that photons in the 75-175 keV band lag photons in the 35-60 keV band by a time roughly proportional to the inverse of the Fourier frequency. The maximum lag observed is about 300 ms. The power and lag spectra are consistent with the production of the gamma rays through thermal Comptonization in an extended hot corona with a power-law density profile.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

Galactic Black Hole Binaries: High-Energy Radiation

Observations of galactic BHCs made by the Compton GRO in the hard X-ray and gamma-ray bands have significantly enhanced our knowledge of the emission properties of these objects. Understanding these observations presents a formidable challenge to theoretical models of the accretion flow onto the compact object and of the physical mechanisms that generate high-energy radiation. Here we summarize the current state of observations and theoretical interpretation of the emission from BHCs above 20 keV. The all-sky monitoring capability of BATSE allows nearly continuous studies of the high-energy emission from more than a dozen BHCs. These long-term datasets are particularly well-suited to multi-wavelength studies. Energy spectral evolution and/or state transitions have been observed from many of the BHCs. Observations above 50 keV from OSSE demonstrate the existence of two gamma ray spectral states that appear to be the extensions of the X-ray low/hard and high/soft (or perhaps very high) states. The former state, the "breaking" state, cuts off with e-folding energy ~100 keV and has its peak luminosity near this energy. In contrast, the latter state has luminosity peaking in the soft X-rays and an unbroken power law spectrum, even up to energies above 500 keV in some cases. The breaking gamma-ray spectrum can be well modeled by Comptonization of soft photons in a hot thermal plasma. The power-law state creates more significant theoretical challenges. It has been suggested that in this state the high- energy emission arises from bulk-motion Comptonization in the convergent accretion flow from the inner edge of the accretion disk.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

Gamma-Ray Spectral States of Galactic Black Hole Candidates

OSSE has observed seven transient black hole candidates: GRO J0422+32, GX339-4, GRS 1716-249, GRS 1009-45, 4U 1543-47, GRO J1655-40, and GRS 1915+105. Two gamma-ray spectral states are evident and, based on a limited number of contemporaneous X-ray and gamma-ray observations, these states appear to be correlated with X-ray states. The former three objects show hard spectra below 100 keV (photon number indices Gamma < 2) that are exponentially cut off with folding energy ~100 keV, a spectral form that is consistent with thermal Comptonization. This "breaking gamma-ray state" is the high-energy extension of the X-ray low, hard state. In this state, the majority of the luminosity is above the X-ray band, carried by photons of energy ~100 keV. The latter four objects exhibit a "power-law gamma-ray state" with a relatively soft spectral index (Gamma ~ 2.5-3) and no evidence for a spectral break. For GRO J1655-40, the lower limit on the break energy is 690 keV. GRS 1716-249 exhibits both spectral states, with the power-law state having significantly lower gamma-ray luminosity. The power-law gamma-ray state is associated with the presence of a strong ultrasoft X-ray excess (kT ~ 1 keV), the signature of the X-ray high, soft (or perhaps very high) state. The physical process responsible for the unbroken power law is not well understood, although the spectra are consistent with bulk-motion Comptonization in the convergent accretion flow.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1997

OSSE Observations of the Soft Gamma Ray Continuum from the Galactic Plane at Longitude 95 Degrees

We present the results of OSSE observations of the soft gamma ray continuum emission from the Galactic plane at longitude 95 degrees. Emission is detected between 50 and 600 keV where the spectrum is fit well by a power law with photon index -2.6+-0.3 and flux (4.0+-0.5) 10^{-2} photons/s/cm^2/rad/MeV at 100 keV. This spectral shape in this range is similar to that found for the continuum emission from the inner Galaxy but the amplitude is lower by a factor of four. This emission is either due to unresolved and previously unknown point sources or it is of diffuse origin, or a combination of the two. Simultaneous observations with OSSE and smaller field of view instruments operating in the soft gamma ray energy band, such as XTE or SAX, would help resolve this issue. If it is primarily diffuse emission due to nonthermal electron bremsstrahlung, as is the >1 MeV Galactic ridge continuum, then the power in low energy cosmic ray electrons exceeds that of the nuclear component of the cosmic rays by an order of magnitude. This would have profound implications for the origin of cosmic rays and the energetics of the interstellar medium. Alternatively, if the emission is diffuse and thermal, then there must be a component of the interstellar medium at temperatures near 10^9 K.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1997

Pulse Phase Spectroscopy of A 0535+26 during its 1994 giant outburst observed with OSSE

We present pulse phase spectroscopy of A 0535+26 in the energy range 35-200 keV from OSSE observations of its giant outburst in 1994. We discuss the phase dependence of the continuum parameters and the cyclotron resonance feature (CRF) at 110 keV already found in the phase averaged spectrum. We find that a CRF is required at every phase. The behaviour of the line parameters with phase and the pulse shape indicate that the emission occurs in a pencil-beam geometry.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1996

High-Energy Emission from the PSR B1259-63 System near Periastron

We report the results of a CGRO 3-week observation of the binary system containing the 47 ms pulsar PSR B1259-63 orbiting around a Be star companion in a very eccentric orbit. The PSR B1259-63 binary is a unique system for the study of the interaction of a rapidly rotating pulsar with time-variable nebular surroundings. CGRO observed the PSR B1259-63 system in coincidence with its most recent periastron passage (January 3-23, 1994). Unpulsed and non-thermal hard X-ray emission was detected up to 200 keV, with a photon index $1.8 \pm 0.2$ and a flux of ~4 mCrab, corresponding to a luminosity of a few 10^{34} erg/s at the distance of 2 kpc. The hard X-ray flux and spectrum detected by CGRO agrees with the X-ray emission measured by simultaneous ASCA observations. EGRET upper limits are significant, and exclude strong inverse Compton cooling in the PSR B1259-63 system. We interpret the observed non-thermal emission as synchrotron radiation of shocked electron/positron pairs of the relativistic pulsar wind interacting with the mass outflow from the Be star. Our results clearly indicate, for the first time in a binary pulsar, that high energy emission can be shock-powered rather than caused by accretion. The lack of X-ray/gamma-ray pulsations constrains models of high-energy emission from rapidly rotating pulsars.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1996

An Intense Gamma-Ray Flare of PKS1622-297

We report the observation by the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory of a spectacular flare of radio source PKS 1622-297. A peak flux of 17E-6 cm^-2 s^-1 (E > 100 MeV) was observed. The corresponding isotropic luminosity is 2.9E49 erg/s. We find that PKS 1622-297 exhibits gamma-ray intra-day variability. A flux increase by a factor of at least 3.6 was observed to occur in less than 7.1 hours (with 99% confidence). Assuming an exponential rise, the corresponding doubling time is less than 3.8 hours. A significant flux decrease by a factor of ~2 in 9.7 hours was also observed. Without beaming, the rapid flux change and large isotropic luminosity are inconsistent with the Elliot-Shapiro condition (assuming that gas accretion is the immediate source of power for the gamma-rays). This inconsistency suggests that the gamma-ray emission is beamed. A minimum Doppler factor of 8.1 is implied by the observed lack of pair-production opacity (assuming x-rays are emitted co-spatially with the gamma-rays). Simultaneous observation by EGRET and OSSE finds a spectrum adequately fit by a power law with photon index of -1.9. Although the significance is not sufficient to establish this beyond doubt, the high-energy gamma-ray spectrum appears to evolve from hard to soft as a flare progresses.

astro-ph↗