arXiv subjects

Karl Mannheim

Publications and source records attributed to Karl Mannheim.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

The 2013 multiwavelength campaign on the Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy 1H 0323+342: a rosetta stone for the jet/disk paradigm

Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxies have been established as a new class of gamma-ray emitting AGN with relatively low black hole masses, but near-Eddington accretion rates. Other extragalactic gamma-ray sources observed so far such as Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars, Radio Galaxies, and BL Lacertae Objects generally exhibit much higher black hole masses and, in the case of BL Lac objects and FRI Radio Galaxies, much lower accretions rates. The multifrequency campaign of 2013 centered on the bright source 1H 0323+342 will provide further insights into the nature of the jets and their gamma ray production mechanisms in a largely unexplored corner of AGN parameter space. Here, we show preliminary results of this campaign and discuss them.

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arXiv2012

Gamma-rays from pulsar wind nebulae in starburst galaxies

Recently, gamma-ray emission at TeV energies has been detected from the starburst galaxies NGC253 (Acero et al., 2009) and M82 (Acciari et al., 2009. It has been claimed that pion production due to cosmic rays accelerated in supernova remnants interacting with the interstellar gas is responsible for the observed gamma rays. Here, we show that the gamma-ray pulsar wind nebulae left behind by the supernovae contribute to the TeV luminosity in a major way. A single pulsar wind nebula produces about ten times the total luminosity of the Sun at energies above 1 TeV during a lifetime of 10^5 years. A large number of 3x10^4 pulsar wind nebulae expected in a typical starburst galaxy at a distance of 4 Mpc can readily produce the observed TeV gamma rays.

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arXiv2012

The blazar-like radio structure of the TeV source IC310

Context. The radio galaxy IC310 in the Perseus cluster has recently been detected in the gamma-ray regime at GeV and TeV energies. The TeV emission shows time variability and an extraordinarily hard spectrum, even harder than the spectrum of the similar nearby gamma-ray emitting radio galaxy M87. Aims. High-resolution studies of the radio morphology help to constrain the geometry of the jet on sub-pc scales and to find out where the high-energy emission might come from. Methods. We analyzed May 2011 VLBA data of IC310 at a wavelength of 3.6 cm, revealing the parsec-scale radio structure of this source. We compared our findings with more information available from contemporary single-dish flux density measurements with the 100-m Effelsberg radio telescope. Results. We have detected a one-sided core-jet structure with blazar-like, beamed radio emission oriented along the same position angle as the kiloparsec scale radio structure observed in the past by connected interferometers. Doppler-boosting favoritism is consistent with an angle of theta < 38 degrees between the jet axis and the line-of-sight, i.e., very likely within the boundary dividing low-luminosity radio galaxies and BL Lac objects in unified schemes. Conclusions. The stability of the jet orientation from parsec to kiloparsec scales in IC310 argues against its classification as a headtail radio galaxy; i.e., there is no indication of an interaction with the intracluster medium that would determine the direction of the tail. IC310 seems to represent a low-luminosity FRI radio galaxy at a borderline angle to reveal its BL Lac-type central engine.

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arXiv2011

Constraints on dark matter annihilation from M87: Signatures of prompt and inverse-Compton gamma rays

As the largest mass concentrations in the local Universe, nearby clusters of galaxies and their central galaxies are prime targets in searching for indirect signatures of dark matter annihilation (DMA). We seek to constrain the dark matter annihilation emission component from multi-frequency observations of the central galaxy of the Virgo cluster. The annihilation emission component is modeled by the prompt and inverse-Compton gamma rays from the hadronization of annihilation products from generic weakly interacting dark matter particles. This component is fitted to the excess of the observed data above the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the jet in M87, described with a best-fit synchrotron-self-Compton (SSC) spectrum. While this result is not sufficiently significant to claim a detection, we emphasize that a dark matter "double hump signature" can be used to unambiguously discriminate the dark matter emission component from the variable jet-related emission of M87 in future, more extended observation campaigns.

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arXiv2011

Searching for Dark Matter Annihilation in M87

Clusters of galaxies, such as the Virgo cluster, host enormous quantities of dark matter, making them prime targets for efforts in indirect dark matter detection via potential radiative signatures from annihilation of dark matter particles and subsequent radiative losses of annihilation products. However, a careful study of ubiquitous astrophysical backgrounds is mandatory to single out potential evidence for dark matter annihilation. Here, we construct a multiwavelength spectral energy distribution for the central radio galaxy in the Virgo cluster, M87, using a state-of-the-art numerical Synchrotron Self Compton approach. Fitting recent Chandra, Fermi-LAT and Cherenkov observations, we probe different dark matter annihilation scenarios including a full treatment of the inverse Compton losses from electrons and positrons produced in the annihilation. It is shown that such a template can substantially improve upon existing dark matter detection limits.

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arXiv2007

BL Lac Contribution to the Extragalactic Gamma-Ray Background

Very high energy gamma-rays from blazars traversing cosmological distances through the metagalactic radiation field can convert into electron-positron pairs in photon-photon collisions. The converted gamma-rays initiate electromagnetic cascades driven by inverse-Compton scattering off the microwave background photons. Using a model for the time-dependent metagalactic radiation field consistent with all currently available far-infrared-to-optical data, we calculate the cascade contribution from faint, unresolved high- and low-peaked blazars to the extragalactic gamma-ray background as measured by EGRET. For low-peaked blazars, we adopt a spectral index consistent with the mean spectral index of EGRET detected blazars, and the luminosity function determined by Chiang and Mukherjee (1998). For high-peaked blazars, we adopt template spectra matching prototype sources observed with air-Cherenkov telescopes up to 30 TeV, and a luminosity function based on X-ray measurements. The low number of about 20 for nearby high-peaked blazars with a flux exceeding 10^-11 cm^-2 s^-1 above 300 GeV inferred from the luminosity function is consistent with the results from air-Cherenkov telescope observations. Including the cascade emission from higher redshifts, the total high-peaked blazar contribution to the observed gamma-ray background at GeV energies can account up to about 30.

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arXiv2005

Supersymmetric Dark Matter and the Extragalactic Gamma Ray Background

We trace the origin of the newly determined extragalactic gamma ray background from EGRET data to an unresolved population of blazars and neutralino annihilation in cold dark matter halos. Using results of high-resolution simulations of cosmic structure formation, we calculate composite spectra and compare with the EGRET data. The resulting best-fit value for the neutralino mass is m_chi = (515 +/- 110/75) GeV (systematic errors \~30%).

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arXiv2004

BL Lac contribution to the Extragalactic Gamma-Ray Background

Very high energy gamma-rays(E>20GeV) from blazars traversing cosmological distances through the metagalactic radiation field can convert to electron-positron pairs in photon-photon collisions. The converted gamma-rays initiate electromagnetic cascades driven by inverse-Compton scattering off the microwave background photons. The cascades shift the injected gamma ray spectrum to MeV-GeV energies. Randomly oriented magnetic fields rapidly isotropize the secondary electron-positron beams resulting from the beamed blazar gamma ray emission, leading o faint gamma-ray halo. Using a model for the time-dependent metagalactic radiation field consistent with all currently available far-infrared-to-optical data, we compute (i) the expected gamma-ray attenuation in blazar spectra, and (ii) the cascade contribution from faint, unresolved blazars to the extragalactic gamma-ray background as measured by EGRET, assuming a generic emitted spectrum extending to an energy of 10 TeV. The latter cascade contribution to the EGRET background is fed by the assumed >20 GeV emission from the hitherto undiscovered sources, and we estimate their dN-dz distribution taking into account that the nearby (z<0.2) fraction of these sources must be consistent with the known (low) numbers of sources above 300 GeV.

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arXiv2004

MAGIC and the Search for Signatures of Supersymmetric Dark Matter

The 17m Imaging Air shower Cherenkov Telescope MAGIC (Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, La Palma, Canary Islands) has recently entered its commissioning phase. One of the main goals of the MAGIC telescope project is to provide an unprecedented sensitivity for the detection of gamma rays with energies as low as 30 GeV. A dedicated search for the gamma rays expected to be produced by WIMP annihilations is a prime object of the MAGIC physics program. We consider annihilating supersymmetric dark matter in M 87 and discuss a possible observation strategy. New calculations concerning the extragalactic gamma ray and neutrino backgrounds owing to cosmological neutralino annihilation are also briefly discussed.

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arXiv2004

Cosmological gamma ray and neutrino backgrounds due to neutralino dark matter annihilation

We compute the cosmological background radiation of gamma rays and neutrinos due to neutralino annihilation in evolving dark matter halos, assuming the observed dark matter is comprised of thermally excited neutralinos in the MSSM. The spectrum of this gamma-ray background radiation does not show strong annihilation line features, but could amount to a significant fraction of the extragalactic gamma ray continuum flux observed by EGRET above a few GeV. The corresponding cosmological neutrino background is weak compared to the atmospheric foreground. Assuming full mixing, however, the cosmological tau-neutrino background could be detectable with a flavor-discriminating neutrino telescope in the energy range 10 GeV - 1 TeV. A small anisotropy of the background radiation is expected, reflecting the local clustering of dark matter halos along the supergalactic plane.

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arXiv2002

Implications of Cosmological Gamma-Ray Absorption - I.Evolution of the Metagalactic Radiation Field

Gamma-ray absorption due to gamma-gamma-pair creation on cosmological scales depends on the line-of-sight integral of the evolving density of low-energy photons in the Universe, i.e. on the history of the diffuse, isotropic radiation field. Here we present and discuss a semi-empirical model for this metagalactic radiation field based on stellar light produced and reprocessed in evolving galaxies. With a minimum of parameters and assumptions, the present-day background intensity is obtained from the far-IR to the ultraviolet band. Predicted model intensities are independent of cosmological parameters, since we require that the comoving emissivity, as a function of redshift, agrees with observed values obtained from deep galaxy surveys. The far-infrared background at present day prediced from optical galaxy surveys falls short in explaining the observed one, and we show that this deficit can be removed by taking into account (ultra)luminous infrared galaxies (ULIGs/LIGs) with a seperate star formation rate. The accuracy and reliability of the model, out to redshifts of 5, allow a realistic estimate of the attenuation length of GeV-to-TeV gamma-rays and its uncertainty, which is the focus of a subsequent paper.

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arXiv2002

Neutrino Flux Bounds and Prospects for High Energy and Ultrahigh Energy Neutrino Source Detection

After briefly reviewing various hadronic neutrino source models, we show how to construct generic upper flux bounds. We then turn to the problem of neutrino propagation through the inner Earth and neutrino detection in water-based Cerenkov detectors. Applying the formalism thus developed to the Mannheim-Protheroe-Rachen and the Waxman&Bahcall flux bounds, we find that event rates of several hundred to thousand events per year might be possible in next-generation neutrino telescopes. However, a tomography of the inner Earth will face severe constraints due to the statistical error of the event rates to be expected.

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arXiv2001

Bounds on the neutrino flux from cosmic sources of relativistic particles

In order to facilitate the identification of possible new physics signatures in neutrino telescopes, such as neutrinos from the annihilation of neutralinos or decaying relics, it is essential to gain full control over the astrophysical inventory of neutrino sources in the Universe. The total available accretion power, the extragalactic gamma ray background, and the cosmic ray proton intensity can be used to constrain astrophysical models of neutrino production in extragalactic sources. The resulting upper limit on the extragalactic muon neutrino intensity from cosmic particle accelerators combined with a reasonable minimum intensity of neutrinos due to cosmic rays stored in clusters of galaxies demark a zone of opportunity for neutrino astronomy over a broad range of energies between 100 MeV and 1 EeV. Discovery of this neutrino background would open a new era for astronomy and provide the first un-obscured view to the early Universe.

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arXiv2001

High Energy Neutrino Fluxes from Cosmic Accelerators

We constrain high-energy neutrino fluxes with the observed cosmic ray and gamma ray fluxes, include flavor oscillations and propagation through Earth, and show that blazars could possibly be detected by cubic-kilometer neutrino telescopes.

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arXiv2000

Neutrinos from Gamma Ray Bursts

The observed fluxes of cosmic rays and gamma rays are used to infer the maximum allowed high-energy neutrino flux allowed for Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs), following Mannheim, Protheroe, and Rachen (2000). It is shown that if GRBs produce the ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays, they should contribute (a) at least 10% of the extragalactic gamma ray background between 3 MeV and 30 GeV, contrary to their observed energy flux which is only a minute fraction of this flux, and (b) a cumulative neutrino flux a factor of 20 below the AMANDA (Neutrino 2000) limit on isotropic neutrinos. This could have two implications, either GRBs do not produce the ultrahigh energy cosmic rays or that the GRBs are strongly beamed and emit most of their power at energies well above 100 GeV implausibly increasing the energy requirements, but consistent with the marginal detections of a few low-redshift GRBs by MILAGRITO, HEGRA-AIROBICC, and the Tibet-Array. All crucial measurements to test the models will be available in the next few years. These are measurements of (i) high-energy neutrinos with AMANDA-ICECUBE or an enlarged ANTARES/NESTOR ocean detector, (ii) GRB redshifts from HETE-2 follow-up studies, and (iii) GRB spectra above 10 GeV with low-threshold imaging air Cherenkov telescopes such as MAGIC and the space telescopes AGILE and GLAST.

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arXiv2000

Constraints on Particle Acceleration from the Diffuse Isotropic Gamma-Ray Background

Gamma rays trace accelerated particles, and the observed flux of extragalactic gamma rays therefore constrains the global efficiency for particle acceleration. Extragalactic jets in active galactic nuclei can account for the gamma ray background if their particle acceleration efficiency considerably exceeds ~ 18 per cent which would imply that particle acceleration is an essential part of the thermodynamics in these sources.

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arXiv2000

Magnetic field strength from peaked synchrotron spectra

Key diagnostics of non-thermal plasmas, such as the position of the synchrotron self-absorption turnover or the Faraday rotation optical depth, depend crucially on the unobserved low-energy electron spectrum. We investigate the effect of physically viable assumptions about the low-energy electron spectrum on the magnetic field strength as inferred from the position of the peak in the synchrotron spectrum marking the transition from optically thick to optically thin radiation. To this end the kinetic equations are written down and stationary solutions are given. In this context the inviability of the delta function approximation of the synchrotron power spectrum is discussed. Using two different approaches, we show that the field determination is independent of the assumptions about the low energy electron spectrum within an order of magnitude. As an example, we use our result to obtain a small correction to the limiting brightness temperature.

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arXiv1999

The sun as a high energy neutrino source

Cosmic ray interactions in the solar atmosphere yield a flux of electron and muon neutrinos with energies greater than 10 GeV. We discuss the influence of neutrino oscillations on the event rates in water-based Cerenkov detectors due to this neutrino flux and comment on the possibility of detecting the sun as a high energy neutrino source.

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