arXiv subjects

Wenmeng Ning

Publications and source records attributed to Wenmeng Ning.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

A Multiwavelength Study of a Long-Duration VHE Flare from BL Lacertae with VERITAS

We report the first observations of a long-duration very-high-energy (VHE; $E > 100$ GeV) flare from BL Lacertae (VER J2202+422), taken with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS). On October 15, 2022, the Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) detected elevated GeV activity originating from this blazar. This triggered a multiwavelength campaign, which includes observations from VERITAS, Swift, NuSTAR, and select optical and radio observatories. VERITAS observed the source for a total of $\sim 9.8$ hours between September 1, 2022 and December 1, 2022. An analysis of these data yields a $\sim 28 \sigma$ detection of the source. While previously observed VHE flares from BL Lacertae have lasted on time-scales of minutes to days, VERITAS continued to detect flaring activity from the source for over a month ($\sim 40$ days) after the original flaring activity was detected with Fermi-LAT. Broadband spectral modeling shows that a synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model with an external inverse-Compton (EC) component is preferred over a one-zone SSC model.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Star Formation Histories and Stellar Dynamics in the Central Galaxies of RX J0820.9+0752, A1835, and PKS 0745-191

We present Keck Cosmic Web Imager observations of stellar populations in three galaxies lying at the centers of cooling flow clusters. All three host rich molecular gas reservoirs and show prominent Balmer absorption from $30-100$ Myr-old stars consistent with long lasting star formation. Two systems, A1835 and PKS 0745$-$191, have spatially extended young stellar populations in their centers with recent star formation rates of 100 M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$ and 8 M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$, respectively. In A1835 we uncover a blueshifted clump of young stars moving at high speed with respect to the gas and central galaxy. We suggest these stars formed in a gaseous outflow and have since detached from their natal gas and are now falling inward. This result indicates that star formation is proceeding in a dynamically complex environment shaped by the central galaxy's motion relative to cooling clouds and the feedback from radio jets. In RX J0820.9+0752 intermediate-age stars are found in a filament outside the nucleus with no discernible star formation at the center of the galaxy. All projected galaxies consist of old stellar populations with deep D4000 breaks and lack detectable warm gas. While they may interact gravitationally with the central galaxy, they cannot have donated the upward of $10^{10}~ M_{\odot}$ of molecular gas found in these systems. These results highlight the importance of analyzing spatially resolved stellar kinematics and star formation histories in brightest cluster galaxies, an approach that remains relatively understudied.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

VERITAS and multiwavelength observations of the Blazar B3 2247+381 in response to an IceCube neutrino alert

While the sources of the diffuse astrophysical neutrino flux detected by the IceCube Neutrino Observatory are still largely unknown, one of the promising methods used towards understanding this is investigating the potential temporal and spatial correlations between neutrino alerts and the electromagnetic radiation from blazars. We report on the multiwavelength target-of-opportunity observations of the blazar B3 2247+381, taken in response to an IceCube multiplet alert for a cluster of muon neutrino events compatible with the source location between May 20, 2022 and November 10, 2022. B3 2247+381 was not detected with VERITAS during this time period. The source was found to be in a low-flux state in the optical, ultraviolet and gamma-ray bands for the time interval corresponding to the neutrino event, but was detected in the hard X-ray band with NuSTAR during this period. We find the multiwavelength spectral energy distribution is well described using a simple one-zone leptonic synchrotron self-Compton radiation model. Moreover, assuming the neutrinos originate from hadronic processes within the jet, the neutrino flux would be accompanied by a photon flux from the cascade emission, and the integrated photon flux required in such a case would significantly exceed the total multiwavelength fluxes and the VERITAS upper limits presented here. The lack of flaring activity observed with VERITAS, combined with the low multiwavelength flux levels, and given the significance of the neutrino excess is at 3$σ$ level (uncorrected for trials), makes B3 2247+381 an unlikely source of the IceCube multiplet. We conclude that the neutrino excess is likely a background fluctuation.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

An in-depth study of Gamma rays from the Starburst Galaxy M 82 with VERITAS

Assuming Galactic cosmic rays originate in supernovae and the winds of massive stars, starburst galaxies should produce very-high-energy (VHE; E$>$100 GeV) gamma-ray emission via the interaction of their copious quantities of cosmic rays with the large reservoirs of dense gas within the galaxies. Such VHE emission was detected by VERITAS from the starburst galaxy M 82 in 2008-09. An extensive, multi-year campaign followed these initial observations, yielding a total of 254 h of good quality VERITAS data on M 82. Leveraging modern analysis techniques and the larger exposure, these VERITAS data show a more statistically significant VHE signal ($\sim$6.5 standard deviations ($σ$)). The corresponding photon spectrum is well fit by a power law ($Γ= 2.3 \pm 0.3_{stat} \pm0.2_{sys}$) and the observed integral flux is F($>$450 GeV) = $(3.2 \pm0.6_{stat} \pm 0.6_{sys}) \times 10^{-13}~\mathrm{cm^{-2}~s}^{-1}$, or $\sim$0.4\% of the Crab Nebula flux above the same energy threshold. The improved VERITAS measurements, when combined with various multi-wavelength data, enable modeling of the underlying emission and transport processes. A purely leptonic scenario is found to be a poor representation of the gamma-ray spectral energy distribution (SED). A lepto-hadronic scenario with cosmic rays following a power-law spectrum in momentum (index $s\simeq 2.25$), and with significant bremsstrahlung below $1$~GeV, provides a good match to the observed SED. The synchrotron emission from the secondary electrons indicates that efficient non-radiative losses of cosmic-ray electrons may be related to advective escape from the starburst core.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Complex Velocity Structure of Nebular Gas in Active Galaxies Centred in Cooling X-ray Atmospheres

[OII] emission maps obtained with the Keck Cosmic Web Imager (KCWI) are presented for four galaxies centered in cooling X-ray cluster atmospheres. Nebular emission extending tens of kpc is found in systems covering a broad range of atmospheric cooling rates, cluster masses, and dynamical states. Abell 262's central galaxy hosts a kpc-scale disk. The nebular gas in RXJ0820.9+0752 is offset and redshifted with respect to the central galaxy by $10-20$ kpc and 150 km s$^{-1}$, respectively. The nebular gases in PKS 0745-191 and Abell 1835 are being churned to higher velocity dispersion by X-ray bubbles and jets. The churned gas is enveloped by larger scale, lower velocity dispersion (quiescent) nebular emission. The mean line-of-sight speeds of the churned gas, quiescent gas, and the central galaxy each differ by up to $\sim 150$ km s$^{-1}$; nebular speeds upward of $800$ km s$^{-1}$ are found. Gases with outwardly-rising speeds upward of several hundred km s$^{-1}$ are consistent with being advected behind and being lifted by the rising bubbles. The peculiar motion between the galaxy, nebular gas, and perhaps the hot atmosphere from which it presumably condensed is affecting the bubble dynamics, and may strongly affect thermally unstable cooling, the dispersal of jet energy, and the angular momentum of gas accreting onto the galaxies and their nuclear black holes.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

The Outflowing [OII] Nebulae of Compact Starburst Galaxies at z $\sim$ 0.5

High-velocity outflows are ubiquitous in compact, massive (M$_* \sim$ 10$^{11}$ M$_{\odot}$), z $\sim$ 0.5 galaxies with extreme star formation surface densities ($Σ_{SFR} \sim$ 2000 M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$ kpc$^{-2}$). We have previously detected and characterized these outflows using MgII absorption lines. To probe their full extent, we present Keck/KCWI integral field spectroscopy of the [OII] and MgII emission nebulae surrounding all of the 12 galaxies in this study. We find that [OII] is more effective than MgII in tracing low surface brightness, extended emission in these galaxies. The [OII] nebulae are spatially extended beyond the stars, with radial extent R$_{90}$ between 10 and 40 kpc. The nebulae exhibit non-gravitational motions, indicating galactic outflows with maximum blueshifted velocities ranging from -335 to -1920 km s$^{-1}$. The outflow kinematics correlate with the bursty star formation histories of these galaxies. Galaxies with the most recent bursts of star formation (within the last $<$ 3 Myr) exhibit the highest central velocity dispersions ($σ>$ 400 km s$^{-1}$), while the oldest bursts have the lowest-velocity outflows. Many galaxies exhibit both high-velocity cores and more extended, slower-moving gas indicative of multiple outflow episodes. The slower, larger outflows occurred earlier and have decelerated as they propagate into the CGM and mix on timescales $>$ 50 Myr.

astro-ph.GA↗