arXiv subjects

Yoshiyuki Inoue

Publications and source records attributed to Yoshiyuki Inoue.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

Cosmic ray neutrons in magnetized astrophysical structures

Cosmic rays are often modeled as charged particles. This allows their non-ballistic propagation in magnetized structures to be captured. In certain situations, a neutral cosmic ray component can arise. For example, cosmic ray neutrons are produced in considerable numbers through hadronic pp and p$γ$ interactions. At ultrahigh energies, the decay timescales of these neutrons is dilated, allowing them to traverse distances on the scale of galactic and cosmological structures. Unlike charged cosmic rays, neutrons are not deflected by magnetic fields. They propagate ballistically at the speed of light in straight lines. The presence of a neutral baryonic cosmic ray component formed in galaxies, clusters and cosmological filaments can facilitate the escape and leakage of cosmic rays from magnetic structures that would otherwise confine them. We show that, by allowing confinement breaking, the formation of cosmic-ray neutrons by high-energy hadronic interactions in large scale astrophysical structures can modify the exchange of ultra high-energy particles across magnetic interfaces between galaxies, clusters, cosmological filaments and voids.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Neutrinos and gamma rays from beta decays in an active galactic nucleus NGC 1068 jet

We show that TeV neutrinos and high-energy gamma rays detected from the nearby active galaxy NGC 1068 can simultaneously be explained in a model based on the beta decays of neutrons produced in the photodisintegration of 4He nuclei on ultraviolet photons in the jet. The photodisintegration of nuclei occurs at energies above several PeV, which explains the 1-100 TeV energies of the observed neutrinos. The TeV gamma-ray flux accompanying the beta decays is expected to be much lower than the neutrino flux, which agrees with the observations of NGC 1068 showing a gamma-ray deficit as compared to the expectations from proton-photon interactions. Furthermore, the synchrotron and inverse Compton gamma-ray flux associated with protons' Bethe-Heitler pair production and the photopion processes in the jet can be consistent with the observed gamma-ray flux at GeV energies for a plausible range of magnetic fields of jets. This scenario, combining beta decay and Bethe-Heitler, can be applied to other jet Seyfert galaxies such as NGC 4151. Future measurements of the neutrino flavor ratio can help confirm the beta-decay origin of the observed neutrinos.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

On the possible contributions of two nearby blazars to the NGC 4151 neutrino hotspot

The origin of the high-energy astrophysical neutrinos discovered by IceCube remains unclear, with both blazars and Seyfert galaxies emerging as potential sources. Recently, the IceCube Collaboration reported a ${\sim}{3}σ$ neutrino signal from the direction of a nearby Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151. However, two gamma-ray loud BL Lac objects, 4FGL 1210.3+3928 and 4FGL J1211.6+3901, lie close to NGC 4151, at angular distances of 0.08$^\circ$ and 0.43$^\circ$, respectively. We investigate the potential contribution of these two blazars to the observed neutrino signal from the direction of NGC 4151 and assess their detectability with future neutrino observatories. We model the multi-wavelength spectral energy distributions of both blazars using a self-consistent numerical radiation code, AM$^3$. We calculate their neutrino spectra and compare them to the measured NGC 4151 neutrino spectrum and future neutrino detector sensitivities. Our models predict neutrino emission peaking at $\sim$10$^{17}$ eV for both blazars, with fluxes of ${\sim}10^{-12}~\mathrm{erg~cm^{-2}~s^{-1}}$. This indicates their contribution to the $\sim$10 TeV neutrino signal observed from the direction of NGC 4151 is minor. While detection with current facilities is challenging, both sources should be detectable by future radio-based neutrino telescopes such as IceCube-Gen2's radio array and GRAND, with 4FGL~J1210.3+3928 being the more promising candidate.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

The Disk Wind Contribution to the Gamma-Ray emission from the nearby Seyfert Galaxy GRS 1734-292

Radio-quiet Seyfert galaxies have been detected in GeV gamma-rays by the $Fermi$ Large Area Telescope (LAT), but the origin of much of this emission is unclear. We consider the nearby example, the Seyfert galaxy GRS 1734-292, which exhibits weak starburst and jet activities that are insufficient to explain the observed gamma-ray flux. With the first detailed multi-wavelength study of this source, we demonstrate that an active galactic nucleus (AGN) disk wind can account for its gamma-ray emission. Using a lepto-hadronic emission model based on a shocked ambient medium and a shocked wind region created by an AGN accretion disk wind, we identify two viable scenarios that are consistent with the $Fermi$-LAT data and multi-wavelength observations: a hadronic $pp$-dominated scenario and a leptonic external Compton-dominated scenario. Both of these show that future observations with the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) and the Southern Wide-field Gamma-ray Observatory (SWGO) could detect TeV emission from a disk wind in GRS 1734-292. Such a detection would substantially improve our understanding of cosmic ray acceleration efficiency in AGN disk wind systems, and would establish radio-quiet Seyfert galaxies as cosmic ray accelerators capable of reaching ultra-high energies.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Upper Limit on the Coronal Cosmic Ray Energy Budget in Seyfert Galaxies

The IceCube collaboration has reported possible detections of high-energy neutrinos from nearby Seyfert galaxies. While central hot coronae are proposed as the primary neutrino production site, the exact coronal cosmic-ray energy budget has been loosely constrained. In this study, we propose a new stringent upper bound on the coronal cosmic-ray energy budget of Seyfert galaxies, considering both accretion dynamics and observed properties of radio-quiet Seyfert galaxies. Notably, even under the calorimetric condition where cosmic rays lose all their energies, our limit indicates that the coronal neutrino flux of NGC~1068 is about an order of magnitude fainter than the observed levels. This discrepancy suggests the need for further theoretical and observational investigations on the IceCube signals from Seyfert galaxies.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Energetic particles and high-energy processes in cosmological filaments and their astronomical implications

Large-scale cosmic filaments connect galaxies, clusters and voids. They are permeated by magnetic fields with a variety of topologies. Cosmic rays with energies up to $10^{20}\;\!{\rm eV}$ can be produced in astrophysical environments associated with star-formation and AGN activities. The fate of these cosmic rays in filaments, which cannot be directly observed on Earth, are rarely studied. We investigate the high-energy processes associated with energetic particles (cosmic rays) in filaments, adopting an ecological approach that includes galaxies, clusters/superclusters and voids as key cosmological structures in the filament ecosystem. We derive the phenomenology for modelling interfaces between filaments and these structures, and investigate how the transfer and fate of energetic cosmic ray protons are affected by the magnetism of the interfaces. We consider different magnetic field configurations in filaments and assess the implications for cosmic ray confinement and survival against hadronic pion-producing and photo-pair interactions. Our analysis shows that the fate of the particles depends on the location of their origin within a filament ecosystem, and that filaments act as `highways', channelling cosmic rays between galaxies, galaxy clusters and superclusters. Filaments can also operate as cosmic `fly paper', capturing cosmic ray protons with energies up to $10^{18}\;\!{\rm eV}$ from cosmic voids. Our analysis predicts the presence of a population of $\sim 10^{12}-10^{16}\;\!{\rm eV}$ cosmic ray protons in filaments and voids accumulated continually over cosmic time. These protons do not suffer significant energy losses through photo-pair or pion-production, nor can they be cooled efficiently. Instead, they form a cosmic ray fossil record of the power generation history of the Universe.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Multi-epoch X-ray spectral analysis of Centaurus A: revealing new constraints on iron emission line origins

We conduct X-ray reverberation mapping and spectral analysis of the radio galaxy Centaurus A to uncover its central structure. We compare the light curve of the hard X-ray continuum from Swift Burst Alert Telescope observations with that of the Fe K$α$ fluorescence line, derived from the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), Suzaku, XMM-Newton, and Swift X-ray Telescope observations. The analysis of the light curves suggests that a top-hat transfer function, commonly employed in reverberation mapping studies, is improbable. Instead, the relation between these light curves can be described by a transfer function featuring two components: one with a lag of $0.19_{- 0.02}^{+ 0.10}~\mathrm{pc}/c$, and another originating at $r > 1.7~\mathrm{pc}$ that produces an almost constant light curve. Further, we analyze the four-epoch NuSTAR and six-epoch Suzaku spectra, considering the time lag of the reflection component relative to the primary continuum. This spectral analysis supports that the reflecting material is Compton-thin, with $N_{\mathrm{H}} = 3.14_{-0.74}^{+0.44} \times 10^{23}~ \mathrm{cm}^{-2}$. These results suggest that the Fe K$α$ emission may originate from Compton-thin circumnuclear material located at sub-parsec scale, likely a dust torus, and materials at a greater distance.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Deciphering Radio Emissions from Accretion Disk Winds in Radio-Quiet Active Galactic Nuclei

Unraveling the origins of radio emissions from radio-quiet active galactic nuclei (RQ AGNs) remains a pivotal challenge in astrophysics. One potential source of this radiation is the shock interaction between AGN disk winds and the interstellar medium (ISM). To understand this phenomenon, we construct a spherical, one-zone, and self-similar expansion model of shock structure between ultra-fast outflows (UFOs) and the ISM. We then calculate the energy density distribution of non-thermal electrons by solving the transport equation, considering diffusive shock acceleration as the acceleration mechanism and synchrotron and inverse Compton cooling as the cooling mechanisms. Based on the derived energy distribution of non-thermal electrons, we model the radio synchrotron spectrum of shocked ISM. For the 15 nearby RQ AGNs hosting UFOs, we investigate shocked ISM parameters required to model their observed radio spectra, based on X-ray observations and measured UFO velocities. Radio spectra of 11 out of 15 nearby RQ AGNs would be explained by the AGN disk wind model. This is a compelling indication that shock interactions between AGN disk winds and the ISM could indeed be the source of their radio emissions. The typical predicted source size and magnetic field strength are several $100$ pc and $0.1$ mG, respectively. We also discuss whether our prediction can be tested by future radio observations.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

ALMA Confirmation of Millimeter Time Variability in the Gamma-Ray Detected Seyfert Galaxy GRS 1734-292

GRS 1734-292 is a radio-quiet galaxy, exhibiting neither intense starburst nor jet activities. However, Fermi-LAT detected this object in the GeV band. The origin of non-thermal activity in this Seyfert galaxy is an intriguing question. We report Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of GRS 1734-292 at frequencies of 97.5, 145, and 225 GHz. These observations confirmed the millimeter excess within the central <100 pc region and its time variability based on two separate observations conducted four days apart. The timescale of variability aligns with the light crossing time for a compact source smaller than <100 Schwarzschild radius. If we take into account the power-law synchrotron emission originating from the corona (i.e., the hot plasma located above the accretion disk), the millimeter spectrum indicates the coronal magnetic field of ~10 G and the size of ~10 Schwarzschild radius. An alternative explanation for this millimeter emission could be synchrotron and free-free emission from disk winds (i.e., fast wide-opening angle outflows from the disk) with the size of ~10 pc, although it may be difficult to explain the fast variability. Future millimeter observations with higher resolution (~0.01") will enable the differentiation between these two scenarios. Such observations will provide insights into the acceleration sites of high-energy particles at the core of active galactic nuclei.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

Gamma-Ray Emission in the Seyfert Galaxy NGC 4151: Investigating the Role of Jet and Coronal Activities

NGC 4151, a nearby Seyfert galaxy, has recently been reported to emit gamma rays in the GeV range, posing an intriguing astrophysical mystery. The star formation rate of NGC 4151 is too low to explain the observed GeV flux, but the galaxy is known for its coronal activity in X-ray and jet activity in radio. We propose that either the combination of these two activities or the jet activity alone can account for the gamma-ray spectrum. An energy-dependent variability search will allow one to distinguish between the two scenarios, as the coronal component can only contribute at energies of $\lesssim1$ GeV. Our analysis also indicates that it might still be difficult to see coronal neutrinos from the apparently X-ray brightest Seyfert NGC 4151 with current-generation neutrino observatories.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

Cosmic ray processes in galactic ecosystems

Galaxy evolution is an important topic, and our physical understanding must be complete to establish a correct picture. This includes a thorough treatment of feedback. The effects of thermal-mechanical and radiative feedback have been widely considered, however cosmic rays (CRs) are also powerful energy carriers in galactic ecosystems. Resolving the capability of CRs to operate as a feedback agent is therefore essential to advance our understanding of the processes regulating galaxies. The effects of CRs are yet to be fully understood, and their complex multi-channel feedback mechanisms operating across the hierarchy of galaxy structures pose a significant technical challenge. This review examines the role of CRs in galaxies, from the scale of molecular clouds to the circum-galactic medium. An overview of their interaction processes, their implications for galaxy evolution, and their observable signatures is provided and their capability to modify the thermal and hydrodynamic configuration of galactic ecosystems is discussed. We present recent advancements in our understanding of CR processes and interpretation of their signatures, and highlight where technical challenges and unresolved questions persist. We discuss how these may be addressed with upcoming opportunities.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

The Centimeter to Submillimeter Broad Band Radio Spectrum of the Central Compact Component in A Nearby Type-II Seyfert Galaxy NGC 1068

We analyze all the available Atacama Large Millimeter / submillimeter Array archival data of the nearby Type-II Seyfert galaxy NGC 1068, including new 100 GHz data with the angular resolution of 0\farcs05, which was not included in previous continuum spectral analysis. By combining with the literature data based on the Very Large Array, we investigate the broadband radio continuum spectrum of the central $\lesssim7$ pc region of NGC 1068. We found that the flux density is between $\approx$10-20 mJy at 5-700 GHz. Due to the inability of the model in previous studies to account for the newly added 100 GHz data point, we proceeded to update the models and make the necessary adjustments to the parameters. One possible interpretation of this broadband radio spectrum is a combination of emission from the jet base, the dusty torus, and the compact X-raying corona with the magnetic field strength of $\approx20$ G on scales of $\approx30$ Schwarzschild radii from the central black hole. In order to firmly identify the compact corona by omitting any other possible extended components (e.g., free-free emission from ionized gas around), high-resolution/sensitivity observations achieved by next-generation interferometers will be necessary.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

The origin of MeV gamma-ray diffuse emission from the inner Galactic region

The origin of the inner Galactic emission, measured by COMPTEL with a flux of $\sim ~ 10^{-2}$ MeV cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ sr$^{-1}$ in the 1-30 MeV range, has remained unsettled since its discovery in 1994. We investigate the origin of this emission by taking into account individual sources which are not resolved by COMPTEL and the Galactic diffuse emission. The source contribution is estimated for sources crossmatched between the Swift-BAT and Fermi-LAT catalogs by interpolating the energy spectra in the hard X-ray and GeV gamma-ray ranges, as well as unmatched sources. This results in a flux of $\sim$20% of the COMPTEL excess. The Galactic diffuse emission is calculated by GALPROP to reconcile the cosmic-ray and gamma-ray spectra with observations by AMS-02, Voyager, and Fermi-LAT, resulting in a flux of $\sim$30-80% of the COMPTEL emission. Thus, we show that the COMPTEL emission could be roughly reproduced by a combination of the sources and the Galactic diffuse emission. Furthermore, combined with the extragalactic emission, we construct all-sky images in the MeV gamma-ray range to pinpoint some potential interesting targets for future missions, which would be critical for bridging the MeV gap in the spectra of gamma-ray sources.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

On the Zeeman Effect in Magnetically-Arrested Disks

Magnetically arrested disk (MAD) has been argued as the key accretion phase to realize the formation of relativistic jets. However, due to the lack of magnetic field measurements of accreting systems, MAD has not been observationally confirmed yet. Here we propose that a strong magnetic field accompanied by MAD would induce the Zeeman splitting of relativistically broadened Fe K$α$ fluorescence lines in X-ray binaries and active galactic nuclei, where we consider a two-phase medium in the inner accretion disk, magnetically dominated hot corona and cold reflector. Such a geometrical configuration is suggested from X-ray observations and recently confirmed by numerical simulations. Although turbulence in accretion flows would broaden the split lines, future X-ray high-energy resolution satellites, XRISM and Athena, would be capable of seeing the Zeeman effect on the Fe lines in X-ray binaries in the case with the MAD configuration. The signature of the Zeeman split lines would provide observational evidence for MAD.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

MeV Gamma-Ray Source Contribution to the Inner Galactic Diffuse Emission

The origin of the inner Galactic emission, measured by COMPTEL with a flux of $\sim 10^{-2} ~{\rm MeV~ cm}^{-2}~ {\rm s}^{-1}~ {\rm sr}^{-1}$ in the 1-30 MeV energy range from the inner Galactic region, has remained unsettled since its discovery. In this paper, we elaborate on a model of individual MeV gamma-ray sources unresolved by COMPTEL. This is conducted for sources crossmatched between the Swift-BAT and Fermi-LAT catalogs by interpolating the energy spectra in the hard X-ray and GeV gamma-ray ranges, as well as unmatched sources between the two catalogs. We find that the source contribution to the COMPTEL emission would be at least ~20%. Combined with the Galactic diffuse emission, which is not well constrained, the COMPTEL emission can be roughly reproduced in some cases.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2022

Strong Lensing of High-Energy Neutrinos

We consider the effects of strong gravitational lensing by galaxy-scale deflectors on the observations of high-energy (E$\gg$GeV) neutrinos (HEN). For HEN at cosmological distances, the optical depth for multiple imaging is $\sim 10^{-3}$, implying that while we do not expect any multiply imaged HEN with present samples, next-generation experiments should be able to detect the first such event. We then present the distribution of expected time delays to aid in the identification of such events, in combination with directional and energy information. In order to assist in the evaluation of HEN production mechanisms, we illustrate how lensing affects the observed number counts for a variety of intrinsic luminosity functions of the source population. Finally, we see that the lensing effects on the cosmic neutrino background flux calculation would be negligible by taking kpc-scale jets as an example.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

ALMA detection of parsec-scale blobs at the head of kiloparsec-scale jet in the nearby Seyfert galaxy NGC 1068

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations at $\approx100$ GHz with $0.05$ arcsec (3 pc) resolution of the kiloparsec-scale jet seen in the nearby Seyfert galaxy NGC 1068, and we report the presence of parsec-scale blobs at the head of the jet. The combination of the detected radio flux ($\approx0.8$ mJy), spectral index ($\approx0.5$), and the blob size ($\approx10$ pc) suggests a strong magnetic field of $B\approx240\,μ$G. Such a strong magnetic field most likely implies magnetic field amplification by streaming cosmic rays. The estimated cosmic-ray power by the jet may exceed the limit set by the star formation activity in this galaxy. This result suggests that even modest-power jets can increase the galactic cosmic-ray content while propagating through the galactic bulge.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

Reconstruction of multiple Compton scattering events in MeV gamma-ray Compton telescopes towards GRAMS: the physics-based probabilistic model

Aimed at progress in mega-electron volt (MeV) gamma-ray astronomy, which has not yet been well-explored, Compton telescope missions with a variety of detector concepts have been proposed so far. One of the key techniques for these future missions is an event reconstruction algorithm that is able to determine the scattering orders of multiple Compton scattering events and to identify events in which gamma rays escape from the detectors before they deposit all of their energies. We revisit previous event reconstruction methods and propose a modified algorithm based on a probabilistic method. First, we present a general formalism of the probabilistic model of Compton scattering describing physical interactions inside the detector and measurement processes. Then, we also introduce several approximations in the calculation of the probability functions for efficient computation. For validation, the developed algorithm has been applied to simulation data of a Compton telescope using a liquid argon time projection chamber, which is a new type of Compton telescope proposed for the GRAMS project. We have confirmed that it works successfully for up to 8-hit events, including correction of incoming gamma-ray energies for escape events. The proposed algorithm can be used for next-generation MeV gamma-ray missions featured by large-volume detectors, e.g., GRAMS.

astro-ph.IM↗