scholarly journals CHANG-ES

2019 ◽  
Vol 632 ◽  
pp. A13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Stein ◽  
R.-J. Dettmar ◽  
M. Weżgowiec ◽  
J. Irwin ◽  
R. Beck ◽  
...  

Context. The radio continuum halos of edge-on spiral galaxies have diverse morphologies, with different magnetic field properties and cosmic ray (CR) transport processes into the halo. Aims. Using the Continuum HAloes in Nearby Galaxies – an EVLA Survey (CHANG-ES) radio continuum data from the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) in two frequency bands, 6 GHz (C-band) and 1.5 GHz (L-band), we analyzed the radio properties, including polarization and the transport processes of the CR electrons (CREs), in the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 4013. Supplementary LOw-Frequency ARray (LOFAR) data at 150 MHz are used to study the low-frequency properties of this galaxy and X-ray data are used to investigate the central region. Methods. We determined the total radio flux densities (central source, disk, halo and total) as well as the radio scale heights of the radio continuum emission at both CHANG-ES frequencies and at the LOFAR frequency. We derived the magnetic field orientation from CHANG-ES polarization data and rotation measure synthesis (RM synthesis). Furthermore, we used the revised equipartition formula to calculate the magnetic field strength. Lastly, we modeled the processes of CR transport into the halo with the 1D SPINNAKER model. Results. The central point source dominates the radio continuum emission with a mean of ∼35% of the total flux density emerging from the central source in both CHANG-ES bands. Complementary X-ray data from Chandra show one dominant point source in the central part. The XMM-Newton spectrum shows hard X-rays, but no clear AGN classification is possible at this time. The radio continuum halo of NGC 4013 in C-band is rather small, while the low-frequency LOFAR data reveal a large halo. The scale height analysis shows that Gaussian fits, with halo scale heights of 1.2 kpc in C-band, 2.0 kpc in L-band, and 3.1 kpc at 150 MHz, better represent the intensity profiles than do exponential fits. The frequency dependence gives clear preference to diffusive CRE transport. The radio halo of NGC 4013 is relatively faint and contributes only 40% and 56% of the total flux density in C-band and L-band, respectively. This is less than in galaxies with wind-driven halos. While the SPINNAKER models of the radio profiles show that advection with a launching velocity of ∼20 km s−1 (increasing to ∼50 km s−1 at 4 kpc height) fits the data equally well or slightly better, diffusion is the dominating transport process up to heights of 1–2 kpc. The polarization data reveal plane-parallel, regular magnetic fields within the entire disk and vertical halo components indicating the presence of an axisymmetric field having a radial component pointing outwards. The mean magnetic field strength of the disk of NGC 4013 of 6.6 μG is rather small. Large-scale vertical fields are observed in the halo out to heights of about 6 kpc. Conclusions. The interaction and the low star formation rate (SFR) across the disk of NGC 4013 probably influence the appearance of its radio continuum halo and are correlated with the low total magnetic field strength. Several observable quantities give consistent evidence that the CR transport in the halo of NGC 4013 is diffusive: the frequency dependence of the synchrotron scale height, the disk/halo flux density ratio, the vertical profile of the synchrotron spectral index, the small propagation speed measured modeled with SPINNAKER, and the low temperature of the X-ray emitting hot gas.

2018 ◽  
Vol 615 ◽  
pp. A98 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. D. Mulcahy ◽  
A. Horneffer ◽  
R. Beck ◽  
M. Krause ◽  
P. Schmidt ◽  
...  

Context. Cosmic rays and magnetic fields play an important role for the formation and dynamics of gaseous halos of galaxies. Aims. Low-frequency radio continuum observations of edge-on galaxies are ideal to study cosmic-ray electrons (CREs) in halos via radio synchrotron emission and to measure magnetic field strengths. Spectral information can be used to test models of CRE propagation. Free–free absorption by ionized gas at low frequencies allows us to investigate the properties of the warm ionized medium in the disk. Methods. We obtained new observations of the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 891 at 129–163 MHz with the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) and at 13–18 GHz with the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager (AMI) and combine them with recent high-resolution Very Large Array (VLA) observations at 1–2 GHz, enabling us to study the radio continuum emission over two orders of magnitude in frequency. Results. The spectrum of the integrated nonthermal flux density can be fitted by a power law with a spectral steepening towards higher frequencies or by a curved polynomial. Spectral flattening at low frequencies due to free–free absorption is detected in star-forming regions of the disk. The mean magnetic field strength in the halo is 7 ± 2 μG. The scale heights of the nonthermal halo emission at 146 MHz are larger than those at 1.5 GHz everywhere, with a mean ratio of 1.7 ± 0.3, indicating that spectral ageing of CREs is important and that diffusive propagation dominates. The halo scale heights at 146 MHz decrease with increasing magnetic field strengths which is a signature of dominating synchrotron losses of CREs. On the other hand, the spectral index between 146 MHz and 1.5 GHz linearly steepens from the disk to the halo, indicating that advection rather than diffusion is the dominating CRE transport process. This issue calls for refined modelling of CRE propagation. Conclusions. Free–free absorption is probably important at and below about 150 MHz in the disks of edge-on galaxies. To reliably separate the thermal and nonthermal emission components, to investigate spectral steepening due to CRE energy losses, and to measure magnetic field strengths in the disk and halo, wide frequency coverage and high spatial resolution are indispensable.


2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (S304) ◽  
pp. 96-99
Author(s):  
Alla Miroshnichenko

AbstractWe examine properties of galaxies and quasars with steep low-frequency spectra from the UTR-2 catalogue. The number of the objects have the non-thermal X-ray emission due to the inverse Compton scattering of radio photons of the microwave background by relativistic electrons. So, it is possible to estimate the magnetic field strength and the ratio of energies of the magnetic field and relativistic particles, independently. As we have received the determined values of magnetic field strength are near to one order less than those at the well-known energy equipartition condition. We conclude from the obtained energy ratio that the energy of relativistic particles prevails over the energy of magnetic field in the galaxies and quasars with steep radio spectra.


2006 ◽  
Vol 126 (3) ◽  
pp. 127-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinya Urata ◽  
Takashi Todaka ◽  
Masato Enokizono ◽  
Hiroyasu Shimoji

2021 ◽  
Vol 923 (1) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
C.-I. Björnsson

Abstract The synchrotron spectrum of radio knot C in the protostellar object DG Tau has a low-frequency turnover. This is used to show that its magnetic field strength is likely to be at least 10 mG, which is roughly two orders of magnitude larger than previously estimated. The earlier, lower value is due to an overestimate of the emission volume together with an omission of the dependence of the minimum magnetic field on the synchrotron spectral index. Since the source is partially resolved, this implies a low volume-filling factor for the synchrotron emission. It is argued that the high pressure needed to account for the observations is due to shocks. In addition, cooling of the thermal gas is probably necessary in order to further enhance the magnetic field strength as well as the density of relativistic electrons. It is suggested that the observed spectral index implies that the energy of the radio-emitting electrons is below that needed to take part in first-order Fermi acceleration. Hence, the radio emission gives insights to the properties of its pre-acceleration phase. Attention is also drawn to the similarities between the properties of radio knot C and the shock-induced radio emission in supernovae.


2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (S291) ◽  
pp. 474-476
Author(s):  
Guojun Qiao ◽  
Xionwei Liu ◽  
Renxin Xu ◽  
Yuanjie Du ◽  
Jinlin Han ◽  
...  

AbstractThe concept of a “magnetar” was proposed mainly because of two factors. First, the X-ray luminosity of Anomalous X-ray Pulsars (AXPs) and Soft Gamma-Ray Repeaters (SGRs) is larger than the rotational energy loss rate (Lx > Ėrot), and second, the magnetic field strength calculated from “normal method” is super strong. It is proposed that the radiation energy of magnetar comes from its magnetic fields. Here it is argued that the magnetic field strength calculated through the normal method is incorrect at the situation Lx > Ėrot, because the wind braking is not taken into account. Besides, the “anti-magnetar” and some other X-ray and radio observations are difficult to understand with a magnetar model.Instead of the magnetar, we propose a “quarctar”, which is a crusted quark star in an accretion disk, to explain the observations. In this model, the persistent X-ray emission, burst luminosity, spectrum of AXPs and SGRs can be understood naturally. The radio-emitting AXPs, which are challenging the magnetar, can also be explained by the quarctar model.


2019 ◽  
Vol 628 ◽  
pp. A83 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Cova ◽  
F. Gastaldello ◽  
D. R. Wik ◽  
W. Boschin ◽  
A. Botteon ◽  
...  

Aims. We present the results of a joint XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observation (200 ks) of the galaxy cluster Abell 523 at z = 0.104. The peculiar morphology of the cluster radio halo and its outlier position in the radio power P(1.4 GHz) – X-ray luminosity plane make it an ideal candidate for the study of radio and X-ray correlations and for the search of inverse Compton (IC) emission. Methods. We constructed bi-dimensional maps for the main thermodynamic quantities (i.e., temperature, pressure and entropy) derived from the XMM observations to describe the physical and dynamical state of the cluster’s intracluster medium (ICM) in detail. We performed a point-to-point comparison in terms of surface brightness between the X-ray and radio emissions to quantify their morphological discrepancies. Making use of NuSTAR’s unprecedented hard X-ray focusing capability, we looked for IC emission both globally and locally after properly modeling the purely thermal component with a multi-temperature description. Results. The thermodynamic maps obtained from the XMM observation suggest the presence of a secondary merging process that could be responsible for the peculiar radio halo morphology. This hypothesis is supported by the comparison between the X-ray and radio surface brightnesses, which shows a broad intrinsic scatter and a series of outliers from the best-fit relation, corresponding to those regions that could be influenced by a secondary merger. The global NuSTAR spectrum can be explained by purely thermal gas emission, and there is no convincing evidence that an IC component is needed. The 3σ upper limit on the IC flux in the 20−80 keV band is in the [2.2−4.0] × 10−13 erg s−1 cm−2 range, implying a lower limit on the magnetic field strength in the B >  [0.23 − 0.31] μG range. Locally, we looked for IC emission in the central region of the cluster radio halo finding a 3σ upper limit on the 20−80 keV nonthermal flux of 3.17 × 10−14 erg s−1 cm−2, corresponding to a lower limit on the magnetic field strength of B ≳ 0.81 μG.


2014 ◽  
pp. 41-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Horta de ◽  
M.D. Filipovic ◽  
E.J. Crawford ◽  
F.H. Stootman ◽  
T.G. Pannuti ◽  
...  

We present an analysis of a new Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) radio-continuum observation of supernova remnant (SNR) G1.9+0.3, which at an age of ~181?25 years is the youngest known in the Galaxy. We analysed all available radio-continuum observations at 6-cm from the ATCA and Very Large Array. Using this data we estimate an expansion rate for G1.9+0.3 of 0.563%?0.078% per year between 1984 and 2009. We note that in the 1980's G1.9+0.3 expanded somewhat slower (0.484% per year) than more recently (0.641% per year). We estimate that the average spectral index between 20-cm and 6-cm, across the entire SNR is ?={0.72?0.26 which is typical for younger SNRs. At 6-cm, we detect an average of 6% fractionally polarised radio emission with a peak of 17%?3%. The polarised emission follows the contours of the strongest of X-ray emission. Using the new equipartition formula we estimate a magnetic field strength of B?273?G, which to date, is one of the highest magnetic field strength found for any SNR and consistent with G1.9+0.3 being a very young remnant.


1979 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 508-508
Author(s):  
D. Q. Lamb

Many cataclysmic variables have been found to be hard, as well as soft, X-ray sources. Emission from the boundary layer of an optically thick accretion disk extending down to the stellar surface can, at outburst, produce soft X-rays, but the production of hard X-rays from such a disk is difficult to understand. We therefore conjecture that the sources which emit hard X-rays have magnetic fields and are, in general, rotating. We then propose a classification scheme for cataclysmic variables based on the size of the Alfven radius rA relative to the stellar radius R of the degenerate dwarf and the separation α of the binary system. We show that many of the varied characteristics displayed by the cataclysmic variable X-ray sources can be understood in terms of this ordering. We suggest that the AM Her Class (AM Her, AN UMa, W Pup, and 2A0311-23) have R ≪ α ≪ rA , the DQ Her Class (DQ Her, V533 Her, and AE Aqr) have R ≪ rA ≪ α, while the SS Cyg Class (SS Cyg, U Gem, EX Hya, and GK Per) have rA ≲ R ≪ α. Although rA depends on both the magnetic field strength of the degenerate dwarf ana the accretion rate, for comparable rates of accretion the ordering that we propose is essentially one of decreasing magnetic field strength.


2020 ◽  
Vol 639 ◽  
pp. A111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Stein ◽  
R.-J. Dettmar ◽  
R. Beck ◽  
J. Irwin ◽  
T. Wiegert ◽  
...  

Context. Radio continuum observations of edge-on spiral galaxies reveal the appearance of radio halos as well as the large-scale structure of their magnetic fields. Furthermore, with multiple frequency observations, it is possible to deduce the transport mechanisms of the cosmic ray electrons (CREs). Aims. In order to gain a better understanding of the influence of cosmic rays (CRs) and magnetic fields in the disk-halo interface of edge-on spiral galaxies, we investigate the radio continuum halo, the magnetic field, and the transport processes of the CRs of the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 4217 using CHANG-ES radio data at two frequencies, 6 GHz (C-band) and 1.5 GHz (L-band), and supplemental LOFAR data of this galaxy at 150 MHz. With additional X-ray Chandra data, we study the connection of radio features to the diffuse hot gas around NGC 4217. Methods. We investigate the total intensity (Stokes I) data in detail and determine the integrated spectral behavior. The radio scale heights of all three radio frequencies for NGC 4217 were extracted via exponential fits to the intensity profiles. From these, individual absolute flux densities of the disk and the halo were also calculated. Furthermore, we present magnetic field orientations from the polarization data using rotation measure synthesis (RM-synthesis), showing the large-scale ordered magnetic field of NGC 4217. After a separation of thermal and nonthermal emission, we calculated the resolved magnetic field strength via the revised equipartition formula. Additionally, we modeled the transport processes of CREs into the halo with the 1D model SPINNAKER. Results. NGC 4217 shows a large-scale X-shaped magnetic field structure, covering a major part of the galaxy with a mean total magnetic field strength in the disk of 9 μG. From the analysis of the rotation measure map at C-band, we found that the direction of the disk magnetic field is pointing inward. A helical outflow structure is furthermore present in the northwestern part of the galaxy, which is extended nearly 7 kpc into the halo. More polarized emission is observed on the approaching side of the galaxy, indicating that Faraday depolarization has to be considered at C-band. With a simplified galaxy disk model, we are able to explain the finding of higher polarized intensity on the approaching side. We generalize the model to predict that roughly 75% of edge-on spiral galaxies will show higher polarized intensity on the approaching side. Many loop and shell structures are found throughout the galaxy in total intensity at C-band. One structure, a symmetric off-center (to southwest of the disk) superbubble-like structure is prominent in total and polarized intensity, as well as in Hα and optical dust filaments. This is at a location where a second peak of total intensity (to the southwest of the disk) is observed, making this superbubble-like structure a possible result of a concentrated star formation region in the disk. The X-ray diffuse emission shows similarities to the polarized diffuse emission of NGC 4217. The flux density extension of the radio continuum halo increases toward lower frequencies. While the total flux density of the disk and halo are comparable at C-band, the contribution of the disk flux density decreases toward LOFAR to 18% of the total flux density. Dumbbell-shaped structures are present at C-band and at the LOFAR frequency. Total intensity profiles at the two CHANG-ES bands and the LOFAR frequency show a clear two-component behavior and were fit best with a two-component exponential fit. The halo scale heights are 1.10 ± 0.04 kpc, 1.43 ± 0.09 kpc, and 1.55 ± 0.04 kpc in C-band, L-band, and 150 MHz, respectively. The frequency dependence of these scale heights between C-band and L-band suggests advection to be the main transport process. The 1D CRE transport modeling shows that advection appears to be more important than diffusion.


1968 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 600-600
Author(s):  
S. J. Gopasyuk ◽  
N. N. Erushev ◽  
Y. I. Neshpor

We consider the variation of the synchrotron-flux density of relativistic electrons with the power law spectrum when the region of generation of this emission initially experiences a homogeneous compression and then an expansion. Ionization losses have been taken into account. The velocities of compression and expansion have been taken as constant. It is shown that in the cases of compression or expansion the flux density at a given frequency changes asS(t) ~ S0Kγ(t)where S0 = flux density before the compression, γ = index of the power law spectrum, K(t) = (H(t))/(H0 (t = 0)), and H is the magnetic-field strength. In the case of compression K(t) > 1·0 and in the case of expansion K(t)< 1·0.The results obtained are applied to an explanation of the increasing and decreasing parts of impulsive bursts of the centimeter range. Such a description of the impulsive bursts has allowed us to estimate both the parameters of the radiating region and the parameters of the differential energetic spectrum of relativistic electrons.


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