scholarly journals Observational limits on the X-ray emission from the bubble nebula surrounding Ho IX X-1

2019 ◽  
Vol 488 (4) ◽  
pp. 4614-4622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajath Sathyaprakash ◽  
Timothy P Roberts ◽  
Magdalena M Siwek

ABSTRACT Optical and radio observations of shock-ionized bubble nebulae surrounding ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) suggest that they are powered by jets or supercritical outflows presumably launched from the ULX accretion disc. Recent simulations of these systems have shown that the shocked wind can emit thermal X-rays with estimated luminosities ≲1036 erg s−1. In this work, we investigated whether it is possible to detect and spatially resolve the X-ray emission from these systems using archival Chandra observations of the ULX Holmberg IX X-1 (Ho IX X-1). This source is an ideal target to study for two reasons: it is surrounded by an optical bubble nebula with a large spatial extent (∼400 pc) that can easily be resolved with Chandra. Further, it has a hard X-ray continuum that is easily distinguishable from the expected soft thermal emission from the nebula. However, a spectral and photometric analysis on stacked Chandra observations of the source reveals that there is no strong evidence for an X-ray bubble associated with it, to a limiting luminosity of ∼2 × 1036 erg s−1. The detection of such X-ray nebulae may be possible with future X-ray missions such as Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics(ATHENA), which would provide useful constraints on the kinematics of the outflow. Finally, our observations also emphasize that the nebular emission does not contribute significantly to the residuals in the X-ray spectrum of the source, which are more likely to be linked to processes localized to the ULX.

1994 ◽  
Vol 159 ◽  
pp. 380-380
Author(s):  
G. Matt ◽  
A.C. Fabian ◽  
R.R. Ross

The presence of iron lines and high energy excesses in the X-ray spectra of Seyfert galaxies has been firmly established by Ginga (e.g. Nandra & Pounds 1993 and references therein). These features are generally interpreted as signatures of the reprocessing of the primary X-rays by matter in the neighbourhood of the central black hole, probably distributed in an accretion disc (Lightman & White 1988, George & Fabian 1991, Matt, Perola & Piro 1991).


2019 ◽  
Vol 623 ◽  
pp. A67 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Pillitteri ◽  
S. Sciortino ◽  
F. Reale ◽  
G. Micela ◽  
C. Argiroffi ◽  
...  

X-ray emission is a characteristic feature of young stellar objects (YSOs) and the result of the interplay between rotation, magnetism, and accretion. For this reason high energy phenomena are key elements to understand the process of star formation, the evolution of their circumstellar disks, and eventually the formation of planets. We investigated the X-ray characteristics of the Class I YSO Elias 29 with joint XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observations of total duration 300 ks and 450 ks, respectively. These are the first observations of a very young (<1 Myr) stellar object in a band encompassing simultaneously both soft and hard X-rays (0.3 − 10 keV in XMM-Newton and ≈3 − 80 keV in NuSTAR). The quiescent spectrum is well described by one thermal component at ∼4.2 keV absorbed by NH ∼ 5.5  ×  1022 cm−2. In addition to the hot Fe complex at 6.7 keV, we observed fluorescent emission from Fe at ∼6.4 keV, confirming the previous findings. The line at 6.4 keV is detected during quiescent and flaring states and its flux is variable. The equivalent width is found varying in the range ≈0.15 − 0.5 keV. These values make unrealistic a simple model with a centrally illuminated disk and suggest a role of the cavity containing Elias 29 and possible reverberation processes that could occur in it. We observed two flares that have durations of 20 ks and 50 ks, respectively, and we observed the first flare with both XMM-Newton and NuSTAR. For this flare, we used its peak temperature and timing as diagnostics to infer a loop size of about 1 − 2 R⊙ in length, which is about 20%–30% of the stellar radius. This implies a relatively compact structure. We systematically observed an increase in NH of a factor five during the flares. This behavior has been observed during flares previously detected in Elias 29 with XMM-Newton and ASCA. The phenomenon suggests that the flaring regions could be buried under the accretion streams and at high stellar latitudes because the X-rays from flares pass through gas denser than the gas along the line of sight of the quiescent corona. In a different scenario, a contribution from scattered soft photons to the primary coronal emission could mimic a shallower NH in the quiescent spectrum. In the spectrum of the full NuSTAR exposure, we detect hard X-ray emission in the band ≈20 − 80 keV which is in excess with respect to the thermal emission and that is significant at a level of ≥2σ. We speculate that the hard X-ray emission could be due to a population of energetic electrons accelerated by the magnetic field along the accretion streams. These particles, along with X-ray photons with E >  7.11 keV, could be responsible for pumping up the Fe fluorescence when hitting cold Fe in the circumstellar disk.


1967 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. A. Chubb

One of the interesting questions in solar X-ray astronomy is the question as to whether the hard X-ray emission which occurs during major solar flares is a thermal or nonthermal phenomenon. The evidence for non-thermal emission has been based in large measure on a balloon-borne experiment by Peterson and Winckler, which constituted the first detection of high energy flare X-rays. In the Peterson-Winckler experiment, the incident solar X-rays were measured by both an ion chamber and a Geiger counter photometer, and from the ratio of responses, the hardness character of the incident X-rays was reduced. It was concluded that the observed result could have been explained in terms of the sudden non-thermal production of a group of electrons with energy of the order of 500 kilovolts.


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (S337) ◽  
pp. 62-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Mereghetti ◽  
L. Kuiper ◽  
A. Tiengo ◽  
J. Hessels ◽  
W. Hermsen ◽  
...  

AbstractNew simultaneous X-ray and radio observations of the archetypal mode-switching pulsar PSR B0943+10 have been carried out with XMM-Newton and the LOFAR, LWA and Arecibo radio telescopes in November 2014. They allowed us to better constrain the X-ray spectral and variability properties of this pulsar and to detect, for the first time, the X-ray pulsations also during the X-ray-fainter mode. The combined timing and spectral analysis indicates that unpulsed non-thermal emission, likely of magnetospheric origin, and pulsed thermal emission from a small polar cap are present during both radio modes and vary in a correlated way.


1994 ◽  
Vol 159 ◽  
pp. 113-122
Author(s):  
Rick Edelson

CGRO and IUE observations suggest that the strong, aperiodic variability seen in the Exosat long-look observations of AGN extends over a much wider energy band. Some BL Lac objects (but no Seyfert 1 galaxies) have shown X-ray variations which were so rapid that they violate the assumptions of isotropy inherent in the Eddington limit. In the ultraviolet, Seyfert 1s as a class show an anti-correlation between the variability amplitude and luminosity, while BL Lacs show a positive correlation. Furthermore, Seyfert 1s show strong flux-correlated spectral variability, while BL Lacs show little or none. All of this suggests that the high-energy continua of BL Lacs are beamed towards us, while the ultraviolet continua of Seyfert 1s are emitted isotropically.The November 1991 multi-waveband monitoring of the BL Lac PKS 2155−304 showed strong correlated variability, with the soft X-rays leading the ultraviolet by a few hours, and no measurable lag between the ultraviolet and optical down to a limit of ≲ 1.5 hr. This indicates that the X-rays from this BL Lac are not produced by Compton upscattering, and that the ultraviolet does not come directly from a thermal source such as an accretion disk. This also strongly constrains the relativistic jet model, suggesting that all of the radiation is produced in a flattened region like a shock front.Low temporal resolution ultraviolet/optical monitoring of the Seyfert 1 NGC 5548 in 1989 yielded a strong correlation with no measurable lag to a limit of ≲4 days, casting some doubt on the standard model of thermal emission from an accretion disk in Seyfert 1s. Upcoming X-ray/ultraviolet/optical monitoring of the Seyfert 1 NGC 4151 in December 1993 will have much faster sampling, to permit a strong test of both this model and the competing reprocessing model.


2014 ◽  
Vol 03 (02) ◽  
pp. 63-70
Author(s):  
Charling Tao

The Tsinghua Center for Astrophysics (THCA) was founded in 2001 by Prof. Li Tipei and Shang Rencheng. A distinguishing characteristic of THCA's astrophysics program is its emphasis on space X-ray and gamma-ray instrumentation, by taking advantage of Tsinghua's strong programs on nuclear physics, nuclear engineering, space and aeronautics engineering, as well as electronics and information technology. The main research directions in THCA include high energy astrophysics and cosmology with space and ground observations in X-rays and gamma-rays, and more recently in optical wavelengths, radio-astronomy, gravitational waves, dark matter and dark energy analyses and projects.


2002 ◽  
Vol 199 ◽  
pp. 153-156
Author(s):  
H. Andernach ◽  
O.B. Slee ◽  
A.L. Roy ◽  
M. Ehle

We describe the highest-resolution radio observations yet made of relic radio sources. These relics have extremely steep (α ≤ −2.5) spectra and are located in four southern Abell clusters (A 13, A 85, A133, A 4038). VLA images at 1.4 GHz and ∼4″ resolution show a remarkable variety of fine structure like arcs, wisps, plumes, and loops. Integrated polarization fractions range from 2.3% to 16.8%. Deep red CCD images do not reveal any optical object with a brightness and/or position typical of a radio host galaxy. The X-ray centroids in ROSAT images tend to be displaced from the cluster potential wells in the direction of the relics in A85, A133 and A4038, suggesting that some of the X-rays may be inverse Compton or excess thermal emission from the relic itself.


Author(s):  
A.J. Tousimis

An integral and of prime importance of any microtopography and microanalysis instrument system is its electron, x-ray and ion detector(s). The resolution and sensitivity of the electron microscope (TEM, SEM, STEM) and microanalyzers (SIMS and electron probe x-ray microanalyzers) are closely related to those of the sensing and recording devices incorporated with them.Table I lists characteristic sensitivities, minimum surface area and depth analyzed by various methods. Smaller ion, electron and x-ray beam diameters than those listed, are possible with currently available electromagnetic or electrostatic columns. Therefore, improvements in sensitivity and spatial/depth resolution of microanalysis will follow that of the detectors. In most of these methods, the sample surface is subjected to a stationary, line or raster scanning photon, electron or ion beam. The resultant radiation: photons (low energy) or high energy (x-rays), electrons and ions are detected and analyzed.


2013 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 1508-1512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Byron Freelon ◽  
Kamlesh Suthar ◽  
Jan Ilavsky

Coupling small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) provides a powerful system of techniques for determining the structural organization of nanostructured materials that exhibit a wide range of characteristic length scales. A new facility that combines high-energy (HE) SAXS and USAXS has been developed at the Advanced Photon Source (APS). The application of X-rays across a range of energies, from 10 to 50 keV, offers opportunities to probe structural behavior at the nano- and microscale. An X-ray setup that can characterize both soft matter or hard matter and high-Zsamples in the solid or solution forms is described. Recent upgrades to the Sector 15ID beamline allow an extension of the X-ray energy range and improved beam intensity. The function and performance of the dedicated USAXS/HE-SAXS ChemMatCARS-APS facility is described.


1989 ◽  
Vol 120 ◽  
pp. 536-536
Author(s):  
S.L. Snowden

The 1/4 keV diffuse X-ray background (SXRB) is discussed in relation to the local interstellar medium (LISM). The most likely source for these soft X-rays is thermal emission from a hot diffuse plasma. The existence of a non-zero flux from all directions and the short ISM mean free path of these X-rays (1020HI cm-2), coupled with ISM pressure constraints, imply that the plasma has a local component and that it must, at least locally (nearest hundred parsecs), have a large filling factor. Our understanding of the geometry and physical parameters of the LISM is therefore directly tied to our understanding of the SXRB.


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