Map of the galactic center region in the 1.8 MeV 26Al gamma-ray line

A map of the galactic center region in the 1.8 MeV gamma-ray line from radioactive Al²⁶ was derived from balloon flight data of the MPI Compton telescope. The image of the observed region of the sky is consistent with a point source origin at l = 1° ± 4°, b = −30 ± 4°. Diffuse emission models from unresolved candidate sources like supernovae, novae, Wolf-Rayet stars, and massive stars fit our data worse than a point source, but cannot be rejected definitely.     

Far-infrared and submillimeter survey of the galactic center and nearby galactic plane

Maps are presented with 12′ resolution of the Galactic Center and adjacent galactic plane, from ?^II = 359° to ?^II = 5°. The data were obtained with the Steward Observatory cryogenically-cooled, balloon-borne telescope. The data are from channels filtered for a bandpass of 70 μm < γ < 110 μm and for a longpass of γ > 80 μm. For the typical effective temperature of 25 K of a galactic HII region at this spatial resolution, the effective wavelength of the channels are 93 μ and 145 μm. Continuous emission is mapped along the galactic plane in both wavelengths. There are two contrasts between the immediate vicinity of SgrA (?^π < 1°) and the galactic plane in general. Firstly, for ?^π > 1° the galactic plane narrows dramatically at 93 μm, while retaining its width at 145 μm. Secondly, the individual sources at ?^π > 1° (which we associate with HII regions) have greater peak brightness in the 145 μm channel than the 93 μm channel, while SgrA hasapproximately equal peak brightness in each. The maps demonstrate the importance of submillimeter wavelengths to galactic surveys.     

The nature of nonthermal X-ray filaments near the galactic center

Recent Chandra and XMM-Newton observations reported evidence of two X-ray filaments G359.88−0.08 (SgrA-E) and G359.54+0.18 (the ripple filament) near the Galactic center. The X-ray emission from these filaments has a nonthermal spectrum and coincides with synchrotron emitting radio sources. Here, we report the detection of a new X-ray feature coincident with a radio filament G359.90−0.06 (SgrA-F) and show more detailed VLA, Chandra and BIMA observations of the radio and X-ray filaments. In particular, we show that radio emission from the nonthermal filaments G359.90−0.06 (SgrA-F) and G359.54+0.18 (the ripple) has a steep spectrum whereas G359.88−0.08 (SgrA-E) has a flat spectrum. The X-ray emission from both these sources could be due to synchrotron radiation. However, given that the 20 km s⁻¹ molecular cloud, with its intense 1.2 mm dust emission, lies in the vicinity of SgrA-F, it is possible that the X-rays could be produced by inverse Compton scattering of far-infrared photons from dust by the relativistic electrons responsible for the radio synchrotron emission. The production of X-ray emission from ICS allows an estimate of the magnetic field strength of 0.08 mG within the nonthermal filament. This should be an important parameter for any models of the Galactic center nonthermal filaments.     

A monople model for annihilation line emission from the galactic center

A model of the galactic center containing magnetic monopoles has been suggested. We have estimated the number of monopoles preserved in the formation process of the galactic nuclei. The catalytic reaction between magnetic monopoles and baryons can produce positrons and release the energy as well. According to our model, the galactic center cannot collapse into a black, even in the case where the contents of magnetic monopoles are much less than the Parker limit. This model may account for the intensity of the positron-electron pair annihilation line and the high energy photons continuum (>500 keV) observed at the galactic center direction.     

Recent balloon flight results concerning the galactic center 511 keV line

Results of three new balloon flights have recently become available concerning the galactic center electron-positron annihilation line at 511 keV. The groups involved were the University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hamsphire; NASA Goddard Center for Nuclear Studies, USA; CEN Saclay, Gif Sur Yvette, France; and Bell Laboratories/Sandia Laboratories, USA. In these flights a “low” or “off” state was observed in the fall of 1981. Also, new evidence for a low energy “positronium” — like tail on the line has been obtained from a 1977 flight. These results are reviewed.     

Simulated high resolution observation by the sigma telescope of the low energy gamma-ray emission from the galactic center region based on recent observational results

Simulated high resolution images of the galactic center region have been obtained for the SIGMA telescope, using recent observational data. It is shown that the next generation of gamma-ray imaging telescopes will be able to resolve this complex region of the sky.     

Observations of 1–30 MeV gamma rays from the galactic center

Preliminary results are reported for gamma ray observations of the galactic center region made during a 15 hour balloon flight from Alice Springs, Australia on April 18, 1979. The observations were carried out with the UCR double-scatter gamma-ray telescope at energies of 1 to 30 MeV. The observations are compatible with a galactic source of approximately equal brightness along the region 300°<ℓII<60°. The energy distribution joins smoothly to previous spark chamber results at energies above 30 MeV and to scintillator results below 1 MeV. It appears to be a combination of nuclear gamma ray lines superimposed on a bremsstrahlung spectrum with a power law (1.3±.7) × 10⁻³ E⁻(^1.7±.2). The ¹²C* line at 4.4 MeV appears to be present with a significance of about 16σ. The flux in the line is (6±3) × 10⁻⁴photons cm⁻²s⁻¹rad⁻¹. The oxygen line at 6.1 MeV does not seem to appear significantly above background.     

The observation of the galactic anticenter region by the balloon borne gamma-ray telescope Natalya-I

This paper presents the results of measurements of gamma radiation with energies above 5 MeV, from the galactic anticenter region. The balloon-borne gamma ray telescope “Natalya-I”, was launched on 6 November, 1980 from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research's Balloon Facility (Hyderabad, India) and reached ceiling altitude of 35 km. The results on the accelerator calibration of the telescope, using a “tagged” gamma ray beam are also presented.     

Improving the angular resolution of EGRET and new limits on supersymmetric dark matter near the galactic center

Using the EGRET data and an improved point source analysis, including an energy-dependent point spread function and an unbinned maximum likelihood technique, we have been able to place considerably lower limits on the γ-ray flux from the galactic center region. We also test this method on known sources, the Crab and Vela pulsars. In both cases, we find that our method improves the angular precision of EGRET data over the 3EG catalog.This new limit on γ-rays from the galactic center can be used to test models of annihilating supersymmetric dark matter and galactic halo profiles. We find that the present EGRET data can limit many supersymmetric models if the density of the galactic dark matter halo is cuspy or spiked toward the galactic center. We also discuss the ability of GLAST to test these models.     

The galactic center black hole: Clues for the evolution of black holes in Galactic nuclei

The evidence for a black hole located at the dynamical center of the Milky Way and identified with the unusual radio source, Sgr A¹, is now very compelling. Proper motion and radial velocity surveys of stars clearly demonstrate the presence of a non-luminous concentration of 2.6 × 10⁶ M_⊙ within a volume of radius ∼0.01 pc centered on Sgr A¹. At present, the accretion rate onto this object is rather small, leading to a total accretion luminosity at radio through far-IR wavelengths < 10³ L_⊙. The accreted material apparently originates in the winds of nearby massive stars. However, neither the stellar nor the gaseous environments are static. The surrounding cluster of massive stars, most lying well within a parsec, is only a few million years old, and is destined to fade substantially within another 10⁷ years. How did such a cluster form in the immediate and tidally stressed vicinity of a supermassive black hole? The circumnuclear disk of gas, which presently has an inner radius of 1 pc, seems destined to migrate inwards and eventually cause a much higher accretion rate onto Sgr A¹, with a consequent flurry of new activity. Because the young stars and gas in the vicinity of the black hole interact with each other, the episodes of recurrent activity there can be described in terms of a limit cycle, which effectively controls the growth of the central black hole. In addition to describing the steps of this cycle, we identify several key observations which serve as potential clues to the past activity not only of our Galactic center, but to the activity of gas-rich nuclei in general.     

The variability of the proton cosmic ray flux on the Sun’s way around the galactic center

The discovery of direct evidences for the acceleration of high energetic particles at the shell supernova remnant RXJ1713.7-3946 underlined the need to calculate the cosmic ray (CR) distribution in the Galaxy on a spatial grid fine enough to resolve the changes in the CR density due to these kind of objects. It was shown before by Büsching et al. [Büsching, I., Kopp, A., Pohl, M., Schlickeiser, R., Perrot, C., Grenier, I. Cosmic-ray propagation properties for an origin in supernova remnants. ApJ 619, 314–326, 2005] that the discrete nature (both in space and time) of super novae (SN) as sources of Galactic CR leads to CR spectra changing in space and time, resulting in a range of possible CR spectra at a given location in the Galaxy. As the most frequent SN types Ib and II are found within spiral arms, one can expect a significant difference of the range of possible spectra in and outside spiral arms. We investigate the variability of the local interstellar CR proton spectrum during the motion of the Sun in and out of spiral arms in its journey around the Galactic center. Using the code described by Büsching et al. [Büsching, I., Kopp, A., Pohl, M., Schlickeiser, R., Perrot, C., Grenier, I. Cosmic-ray propagation properties for an origin in supernova remnants. ApJ 619, 314–326, 2005], the proton CR density in the Galaxy is calculated with high spatial and temporal resolution (75 pc in galactocentric radius r and azimuth φ at the position of the Sun and 20 pc in z (perpendicular to the galactic plane), with a time step of 1 kyr), assuming stochastically distributed point sources with a probability distribution that resembles the spiral structure of our Galaxy. We find the averaged CR flux outside the spiral arm to be about 50% of that inside a spiral arm. We further find spatial and temporal variations of the CR flux inside spiral arms.     

On kinematics of gas clouds in the broad-line region of active galactic nuclei and quasars

The kinematics of gas clouds in broad-line region of active galactic nuclei and quasars is considered. The motion of the clouds is governed by three forces — gravitational influence from the central supermassive body, radiational pressure from the continuum radiation, and resistance of the intercloud medium. Clouds moves radial but only outward motion gives a velocity field, which is in accordance with the observational data. The profiles of the permited lines are obtained in some simplify assumptions for the emissive capacity of the gas in clouds, and are in good agreement with the observational data. In the framework of the model under consideration there is a possibility to estimate some physical parameters of the nuclei such as mass of the central body and density of the intercloud medium.     

Properties of dense molecular clouds in the Galactic center region

We report statistical properties of molecular clouds in the Galactic center region. We identified 65 molecular clumps in the region. We determined the velocity width-radius relation and the virial mass-LTE mass relation for the identified Galactic center clumps. We also determined the mass and size spectra for the Galactic center clumps. We consider whether the Galactic center molecular clumps is bound by the external pressure and/or the magnetic field.     

Active galactic nuclei in the ROSAT survey

One of the main objectives of the ROSAT mission turned out to be the study of active galactic nuclei. The soft energy range of the X-Ray Telescope combined with the good energy resolution of the PSPC detector allows an investigation of the spectral properties of sources in this energetically important energy band. The high sensitivity of the instrument in the All Sky Survey will yield more than 25000 previously unknown X-ray AGN for the statistical and morphological exploration of these objects.

A short overview is given of the actual ongoing research which ranges from the detailed spectral study of some well known objects and correlations of samples of AGN with existing catalogues at other wavelengths to identification programmes for large numbers of suspected AGN candidates.     

Modelling of low-energy galactic electrons in the heliosheath

The modulation of cosmic ray electrons in the heliosphere plays an important role in improving our understanding and assessment of the processes applicable to low-energy galactic electrons. A full three-dimensional numerical model based on Parker’s transport equation is used to study the modulation of 10 MeV galactic electrons, in particular inside the heliosheath. The emphasis is placed on the role that perpendicular diffusion plays in causing the extraordinary large increase in the observed intensities of these electrons in the heliosheath. The modelling is compared with observations of 6–14 MeV electrons from the Voyager 1 mission. Results are shown for the radial intensity profiles of these electrons, as well as the modulation effects of varying the extent of the heliosheath by changing the location of the termination shock and the heliopause and the value of the local interstellar spectrum. We confirm that the heliosheath acts as a modulation ‘barrier’ for low-energy galactic electrons. The significance of this result depends on how wide the inner heliosheath is; on how high the very local interstellar spectrum is at these low energies (E < 100 MeV) and on how small perpendicular diffusion is inside the inner heliosheath.     

Observations of galactic gamma-radiation with the SMM spectrometer

Preliminary results from the SMM γ-ray spectrometer indicate the detection of a constant source of 0.511 MeV annihilation radiation from the Galaxy. This source was observed in each of 5 years as the region of the Galactic center passed through the instrument's ∼120° field of view. Any year-to-year variability appears to be less than 30%. The measured intensity of the source is model dependent: for a point source at the center the average flux is (1.6 - 2.9) × 10⁻³ γ cm⁻² s⁻¹; for a distributed source following the Galactic CO emission the flux is (1.4 - 2.7) × 10⁻³ γ cm⁻² s⁻¹ rad⁻¹ (uncertainty is due primarily to systematic errors). It is likely that the radiation comes from a diffuse source and is not associated with the reported compact source at the Galactic center. We have no new information to report on the distribution of ²⁶Al γ-rays. Upper limits of 1.5 × 10⁻³ γ cm⁻² s⁻¹ are placed on Doppler-shifted lines from SS433.     

Active galactic nuclei imaging programs of the RadioAstron mission

Imaging relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei (AGN) at angular resolution significantly surpassing that of the ground-based VLBI at centimetre wavelengths is one of the key science objectives of the RadioAstron space-VLBI mission. There are three RadioAstron imaging key science programs that target both nearby radio galaxies and blazars, with one of the programs specifically focusing on polarimetry of the jets. The first images from these programs reach angular resolution of a few tens of microarcseconds and reveal unprecedented details about the jet collimation profile, magnetic field configuration, and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities along the flow in some of the most studied AGN (3C 84, BL Lac, 3C 273, S5 0836 + 710). Here we give an overview of the goals and strategy of these three ongoing programs, highlight their early results, and discuss the challenges of space-VLBI imaging.     

Analysis of galactic electron spectrum measurements

Results of measurements on primary electron spectra performed during the last decade are presented together with methodical peculiarities of the experiments. A possible physical interpretation of the experimental results is discussed.     

Probing the galactic halo with ROSAT

We discuss the current status of ROSAT shadowing observations designed to search for emission from million degree gas in the halo of the Milky Way galaxy. Preliminary results indicate that million degree halo gas is observed in the 1/4 keV band in some directions, most notably toward the Draco cloud at (ℓ, b) = (92°, +38°), but that the halo emission is patchy and highly anisotropic. Our current understanding of this halo emission is based on a small handful of observations which have been analyzed to date. Many more observations are currently being analyzed or are scheduled for observation within the next year, and we expect our understanding of this component of the galactic halo to improve dramatically in the near future.     

Low energy galactic cosmic rays in the heliosphere

The flux of galactic cosmic rays (GCR) extends over a wide range of energies (from 10⁸ to 10²⁰ eV); it has a strong dependence on particle energy. Given the large span of energies the detection techniques, transport mechanisms and other characteristics vary as energy increases. In the low energy region (<10¹² eV) the flux of GCR is modulated by the solar activity. Continuous registers are necessary to study intensity variations that must have their origin in the Sun. Detectors were designed and constructed for the purpose, they operate since the middle of the last century providing valuable information to study recurrent periodicities and their relationship to those of solar phenomena, but also to elucidate whose are the relevant transport mechanisms inside the heliosphere. A brief review of the advancement in the comprehension of these phenomena is presented.