A possible redshift evolution of the time-lag and variability luminosity relations for long gamma-ray bursts

Several luminosity relations currently exist for long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Some were derived from the light curves; others were obtained from the spectra. In this study, we consider two of these luminosity relations: the time-lag, _τlag${\tau }_{\mathit{lag}}$, relation and the variability, V, relation and investigate their possible dependence on (or “evolution” with) the redshift, z.     

Probing the nature of short swift bursts via deep INTEGRAL monitoring of GRB 050925

We present results from Swift, XMM-Newton, and deep INTEGRAL monitoring in the region of GRB 050925. This short Swift burst is a candidate for a newly discovered soft gamma-ray repeater (SGR) with the following observational burst properties: (1) galactic plane (b = −0.1°) localization, (2) 150 ms duration, and (3) a blackbody rather than a simple power-law spectral shape (with a significance level of 97%). We found two possible X-ray counterparts of GRB 050925 by comparing the X-ray images from Swift XRT and XMM-Newton. Both X-ray sources show the transient behavior with a power-law decay index shallower than −1. We found no hard X-ray emission nor any additional burst from the location of GRB 050925 in ∼5 ms of INTEGRAL data. We discuss about the three BATSE short bursts which might be associated with GRB 050925, based on their location and the duration. Assuming GRB 050925 is associated with the H_II regions (W 58) at the galactic longitude of l = 70°, we also discuss the source frame properties of GRB 050925.     

Multi-wavelength study of the short term TeV flaring activity from the blazar Mrk 501 observed in June 2014

In this work, we study the short term flaring activity from the high synchrotron peaked blazar Mrk 501 detected by the FACT and H.E.S.S. telescopes in the energy range 2–20 TeV during June 23–24, 2014 (MJD 56831.86–56831.94). We revisit this major TeV flare of the source in the context of near simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of $\gamma$–rays in MeV-GeV regime with Fermi-LAT, soft X-rays in 0.3–10 keV range with Swift-XRT, hard X-rays in 10–20 keV and 15–50 keV bands with MAXI and Swift-BAT respectively, UV-Optical with Swift-UVOT and 15 GHz radio with OVRO telescope. We have performed a detailed temporal and spectral analysis of the data from Fermi-LAT, Swift-XRT and Swift-UVOT during the period June 15–30, 2014 (MJD 56823–56838). Near simultaneous archival data available from Swift-BAT, MAXI and OVRO telescope along with the V-band optical polarization measurements from SPOL observatory are also used in the study of giant TeV flare of Mrk 501 detected by the FACT and H.E.S.S. telescopes. No significant change in the multi-wavelength emission from radio to high energy $\gamma$–rays during the TeV flaring activity of Mrk 501 is observed except variation in soft X-rays. The varying soft X-ray emission is found to be correlated with the $\gamma$–ray emission at TeV energies during the flaring activity of the source. The soft X-ray photon spectral index is observed to be anti-correlated with the integral flux showing harder-when-brighter behavior. An average value of 4.5$\%$ for V-band optical polarization is obtained during the above period whereas the corresponding electric vector position angle changes significantly. We have used the minimum variability timescale from the H.E.S.S. observations to estimate the Doppler factor of the emission region which is found to be consistent with the previous studies of the source.     

Modeling the spectral evolution in the decaying tail of gamma-ray bursts observed by Swift

The detailed study of the spectral evolution during the steep decay phase of early X-ray light curves of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is a very important task that can give us information on different emission components contributing to the prompt-to-afterglow transition and help to understand the link between these two stages. Time resolved spectral analysis of bright GRBs detected by Swift has shown that a good modeling of the early X-ray light curves can be obtained with Band or cut-off power-law broad band spectra with evolving parameters (e.g., decaying peak energy). We developed a procedure to simultaneously fit the temporal evolution of all the spectral parameters of a GRB during the prompt-to-afterglow transition based on the analysis of the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) and the Swift X-ray Telescope (XRT) count rate and hardness ratio light curves. The procedure has been tested on GRB 060614 and GRB 090618, two very peculiar bright GRB detected by Swift that show a long exponentially decaying tail with strong softening and peak energy crossing the XRT energy band.     

Gamma-ray blazars: The view from AGILE

During the first 3 years of operation the Gamma-Ray Imaging Detector onboard the AGILE satellite detected several blazars in a high γ-ray activity: 3C 279, 3C 454.3, PKS 1510-089, S5 0716+714, 3C 273, W Comae, Mrk 421, PKS 0537-441 and 4C +21.35. Thanks to the rapid dissemination of our alerts, we were able to obtain multiwavelength data from other observatories such as Spitzer, Swift, RXTE, Suzaku, INTEGRAL, MAGIC, VERITAS, and ARGO as well as radio-to-optical coverage by means of the GASP Project of the WEBT and the REM Telescope. This large multifrequency coverage gave us the opportunity to study the variability correlations between the emission at different frequencies and to obtain simultaneous Spectral Energy Distributions of these sources from radio to γ-ray energy bands, investigating the different mechanisms responsible for their emission and uncovering in some cases a more complex behavior with respect to the standard models. We present a review of the most interesting AGILE results on these γ-ray blazars and their multifrequency data.     

Goddard Robotic Telescope – Optical follow-up of GRBs and coordinated observations of AGNs

Since it is not possible to predict when a Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) will occur or when Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) flaring activity starts, follow-up/monitoring ground telescopes must be located as uniformly as possible all over the world in order to collect data simultaneously with Fermi and Swift detections. However, there is a distinct gap in follow-up coverage of telescopes in the eastern U.S. region based on the operations of Swift. Motivated by this fact, we have constructed a 14″ fully automated optical robotic telescope, Goddard Robotic Telescope (GRT), at the Goddard Geophysical and Astronomical Observatory. The aims of our robotic telescope are (1) to follow-up Swift/Fermi GRBs and (2) to perform the coordinated optical observations of Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) AGN. Our telescope system consists of off-the-shelf hardware. With the focal reducer, we are able to match the field of view of Swift narrow instruments (20′ × 20′). We started scientific observations in mid-November 2008 and GRT has been fully remotely operated since August 2009. The 3σ upper limit in a 30 s exposure in the R filter is ∼15.4 mag; however, we can reach to ∼18 mag in a 600 s exposures. Due to the weather condition at the telescope site, our observing efficiency is 30–40% on average.     

The Swift Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients Project: A review,new results and future perspectives

We present a review of the Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients (SFXT) Project, a systematic investigation of the properties of SFXTs with a strategy that combines Swift monitoring programs with outburst follow-up observations. This strategy has quickly tripled the available sets of broad-band data of SFXT outbursts, and gathered a wealth of out-of-outburst data, which have led us to a broad-band spectral characterization, an assessment of the fraction of the time these sources spend in each phase, and their duty cycle of inactivity. We present some new observational results obtained through our outburst follow-ups, as fitting examples of the exceptional capabilities of Swift in catching bright flares and monitor them panchromatically.     

Blazar nuclei in radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1?

It has been suggested that some radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 contain relativistic jets, on the basis of their flat-spectrum radio nuclei and studies on variability. We present preliminary results of an ongoing investigation of the X-ray and multiwavelength properties of 5 radio-loud NLS1 based on archival data from Swift and XMM-Newton. Some sources present interesting characteristics, very uncharacteristic for a radio-quiet narrow-line Seyfert 1, such as very hard X-ray spectra, and correlated optical and ultraviolet variability. However, none of the studied sources show conclusive evidence for relativistic jets. γ-Ray observations with Fermi are strongly recommended to definitely decide on the presence or not of relativistic jets.     

Spectral analysis of time-integrated Konus–Wind GRBs: Implication on radiative mechanisms

We have analysed a sample of 328 time-integrated GRB prompt emission spectra taken via the Konus instrument on board the US GGS-Wind spacecraft between 2002 and 2004 using a couple of two-components models, Cut-off Power Law (CPL) + Power Law (PL) and blackbody (BB) + PL. The spectra show clear deviation from the Band function. The PL term is interpreted as the low energy tail of a nonthermal emission mechanism. The distributions of corresponding index β give values β < −2/3 consistent with synchrotron and synchrotron self-Compton mechanisms. The distribution of low energy index α associated with the CPL term shows clear discordance with synchrotron models for 31.4% of the analysed GRBs with values exceeding that for the line of death, α = −2/3. Then, a set of nonthermal radiation mechanisms producing harder slopes, i.e., α > −2/3, are presented and discussed. For the remaining majority (68.6%) of GRBs with CPL index α < −2/3, we show that optically thin synchrotron produced by a power law electron distribution of type, N(γ) ∼ γ^−p, γ₁ < γ < γ₂, for finite energy range (γ₂ ≠ ∞) is a likely emission mechanism with α ∼−(p + 1)/2 in the frequency range ν₁ ? ν ? ν₂ (where ν₂ = η²ν₁ with η = γ₂/γ₁), such that for p > 1/3, one gets α < −2/3. We also show that corresponding spectra in terms of F_ν and νF_ν functions are peaked around frequency ν₂ instead of ν₁, respectively for p < 1 and p < 3. Besides, thermal emission is examined taking a single Planck function for fitting the low energy range. It can be interpreted as an early emission from the GRB fireball photosphere with observed mean temperature, kT′ ∼ 16.8 keV. Furthermore, we have performed a statistical comparison between the CPL + PL and BB + PL models finding comparable χ²-values for an important fraction of GRBs, which makes it difficult to distinguish which model and specific radiation mechanism (possible thermal or nonthermal γ-ray emissions) are best suitable for describing the reported data. Therefore, additional information for those bursts, such as γ-ray polarization, would be highly desirable in future determinations of GRBs observational data.     

Patterns of variability in γ-ray blazars

Preliminary results of a systematic study on the simultaneous optical-to-X-rays variability in blazars are presented. Data from Swift observations of four bright γ-ray blazars (3C 279, ON +231, S5 0716+71, PKS 2155−304) have been analyzed, compared, and discussed. Specifically, 3C 279 shows a variable flattening in the low energy part of the X-ray spectrum that appears to be confined in a specific X-ray vs optical/UV fluxes region. Some implications are shortly analyzed.     

Transient outburst mechanisms in Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients

The recent discovery of a new class of recurrent and fast X-ray transient sources, the Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients, poses interesting questions on the possible mechanisms responsible for their transient X-ray emission. The association with blue supergiants, the spectral properties similar to those of accreting pulsars and the detection, in a few cases, of X-ray pulsations, confirm that these transients are High Mass X-ray Binaries. I review the different mechanisms proposed to explain their transient outbursts and the link to persistent wind accretors. I discuss the different models in light of the new observational results coming from an on-going monitoring campaign of four Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients with Swift.     

Can a double component outflow explain the X-ray and optical lightcurves of Swift Gamma-Ray Bursts?

An increasing sample of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) observed by Swift show evidence of ‘chromatic breaks’, i.e. breaks that are present in the X-ray but not in the optical. We find that in a significant fraction of these GRB afterglows the X-ray and the optical emission cannot be produced by the same component. We propose that these afterglow lightcurves are the result of a two-component jet, in which both components undergo energy injection for the whole observation and the X-ray break is due to a jet break in the narrow outflow. Bursts with chromatic breaks also explain another surprising finding, the paucity of late achromatic breaks. We propose a model that may explain the behaviour of GRB emission in both X-ray and optical bands. This model can be a radical and noteworthy alternative to the current interpretation for the ‘canonical’ XRT and UVOT lightcurves, and it bears fundamental implications for GRB physics.     

GRB host galaxies: An unbiased sample

We describe the current status and recent results from our Swift/VLT legacy survey, a VLT Large Programme aimed at characterizing the host galaxies of a homogeneously selected sub-sample of Swift   GRBs. The immediate goals are to determine the host luminosity function, study the effects of reddening, determine the fraction of Lyα$\mathrm{Ly}\mathrm{\alpha }$ emitters in the hosts, and obtain redshifts for targets without a reported one. The main effort so far has been the definition of a very carefully selected sample, obeying strict and well-defined criteria: 68 targets in total. Among the preliminary results is a large optical detection rate, the lack of extremely red objects (only one possible case in the sample) and an update of the Swift   GRB redshift distribution with 〈z〉∼2.0$〈z〉\sim 2.0$.     

GRB observed by IBIS/PICsIT in the MeV energy range

We present the preliminary results of a systematic search for GRB and other transients in the publicly available data for the IBIS/PICsIT (0.2–10 MeV) detector on board INTEGRAL. Lightcurves in 2–8 energy bands with time resolution from 1 to 62.5 ms have been collected and an analysis of spectral and temporal characteristics has been performed. This is the nucleus of a forthcoming first catalog of GRB observed by PICsIT.     

X-ray synchrotron emission from supernova remnants

X-ray synchrotron emission tells us of the highest energy reached by accelerated electrons. In a few supernova remnants (SN 1006, G347.3-0.5) this is the dominant form of X-ray radiation, but in most it is superposed to the dominant thermal emission. Thanks to the spectro-imaging capability of Chandra and XMM-Newton, X-ray synchrotron emission has now been unambiguously detected in most young supernova remnants (Cas A, Tycho, Kepler). It arises in a very thin shell (a few arcsecs) at the blast wave. The thinness of that shell (much broader in the radio domain) implies that the high energy electrons cool down very fast behind the shock. The magnetic field that one deduces from that constraint is more than 100 μG behind the shock.     

Gamma ray bursts: Short vs. long

Short and long GRBs are thought to be two distinct classes based on their different duration and spectrum. Through the spectral analysis of two similarly selected samples of BATSE short and long GRBs, we show that short GRBs are harder than long events, confirming what found from the comparison of their hardness ratio. However, this spectral diversity seems to be due to a harder low energy spectral component of short GRBs, rather than a (slightly higher) peak energy. Interestingly short GRBs have a spectrum which is similar to the spectrum of the emission of the first 1–2 s of long events. We find evidence that short GRBs are inconsistent with the E_peak–E_iso correlation defined by long bursts while they follow the same E_peak–L_iso correlation of long GRBs. These results, coupled to the similar variability timescale of short events and the first seconds of long ones, suggest that a common (or similar) dissipation mechanism could operate in both classes. The difference in the duration would then be due mainly to the central engine lifetime.     

Study of backward propagating Langmuir waves with PIC simulation

The conversion of Langmuir waves into electromagnetic radiations is an important mechanism of solar type III bursts. Langmuir waves can be easily excited by electron beam instability, and they can be converted into backward propagating Langmuir waves by wave–wave interaction. Generally, the backward propagating Langmuir waves are very important for the second harmonic emission of solar type III bursts. In this work, we pay particular attention to the mechanism of the backward propagating Langmuir waves by particle in cell (PIC) simulations. It is confirmed that the ions play a key role in exiting the backward propagating Langmuir waves. Moreover, the electron beam can hardly generated the backward propagating Langmuir waves directly, but may directly amplify the second harmonic Langmuir waves.     

Structural and collisional data for Mg III and Al IV

We present in this work energy levels, oscillator strengths, radiative decay rates and fine structure collision strengths for the Mg III and Al IV ions. The 11 configurations: (1s²) 2s²2p⁶, 2s²2p⁵3l, 2s2p⁶3l, 2s²2p⁵4l   (l?n-1$l?n-1$, where n is the principal quantum number), yielding the lowest 75 levels are used. The collisional data for these two ions are missing in the literature, especially the database CHIANTI, this is the principal motivation behind the present work. Calculations have been performed using the AUTOSTRUCTURE code. AUTOSTRUCTURE treats the scattering problem in the distorted wave approach. Fine structure collision strengths are calculated for a range of electron energies from 10 Ry to 240 Ry. The atomic structure data are compared to available experimental and theoretical results.     

Community metabolism of aquatic Closed Ecological Systems: Effects of nitrogen sources

To investigate the effect of nitrogen sources on Closed Ecological Systems (CESs), three nitrogen sources (NaNO₃, sodium nitrate; NH₄Cl, ammonium chloride; and NH₄NO₃, ammonium nitrate) were each tested in freshwater CESs consisting of a chemically defined medium, three species of green algae (Ankistrodesmus, Scenedesmus, and Selenastrum), the grazer Daphnia magna, and associated microbes, under 12 h light/12 h dark cycles. It had been hypothesized that the development of high pH in earlier CESs was the result of nitrate utilization, and that ammonium might result in acid conditions, while ammonium nitrate might result in more moderate pH. The three nitrogen sources supported similar densities of algae (estimated by in vivo fluorescence) and similar Daphnia populations. The experiments showed that pH levels rapidly increased when grazers were absent or at low abundances irrespective of the nitrogen source. Consequently, it is hypothesized that carbon cycles, rather than nitrogen sources, are responsible for the pH dynamics. Oxygen diurnal (light:dark) cycles tended to come into balance more quickly than pH. It may be more feasible to convert O₂ data to energy units (using “oxycalorific” values) than CO₂ data since CO₂ dynamics may include other chemical reactions than just photosynthesis and respiration. The feasibility of sustaining grazer populations for at least several weeks in small, simple CESs was demonstrated, along with the ability to monitor algae-grazer dynamics, and the recording of O₂ and pH measurements.