• Title/Summary/Keyword: gamma rays: galaxies

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GALAXY CLUSTERS IN GAMMA-RAYS: AN ASSESSMENT FROM OBSERVATIONS

  • REIMER OLAF
    • Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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    • v.37 no.5
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    • pp.307-313
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    • 2004
  • Clusters of galaxies are believed to constitute a population of astrophysical objects potentially able to emit electromagnetic radiation up to gamma-ray energies. Evidence of the existence of non-thermal radiation processes in galaxy clusters is indicated from observations of diffuse radio halos, hard X-ray and EUV excess emission. The presence of cosmic ray acceleration processes and its confinement on cosmological timescales nearly inevitably yields in predicting energetic gamma-ray emission, either directly deduceably from a cluster's multifreqency emission characteristics or indirectly during large-scale cosmological structure formation processes. This theoretical reasoning suggests several scenarios to actually detect galaxy clusters at gamma-ray wavelengths: Either resolved as individual sources of point-like or extended gamma-ray emission, by investigating spatial-statistical correlations with unidentified gamma-ray sources or, if unresolved, through their contribution to the extragalactic diffuse gamma-ray background. In the following I review the situation concerning the proposed relation between galaxy clusters and high-energy gamma-ray observations from an observational point-of-view.

GPS QUASARS AS SPECIAL BLAZARS

  • BAI J. M.;LEE MYUNG GYONG
    • Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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    • v.38 no.2
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    • pp.125-128
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    • 2005
  • In this paper, we argue that the gigahertz peaked spectrum (GPS) quasars are special blazars, blazars in dense and dusty gas enviornment. The ROSAT detection rate of GPS quasars is similar to that of flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs), suggesting that the relativistic jets in GPS quasars are oriented at small angle to the line of sight. Due to strong inverse Compton scattering off infrared photons from dense and dusty nuclear interstellar media in GPS quasars, most of them may have significant soft gamma-ray and X-ray emission, which is consistent with ASCA X-ray observations. Because Compton cooling in GPS quasars is stronger than that in FSRQs, synchrotron emission in GPS quasars may less dominate over thermal emission of the accretion disk and hot dust, hence most GPS quasars show low optical polarization and small variability, consistent with observations. We suggest that it is the significant radio emission of electron/positron pairs produced by the interaction of gamma-rays with the dense gas and dust grains in GPS quasars that makes GPS quasars show steep radio spectra, low radio polarization, and relatively faint VLBI/VLBA cores. Whether GPS quasars are special blazars can be tested by gamma-ray observations with GLAST in the near future, with the detection rate of GPS quasars being similar to that of FSRQs.

MERGERS, COSMIC RAYS, AND NONTHERMAL PROCESSES IN CLUSTERS OF GALAXIES

  • SARAZIN CRAIG L.
    • Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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    • v.37 no.5
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    • pp.433-438
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    • 2004
  • Clusters of galaxies generally form by the gravitational merger of smaller clusters and groups. Major cluster mergers are the most energetic events in the Universe since the Big Bang. The basic properties of cluster mergers and their effects are discussed. Mergers drive shocks into the intracluster gas, and these shocks heat the intracluster gas. As a result of the impulsive heating and compression associated with mergers, there is a large transient increase in the X-ray luminosities and temperatures of merging clusters. These merger boost can affect X-ray surveys of clusters and their cosmological interpretation. Similar boosts occur in the strong lensing cross-sections and Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect in merging clusters. Merger shock and turbulence associated with mergers should also (re)accelerate nonthermal relativistic particles. As a result of particle acceleration in shocks and turbulent acceleration following mergers, clusters of galaxies should contain very large populations of relativistic electrons and ions. Observations and models for the radio, extreme ultraviolet, hard X-ray, and gamma-ray emission from nonthermal particles accelerated in these shocks will also be described. Gamma-ray observations with GLAST seem particularly promising.

THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE EXTRAGALACTIC γ-RAY BACKGROUND BY HADRONIC INTERACTIONS OF COSMIC RAYS PRODUCING EUV EMISSION IN CLUSTERS OF GALAXIES

  • KUO PING-HUNG;BOWYER STUART;HWANG CHORNG- YUAN
    • Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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    • v.37 no.5
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    • pp.597-600
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    • 2004
  • A substantial number of processes have been suggested as possible contributors to the extragalactic $\gamma$-ray background (EGRB). Yet another contribution to this background will be emission produced in hadronic interactions of cosmic-ray protons with the cluster thermal gas; this class of cosmic rays (CRs) has been shown to be responsible for the EUV emission in the Coma Cluster of galaxies. In this paper we assume the CRs in the Coma Cluster is prototypic of all clusters and derive the contribution to the EGRB from all clusters over time. We examine two different possibilities for the scaling of the CR flux with cluster size: the number density of the CRs scale with the number density of the thermal plasma, and alternatively, the energy density of the CRs scale with the energy density of the plasma. We find that in all scenarios the EGRB produced by this process is sufficiently low that it will not be observable in comparison with other mechanisms that are likely to produce an EGRB.

APPARENT INWARD MOTION OF THE PARSEC-SCALE JET IN THE BL LAC OBJECT OJ287 DURING THE 2011-2012 γ-ray FLARES

  • SAWADA-SATOH, S.;AKIYAMA, K.;NIINUMA, K.;NAGAI, H.;KINO, M.;D'AMMANDO, F.;KOYAMA, S.;HADA, K.;ORIENTI, M.;HONMA, M.;SHIBATA, K.M.
    • Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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    • v.30 no.2
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    • pp.429-432
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    • 2015
  • We present a kinematic study of the parsec-scale radio jet in OJ 287, one of the most studied BL Lac objects, during ${\gamma}$-ray flares, to explore the relation between parsec-scale radio jet activity and ${\gamma}$-ray emission. The 22-GHz light curve of OJ 287 show three obvious flare events around 2011 May, 2011 October, and 2012 March. The second radio flare occurred during the ${\gamma}$-ray flaring period, and the third radio flare seemed to precede the ${\gamma}$-ray flare by one month. One jet component moved outward with respect to the core component with an apparent superluminal speed (~ 11c) from 2010 November to 2011 November. Then it changed direction, moving apparently inward in 2011 November, when the ${\gamma}$-ray flare occurred. The observed apparent inward motion of the jet at 22 GHz could be caused by a new jet component, unresolved at 22 GHz, in the innermost region.

FOREGROUND OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS (GRBS) FROM AKARI FIS DATA

  • Toth, L. Viktor;Doi, Yasuo;Zahorecz, Sarolta;Agas, Marton;Balazs, Lajos G.;Forro, Adrienn;Racz, Istvan I.
    • Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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    • v.32 no.1
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    • pp.113-116
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    • 2017
  • A significant number of the parameters of a gamma-ray burst (GRB) and its host galaxy are calculated from the afterglow. There are various methods obtaining extinction values for the necessary correction for galactic foreground. These are: galaxy counts, from HI 21 cm surveys, from spectroscopic measurements and colors of nearby Galactic stars, or using extinction maps calculated from infrared surveys towards the GRB. We demonstrate that AKARI Far-Infrared Surveyor sky surface brightness maps are useful uncovering the fine structure of the galactic foreground of GRBs. Galactic cirrus structures of a number of GRBs are calculated with a 2 arcminute resolution, and the results are compared to that of other methods.

Diagnostics of Diffuse Two-Phase Matter Using Techniques of Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy in Gamma-Ray and Optical Spectra

  • Doikov, Dmytry;Yushchenko, Alexander;Jeong, Yeuncheol
    • Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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    • v.36 no.3
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    • pp.115-119
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    • 2019
  • This paper is a part of the series on positron annihilation spectroscopy of two-phase diffuse gas-and-dust aggregates, such as interstellar medium and the young remnants of type II supernovae. The results obtained from prior studies were applied here to detect the relationship between the processes of the annihilation of the K-shell electrons and incident positrons, and the effects of these processes on the optical spectra of their respective atoms. Particular attention was paid to the Doppler broadening of their optical lines. The relationship between the atomic mass of the elements and the Doppler broadening, ${\Delta}{\lambda}_D$ (${\AA}$), of their emission lines as produced in these processes was established. This relationship is also illustrated for isotope sets of light elements, namely $^3_2He$, $^6_3Li$, $^7_3Be$, $^{10}_5B$ and $^{11}_5B$. A direct correlation between the ${\gamma}-line$ luminosity ( $E_{\gamma}=1.022MeV$) and ${\Delta}{\lambda}_D$ (${\AA}$) was proved virtually. Qualitative estimates of the structure of such lines depending on the positron velocity distribution function, f(E), were made. The results are presented in tabular form and can be used to set up the objectives of further studies on active galactic nuclei and young remnants of type II supernovae.

A CLUSTER SURVEY AROUND THE UNIDENTIFIED EGRET SOURCES

  • KAWASAKI WATARU;TOTANI TOMONORI
    • Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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    • v.38 no.2
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    • pp.141-144
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    • 2005
  • Based on optical galaxy data, we executed a systematic search for galaxy clusters around the 15 steady unidentified EGRET GeV gamma-ray sources in high Galactic-latitude sky ([b] > $30^{\circ}$). We found a strong correlation with 3.7$\sigma$ level between close cluster pairs (merging cluster candidates) and the unidentified EGRET sources, though, in contrast, no correlation with single clusters. This result implies that merging clusters of galaxies are a possible candidate for the origin of high galactic-latitude, steady unidentified EGRET gamma-ray sources.

A SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY OF THE SEYFERT GALAXY MCG-2-58-22

  • Choi, Chul-Sung;Dotani, Tadayasu;Chang, Heon-Young
    • Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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    • v.38 no.3
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    • pp.339-344
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    • 2005
  • We present analysis results of the energy spectra of MCG-2-58-22 associated with occasional flares which appear in a long-term X-ray light curve. We measure an intrinsic power-law slope of this object to be ${\Gamma}=1.74{\pm}0.02$ in the energy range of ${\sim}1-5keV$ and find that this slope is little affected by flares. We confirm that there exists a broad excess emission above 5 keV to the power-law continuum. The excess emission is less variable compared with a flux variation of flare and tends to be relatively weak during flares. A soft X-ray spectrum is also found to change, implying the presence of a variable soft component. We discuss the implications of these spectral variations.

Constrain the SED Type of Unidentified Fermi Objects

  • Tsai, An-Li;Urata, Yuji;Takahashi, Satoko;Chuang, Chia-Jung
    • Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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    • v.30 no.3
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    • pp.123-125
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    • 2013
  • 2FGL J1823.8+4312 and 2FGL J1304.1-2415 are two unidentified Fermi objects which are associated with cluster of galaxies. In order to exam the possibility of cluster of galaxies as gamma-ray emitters, we search for counterpart of these two unidentified Fermi objects in other wavebands. However, we find other candidate to be more likely the counterpart of the unidentified Fermi object for both sources. We compare their light curves and SEDs in order to identify their source types. However, data at millimeter and sub-millimeter wavebands, which is important for us to constrain the SED at synchrotron peak, is lacking of measurement. Therefore, we proposed to SMA observation for these two sources. We have got data and are doing further analysis.