Chandra Observations Research Articles

Decoding the thermal history of the merging cluster Cygnus A

ABSTRACT We report on a detailed spatial and spectral analysis of the large-scale X-ray emission from the merging cluster Cygnus A. We use 2.2 Ms Chandra and 40 ks XMM–Newton archival data sets to determine the thermodynamic properties of the intracluster gas in the merger region between the two subclusters in the system. These profiles exhibit temperature enhancements that imply significant heating along the merger axis. Possible sources for this heating include the shock from the ongoing merger, past activity of the powerful AGN in the core, or a combination of both. To distinguish between these scenarios, we compare the observed X-ray properties of Cygnus A with simple, spherical cluster models. These models are constructed using azimuthally averaged density and temperature profiles determined from the undisturbed regions of the cluster and folded through marx to produce simulated Chandra observations. The thermodynamic properties in the merger region from these simulated X-ray observations were used as a baseline for comparison with the actual observations. We identify two distinct components in the temperature structure along the merger axis, a smooth, large-scale temperature excess we attribute to the ongoing merger, and a series of peaks where the temperatures are enhanced by 0.5–2.5 keV. If these peaks are attributable to the central AGN, the location, and strength of these features imply that Cygnus A has been active for the past 300 Myr injecting a total of ∼1062 erg into the merger region. This corresponds to ∼10 per cent of the energy deposited by the merger shock.

Accretion and obscuration in merger-dominated luminous red quasars

ABSTRACT We present an analysis of the X-ray properties of 10 luminous, dust-reddened quasars from the FIRST-2MASS (F2M) survey based on new and archival Chandra observations. These systems are interpreted to be young, transitional objects predicted by merger-driven models of quasar/galaxy co-evolution. The sources have been well studied from the optical through mid-infrared, have Eddington ratios above 0.1, and possess high-resolution imaging, most of which shows disturbed morphologies indicative of a recent or ongoing merger. When combined with previous X-ray studies of five other F2M red quasars, we find that the sources, especially those hosted by mergers, have moderate-to-high column densities (NH ≃ 1022.5–23.5 cm−2) and Eddington ratios high enough to enable radiation pressure to blow out the obscuring material. We confirm previous findings that red quasars have dust-to-gas ratios that are significantly lower than the value for the Milky Way’s interstellar medium, especially when hosted by a merger. The dust-to-gas ratio for two red quasars that lack evidence for merging morphology is consistent with the Milky Way and they do not meet the radiative feedback conditions for blow-out. These findings support the picture of quasar/galaxy co-evolution in which a merger results in feeding of and feedback from an AGN. We compare the F2M red quasars to other obscured and reddened quasar populations in the literature, finding that, although morphological information is lacking, nearly all such samples meet blow-out conditions and exhibit outflow signatures suggestive of winds and feedback.

X-ray Observations of the Intermediate Polar TX Col

We present the timing analysis of the intermediate polar TX Col in the X-ray band using the observations made by Chandra, Swift, and Suzaku during the years 2000, 2007, and 2009, respectively. The spin, orbital, and beat periods derived from these data are consistent with the earlier findings. We found that the spin modulation was dominant during the Chandra observation, whereas both orbital and beat modulations were dominant during the Swift and Suzaku observations. These findings and past X-ray observations indicate that TX Col is changing its accretion geometry from disc dominance to stream dominance and vice versa.

Chandra X-Ray Observatory Observations of 13 Fermi LAT Sources

In the latest data release from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (the 4th Fermi LAT 14 yr Catalog, or 4FGL), more than 50% of the Galactic sources are yet to be identified. We observed 13 unidentified Fermi LAT sources with the Chandra X-Ray Observatory to explore their nature. We report the results of the classification of X-ray sources in the fields of these γ-ray sources and discuss the implications for their nature. We use multiwavelength (MW) data for a machine-learning classification, accompanied by a more detailed spectral/variability analysis for brighter sources. Eight 4FGL sources have γ-ray pulsars within their position error ellipses. We consider three of these pulsars (PSR J1906+0722, PSR J1105–6037, and PSR J1358–6025) to be detected in X-rays, while PSR J1203–6242 shows a hint of X-ray emission. Within the positional uncertainties of three of the 4FGL sources, we detect X-ray sources that may be yet unknown pulsars, depending on the MW association. In addition to point sources, we discovered two extended sources, one of which is likely to be a bow-shock pulsar-wind nebula associated with PSR J1358–6025. Finally, we classify other X-ray sources detected in these observations and report the most interesting classifications.

Cosmology with galaxy clusters: An improved multiwavelength analysis

We provide a new scaling relation using a sample of clusters from a full re-observation by the X-ray Chandra telescope of the Planck ESZ catalogue, and compare it to the results of the Planck collaboration obtained from a smaller sample of XMM-Newton observations. We discuss the expected effects of the change of the scaling relation parameters on the cosmological constraints obtained from the Planck cluster sample, and the remaining steps to obtain final constraints from this new scaling relation.

Recent Observations of Peculiar Gamma-Ray Bursts Using the 3.6-m Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT)

India has been actively involved in the follow-up observations of optical afterglows of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) for more than two decades, using the country’s meter-class facilities such as the 1.04m Sampurnanand Telescope, 1.3m Devasthal Fast Optical Telescope, 2.01 m Himalayan Chandra Telescope along with many others in the country, utilizing the longitudinal advantage of the place. However, since 2016, Indian astronomers have embarked on a new era of exploration by utilizing the country’s largest optical telescope, the 3.6-m Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT) at the Devasthal Observatory of ARIES Nainital. This unique telescope has opened up exciting opportunities for transient study. Starting from the installation itself, the DOT has been actively performing the target of opportunity (ToO) observations, leading to many interesting discoveries. Notable achievements include the contributions towards the discovery of long GRB 211211A arising from a binary merger, the discovery of the most delayed optical flare from GRB 210204A along with the very faint optical afterglow (fainter than 25 mag in g-band) of GRB 200412B. We also successfully observed the optical counterpart of the very-high-energy (VHE) detected burst GRB 201015A using DOT. Additionally, DOT has been used for follow-up observations of dark and orphan afterglows, along with the observations of host galaxies associated with peculiar GRBs. More recently, DOT’s near-IR follow-up capabilities helped us to detect the first near-IR counterpart (GRB 230409B) using an Indian telescope. In this work, we summarise the recent discoveries and observations of GRBs using the 3.6-m DOT, highlighting the significant contributions in revealing the mysteries of these cosmic transients.

Stellar Occultations with the 3.6-m DOT: Probing Planetary Atmospheres

The present paper (which is based on Sicardy et al. (2021)) discusses investigation of solar system bodies made possible by the simple yet powerful technique of stellar occultation. We focus on the stellar occultation by Pluto on 2020 June 6. The event was observed at Devasthal, Nainital, India in the I and H bands with the 1.3-m and 3.6-m telescopes, respectively. From the observed light curve, the surface pressure of Pluto’s atmosphere was constrained to psurf = 12.23−0.38+0.65 μbar. This indicates a continuing plateau phase since mid-2015 which is in excellent agreement with the prediction of Pluto volatile transport model of Meza et al. (2019). This result stresses the importance of coordinated stellar occultation observations with facilities like Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT) and Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) where a few minutes of observing time lead to high-impact science.

Study of the Balmer Decrements for Galactic Classical Be Stars Using the Himalayan Chandra Telescope of India

In a recent study, Banerjee et al. (2021) produced an atlas of all major emission lines found in a large sample of 115 Galactic field Be stars using the 2-m Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) facility located at Ladakh, India. This paper presents our further exploration of these stars to estimate the electron density in their discs. Our study using Balmer decrement values indicate that their discs are generally optically thick in nature with electron density (ne) in their circumstellar envelopes (CEs) being in excess of 1013 cm-3 for around 65% of the stars. For another 19% stars, the average ne in their discs probably range between 1012 cm-3 and 1013 cm-3. We noticed that the nature of the Hα and Hβ line profiles might not influence the observed Balmer decrement values (i.e. D34 and D54) of the sample of stars. Interestingly, we also found that around 50% of the Be stars displaying D34 greater than 2.7 are of earlier spectral types, i.e. within B0 -B3.

Are Radio Minihalos Confined by Cold Fronts in Galaxy Clusters? Minihalos and Large-scale Sloshing in A3444 and MS 1455.0+2232

We present radio and X-ray studies of A3444 and MS1455.0+2232, two galaxy clusters with radio minihalos in their cool cores. A3444 is imaged using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) at 333, 607, and 1300 MHz and the Very Large Array at 1435 MHz. Most of the minihalo is contained within r < 120 kpc, but a fainter extension, stretching out to 380 kpc southwest of the center, is detected at 607 MHz. Using Chandra, we detect four X-ray sloshing cold fronts: three in the cool core at r = 60, 120, and 230 kpc, and a fourth one at r = 400 kpc—in the region of the southwestern radio extension—suggesting that the intracluster medium (ICM) is sloshing on a cluster-wide scale. The radio emission is contained within the envelope defined by these fronts. We also analyzed archival 383 MHz GMRT and Chandra observations of MS 1455.0+2232, which exhibits a known minihalo with its bright part delineated by cold fronts inside the cool core, but with a faint extension beyond the core. Similarly to A3444, we find a cold front at r ∼ 425 kpc, containing the radio emission. Thus the entire diffuse radio emission seen in these clusters appears to be related to large-scale sloshing of the ICM. The radio spectrum of the A3444 minihalo is a power law with a steep index α = 1.0 ± 0.1. The spectrum steepens with increasing distance from the center, as expected if the minihalo originates from reacceleration of relativistic particles by the sloshing-induced turbulence in the ICM.

Exploration of faint X-ray and radio sources in the massive globular cluster M14: a UV-bright counterpart to Nova Ophiuchus 1938

ABSTRACT Using a 12 ks archival Chandra X-ray Observatory ACIS-S observation on the massive globular cluster (GC) M14, we detect a total of 7 faint X-ray sources within its half-light radius at a $0.5{\small --}7\, \mathrm{keV}$ depth of $2.5\times 10^{31}\, \mathrm{erg s^{-1}}$. We cross-match the X-ray source positions with a catalogue of the Very Large Array radio point sources and a Hubble Space Telescope (HST) UV/optical/near-IR photometry catalogue, revealing radio counterparts to 2 and HST counterparts to 6 of the X-ray sources. In addition, we also identify a radio source with the recently discovered millisecond pulsar PSR 1737−0314A. The brightest X-ray source, CX1, appears to be consistent with the nominal position of the classic nova Ophiuchi 1938 (Oph 1938), and both Oph 1938 and CX1 are consistent with a UV-bright variable HST counterpart, which we argue to be the source of the nova eruption in 1938. This makes Oph 1938 the second classic nova recovered in a Galactic GC since Nova T Scorpii in M80. CX2 is consistent with the steep-spectrum radio source VLA8, which unambiguously matches a faint blue source; the steepness of VLA8 is suggestive of a pulsar nature, possibly a transitional millisecond pulsar with a late K dwarf companion, though an active galactic nucleus (AGN) cannot be ruled out. The other counterparts to the X-ray sources are all suggestive of chromospherically active binaries or background AGNs, so their nature requires further membership information.

The 50 Mpc Galaxy Catalog (50 MGC): Consistent and Homogeneous Masses, Distances, Colors, and Morphologies

We assemble a catalog of 15424 nearby galaxies within 50 Mpc with consistent and homogenized mass, distance, and morphological type measurements. Our catalog combines galaxies from HyperLeda, the NASA-Sloan Atlas, and the Catalog of Local Volume Galaxies. Distances for the galaxies combine best-estimates for flow-corrected redshift-based distances with redshift-independent distances. We also compile magnitude and color information for 11740 galaxies. We use the galaxy colors to estimate masses by creating self-consistent color—mass-to-light ratio relations in four bands; we also provide color transformations of all colors into Sloan g–i by using galaxies with overlapping color information. We compile morphology information for 13744 galaxies, and use the galaxy color information to separate early- and late-type galaxies. This catalog is widely applicable for studies of nearby galaxies and for placing these studies in the context of more distant galaxies. We present one application here: a preliminary analysis of the nuclear X-ray activity of galaxies. Out of 1506 galaxies within the sample that have available Chandra X-ray observations, we find that 291 have detected nuclear sources. Of the 291 existing Chandra detections, 249 have log(L X) > 38.3 and available stellar mass estimates. We find that the X-ray active fractions in early-type galaxies are higher than in late-type galaxies, especially for galaxy stellar masses between 109 and 1010.5 M ⊙. We show that these differences may be due at least in part to the increased astrometric uncertainties in late-type galaxies relative to early types.

Spectral and Timing Study of the Newly Detected Ultraluminous X-Ray Sources in NGC 3585 Using Different Chandra Observations.

The present work aims to study the previously unstudied Ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) in the galaxy NGC 3585 at its various epochs of Chandra observation. We report here the detection of two new ULXs viz. CXOUJ111306.0-264825 (X-1) and CXOUJ111325.3-264732 (X-2) with their bolometric luminosity &gt; 1039erg s−1 in its various Chandra observations. X-1 was found to be a spectrally hard ULX in both the epochs where it was detected. However in the ULX, X-2, a slight hardening of the spectra was observed within a period of 17 years. Assuming isotropic emission and explained by disk blackbody model, the spectrally softer epoch of X-2 with an inner disk temperature, kTin ∼ 0.79 keV and bolometric luminosity ∼ 2.51 × 1039erg s−1 implies for X-2 to be powered by a compact object, necessarily a black hole of mass, MBH ∼ 44.85+82.11−25.92M⊙ accreting at ∼ 0.42 times the Eddington limit. The Lightcurve of X-1 and X-2 binned at 500s, 1ks, 2ks and 4ks has shown no signature of short-term variability in both the ULXs in kilo-seconds time scales. Overall, both the detected ULXs seem to be almost static sources both in long-term (years) as well as short-term (kilo-seconds) time scales with the presently available Chandra Observations.

X-Ray, Near-ultraviolet, and Optical Flares Produced by Colliding Magnetospheres in the Young High-eccentricity Binary DQ Tau

DQ Tau is a unique young high-eccentricity binary system that exhibits regular magnetic reconnection flares and pulsed accretion near periastron. We conducted NuSTAR, Swift, and Chandra observations during the 2022 July 30 periastron to characterize X-ray, near-ultraviolet (NUV), and optical flaring emissions. Our findings confirm the presence of X-ray superflares accompanied by substantial NUV and optical flares, consistent with previous discoveries of periastron flares in 2010 and 2021. These observations, supported by new evidence, strongly establish the magnetosphere collision mechanism as the primary driver of magnetic energy release during DQ Tau’s periastron flares. The energetics of the observed X-ray superflares remain consistent across the three periastra, indicating recurring energy sources during each passage, surpassing the capabilities of single stars. The observed flaring across multiple bands supports the Adams et al. model for magnetosphere interaction in eccentric binaries. Evidence from modeling and past and current observations suggests that both the millimeter/X-ray periastron flares and, tentatively, the magnetic-reconnection-related components of the optical/NUV emissions conform to the classical solar/stellar nonthermal thick-target model, except for the distinctive magnetic energy source. However, our NuSTAR observations suffered from high background levels, hindering the detection of anticipated nonthermal hard X-rays. Furthermore, we report the serendipitous discovery of X-ray superflares occurring away from periastron, potentially associated with interacting magnetospheres. The current study is part of a broader multiwavelength campaign, which plans to investigate the influence of DQ Tau’s stellar radiation on gas-phase ion chemistry within its circumbinary disk.

Accretion Disk Wind of Hercules X-1 during the Short High State

Hercules X-1 is a nearly edge-on X-ray binary with a warped, precessing accretion disk, which manifests through a 35-day cycle of alternating High and Low flux states. This disk precession introduces a changing line of sight toward the X-ray source, through an ionized accretion disk wind. The sightline variation allows us to uniquely determine how the wind properties vary with height above the disk. All the previous wind measurements were made in the brighter Main High state of Her X-1. Here, we analyze the only Chandra observation during the fainter “Short” High state and significantly detect blueshifted ionized absorption. We find a column density of cm−2, an ionization parameter /erg cm s−1) = , and an outflow velocity of 380 ± 40 km s−1. The properties of the outflow measured during the Short High state are in good agreement with those measured at equivalent precession phases during the Main High state. We conclude that we are sampling the same wind structure, seen during both the Main and Short High states, which is precessing alongside the warped accretion disk every 35 days. Finally, the high spectral resolution of Chandra gratings above 1 keV in this observation enabled us to measure the abundances of certain elements in the outflow. We find Mg/O , Si/O =1.5 ± 0.4, and S/O , whereas in our previous study of Her X-1 with XMM-Newton, we found an overabundance of N, Ne, and Fe compared with O. These peculiar abundance ratios were likely introduced by the pollution of the donor by the supernova that created Her X-1.

A fresh perspective on the 3D dynamics of Tycho’s supernova remnant: Ejecta asymmetries in the X-ray band

Context. Even 450 yr after the explosion of the Type Ia SN 1572, the dynamics of the Tycho supernova remnant (Tycho’s SNR) can offer keys to improving our understanding of the explosion mechanism and the interaction of the remnant with the interstellar medium. Aims. To probe the asymmetries and the evolution of the SNR, we tracked the ejecta dynamics using new methods applied to the deep X-ray observations available in the Chandra space telescope archive. Methods. For the line-of-sight (LoS) velocity measurement (Vz), we used the Doppler effect focused on the bright Si line in the 1.6-2.1 keV band. Using the component separation tool called general morphological component analysis (GMCA), we successfully disentangled the red and blueshifted Si ejecta emission. This allowed us to reconstruct a map of the peak energy of the silicon line with a total coverage of the SNR at a 2″ resolution. We then obtained a proxy of the integrated velocity along the LoS. For the proper motions in the plane of the sky (Vxy), we developed a new method, called Poisson optical flow (POF), to measure the displacement of two-dimensional (2D) features between the observations of 2003 and 2009. The result is a field of around 1700 velocity vectors covering the entire SNR. Results. These exhaustive three-dimensional (3D) velocity measurements reveal the complex dynamics of Tycho’s SNR. Our study sheds light on a patchy Vz map, where most regions are dominated by the foreground or the background part of the shell. On a large scale, an asymmetry is seen, with the north being dominantly blueshifted and the south redshifted. The proper-motion vector field, Vxy, highlights different dynamics between the eastern and the western parts of the SNR. The eastern velocity field is more disturbed by external inhomogeneities and the south-east ejecta knot. In particular, a slow-down is observed in the north-east, which could be due to the interaction with higher densities, as seen in other wavelengths. The vector field is also used to backtrace the center of the explosion, which is then compared with potential stellar progenitors in the area. The latest Gaia DR3 parallax measurements exclude most stellar candidates based on their distances, leaving only stars B and E as possible candidates, at respective distances of 2.53−0.20+0.23 kpc and 3.52−1.0+2.0 kpc, which are consistent with the expected distance range of the SNR at 2.5–4 kpc.

Orbital Mechanics &amp; Subsystem Configurations of a Black Hole Analysing Spacecraft

Although invisible in the optical frequency, black holes possess an immense gravitational power capable of holding trillions of stellar objects together by acting as galactic nuclei. Scientists are currently only able to conduct indirect studies by analysing the heat-sourced X-ray emissions generated by the acceleration of surrounding matter towards the black hole singularity. Direct means of experimentation and analysis cannot be accomplished due to humankind’s limited technology; moreover, the distance of separation between Earth and black holes also serves as a hindrance to the advancement of space expedition. This paper aims to provide the scientific community with foundational information to materialise a deep space satellite that will have the ability to investigate the cosmic implications initiated by the gravitational pull of a supermassive black hole. The orbital mechanics and system configurations of deep space satellites such as the Chandra X-ray Observatory, James Webb and Hubble Space Telescopes, along with the Voyager probes were critically studied. This allowed for the conceptualisation of a hypothetical deep space satellite with the potential to analyse the gravitational patterns and conduct investigations based on the theory of special relativity whilst orbiting a supermassive black hole. Features such as orbital manoeuvres and launch vehicle specifications were explored. Furthermore, an extensive study on the satellite’s subsystem configuration and payload design were also conducted.

Comprehensive X-ray and multiwavelength study of ULXs in NGC 1566

ABSTRACT This paper presents a comprehensive X-ray and multiwavelength study of ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) in NGC 1566 using archival Chandra, Swift/XRT, JWST, and HST observations. The main results are, first, from the hardness ratio diagram, where spectral state transitions from hard to soft as seen in typical Galactic high-mass X-ray binaries for ULX-3 were observed. Secondly, a new transient ULX candidate (ULX-4) was identified, reaching a peak luminosity of ∼1040 erg s−1. Thirdly, the optical and NIR (near-infrared) counterparts of the ULXs were searched from the precise astrometric calculations. For ULX-1 and ULX-2, evidence was found that the observed NIR emission is due to the circumbinary disc/dust disrupted by X-rays. Lastly, the optical observations suggest that the possible donor star of ULX-3 is a B-type supergiant. In the case of ULX-4, the multiwavelength properties are not clear since many sources are detected within the astrometric error radius.

A Chandra survey of Milky Way globular clusters – IV. Periodic X-ray sources

ABSTRACT We present a systematic search for periodic X-ray sources in 10 Galactic globular clusters (GCs) utilizing deep archival Chandra observations. By applying the Gregory–Loredo algorithm, we detect 28 periodic signals among 27 independent X-ray sources in 6 GCs, which include 21 newly discovered ones in the X-ray band. The remaining 4 GCs exhibit no periodic X-ray sources, mainly due to a relatively lower sensitivity of the data. Through analysis of their X-ray timing and spectral properties, complemented with available optical and ultraviolet information, we identify 21 of these periodic sources as cataclysmic variables (CVs). Combining with 11 periodic CVs in 47 Tuc similarly identified in the X-ray band, we compile the most comprehensive sample to date of GC CVs with a probable orbital period. The scarcity of old, short-period CVs in GCs compared to the Galactic inner bulge and solar neighbourhood, can be attributed to both a selection effect favouring younger, dynamically formed systems and the hindrance of CV formation through primordial binary evolution by stellar dynamical interactions common to the GC environment. Additionally, we identify a significant fraction of the GC CVs, most with an orbital period below or within the CV period gap, as probable magnetic CVs, but in the meantime there is a deficiency of luminous intermediate polars in the GC sample compared to the solar neighbourhood.

A Simple Method for Predicting N H Variability in Active Galactic Nuclei

The unified model of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) includes a geometrically thick obscuring medium to explain the differences between type I and type II AGNs as an effect of inclination angle. This medium is often referred to as the torus and is thought to be “clumpy” as the line-of-sight column density, N H, has been observed to vary in time for many sources. We present a method which uses a variation in the hardness ratio to predict whether an AGN has experienced N H variability across different observations. We define two sets of hard and soft bands that are chosen to be sensitive to the energies most affected by changes in N H. We calculate hardness ratios for Chandra and XMM-Newton observations of a sample of 12 sources with multiple observations, and compare the predictions of this method to the N H values obtained from spectral fitting with physically motivated torus models (borus02, MYTorus, and UXCLUMPY). We also provide a calibrated correction factor that allows comparison between Chandra and XMM-Newton observations which is otherwise not possible due to differences in the instrument response functions. The sensitivity of this method can be easily adjusted. As we decrease the sensitivity, we find that the false positive rate becomes small while the true positive rate remains above 0.5. We also test the method on simulated data and show that it remains reliable for observations with as few as 100 counts. Therefore, we conclude that the method proposed in this work is effective in preselecting sources for variability studies.

How to Color the Universe

Although we can see thousands of stars in the night sky with just our eyes, we know there are millions of other objects out there. To see these other stars, galaxies, nebulas, and more, we need telescopes that are not only more powerful than the human eye, but that can see types of light that our vision cannot process. Each of these telescopes specializes in seeing a certain type of light and provides unique information. By combining images from multiple telescopes, we can get a big-picture understanding of objects across the cosmos. In this article, using the center of our Milky Way Galaxy, the Tarantula Nebula, and the Tycho supernova remnant as examples, we explore how different telescopes, such as NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, James Webb Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, and Hubble Space Telescope, work together to produce beautiful and informative images of our Universe.