Non-thermal Properties Research Articles

A comparative study of radio signatures from winds and jets: modelling synchrotron emission and polarization

ABSTRACT Outflows driven by active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are seen in numerous compact sources; however, it has remained unclear how to distinguish between the driving mechanisms, such as winds and jets. Therefore, our study aims to offer observational insights from simulations to aid in this distinction. Specifically, in this paper, we investigate the evolution of wide-angled moderately relativistic magnetized winds and analyse their non-thermal radio emission and polarization properties. We find that the evolution of winds varies depending on factors such as power, density, and opening angle, which in turn influence their observable characteristics. Additionally, different viewing angles can lead to varying observations. Furthermore, we note distinctions in the evolution of winds compared to jets, resulting in disparities in their observable features. Jets typically exhibit a thin spine and hotspot(s). Winds manifest broader spines or an ‘hourglass-shaped’ bright emission in the cocoon, which are capped by bright arcs. Both display high polarization coinciding with the bright spine and hotspots/arcs, although these regions are relatively compact and localized in jets when compared to winds. We emphasize the importance of high resolution, as we demonstrate that emission features from both jets and winds can become indistinguishable at lower resolutions. The distribution of polarization is largely unaffected by resolution, though lower polarization becomes more noticeable when the resolution is decreased.

Particle acceleration at the bow shock of runaway star LS 2355: non-thermal radio emission but no γ-ray counterpart

ABSTRACT Massive stars that travel at supersonic speeds can create bow shocks as their stellar winds interact with the surrounding interstellar medium (ISM). These bow shocks – prominent sites for mechanical feedback of individual massive stars – are predominantly observed in the infrared (IR) band. Confirmed high-energy emission from stellar bow shocks has remained elusive and confirmed radio counterparts, while rising in recent years, remain rare. Here, we present an in-depth multiwavelength exploration of the bow shock driven by LS 2355, focusing on its non-thermal properties. Using the most recent Fermi source catalogue, we rule out its previously proposed association with an unidentified γ-ray source. Furthermore, we use deep Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) observations from the Rapid ASKAP Continuum Survey and the Evolutionary Map of the Universe survey to identify a non-thermal radio counterpart: the third spectrally confirmed non-thermal bow shock counterpart after BD+43°3654 and BD+60°2522. We finally use Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) IR data and Gaia to study the surrounding ISM and update the motion of LS 2355. Specifically, we derive a substantially reduced stellar velocity, $v_* = 7.0\pm 2.5$ km s−1, compared to previous estimates. The observed non-thermal properties of the bow shock can be explained by an interaction between the wind of LS 2355 and a dense H ii region, at a magnetic field close to the maximum magnetic field strength allowed by the compressibility of the ISM. Similar to earlier works, we find that the thermal radio emission of the shocked ISM is likely to be substantially suppressed for it to be consistent with the observed radio spectrum.

Multiband Nonthermal Radiative Study of PeVatron Candidate Pulsar Wind Nebula HESS J1849-000

Pulsar wind nebula HESS J1849-000 is one of the sources that may emit PeV γ-ray photons based on the recent measurement by the Tibet Air Shower Array and the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory. We use a time-dependent model to investigate the nonthermal radiative properties of HESS J1849-000. Observed multiband data are produced well by relativistic leptons through synchrotron radiation and inverse Compton processes, and the particle transport and cooling processes are analyzed. Our results show that the particle adiabatic loss dominates over the synchrotron loss and inverse Compton losses, and the particle advection dominates over diffusion for the low-energy band. On the other hand, the particle synchrotron loss dominates over the adiabatic loss and inverse Compton losses, and the diffusion dominates over advection for the high-energy band. Furthermore, particle transport would be playing a significant role in the low-energy band, whereas the particle cooling processes may play a more important role in the high-energy band. The current diffusion coefficient 3.4 × 1026 cm2 s−1 at an electron energy of 1 TeV is derived, which implies a slow diffusion mechanism may occur within the nebula. More importantly, our model suggests that the particle's maximum energy is 3.6 PeV, which makes HESS J1849-000 a PeVatron candidate.

CHEX-MATE: A LOFAR pilot X-ray – radio study on five radio halo clusters

The connection between the thermal and non-thermal properties in galaxy clusters hosting radio halos seems fairly well established. However, a comprehensive analysis of such a connection has only been done for integrated quantities (e.g. LX − Pradio relation). In recent years, new-generation radio telescopes have enabled the unprecedented possibility to study the non-thermal properties of galaxy clusters on a spatially resolved basis. In this work, we performed a pilot study to investigate the mentioned properties on five targets by combining X-ray data from the CHEX-MATE project with the second data release from the LOFAR Two meter Sky survey. We find a strong correlation (rs ∼ 0.7) with a slope less than unity between the radio and X-ray surface brightness. We also report differences in the spatially resolved properties of the radio emission in clusters that show different levels of dynamical disturbance. In particular, less perturbed clusters (according to X-ray parameters) show peaked radio profiles in the centre, with a flattening in the outer regions, while the three dynamically disturbed clusters have steeper profiles in the outer regions. We fitted a model to the radio emission in the context of turbulent re-acceleration with a constant ratio between thermal and non-thermal particles’ energy densities and a magnetic field profile linked to the thermal gas density as B(r) ∝ nth0.5. We found that this simple model cannot reproduce the behaviour of the observed radio emission.

Non-thermal emission in M31 and M33

Context. Spiral galaxies M31 and M33 are among the γ-ray sources detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT). Aims. We aim to model the broadband non-thermal emission of the central region of M31 (a LAT point source) and of the disk of M33 (a LAT extended source), as part of our continued survey of non-thermal properties of local galaxies that includes the Magellanic Clouds. Methods. We analysed the observed emission from the central region of M31 (R < 5.5 kpc) and the disk-sized emission from M33 (R ∼ 9 kpc). For each galaxy, we self-consistently modelled the broadband spectral energy distribution of the diffuse non-thermal emission based on published radio and γ-ray data. All relevant radiative processes involving relativistic and thermal electrons (synchrotron, Compton scattering, bremsstrahlung, and free–free emission and absorption), along with relativistic protons (π0 decay following interaction with thermal protons), were considered, using exact emissivity formulae. We also used the Fermi-LAT-validated γ-ray emissivities for pulsars. Results. Joint spectral analyses of the emission from the central region of M31 and the extended disk of M33 indicate that the radio emission is composed of both primary and secondary electron synchrotron and thermal bremsstrahlung, whereas the γ-ray emission may be explained as a combination of diffuse pionic, pulsar, and nuclear-BH-related emissions in M31 and plain diffuse pionic emission (with an average proton energy density of 0.5 eV cm−3) in M33. Conclusions. The observed γ-ray emission from M33 appears to be mainly hadronic. This situation is similar to other local galaxies, namely, the Magellanic Clouds. In contrast, we have found suggestions of a more complex situation in the central region of M31, whose emission could be an admixture of pulsar emission and hadronic emission, with the latter possibly originating from both the disk and the vicinity of the nuclear black hole. The alternative modelling of the spectra of M31 and M33 is motivated by the different hydrogen distribution in the two galaxies: The hydrogen deficiency in the central region of M31 partially unveils emissions from the nuclear BH and the pulsar population in the bulge and inner disk. If this were to be the case in M33 as well, these emissions would be outshined by diffuse pionic emission originating within the flat central-peak gas distribution in M33.

A three-component giant radio halo: The puzzling case of the galaxy cluster Abell 2142

Context. Turbulence introduced into the intracluster medium (ICM) through cluster-merger events transfers energy to non-thermal components, and can trigger the formation of diffuse synchrotron radio sources. Typical diffuse sources in the form of giant radio halos and mini-halos are found in merging and relaxed cool-core galaxy clusters, respectively. On the other hand, recent observations reveal an increasing complexity to the non-thermal phenomenology. Aims. Abell 2142 (A2142) is a mildly disturbed cluster that exhibits uncommon thermal and non-thermal properties. It is known to host a hybrid halo consisting of two components (H1 and H2), namely a mini-halo-like and an enigmatic elongated radio halo-like structure. We aim to investigate the properties, origin, and connections of each component. Methods. We present deep LOFAR observations of A2142 in the frequency ranges 30–78 MHz and 120 − 168 MHz. With complementary multi-frequency radio and X-ray data, we analysed the radio spectral properties of the halo and assessed the connection between the non-thermal and thermal components of the ICM. Results. We detect a third radio component (H3), which extends over the cluster volume on scales of ∼2 Mpc, embeds H1 and H2, and has a morphology that roughly follows the thermal ICM distribution. The radio spectral index is moderately steep in H1 (α = 1.09 ± 0.02) and H2 (α = 1.15 ± 0.02), but is steeper (α = 1.57 ± 0.20) in H3. Our analysis of the thermal and non-thermal properties allowed us to discuss possible formation scenarios for each radio component. Turbulence from sloshing motions of low-entropy gas on different scales may be responsible for the origin of H1 and H2. We classified H3 as a giant ultrasteep spectrum radio halo, and find that it may trace the residual activity from an old energetic merger and/or inefficient turbulent reacceleration induced by ongoing minor mergers.

Lyα Emission Enhancement Associated with Soft X-Ray Microflares

Lyα (Lyα, 1216 Å) is the strongest emission line in the solar ultraviolet spectrum. In the present work, we obtained a Lyα enhancement catalog covering flares larger than B1 class from the GOES/EUVS data during 2010–2016. We focused on the 242 B-class events which are less investigated, however, show non-negligible Lyα emission enhancement. We found that on average the Lyα peak of B-class flares is 0.85% stronger than the background. For the flare energetics, it is found that the weaker the soft X-ray (SXR) flare, the larger the ratio of the radiated energy in Lyα to SXR. Using the RHESSI data and multi-wavelength observations taken by SDO-AIA, we diagnose the thermal and non-thermal properties of several flares. Three case studies show that the coincidence of the Lyα peak with the SXR time-derivative peak is not a sufficient condition of the nonthermal property of a Lyα microflare. The Lyα enhancement in the microflares may be caused by the nonthermal electron beams or/and thermal conduction. However for type III events, we found that the delay of the Lyα peak with respect to the SXR peak can be attributed to either the Lyα emission from a filament erupted or the cooling of the thermal plasma in flare loops. Furthermore, interestingly the Lyα emission from filaments can not only occur in the decay phase of the flare, but also in the pre-flare phase. In this case, the Lyα emission was originated from an erupted filament which probably initiated the flare.

Kinetic Nonequilibrium Signatures in the Distribution Function of Earth-Escaping Hydrogen Atoms

The lightest atmospheric gas constituents, like H- and He- atoms, are known to escape from planetary gravitational fields to open space. Hereby it counts that not only the uppermost atmospheric layer, the so-called exobase, contributes to this planetary gas escape, but the layers below do contribute as well, especially since from below a nonthermal character of the final particle outflow is induced.We consider the outflow of H - atoms from lower levels of a planetary oxygen-dominated upper atmosphere, stratified by the planet‘s gravitational field - as given in case of the Earth. The terrestrial H-atom outflow is locally modified by elastic collisions of upwards flying H-atoms with the heavy major atmospheric background constituent. This causes a collision–induced velocity-modulation of the upwards directed H-atom flow and induces nonthermal kinetic signatures of the local H ˗ atom distribution function. An important, hitherto unrespected point hereby is that angle-integrated elastic O ˗ H- collision cross sections are velocity-dependent, falling off with increasing velocity v like (1/v). Consequently this modulation influences low velocity H-atoms stronger than high-velocity ones, which changes the kinetic profile of the escaping H-atoms and causes deviations from the classic Jeans escape. Deeply down in the lower thermosphere the local H-atoms, like as well the O-atoms, indeed are in a thermodynamical equilibrium characterized by Maxwell distributions with a common temperature TH = TO. Nevertheless, at the upper exobase border of the atmosphere the resulting H-atom escape flow turns out to be a, non-equilibrium flow with non-thermal escape-relevant properties. Here we describe this collisional modification of the H-escape flow and quantify the upcome of kinetic non-equilibrium features like power laws in the wings of the H-distribution function. This collisional modulation via velocity-dependent collision cross-sections acts as a typical process to convert equilibrium distributions into non-equilibrium kappa-like distribution functions. On the basis of this theoretical approach and stabilizing the upper atmosphere by the type of so-called "iso-baric Kappa functions" which all represent the same H ˗ atom- pressure we can calculate the effective escape flux of H- atoms to open space and can quantify its difference with respect to the classical Jeans escape value. While finding again that the classical Jeans formula slightly overestimates the actual escape flux, we now for the first time taking into account the nonthermal influence of collisional modulations can show that the actual escape with respect to the actual Jeans value is even enhanced by factors 2 to 3.

Discharge in air in contact with water: influence of electrical conductivity on the characteristics and the propagation dynamics of the discharge

Due to the high reactivity and the non-thermal properties of streamer discharges, they are applied in various fields, such as water treatment and medicine. Streamer discharges are usually produced in the gas phase before interacting with a liquid or solid surface. Although the dynamics of a streamer discharge in gases is well described, its propagation at liquid surfaces remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigate the influence of water electrical conductivity (σ), between 2 and 1000 µS cm−1, on the characteristics and propagation dynamics of pulsed positive DC nanosecond discharges with the solution serving as a cathode. σ strongly influences τ r (the dielectric relaxation time), and two discharge modes may be obtained, depending on whether τ r is shorter or longer than the delay to achieve breakdown (τ pulse). This latter can be indirectly modified by adjusting the voltage amplitude (V a). In the case of V a = 14 kV, the breakdown voltage (V bd) at low σ is lower than that measured at high σ, probably because τ pulse < τ r and > τ r, respectively. In the case of V a = 20 kV, V bd decreases slightly with σ, probably because of the decrease of the resistivity of the global electrical circuit as τ pulse ∼ τ r for high σ. In addition to the electrical characterization, the dynamics of the discharge at the solution’s surface is investigated using 1 ns-time-resolved imaging. Its morphology was found to evolve from a disc to a ring before it splits into highly organized plasma dots (streamers’ head). The number (N dots) and propagation velocity of plasma dots are determined as a function of σ. At V a = 14 kV, N dots does not vary significantly with σ despite the increase of V bd; this latter likely compensates the neutralization of charge accumulated at the surface by ions in solution. In the case of V a = 20 kV, N dots decreases with σ, and it can be related to a decrease of accumulated charge at the water surface. Finally, based on the electrical measurements, we found that the charge per plasma dot (Q dot) increases with σ, which does not correlate with the imaging results that show a short length of propagation at high σ. Then, considering the plasma dot mobility at low σ and the instantaneous propagation velocities at high σ, a more realistic Q dot is measured.

Life cycle of cosmic-ray electrons in the intracluster medium

We simulate the evolution of relativistic eletrons injected into the medium of a small galaxy cluster by a central radio galaxy, studying how the initial jet power affects the dispersal and the emission properties of radio plasma. By coupling passive tracer particles to adaptive-mesh cosmological magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations, we study how cosmic-ray electrons are dispersed as a function of the input jet power. We also investigate how the latter affects the thermal and non-thermal properties of the intracluster medium, with differences discernible up to about one Gyr after the start of the jet. We evolved the energy spectra of cosmic-ray electrons, subject to energy losses that are dominated by synchrotron and inverse Compton emission as well as energy gains via re-acceleration by shock waves and turbulence. We find that in the absence of major mergers, the amount of re-acceleration experienced by cosmic-ray electrons is not enough to produce long-lived detectable radio emissions. However, for all simulations, the role of re-acceleration processes is crucial to maintaining a significant and volume-filling reservoir of fossil electrons (γ ∼ 103) for at least one Gyr after the first injection by jets. This is important in attempting to establish plausible explanations of recent discoveries of cluster-wide emission and other radio phenomena in galaxy clusters.

Emission from hadronic and leptonic processes in galactic jet-driven bubbles

ABSTRACT We investigate the multiwavelength emission from hadronic and leptonic cosmic rays (CRs) in bubbles around galaxies, analogous to the Fermi bubbles of the Milky Way. The bubbles are modelled using 3D magnetohydrodynamical simulations, and are driven by a 0.3 Myr intense explosive outburst from the nucleus of Milky Way-like galaxies. We compute their non-thermal emission properties at different stages throughout their evolution, up to 7 Myr, by post-processing the simulations. We compare the spectral and spatial signatures of bubbles with hadronic, leptonic, and hybrid hadro-leptonic CR compositions. These each show broadly similar emission spectra, comprised of radio synchrotron, inverse Compton, and non-thermal bremsstrahlung components. However, hadronic and hybrid bubbles were found to be brighter than leptonic bubbles in X-rays, and marginally less bright at radio frequencies, and in γ-rays between ∼0.1 and a few 10s of GeV, with a large part of their emission being driven by secondary electrons formed in hadronic interactions. Hadronic systems were also found to be slightly brighter in high-energy γ-rays than their leptonic counterparts, owing to the π0 decay emission that dominates their emission between energies of 100s of GeV and a few TeV.

Thermal and Non-thermal Properties of Active Region Recurrent Coronal Jets

We present observations of recurrent active region coronal jets, and derive their thermal and non-thermal properties, by studying the physical properties of the plasma simultaneously at the base footpoint and along the outflow of jets. The sample of analyzed solar jets were observed by SDO-AIA in extreme ultraviolet and by RHESSI in the X-ray domain. The main thermal plasma physical parameters, such as temperature, density, energy flux contributions, etc., are calculated using multiple inversion techniques to obtain the differential emission measure from extreme-ultraviolet filtergrams. The underlying models are assessed, and their limitations and applicability are scrutinized. Complementarily, we perform source reconstruction and spectral analysis of higher energy X-ray observations to further assess the thermal structure and identify non-thermal plasma emission properties. We discuss a peculiar penumbral magnetic reconnection site, which we previously identified as a “Coronal Geyser.” Evidence supporting cool and hot thermal emission, as well as non-thermal emission, is presented for a subset of geyser jets. These active region jets are found to be energetically stronger than their polar counterparts, but we find their potential influence on heliospheric energetics and dynamics to be limited. We scrutinize whether the geyser does fit the non-thermal erupting microflare picture, finding that our observations at peak flaring times can only be explained by a combination of thermal and non-thermal emission models. This analysis of geysers provides new information and observational constraints applicable to theoretical modeling of solar jets.

Nonthermal Messages from Thermal Planetary Atmospheric Systems

Light atmospheric gas constituents tend to evaporate from the planetary gravitational fields. The point is that not only the uppermost atmospheric layer contributes to this gas escape, but the lower layers contribute their share as well and give the outcoming particle flow a nonthermal, non-Maxwellian character. In this article we do study the outflow of hydrogen atoms from a planetary oxygen atmosphere assumed to be one-dimensionally stratified by the action of the planet‘s gravitational field. This outflow is modified by local elastic collisions of upwards flying H-atoms with the heavy major atmospheric background constituent, as in case of the terrestrial atmosphere, the monoatomic oxygen atoms. This shock-modulation of the upwards particle flow produces nonthermal kinetic features of the particle distribution which we want to decribe. Since angle-integrated elastic collision cross sections are velocity-dependent, falling off with the velocity v like (1/v), the occuring collision-modulation of the H-atom flow does change the kinetic velocity profile of the escaping H-atoms. Deeply down in the lower atmophere the local H-atoms, like the O-atoms as well, are in thermodynamical equilibrium characterized by Maxwell Boltzmann distributions with a common temperature TH = TO. Nevertheless, at the upper exobase border of the atmosphere the resulting H-atom escape flow is shown to be a nonMaxwellian, non-equilibrium flow with non-thermal escape-relevant properties. We describe this collisional modification of the H-escape flow and can quantify the upcome of kinetic non-equilibrium features like power laws in the H-distribution function. Thus, as we demonstrate in this article, this collisional modulation effect via velocity-dependent collision cross-sections acts as a typical process to convert equilibrium distributions into non-equilibrium distribution functions. On the basis of this new kinetic theoretical approach we then calculate the effective escape flux of H- atoms to open space, demonstrate its nonthermal character, and quantify its difference with respect to the classical Jeans escape value. We find that with the classical Jeans formula one slightly overestimates the actual escape flux by an amount that varies between 30 - 80 percent, depending on the temperature of the lower atmosphere of the planet which varies with the solar 10.7-cm- radioflux.

A 3.5 Mpc long radio relic in the galaxy cluster ClG 0217+70

Context. Megaparsec-scale radio sources in the form of halos and relics are often detected in dynamically disturbed galaxy clusters. Although they are associated with merger-induced turbulence and shocks, respectively, their formation is not fully understood. Aims. We aim to identify the mechanisms responsible for particle acceleration and magnetic field amplification in the halo and relics of the galaxy cluster ClG 0217+70. Methods. We observed ClG 0217+70 with LOFAR at 141 MHz and with VLA at 1.5 GHz, and we combined these observations with VLA 1.4 GHz archival data to study the morphological and spectral properties of the diffuse sources. We added Chandra archival data to examine the thermal and non-thermal properties of the halo. Results. Our LOFAR and VLA data confirm the presence of a giant radio halo in the cluster centre and multiple relics in the outskirts. The radio and X-ray emission from the halo are correlated, implying a tight relation between the thermal and non-thermal components. The diffuse radio structure in the south-east, with a projected size of 3.5 Mpc, is the most extended radio relic detected to date. The spectral index across the relic width steepens towards the cluster centre, suggesting electron ageing in the post-shock regions. The shock Mach numbers for the relics derived from the spectral index map range between 2.0 and 3.2. However, the integrated spectral indices lead to increasingly high Mach numbers for the relics farther from the cluster centre. This discrepancy could be because the relation between injection and integrated spectra does not hold for distant shocks, suggesting that the cooling time for the radio-emitting electrons is longer than the crossing time of the shocks. The variations in the surface brightness of the relics and the low Mach numbers imply that the radio-emitting electrons are re-accelerated from fossil plasma that could originate in active galactic nuclei.

Multiband nonthermal radiative model of pulsar wind nebulae: Study of the effects of advection and diffusion

Aims. Nonthermal radiation properties of pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) are studied in the frame of a time-dependent model with particle advection and diffusion. Methods. The dynamical and radiative evolution of a PWN was self-consistently solved in the model. The time-dependent lepton (electrons and positrons) equation is described by particle injection, advection, diffusion, adiabatic loss, and radiative loss. Nonthermal emission from a PWN is mainly produced by the relativistic leptons through synchrotron radiation and inverse Compton process. Results. The effect of particle transport including advection and diffusion was analyzed, showing that the particle transport process induces a decrease in the nebula flux, and that the total flux decreases with the increase in advection velocity and diffusion coefficient. Meanwhile, the particle transport processes may play an important role in modifying the spectrum of the emitted radiation at X-ray and TeV wavelengths, but only have slightly effects in radio and GeV bands. We applied our model to the three PWNe Crab nebula, 3C 58, and G54.1+0.3, and observed that the spectral energy distributions of photon emissions from the three PWNe are reproduced well. Our results indicate that (i) the particle cooling processes are dominated by adiabatic loss in lower-energy bands and synchrotron loss dominates for the higher-energy particles; and (ii) the particle transport processes are advection dominated, and a slow diffusion may occur within the Crab nebula, 3C 58, and G54.1+0.3.

The LOFAR and JVLA view of the distant steep spectrum radio halo in MACS J1149.5+2223

Context.Radio halos and relics are Mpc-scale diffuse radio sources in galaxy clusters, which have a steep spectral indexα &gt; 1 (defined asS ∝ ν−α). It has been proposed that halos and relics arise from particle acceleration induced by turbulence and weak shocks that are injected into the intracluster medium (ICM) during mergers.Aims.MACS J1149.5+2223 is a high-redshift (z = 0.544) galaxy cluster possibly hosting a radio halo and a relic. We analysed LOw Frequency Array (LOFAR), Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope, andKarl G. JanskyVery Large Array (JVLA) radio data at 144, 323, and 1500 MHz, respectively. In addition, we analysed archivalChandraX-ray data to characterise the thermal and non-thermal properties of the cluster.Methods.We obtained radio images at different frequencies to investigate the spectral properties of the radio halo. We usedChandraX-ray images to constrain the thermal properties of the cluster and to search for discontinuities (due to cold fronts or shock fronts) in the surface brightness of the ICM. By combining radio and X-ray images, we carried out a point-to-point analysis to study the connection between the thermal and non-thermal emission.Results.We measured a steep spectrum of the halo, which can be described by a power-law withα = 1.49 ± 0.12 between 144 and 1500 MHz. The radio surface brightness distribution across the halo is found to correlate with the X-ray brightness of the ICM. The derived correlation shows a sub-linear slope in the range 0.4–0.6. We also report two possible cold fronts in north-east and north-west, but deeper X-ray observations are required to firmly constrain the properties of the upstream emission.Conclusions.We show that the combination of high-redshift, steep radio spectrum, and sub-linear radio-X scaling of the halo rules out hadronic models. An old (∼1 Gyr ago) major merger likely induced the formation of the halo through stochastic re-acceleration of relativistic electrons. We suggest that the two possible X-ray discontinuities may be part of the same cold front. In this case, the coolest gas pushed towards the north-west might be associated with the cool core of a sub-cluster involved in the major merger. The peculiar orientation of the south-east relic might indicate a different nature of this source and requires further investigation.

Biological effects of low power nonionizing radiation: A narrative review

Background and controlled electromagnetic radiation (EMR) on cells and tissues induces thermal, nonthermal, and dielectric property change. After EMR interaction with cells/tissues the resulting signal is used for imaging, bio-molecular response, and photo-biomodulation studies at infrared regime, and therapeutic use

광섬유 빔 전달 시스템을 이용한 펨토초 레이저 재료 가공 임계치 연구

A femtosecond laser is used in various fields such as microscale machining, OLED repair, micro 3D structure fabrication, and eye surgery. Particularly, because of non-thermal property, ablation and ablation threshold are the most representative characteristics of femtosecond laser. The ablation system is accompanied by many optics, stage, or gantry. In the case of the gantry, an ordinary optic system delivers a beam where mirrors and lens are required. If the gantry moves to the sample, external stimulation such as vibration will occur. Vibration has an influence on optics such as transforming beam path and becomes an error that decreases accuracy, precision, and spatial resolution. Generally, Fiber Optic Beam Delivery System (FOBDS) is used to solve this issue. But in the case of the femtosecond laser, FOBDS is incompatible. Recently, another FOBDS model that is compatible with the femtosecond laser has been developed. In this paper, the ablation threshold was obtained by FOBDS and femtosecond laser. The results present a possibility of ablation without external stimulation.

Diffuse radio sources in a statistically complete sample of high-redshift galaxy clusters

Aims. Non-thermal properties of galaxy clusters have been studied using detailed and deep radio images in comparison with X-ray data. While much progress has been made in this area, most of the studied clusters are at a relatively low redshift (z &lt; 0.3). Here we investigate the evolutionary properties of the non-thermal cluster emission using two statistically complete samples at z &gt; 0.3. Methods. We obtained short JVLA observations at the L-band of the statistically complete sample of very X-ray luminous clusters from the Massive Cluster Survey (MACS), namely 34 clusters in the redshift range of 0.3–0.5 and with nominal X-ray fluxes in excess of 2 × 10−12 erg s−1 cm−2 (0.1–2.4 keV) in the ROSAT Bright Source Catalogue. We add to this list the complete sample of the 12 most distant MACS clusters (z &gt; 0.5). Results. Most clusters show evidence of emission in the radio regime. We present the radio properties of all clusters in our sample and show images of newly detected diffuse sources. A radio halo is detected in 19 clusters and five clusters contain a relic source. Most of the brightest cluster galaxies (BCG) in relaxed clusters show radio emission with powers typical of FRII radio galaxies and some are surrounded by a radio mini-halo. Conclusions. The high frequency of radio emission from the BCG in relaxed clusters suggests that BCG feedback mechanisms are already in place at z ∼ 0.6. The properties of radio halos and the small number of detected relics suggest redshift evolution in the properties of diffuse sources. The radio power (and size) of radio halos could be related to the number of past merger events in the history of the system. In this scenario, the presence of a giant and high-power radio halo is indicative of an evolved system with a large number of past major mergers, whereas small low-power halos are found in less evolved clusters.

Slow thermalization of exact quantum many-body scar states under perturbations

Quantum many-body scar states are exceptional finite energy density eigenstates in an otherwise thermalizing system that do not satisfy the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis. We investigate the fate of exact many-body scar states under perturbations. At small system sizes, deformed scar states described by perturbation theory survive. However, we argue for their eventual thermalization in the thermodynamic limit from the finite-size scaling of the off-diagonal matrix elements. Nevertheless, we show numerically and analytically that the nonthermal properties of the scars survive for a parametrically long time in quench experiments. We present a rigorous argument that lower-bounds the thermalization time for any scar state as $t^{*} \sim O(\lambda^{-1/(1+d)})$, where $d$ is the spatial dimension of the system and $\lambda$ is the perturbation strength.