Observations Of Point Sources Research Articles

Geometric distortion and astrometric calibration of the JWST MIRI Medium Resolution Spectrometer

Context. The Medium Resolution integral field Spectrometer (MRS) of the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on board the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) performs spectroscopy between 5 and 28 µm, with a field of view varying from ~13 to ~56 sq. arcsec. The optics of the MRS introduce substantial distortion and this needs to be rectified in order to reconstruct the observed astrophysical scenario. Aims. We aim to use data from the JWST/MIRI commissioning and cycle 1 calibration phase to derive the MRS geometric distortion and astrometric solution, a critical step in the calibration of MRS data. These solutions come in the form of transform matrices that map the detector pixels to spatial coordinates of a local MRS coordinate system called α/β, to the global JWST observatory coordinates V2 and V3 (V2+V3). Methods. For every MRS spectral band and each slice dispersed on the detector, we fit the transform of detector pixels to α/β by a two-dimensional (2D) polynomial, using a raster of point source observations. The dispersed trace of the point source on the detector was initially estimated by fitting a one-dimensional (1D) empirical function and then iterating on the first distortion solution using forward modelling of the point spread function model based on the webbpsf python package. A polynomial transform was used to map the coordinates from α/β to V2+V3. Results. We calibrated the distortion of all 198 discrete slices of the MIRI/MRS integral field units and derived an updated field of view (FoV) for each MRS spectral band. The precision of the distortion solution is estimated to be better than one-tenth of a spatial resolution element, with a root mean square (rms) of 10 milli-arc-second (mas) at 5 µm, to 23 mas at 27 µm. Finally, we found that the wheel positioning repeatability causes an additional astrometric rms error of 30 mas. Conclusions. We demonstrate the application of the MRS astrometric calibration strategy and analysis for all four integral field units and all spectral bands of the MRS that enable the calibration of MRS spectra. This is a critical step in the data pipeline of every MRS observation. The distortion calibration was folded into the JWST pipeline in the Calibration Reference Data System (CRDS) context (jwst_1094.pmap), meeting the pre-launch requirement, with an estimated total astrometric uncertainty of 50 mas.

A new framework for evaluating dust emission model development using dichotomous satellite observations of dust emission

Dust models are essential for understanding the impact of mineral dust on Earth's systems, human health, and global economies, but dust emission modelling has large uncertainties. Satellite observations of dust emission point sources (DPS) provide a valuable dichotomous inventory of regional dust emissions. We develop a framework for evaluating dust emission model performance using existing DPS data before routine calibration of dust models. To illustrate this framework's utility and arising insights, we evaluated the albedo-based dust emission model (AEM) with its areal (MODIS 500 m) estimates of soil surface wind friction velocity (us∗) and common, poorly constrained grain-scale entrainment threshold (u∗ts) adjusted by a function of soil moisture (H). The AEM simulations are reduced to its frequency of occurrence, P(us∗>u∗tsH). The spatio-temporal variability in observed dust emission frequency is described by the collation of nine existing DPS datasets. Observed dust emission occurs rarely, even in North Africa and the Middle East, where DPS frequency averages 1.8 %, (~7 days y−1), indicating extreme, large wind speed events. The AEM coincided with observed dust emission ~71.4 %, but simulated dust emission ~27.4 % when no dust emission was observed, while dust emission occurrence was over-estimated by up to 2 orders of magnitude. For estimates to match observations, results showed that grain-scale u∗ts needed restricted sediment supply and compatibility with areal us∗. Failure to predict dust emission during observed events, was due to us∗ being too small because reanalysis winds (ERA5-Land) were averaged across 11 km pixels, and inconsistent with us∗ across 0.5 km pixels representing local maxima. Assumed infinite sediment supply caused the AEM to simulate dust emission whenever P(us∗>u∗tsH), producing false positives when wind speeds were large. The dust emission model scales of existing parameterisations need harmonising and a new parameterisation for u∗ts is required to restrict sediment supply over space and time.

Accounting for systematic uncertainties in the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) detector response

Launched on December 9, 2021, the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) is the first imaging polarimeter ever flown, providing sensitivity in the 2–8 keV range, and during the 2-year initial phase of the mission will sample tens of X-ray sources among different source classes. While most of the measurements will be statistics-limited, for some of the brightest objects observed and long integration times, the systematic uncertainties in the detector response (primarily the effective area, the modulation factor and the absolute energy scale) will be important. In this contribution, we describe a framework to propagate on high-level observables (e.g.: spectro-polarimetric fit parameters) the systematic uncertainties connected with the response of the detector, that we estimate from relevant ground calibrations and from observations of celestial point sources.

Jupiter and Saturn as Spectral Analogs for Extrasolar Gas Giants and Brown Dwarfs

With the advent of direct-imaging spectroscopy, the number of spectra from brown dwarfs and extrasolar gas giants is growing rapidly. Many brown dwarfs and extrasolar gas giants exhibit spectroscopic and photometric variability, which is likely the result of weather patterns. However, for the foreseeable future, point-source observations will be the only viable method to extract brown dwarf and exoplanet spectra. Models have been able to reproduce the observed variability, but ground-truth observations are required to verify their results. To that end, we provide visual and near-infrared spectra of Jupiter and Saturn obtained from the Cassini VIMS instrument. We disk-integrate the VIMS spectral cubes to simulate the spectra of Jupiter and Saturn as if they were directly imaged exoplanets or brown dwarfs. We present six empirical disk-integrated spectra for both Jupiter and Saturn with phase coverage of 1.°7–133.°5 and 39.°6–110.°2, respectively. To understand the constituents of these disk-integrated spectra, we also provide end-member (single-feature) spectra for permutations of illumination and cloud density, as well as for Saturn’s rings. In tandem, these disk-integrated and end-member spectra provide the ground truth needed to analyze point-source spectra from extrasolar gas giants and brown dwarfs. Lastly, we discuss the impact that icy rings, such as Saturn’s, have on disk-integrated spectra and consider the feasibility of inferring the presence of rings from direct-imaging spectra.

Evaluating the Evolution of ECMWF Precipitation Products Using Observational Data for Iran: From ERA40 to ERA5

AbstractEuropean Center for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis (ERA), one of the most widely used precipitation products, has evolved from ERA‐40 to ERA‐20CM, ERA‐20C, ERA‐Interim, and ERA5. Studies evaluating the performance of individual ERA products cannot adequately assess the evolution of the products. We compared the performance of all ERA precipitation products at daily, monthly, and annual data (1980–2018) using more than 2100 Iran precipitation gauges. Results indicated that ERA‐40 performed worst, followed by ERA‐20CM, which showed only minor improvements over ERA‐40. ERA‐20C considerably outperformed its predecessors, benefiting from the assimilation of observational data. Although several previous studies have reported full superiority of ERA5 over ERA‐Interim, our results revealed several shortcomings in ERA5 compared with the ERA‐Interim estimates. Both ERA‐Interim and ERA5 performed best overall, with ERA‐Interim showing better statistical and categorical skill scores, and ERA5 performing better in estimating extreme precipitations. These results suggest that the accuracy of ERA precipitation products has improved from ERA‐40 to ERA‐Interim, but not consistently from ERA‐Interim to ERA5. This study employed a grid‐grid comparison approach by first creating a gridded reference data set through the spatial aggregation of point source observations, however, the results from a point‐grid approach showed no change in the overall ranking of products (despite the slight changes in the error index values). These findings are useful for model development at a global scale and for hydrological applications in Iran.

Sequential data assimilation for real-time probabilistic flood inundation mapping

Abstract. Real-time probabilistic flood inundation mapping is crucial for flood risk warning and decision-making during the emergency period before an upcoming flood event. Considering the high uncertainties involved in the modeling of a nonlinear and complex flood event, providing a deterministic flood inundation map can be erroneous and misleading for reliable and timely decision-making. The conventional flood hazard maps provided for different return periods cannot also represent the actual dynamics of flooding rivers. Therefore, a real-time modeling framework that forecasts the inundation areas before the onset of an upcoming flood is of paramount importance. Sequential data assimilation (DA) techniques are well known for real-time operation of physical models while accounting for existing uncertainties. In this study, we present a DA hydrodynamic modeling framework where multiple gauge observations are integrated into the LISFLOOD-FP model to improve its performance. This study utilizes the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) in a multivariate fashion for dual estimation of model state variables and parameters where the correlations among point source observations are taken into account. First, a synthetic experiment is designed to assess the performance of the proposed approach; then the method is used to simulate the Hurricane Harvey flood in 2017. Our results indicate that the multivariate assimilation of point source observations into hydrodynamic models can improve the accuracy and reliability of probabilistic flood inundation mapping by 5 %–7 %, while it also provides the basis for sequential updating and real-time flood inundation mapping.

The nature of point source fringes in mid-infrared spectra acquired with the James Webb Space Telescope

Context. As is common for infrared spectrometers, the constructive and destructive interference in different layers of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) detector arrays modulate the detected signal as a function of wavelength. The resulting “fringing” in the Medium-Resolution Spectrometer (MRS) spectra varies in amplitude between 10% and 30% of the spectral baseline. A common method for correcting for fringes relies on dividing the data by a fringe flat. In the case of MIRI MRS, the fringe flat is derived from measurements of an extended, spatially homogeneous source acquired during the thermal-vacuum ground verification of the instrument. While this approach reduces fringe amplitudes of extended sources below the percent level, at the detector level, point source fringe residuals vary in a systematic way across the point spread function. The effect could hamper the scientific interpretation of MRS observations of unresolved sources, semi-extended sources, and point sources in crowded fields. Aims. We find MIRI MRS point source fringes to be reproducible under similar observing conditions. We want to investigate whether a generic and accurate correction can be determined. Therefore, we want to identify the variables, if they exist, that would allow for a parametrization of the signal variations induced by point source fringe modulations. Methods. We determine the point source fringe properties by analyzing MRS detector plane images acquired on the ground. We extracted the fringe profile of multiple point source observations and studied the amplitude and phase of the fringes as a function of field position and pixel sampling of the point spread function of the optical chain. Results. A systematic variation in the amplitude and phase of the point source fringes is found over the wavelength range covered by the test sources (4.9 − 5.8 μm). The variation depends on the fraction of the point spread function seen by the detector pixel. We identify the non-uniform pixel illumination as the root cause of the reported systematic variation. This new finding allows us to reconcile the point source and extended source fringe patterns observed in test data during ground verification. We report an improvement after correction of 50% on the 1σ standard deviation of the spectral continuum. A 50% improvement is also reported in line sensitivity for a benchmark test with a spectral continuum of 100 mJy. The improvement in the shape of weak lines is illustrated using a T Tauri model spectrum. Consequently, we verify that fringes of extended sources and potentially semi-extended sources and crowded fields can be simulated by combining multiple point source fringe transmissions. Furthermore, we discuss the applicability of this novel fringe-correction method to the MRS data (and the data of other instruments).

An Assessment of SEVIRI Imagery at Various Temporal Resolutions and the Effect on Accurate Dust Emission Mapping

This paper evaluates the use of the ‘Dust red/green/blue (RGB)’ product derived from Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) data at 15-min, 30-min, and 60-min temporal resolutions, for monitoring dust emissions in the Middle East. From January 2006 to December 2006, observations of dust emission point sources were recorded at each temporal resolution across the Middle East. Previous work has demonstrated that using SEVIRI data is a major improvement on other remote sensing methods for mapping dust sources in the Sahara, by enabling dust-storm observations through sequential images, back to the point of first emission. However, the highest temporal resolution available (15-min observations) produces 96 images per day, resulting in significantly higher data management requirements than data provided at 30-min and 60-min intervals. To optimize future research workflows, this paper investigates the effect of lowering the temporal resolution on the number and spatial distribution of observed dust emission events in the Middle East. The results show that the number of events observed reduced by 17% for 30-min resolution and 50% for 60-min resolution. These differences change seasonally, with the highest reduction observed in summer (34% and 64% reduction, respectively).

Deep Chandra Observations of X-Ray Point Sources in M87

Abstract We present a study of X-ray source populations in M87, the cD galaxy of the Virgo cluster, using 12 archival Chandra observations with a total exposure of ∼680 ks spanning about a decade. A total of 346 point-like sources are detected down to a limiting 0.5–8 keV luminosity of 4 × 1037 erg s−1 and out to a galactocentric radius of ∼40 kpc. We cross-correlate the X-ray sources with published catalogs of globular clusters (GCs), derived from the ACS Virgo Cluster Survey and the Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey. This results in 122 matches, making it one of the largest samples of GC-hosting X-ray sources in an external galaxy. These sources, most likely low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs), correspond to ∼5% of all known GCs within the Chandra field-of-view. Conversely, ∼50% of the detected X-ray sources are found in a GC. Moreover, red (metal-rich) GCs are ∼2.2 times more likely to host an X-ray source than blue (metal-poor) GCs. We also examine 76 currently known ultra-compact dwarf galaxies around M87 but find no significant X-ray counterparts. After statistically accounting for the cosmic X-ray background, we identify ∼110 field-LMXBs. The GC-LMXBs and field-LMXBs differ in their luminosity function and radial distribution, which indicates that the latter cannot be primarily originated from GCs. Using another set of deep Chandra observations toward ∼100 kpc northwest of the M87 center, we statistically constrain the abundance of field-LMXBs in the stellar halo, which is consistent with that found in the central region. We also identify 40 variable X-ray sources, among which one source is likely a black hole binary residing in a GC.

PHOTOMETRYPIPELINE: An automated pipeline for calibrated photometry

PHOTOMETRYPIPELINE (PP) is an automated pipeline that produces calibrated photometry from imaging data through image registration, aperture photometry, photometric calibration, and target identification with only minimal human interaction. PP utilizes the widely used Source Extractor software for source identification and aperture photometry; SCAMP is used for image registration. Both image registration and photometric calibration are based on matching field stars with star catalogs, requiring catalog coverage of the respective field. A number of different astrometric and photometric catalogs can be queried online. Relying on a sufficient number of background stars for image registration and photometric calibration, PP is well-suited to analyze data from small to medium-sized telescopes. Calibrated magnitudes obtained by PP are typically accurate within 0.03 mag and astrometric accuracies are of the order of 0.3 arcsec relative to the catalogs used in the registration. The pipeline consists of an open-source software suite written in Python 2.7, can be run on Unix-based systems on a simple desktop machine, and is capable of realtime data analysis. PP has been developed for observations of moving targets, but can be used for analyzing point source observations of any kind.

EXPLORING THE BRIDGE BETWEEN A3556 AND A3558 IN THE SHAPLEY SUPERCLUSTER

Looking at the region connecting two clusters is a promising way to identify and study the Warm-Hot Intergalactic Medium. Observations show that the spectrum of the bridge between A3556 and A3558 has a stronger soft X-ray emission than the nearby region. Suzaku observations could not discriminate the origin of the extra emission. In this work we analyze a dedicated Chandra observation of the same target to identify point sources and characterize the background emission in the bridge. We find that the count number of the point sources is much higher than average field population (using CDFS~4~Ms as a reference). Moreover, the shape of the cumulative distribution resembles that of galaxy distribution suggesting that the point sources are galaxies in a filament. The Suzaku extra emission is well explained by the high abundance of point sources identified by Chandra. Furthermore, we used optical/IR observations of point sources in the same field to estimate the density of the putative filament as rho~150 rho_b$, below Suzaku sensitivity.

Regional CO<sub>2</sub> flux estimates for 2009–2010 based on GOSAT and ground-based CO<sub>2</sub> observations

Abstract. We present the application of a global carbon cycle modeling system to the estimation of monthly regional CO2 fluxes from the column-averaged mole fractions of CO2 (XCO2) retrieved from spectral observations made by the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT). The regional flux estimates are to be publicly disseminated as the GOSAT Level 4 data product. The forward modeling components of the system include an atmospheric tracer transport model, an anthropogenic emissions inventory, a terrestrial biosphere exchange model, and an oceanic flux model. The atmospheric tracer transport was simulated using isentropic coordinates in the stratosphere and was tuned to reproduce the age of air. We used a fossil fuel emission inventory based on large point source data and observations of nighttime lights. The terrestrial biospheric model was optimized by fitting model parameters to observed atmospheric CO2 seasonal cycle, net primary production data, and a biomass distribution map. The oceanic surface pCO2 distribution was estimated with a 4-D variational data assimilation system based on reanalyzed ocean currents. Monthly CO2 fluxes of 64 sub-continental regions, between June 2009 and May 2010, were estimated from GOSAT FTS SWIR Level 2 XCO2 retrievals (ver. 02.00) gridded to 5° × 5° cells and averaged on a monthly basis and monthly-mean GLOBALVIEW-CO2 data. Our result indicated that adding the GOSAT XCO2 retrievals to the GLOBALVIEW data in the flux estimation brings changes to fluxes of tropics and other remote regions where the surface-based data are sparse. The uncertainties of these remote fluxes were reduced by as much as 60% through such addition. Optimized fluxes estimated for many of these regions, were brought closer to the prior fluxes by the addition of the GOSAT retrievals. In most of the regions and seasons considered here, the estimated fluxes fell within the range of natural flux variabilities estimated with the component models.

Induced CMB quadrupole from pointing offsets

Recent claims in the literature have suggested that the WMAP quadrupole is not primordial in origin, and arises from an aliasing of the much larger dipole field because of incorrect satellite pointing. We attempt to reproduce this result and delineate the key physics leading to the effect. We find that, even if real, the induced quadrupole would be smallerthan the WMAP value. We discuss reasons why the WMAP data are unlikely tosuffer from this particular systematic effect, includingthe implications for observations of point sources. Given this evidenceagainst the reality of the effect,the similarity between the pointing-offset-induced signal and the actual quadrupole then appears to be quite puzzling. However, we find that the effect arises from a convolution between the gradient of the dipole field and anisotropic coverage of the scan direction at each pixel. There is something of a directional conspiracy here — the dipole signal lies close to the Ecliptic Plane, and its direction, together with the WMAP scan strategy, results in a strong coupling to the Y2, −1 component in Ecliptic co-ordinates. The dominant strength of this component in the measured quadrupole suggests that one should exercise increased caution in interpreting its estimated amplitude. The Planck satellite has a different scanstrategy which does not so directly couple the dipole and quadrupole inthis way and will soon provide an independent measurement.

The Planck On-the-Flight Forecaster (POFF)

The Planck On-the-Flight Forecaster (POFF) is a tool to predict when a position in the sky will be within a selected angular distance from any instrument receiver direction in the Planck satellite taking into consideration its programmed observational plan. The tool has been developed in the framework of the Planck LFI Core Team activities, but it is now used by the whole Planck collaboration. In this paper we describe the tool and its applications to plan observations of point sources with other instruments which are expected to increase the scientific importance of Planck data, once they are publicly available. Collecting simultaneous multi-frequency data, like those that can be planned with the POFF, will aid the investigation of variability in point sources and also allow the reconstruction of point source spectral energy distributions over wide frequency range, thus minimizing the effect of variability itself. POFF is a combination of IDL routines which combine the publicly available information about the Planck scanning strategy with the focal plane shape to identify if a given (list of) position(s) could be observed by the satellite at a given frequency and/or by selected receivers in a given time range. The output can be displayed with any reasonable desired time resolution and with various sorting options. The code is not a Planck product, but has been validated with the Planck LFI pipeline, by searching for sources in the first satellite datasets. It has been implemented as one of the general tools of the LFI Data Processing Center. The code format and its large number of options make the program flexible and suitable for many applications, facilitating fast results. POFF is currently successfully used to plan activities within the Planck collaboration, including observations with several ground-based facilities, and is also available to the larger scientific community.

The Mid‐Infrared Spectrum of the Transiting Exoplanet HD 209458b

We report the spectroscopic detection of mid-infrared emission from the transiting exoplanet HD 209458b. Using archive data taken with the Spitzer/IRS instrument, we have determined the spectrum of HD 209458b between 7.46 and 15.25 microns. We have used two independent methods to determine the planet spectrum, one differential in wavelength and one absolute, and find the results are in good agreement. Over much of this spectral range, the planet spectrum is consistent with featureless thermal emission. Between 7.5 and 8.5 microns, we find evidence for an unidentified spectral feature. If this spectral modulation is due to absorption, it implies that the dayside vertical temperature profile of the planetary atmosphere is not entirely isothermal. Using the IRS data, we have determined the broad-band eclipse depth to be 0.00315 +/- 0.000315, implying significant redistribution of heat from the dayside to the nightside. This work required development of improved methods for Spitzer/IRS data calibration that increase the achievable absolute calibration precision and dynamic range for observations of bright point sources.

Empirical Corrections for Charge Transfer Inefficiency and Associated Centroid Shifts for STIS CCD Observations11Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by AURA, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5‐26555.

ABSTRACTA variety of on‐orbit imaging and spectroscopic observations are used to characterize the charge transfer efficiency (CTE) of the charge‐coupled device (CCD) of the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope. A set of formulae is presented to correct observations of point sources for CTE‐related loss of signal. For data taken in imaging mode, the CTE loss is parameterized in terms of the location of the source on the CCD, the source signal level within the measurement aperture, the background level, and the time of observation. For spectroscopic data, it is found that one additional parameter is needed in order to provide an adequate calibration of the CTE loss, namely, the signal in the point‐spread function located between the signal extraction box and the readout amplifier. The effect of the latter parameter is significant for spectra taken using the G750L or G750M gratings of STIS. The algorithms presented here correct flux calibration inaccuracies due to CTE losses as large as 30% to within ∼1.5% rms throughout the wavelength range covered by the STIS CCD modes. This uncertainty is similar to the Poisson noise associated with a source detected at a signal level of about 2500 electrons per resolution element. Using bidirectional CCD readouts, centroid shifts incurred due to CTE loss are also derived. A tight correlation is found between the CTE loss and the centroid shift (both for imaging and for spectroscopic modes), thus enabling one to correct for both effects of imperfect charge transfer to STIS CCD observations.

Radio Astronomical Polarimetry and High‐Precision Pulsar Timing

A new method of matrix template matching is presented in the context of pulsar timing analysis. Pulse arrival times are typically measured using only the observed total intensity light curve. The new technique exploits the additional timing information available in the polarization of the pulsar signal by modeling the transformation between two polarized light curves in the Fourier domain. For a number of millisecond pulsars, arrival time estimates derived from polarimetric data are predicted to exhibit greater precision and accuracy than those derived from the total intensity alone. Furthermore, the transformation matrix produced during template matching may be used to calibrate observations of other point sources. Unpublished supplementary material is appended after the bibliography.

Spectropolarimetry with Extremely Large Telescopes

Spectropolarimetry has a broad spectrum of applications, for which there are mostly no substitute observing techniques. They range from the measurement of the strength and structure of magnetic fields via the detection of scattered light from sources obscured by high-density matter or lost in the glare of a nearby bright object to the possibility of individual corrections to the intrinsic luminosities of far-away Type Ia supernovae - and many more. First reconnaissance projects have succeeded with 10m-class telescopes. But the application and extension of the insights gained require substantially larger telescopes. An ELT would in particular enable studies of the formation of structure (AGNs, $\gamma$ -ray bursts) in early phases of the universe. At the large distances an ELT will reach, the spatial resolution of point sources, even though only at a very low level, will eventually beat any interferometer. Low cost, the possibility to exploit also not perfectly photometric nights, and the $D^4$ sensitivity of background-limited observations of point sources to telescope diameter are other strong assets.

Massive black hole remnants of the first stars - III. Observational signatures from the past

The first stars forming in minihaloes at redshifts greater than 20 may have been very massive and could have left behind massive black hole (MBH) remnants. In previous papers we investigated the hierarchical merging of these `seed' MBHs and their associated haloes, using a semi-analytical approach consisting of a hierarchical merger tree algorithm and explicit prescriptions for the dynamics of merged substructure inside a larger host halo following a merger. We also estimated accretion luminosities for these MBHs and found them to be consistent with observations of ultra-luminous X-ray point sources. Here we compute the strength of gravitational wave events as MBHs merge to grow from seed mass MBH at high redshifts to those that we predict to reside in galaxy haloes today. If MBHs merge efficiently we predict that some 10^4 - 10^5 events per year could be observed, that fall just within the sensitivity limits of the proposed LISA gravitational wave observatory. The collapse of the first massive stars to form MBHs may be accompanied by gamma ray bursts (GRBs). If this is the case and GRBs are in principle observable out to the redshifts of first star formation, we find that about 10^5 - 10^6 GRBs per year could be detected. As merging MBH binaries reach their last stable orbits before final coalescence a fraction of the gravitational wave energy may be released as a pulse of gamma rays (for instance, through interaction with material enveloping a merging MBH binary). This fraction has to be in the range between 10^{-14} - 10^{-10} for MBH mergers to be less luminous than GBRs, yet detectable out to cosmological distances with upcoming GRB detector missions.

ChandraObservations of Point Sources in A2255

In our search for hidden active galactic nuclei (AGNs), we present results from a Chandra observation of the nearby cluster A2255. Eight cluster galaxies are associated with pointlike X-ray emission, and we classify these galaxies based on their X-ray, radio, and optical properties. At least three are associated with AGNs with no optical signatures of nuclear activity, with a further two being potential AGNs. Of the potential AGNs, one corresponds to a galaxy with a post-starburst optical spectrum. The remaining three X-ray-detected cluster galaxies consist of two starbursts and an elliptical with luminous hot gas. Of the eight cluster galaxies, five are associated with luminous (massive) galaxies, and the remaining three lie in much lower luminosity systems. We note that the use of X-ray-to-optical flux ratios for classification of X-ray sources is often misleading and strengthens the claim that the fraction of cluster galaxies hosting an AGN based on optical data is significantly lower than the fraction based on X-ray and radio data.