VERA Observations Research Articles

A Month of Monitoring the New Magnetar Swift J1555.2−5402 during an X-Ray Outburst

Abstract The soft gamma-ray repeater Swift J1555.2−5402 was discovered by means of a short burst detected with Swift BAT on 2021 June 3. Then, 1.6 hr after the burst, the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) started daily monitoring of this target for a month. The absorbed 2–10 keV flux stayed nearly constant at around 4 × 10−11 erg s−1 cm−2 during the monitoring, showing only a slight gradual decline. An absorbed blackbody with a temperature of 1.1 keV approximates the soft X-ray spectrum. A 3.86 s periodicity is detected, and the period derivative is measured to be 3.05(7) × 10−11 s s−1. The soft X-ray pulse shows a single sinusoidal shape with an rms pulsed fraction that increases as a function of energy from 15% at 1.5 keV to 39% at 7 keV. The equatorial surface magnetic field, characteristic age, and spin-down luminosity are derived under the dipole field approximation to be 3.5 × 1014 G, 2.0 kyr, and 2.1 × 1034 erg s−1, respectively. We detect 5 and 45 bursts with Swift/BAT and NICER, respectively. Based on these properties, this new source is classified as a magnetar. A hard X-ray power-law component that extends up to at least 40 keV is detected with the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR). The 10–60 keV flux is ∼9 × 10−12 erg s−1 cm−2 with a photon index of ∼1.2. The pulsed fraction has a sharp cutoff at around 10 keV with an upper limit (≲10%) in the hard-tail band. No radio pulsations are detected during the DSN or VERA observations. The 7σ upper limits of the flux density are 0.043 and 0.026 mJy at the S and X bands, respectively.

Sulfuric acid vapor and sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere of Venus as observed by the Venus Express radio science experiment VeRa

The Venus Express radio science experiment VeRa provided more than 900 neutral atmospheric profiles between the years 2006 and 2014. About 800 of these could be used for an analysis of the radio signal absorption at X-Band (wavelength: 3.6 cm), which is mainly caused by sulfuric acid vapor within the Venus atmosphere. The absorptivity profiles were converted into sulfuric acid vapor profiles. The combined measurements from the entire Venus Express mission reveal a distinct latitudinal H2SO4(g) variation. A latitudinal gradient can be observed at the topside of the H2SO4(g) layer, which is located approx. 4 km higher at equatorial latitudes compared to polar latitudes. Regions of enhanced sulfuric acid vapor abundance were found at equatorial and polar latitudes. The highest H2SO4(g) values at equatorial latitudes show mean maximal values of more than 12 ppm at around 47 km altitude. At polar latitudes mean maximal values were found at around 43 km altitude and ranged from 9 to 12 ppm. Both latitudinal regions of increased sulfuric acid vapor abundance are clearly separated by a low abundance region located at mid-latitudes with values of 5 to 7 ppm.A simplified two-dimensional transport model was developed to study the formation processes of sulfuric acid vapor accumulation at equatorial and polar latitudes. It turned out that the H2SO4(g) accumulation observed at high latitudes can be explained by precipitation of H2SO4(l) droplets that evaporate into gaseous sulfuric acid upon entering lower (warmer) altitudes. The influence of wind transport on this formation process was minor. In contrast, the H2SO4(g) accumulation observed at equatorial latitudes could be reproduced in the model by oppositely directed mass transport (upward winds and sedimentation) as well as by simplified evaporation and condensation processes. The low H2SO4(g) abundance observed at mid-latitudes was reproduced by downward winds in the model calculations.The VeRa observations were additionally used to estimate the abundance of SO2 above the cloud bottom. A latitudinal dependence was found with highest values of 90 ± 60 ppm at equatorial latitudes, compared to 150 ± 50 ppm and 160 ± 50 ppm at southern and northern polar latitudes, respectively.Both the equatorial and polar regions displayed show large variability of the H2SO4(g) and SO2 abundances from observation to observation. A weak tidal influence is also visible in the sulfuric acid vapor abundance in the equatorial region. The northern polar H2SO4(g) abundance, as well as the southern and northern SO2 abundances, exhibit distinct long-term variations.

Annual parallax measurement of the Mira variable star BX Camelopardalis with VERA

Abstract We report the results of astrometric VLBI observations toward the Mira variable star BX Cam using the VERA VLBI array. The observation was performed from 2012 February to 2014 November. The parallax obtained is 1.73 ± 0.03 mas corresponding to a distance of 0.58 ± 0.01 kpc. The parallax of this source was reported in Gaia DR2 as 4.13 ± 0.25 mas, and there is a 240% difference between these two measurements. Astrometric results from our VLBI observations show that we exactly traced the angular motions of the seven maser spots in BX Cam. We calculated the stellar luminosities using both parallaxes, and obtained luminosities of $L_{\ast }^{\mathrm{VERA}} = 4950\pm 170\, L_{\odot }$ and $L_{\ast }^{\mathrm{Gaia}} = 870\pm 110\, L_{\odot }$. These deduced luminosities also support the validity of the parallax that we determined with VERA. Evaluating the two parallaxes, we conclude that the parallax of 1.73 ± 0.03 mas from the VERA observations is correct for BX Cam. We obtained the systemic motion of BX Cam as (μαcos δsys, ${\mu }_{\delta }^{\mathrm{sys}}$) = (13.48 ± 0.14, −34.30 ± 0.18) mas yr−1. The total of 73 H2O maser spots detected from our VLBI observations shows a spatial distribution of 30 au × 80 au, with a strong elongation along the north–south direction. They show outflows with a three-dimensional velocity of 14.79 ± 1.40 km s−1. From a comparison between the time variations of the V-band magnitudes and the H2O masers, we found that the variation of the H2O masers is relevant to that seen in the V band even though the H2O masers do not recover their maximum flux in each cycle.

Eight new astrometry results of 6.7 GHz CH3OH and 22 GHz H2O masers in the Perseus arm

AbstractWe report astrometric results for seven 6.7 GHz CH3OH and one 22 GHz H2O masers in the Perseus arm with VLBA and VERA observations. Among the eight sources, we succeeded in obtaining trigonometric parallaxes for all sources, except G098.03+1.44 at 6.7 GHz band. By combining our results with previous astrometry results (Choi et al. 2014), we determined an arm width of 0.41 kpc and a pitch angle of 8.2 ± 2.5 deg for the Perseus arm. By using a large sample of the Perseus arm (26 sources), we examined the three-dimensional, non-circular motions (defined as U, V and W) of sources in the Perseus arm as a function of the distance (D) perpendicular to the arm. Interestingly, we found a weighted mean of <U > = 12.7 ± 1.2 km s−1 for 14 sources with D < 0 kpc (i.e. sources on the interior side of the arm) and <U > = −0.3 ± 1.5 km s−1 for 12 sources with D > 0 kpc (i.e. sources exterior to the arm). These findings might be the first observational indication of the ”damping phase of a spiral arm” suggested by the non-steady spiral arm model of Baba et al. (2013). The small pitch angle of the Perseus arm (< 10 deg) also supports the damping phase, based on ”pitch angle vs. arm amplitude” relation shown in Grøsbol et al. (2004).

Binary system and jet precession and expansion in G35.20–0.74N

Context. ALMA observations of the high-mass star-forming region G35.20-0.74N have revealed the presence of a Keplerian disk in core B rotating about a massive object of 18 Msun, as computed from the velocity field. The luminosity of such a massive star would be comparable to (or higher than) the luminosity of the whole star-forming region. To solve this problem it has been proposed that core B could harbor a binary system. This could also explain the possible precession of the radio jet associated with this core, which has been suggested by its S-shaped morphology. Aims. To establish the origin of the free-free emission from core B and investigate the existence of a binary system at the center of this massive core and the possible precession of the radio jet. Methods. We carried out VLA continuum observations of G35.20-0.74N at 2 cm in the B configuration and at 1.3 cm and 7 mm in the A and B configurations. The bandwidth at 7 mm covers the CH3OH maser line at 44.069 GHz. Continuum images at 6 and 3.6 cm in the A configuration were obtained from the VLA archive. We also carried out VERA observations of the H2O maser line at 22.235 GHz. Results. The observations have revealed the presence of a binary system of UC/HC HII regions at the geometrical center of the radio jet in G35.20-0.74N. This binary system, which is associated with a Keplerian rotating disk, consists of two B-type stars of 11 and 6 Msun. The S-shaped morphology of the radio jet has been successfully explained as due to precession produced by the binary system. The analysis of the precession of the radio jet has allowed us to better interpret the IR emission in the region, which would be not tracing a wide-angle cavity open by a single outflow with a position angle of ~55 deg but two different flows: a precessing one in the NE-SW direction associated with the radio jet, and a second one in an almost E--W direction ...

The dayside ionospheres of Mars and Venus: Comparing a one-dimensional photochemical model with MaRS (Mars Express) and VeRa (Venus Express) observations

The electron density distributions of the lower ionospheres of Mars and Venus are mainly dependent on the solar X-ray and EUV flux and the solar zenith angle. The influence of an increasing solar flux is clearly seen in the increase of the observed peak electron density and total electron content (TEC) of the main ionospheric layers. The model “Ionization in Atmospheres” (IonA) was developed to compare ionospheric radio sounding observations, which were performed with the radio science experiments MaRS on Mars Express and VeRa on Venus Express, with simulated electron density profiles of the Mars and Venus ionospheres. This was done for actual observation conditions (solar flux, solar zenith angle, planetary coordinates) from the bases of the ionospheres to ∼160km altitude. IonA uses models of the neutral atmospheres at ionospheric altitudes (Mars Climate Database (MCD) v4.3 for Mars; VenusGRAM/VIRA for Venus) and solar flux information in the 0.5–95nm wavelength range (X-ray to EUV) from the SOLAR2000 data base. The comparison between the observed electron density profiles and the IonA profiles for Mars, simulated for a selected MCD scenario (background atmosphere), shows that the general behavior of the Mars ionosphere is reproduced by all scenarios. The MCD “low solar flux/clear atmosphere” and “low solar flux/MY24” scenarios agree best (on average) with the MaRS set of observations, although the actual Mars atmosphere seemed to be still slightly colder at ionospheric altitudes.For Venus, the VenusGRAM model, based on VIRA, is too limited to be used for the IonA simulation of electron density profiles. The behavior of the V2 peak electron density and TEC as a function of solar zenith angle are in general reproduced, but the peak densities and the TEC are either over- or underestimated for low or high solar EUV fluxes, respectively. The simulated V2 peak altitudes are systematically underestimated by 5km on average for solar zenith angles less than 45° and the peak altitudes rise for zenith angles larger than 60°. The latter is the opposite of the observed behavior. The explanation is that VIRA and VenusGRAM are valid only for high solar activity, although there is also very poor agreement with VeRa observations from the recent solar cycle, in which the solar activity increases to high values. The disagreement between the observation and simulation of the Venus electron density profiles proves, that the true encountered Venus atmosphere at ionospheric altitudes was denser but locally cooler than predicted by VIRA.

Mass distribution of the Galaxy with VERA

AbstractWe aim to reveal the mass distribution of the Galaxy based on a precise rotation curve constructed using VERA observations. We have been observing Galactic H2O masers with VERA. We here report one of the results of VERA for IRAS 05168+3634. The parallax is 0.532 ± 0.053 mas which corresponds to a distance of 1.88+0.21−0.17 kpc, and the proper motions are (μαcosδ, μδ) = (0.23 ± 1.07, −3.14 ± 0.28) mas yr−1. The distance is significantly smaller than the previous distance estimate of 6 kpc based on a kinematic distance. This drastic change places the source in the Perseus arm rather than in the Outer arm. Combination of the distance and the proper motions with the systemic velocity provides a rotation velocity of 227+9−11 km s−1 at the source assuming Θ0 = 240 km s−1. The result is marginally slower than the rotation velocity at LSR with ~ 1−σ significance, but consistent with previous VLBI results for six sources in the Perseus arm. We also show the averaged disk peculiar motion over the seven sources in the Perseus arm as (Umean, Vmean) = (11 ± 3, −17 ± 3) km s−1. It suggests that the seven sources in the Perseus arm are systematically moving toward the Galactic center, and lag behind the Galactic rotation with more than 3-σ significance.

TWINKLING STARS The disappearing SiO masers of W Aql

AbstractW Aql is a binary S-type AGB star showing SiO maser emission. The dust distribution around the star is asymmetric, possibly indicating gravitational interaction between the binary pair. There are indications that the gas distribution also exhibits asymmetries. To investigate the source of the circumstellar structures, we applied for and were rewarded VLBI time to map the distribution of the SiO masers around this source and to constrain the presence and distribution of a possible magnetic field. Using VERA observations we also aim at measuring an accurate parallax to determine the binary separation, however, from showing peak emission of 21 Jy in June 2010, the SiO(1-0) v=1 line at 43 GHz has now disappeared. We find no correlation with the stellar pulsational period.

3-Dimensional kinematics of water/SiO masers in Orion-KL

AbstractResults of multi-epoch VLBI observations toward water/SiO masers in Orion-KL are presented. We conducted high-resolution VLBI observations of water/SiO masers with VERA to probe the structure and the kinematics of the disk/outflow in Orion-KL. The VERA observations provide the positions and proper motions of masers features in Orion-KL with the highest accuracy ever observed. The results of water and SiO maser observations suggest that Source I is a massive YSO with an accretion disk and a collimated outflow.

VERA observations of SiO maser emission from R Aquarii

Aims. We aim to study the spatial distribution of the v = 1 and v = 2 J = 1-0 SiO maser emission from R Aqr, a well known stellar symbiotic system. In particular, we intend to determine the annual parallax and proper motion of the source by means of measurements of the absolute coordinates of the maser spots. Methods. We performed VLBI observations of the v = 1 and v = 2 J = 1-0 maser emission, at 7 mm wavelength, using VERA. We present observations made in 11 epochs, between December 2004 and October 2006, and observations by other authors are also discussed. VERA provides very high spatial resolution and accurate astrometric measurements, thanks to its double-beam observing system. From fitting ring-like structures to the maser spot distributions, we determine absolute J2000 coordinates of the central star. (SiO maser emission is known to be distributed around the star forming spot rings at a few stellar radii.) Results. Maps with accurate absolute coordinates were obtained in 8 epochs. From the coordinates determined for the central star, we measured parallax and linear proper motion. We obtain π = 4.7 ± 0.8 mas, compatible with, but much more accurate than, the Hipparcos value (5.07 ± 3.15 mas), and deduce a distance of R Aqr D = 214 +45 -32 pc. Our accurate astrometry also yields a reliable comparison between the spot distributions of both v = 1 and v = 2 J = 1-0 lines. We find that both masers come from similar regions, i.e. at similar distances from the star and defining common spot clusters, confirming previous results. But the coincidences between spots of both lines are very rare, within the spatial and spectral resolution of our experiments. This result is found for eight epochs, spanning more than one pulsation cycle (of the cool Mira-type component). We argue that explaining the finer details of the v = 1,2 J = 1-0 distributions found here would require new theoretical efforts. Finally, our observations also allow the study of the structure and dynamics of the close circumstellar shells in R Aqr. We do not confirm the previous suggestion that these shells are rotating; instead, we conclude that the observed kinematics is very probably caused by pulsations and random movements. The spatial distribution of the maser spots is found to be variable, but to show a stable axial symmetry.

Structure of the Venus neutral atmosphere as observed by the Radio Science experiment VeRa on Venus Express

The European Space Agency Venus Express Radio Science experiment (VeRa) obtained 118 radio occultation measurements of the Venusian atmosphere between July 2006 and June 2007. Southern latitudes are uniformly sampled; measurements in the northern hemisphere are concentrated near the pole. Radial profiles of neutral number density derived from the occultations cover the altitude range 40–90 km, which are converted to profiles of temperature (T) and pressure (p) versus height (h). Profiles of static stability are found to be latitude‐dependent and nearly adiabatic in the middle cloud region. Below the clouds the stability decreases at high latitudes. At an altitude of 65 km, the VeRa T[p(h)] profiles generally lie between the Venus International Reference Atmosphere (VIRA) and VIRA‐2 models; the retrieved temperatures at any given pressure level typically are within 5 K of those derived from the Pioneer Venus Orbiter Radio Occultation experiments. A large equator‐to‐pole temperature contrast of ∼30 K is found at the 1‐bar (1000 hPa) level. The VeRa observations reveal a distinct cold collar region in the southern hemisphere, complementing that in the north. At the latitudes of the cold collars, the tropopause altitude increases relative to higher and lower latitudes by ≈7 km while the temperature drops roughly 60 K. The observations indicate the existence of a wave number 2 structure poleward of ±75° latitude at altitudes of 62 km.

Multi-Epoch VERA Observations of H2O Masers in OH 43.8−0.1

Abstract We report on multi-epoch observations of $\mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O}$ maser emission in the star-forming region OH 43.8$-$0.1, carried out with VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry. The large-scale maser distributions obtained by single-beam VLBI mapping reveal new maser spots scattered over the area of ${0\rlap {.}{}^{\mathrm {\prime \prime }}7} \times {1\rlap {.}{}^{\mathrm {\prime \prime }}0}$, in addition to a ‘shell-like’ structure with a scale of ${0\rlap {.}{}^{\mathrm {\prime \prime }}3} \times {0\rlap {.}{}^{\mathrm {\prime \prime }}5}$, which was mapped previously. Proper motions were also obtained for 43 spots based on 5-epoch monitoring with a time span of 281 days. The distributions of the proper motions show a systematic outflow in the north-south direction with an expansion velocity of $\sim 8 \,\mathrm{km} \,\mathrm{s}^{-1}$. The overall distributions of the maser spots as well as the proper motions are better represented by a bipolar flow plus a central maser cluster with a complex structure, rather than a shell with uniform expansion, such as those found in Cep A R5 and W75N VLA2. The distance to OH 43.8$-$0.1 was also estimated based on the statistical parallax, yielding $D = 2.8 \pm 0.5 \,\mathrm{kpc}$. This distance is consistent with a near kinematic distance, and rules out a far kinematic distance ($\sim 9 \,\mathrm{kpc}$). Also, the radial velocity of the OH 43.8$-$0.1 combined with the distance provides a constraint on the flatness of the galactic rotation curve, indicating that there is no systematic difference in the rotation speeds at the Sun and at the position of OH 43.8$-$0.1, which is located at a galacto-centric radius of $\sim 6.3 \,\mathrm{kpc}$.