• Charge exchange in X-ray astrophysics

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: Charge exchange is an atomic process that primarily occurs at interfaces between the neutral and ionized gas. The study of the process has been carried out on three levels: the theoretical calculation of the cross sections, the laboratory measurements of reaction rates and line strengths, and the observational constraints using celestial objects. For a long time in the past, the status of astrophysical observations in the X-ray band lagged behind the other two aspects until the discovery of X-ray from a comet was made in 1996, which changed the research landscape. Recent observational evidence suggests that charge exchange has been seen or can be expected from a surprisingly broad range of locations, from the Earth's exosphere to the large-scale structures of the Universe. The rapid development of high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy, in particular the non-dispersive micro-calorimeters, is paving the way to revolutionary new science possibilities both in the laboratory and astrophysics. This chapter summarizes the current knowledge of charge exchange and its relevance on astrophysics, especially X-ray spectroscopy.

  • R-matrix electron-impact excitation data for the H- and He-like ions with Z=6-30

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: Plasma models built on extensive atomic data are essential to interpreting the observed cosmic spectra. H-like Lyman series and He-like triplets observable in the X-ray band are powerful diagnostic lines to measure the physical properties of various types of astrophysical plasmas. Electron-impact excitation is a fundamental atomic process for the formation of H-like and He-like key diagnostic lines. Electron-impact excitation data adopted by the widely used plasma codes (AtomDB, CHIANTI, and SPEX) do not necessarily agree with each other. Here we present a systematic calculation of electron-impact excitation data of H-like and He-like ions with the atomic number Z=6-30 (i.e., C to Zn). Radiation damped R-matrix intermediate coupling frame transformation calculation was performed for each ion with configurations up to $n=6$. We compare the present work with the above three plasma codes and literature to assess the quality of the new data, which are relevant for current and future high-resolution X-ray spectrometers.

  • R-matrix electron-impact excitation data for the H- and He-like ions with Z=6-30

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: Plasma models built on extensive atomic data are essential to interpreting the observed cosmic spectra. H-like Lyman series and He-like triplets observable in the X-ray band are powerful diagnostic lines to measure the physical properties of various types of astrophysical plasmas. Electron-impact excitation is a fundamental atomic process for the formation of H-like and He-like key diagnostic lines. Electron-impact excitation data adopted by the widely used plasma codes (AtomDB, CHIANTI, and SPEX) do not necessarily agree with each other. Here we present a systematic calculation of electron-impact excitation data of H-like and He-like ions with the atomic number Z=6-30 (i.e., C to Zn). Radiation damped R-matrix intermediate coupling frame transformation calculation was performed for each ion with configurations up to $n=6$. We compare the present work with the above three plasma codes and literature to assess the quality of the new data, which are relevant for current and future high-resolution X-ray spectrometers.

  • Elemental Abundances of the Hot Atmosphere of Luminous Infrared Galaxy Arp 299

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: Hot atmospheres of massive galaxies are enriched with metals. Elemental abundances measured in the X-ray band have been used to study the chemical enrichment of supernova remnants, elliptical galaxies, groups and clusters of galaxies. Here we measure the elemental abundances of the hot atmosphere of luminous infrared galaxy Arp 299 observed with XMM-Newton. To measure the abundances in the hot atmosphere, we use a multi-temperature thermal plasma model, which provides a better fit to the Reflection Grating Spectrometer data. The observed Fe/O abundance ratio is subsolar, while those of Ne/O and Mg/O are slightly above solar. Core-collapse supernovae (SNcc) are the dominant metal factory of elements like O, Ne, and Mg. We find some deviations between the observed abundance patterns and theoretical ones from a simple chemical enrichment model. One possible explanation is that massive stars with $M_{\star}\gtrsim23-27~M_{\odot}$ might not explode as SNcc and enrich the hot atmosphere. This is in accordance with the missing massive SNcc progenitors problem, where very massive progenitors $M_{\star}\gtrsim18~M_{\odot}$ of SNcc have not been clearly detected. It is also possible that theoretical SNcc nucleosynthesis yields of Mg/O yields are underestimated.

  • Diffuse radio source candidate in CIZA J1358.9-4750

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: We report on results of our upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT) observations for an early-stage merging galaxy cluster, CIZA J1358.9-4750 (CIZA1359), in Band-3 (300--500 MHz). We achieved the image dynamic range of $\sim 38,000$ using the direction dependent calibration and found a candidate of diffuse radio emission at 4~$\sigma_{rms}$ significance. The flux density of the candidate at 400~MHz, $24.04 \pm 2.48$~mJy, is significantly positive compared to noise, where its radio power, $2.40 \times 10^{24}$~W~Hz$^{-1}$, is consistent with those of typical diffuse radio sources of galaxy clusters. The candidate is associated with a part of the X-ray shock front at which the Mach number reaches its maximum value of $\mathcal{M}\sim 1.7$. The spectral index ($F_\nu \propto \nu^{\alpha}$) of the candidate, $\alpha = - 1.22 \pm 0.33$, is in agreement with an expected value derived from the standard diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) model. But such a low Mach number with a short acceleration time would require seed cosmic-rays supplied from active galactic nucleus (AGN) activities of member galaxies, as suggested in some other clusters. Indeed, we found seven AGN candidates inside the diffuse source candidate. Assuming the energy equipartition between magnetic fields and cosmic-rays, the magnetic field strength of the candidate was estimated to be $2.1~\mu$G. We also find head-tail galaxies and radio phoenixes or fossils near the CIZA1359.

  • The Merger Dynamics of the Galaxy Cluster Abell 1775: New Insights from Chandra and XMM-Newton for a Cluster Simultaneously Hosting a WAT and a NAT Radio Sources

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: We present a new study of the merger dynamics of Abell~1775 by analyzing the high-quality Chandra and XMM-Newton archival data. We confirm/identify an arc-shaped edge (i.e., the head) at $\sim48$~kpc west of the X-ray peak, a split cold gas tail that extends eastward to $\sim163$~kpc, and a plume of spiral-like X-ray excess (within about $81-324$~kpc northeast of the cluster core) that connects to the end of the tail. The head, across which the projected gas temperature rises outward from $3.39_{-0.18}^{+0.28}$~keV to $5.30_{-0.43}^{+0.54}$~keV, is found to be a cold front with a Mach number of $\mathcal{M}\sim0.79$. Along the surfaces of the cold front and tail, typical KHI features (noses and wings, etc.) are found and are used to constrain the upper limit of the magnetic field ($\sim11.2~\mu$G) and the viscosity suppression factor ($\sim0.01$). Combining optical and radio evidence we propose a two-body merger (instead of systematic motion in a large-scale gas environment) scenario and have carried out idealized hydrodynamic simulations to verify it. We find that the observed X-ray emission and temperature distributions can be best reproduced with a merger mass ratio of 5 after the first pericentric passage. The NAT radio galaxy is thus more likely to be a single galaxy falling into the cluster center at a relative velocity of 2800~$\rm km~s^{-1}$, a speed constrained by its radio morphology. The infalling subcluster is expected to have a relatively low gas content, because only a gas-poor subcluster can cause central-only disturbances as observed in such an off-axis merger.