118778471
Prospects of 3D mapping of the Galactic Centre clouds with X-ray polarimetry
Despite past panchromatic observations of the innermost part of the Milky Way, the overall structure of the Galactic Centre (GC) remains enigmatic in terms of geometry. In this paper, we aim to show how polarimetry can probe the three-dimensional position of the molecular material in the central ~100 pc of the GC. We investigate a model where the central supermassive black hole Sgr A* is radiatively coupled to a fragmented circumnuclear disc (CND), an elliptical twisted ring representative of the central molecular zone (CMZ), and the two main, bright molecular clouds Sgr B2 and Sgr C. 8 -- 35 keV integrated polarization mapping reveals that Sgr B2 and Sgr C, situated at the two sides of the CMZ, present the highest polarization degrees (66.5 and 47.8 per cent respectively), both associated with a polarization position angle psi = 90deg (normal to the scattering plane). The CND shows a lower polarization degree, 1.0 per cent with psi = -20.5deg, tracing the inclination of the CND with respect to the Galactic plane. The CMZ polarization is spatially variable. We also consider a range of spatial locations for Sgr A* and the reprocessing media, and investigate how the modeled three-dimensional geometry influences the resulting GC polarization. The two reflection nebulae are found to always produce high polarization degrees (>> 10 per cent). We show that a 500 ks observation with a broadband polarimeter could constrain the location and the morphology of the scattering material with respect to the emitting source, revealing the past activity of Sgr A*.
119196175
SOURCE-INTRINSIC NEAR-INFRARED PROPERTIES OF SGR A*: TOTAL INTENSITY MEASUREMENTS
We present a comprehensive data description for K s-band measurements of Sgr A*. We characterize the statistical properties of the variability of Sgr A* in the near-infrared, which we find to be consistent with a single-state process forming a power-law distribution of the flux density. We discover a linear rms-flux relation for the flux density range up to 12?mJy on a timescale of 24?minutes. This and the power-law flux density distribution implies a phenomenological, formally nonlinear statistical variability model with which we can simulate the observed variability and extrapolate its behavior to higher flux levels and longer timescales. We present reasons why data with our cadence cannot be used to decide on the question whether the power spectral density of the underlying random process shows more structure at timescales between 25?minutes and 100?minutes compared to what is expected from a red-noise random process.
94985
On the origin of the broad, relativistic iron line of MCG–6-30-15 observed by XMM-Newton
The relativistic iron line prole recently observed by XMM-Newton in the spectrum of the Seyfert 1 galaxy MCG{6-30-15 (Wilms et al. 2001) is discussed in the framework of the lamp-post model. It is shown that the steep disc emissivity, the large line equivalent width and the amount of Compton reflection can be self-consistently reproduced in this scenario.
15067899
A method to determine the parameters of black holes in AGNs and galactic X-ray sources with periodic modulation of variability
We propose a simple and unambiguous way to deduce the parameters of black holes which may reside in AGNs and some types of X-ray binaries. The black-hole mass and angular momentum are determined in physical units. The method is applicable to the sources with periodic components of variability, provided one can assume the following: (i) Variability is due to a star or a stellar-mass compact object orbiting the central black hole and passing periodically through an equatorial accretion disk (variability time-scale is given by the orbital period). (ii) The star orbits almost freely, deviation of its trajectory due to passages through the disk being very weak (secular); the effect of the star on the disk, on the other hand, is strong enough to yield observable photometric and spectroscopic features. (iii) The gravitational field within the nucleus is that of the (Kerr) black hole, the star and the disk contribute negligibly.
118354810
Near infrared flares of Sagittarius A* - Importance of near infrared polarimetry
Context. We report on the results of new simulations of near-infrared (NIR) observations of the Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) counterpart associated with the super-massive black hole at the Galactic Center. Aims. Our goal is to investigate and understand the physical processes behind the variability associated with the NIR flaring emission from Sgr A * . Methods. The observations have been carried out using the NACO adaptive optics (AO) instrument at the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope and CIAO NIR camera on the Subaru telescope (13 june 2004; 30 july 2005; 1 june 2006; 15 may 2007; 17 may 2007 and 28 may 2008). We used a model of synchrotron emission from relativistic electrons in the inner parts of an accretion disk. The relativistic simulations have been carried out using the Karas-Yaqoob (KY) ray-tracing code. Results. We probe the existence of a correlation between the modulations of the observed flux density light curves and changes in polarimetric data. Furthermore, we confirm that the same correlation is also predicted by the hot spot model. Correlations between intensity and polarimetric parameters of the observed light curves as well as a comparison of predicted and observed light curve features through a pattern recognition algorithm result in the detection of a signature of orbiting matter under the influence of strong gravity. This pattern is detected statistically significant against randomly polarized red noise. Expected results from future observations of VLT interferometry like GRAVITY experiment are also discussed. Conclusions. The observed correlations between flux modulations and changes in linear polarization degree and angle can be a sign that the NIR flares have properties that are not expected from purely random red-noise. We find that the geometric shape of the emission region plays a major role in the predictions of the model. From fully relativistic simulations of a spiral shape emitting region, we conclude that the observed swings of the polarization angle during NIR flares support the idea of compact orbiting spots instead of extended patterns. The effects of gravitational shearing, fast synchrotron cooling of the components and confusion from a variable accretion disk have been taken into account. Simulated centroids of NIR images lead us to the conclusion that a clear observation of the position wander of the center of NIR images with future infrared interferometers will prove the existence of orbiting hot spots in the vicinity of our Galactic super-massive black hole.
7216800
Stellar capture by an accretion disc
The long-term evolution of a stellar orbit captured by a massive galactic centre via successive interactions with an accretion disc has been examined. An analytical solution describing the evolution of the stellar orbital parameters during the initial stage of the capture has been found. Our results are applicable to thin Keplerian discs with an arbitrary radial distribution of density and a rather general prescription for the star–disc interaction. Temporal evolution is given in the form of quadrature which can be carried out numerically.
119803488
Numerical modelling of time-space behavior of high-current relativistic electron beam in plasma waveguide
The physical processes in a magnetized plasma waveguide, in which a high-current relativistic electron beam (Sudan parameter S>1) is injected, are investigated by the developed 2.5-D relativistic electromagnetic code. The computer study has shown that the charge and current compensations of the high-current beam are considerably different from those of the low-current beam. In addition the self-consistent electromagnetic fields generated by a beam at the initial state radically alter both the linear and the nonlinear instability stages.<<ETX>>
56265136
2,5-dimensional numerical simulation of propagation of the finite sequence of relativistic electron bunches (REB) in tenuous and dense plasmas
Particle simulation results on the wake-field excitation with the programmed finite sequence of REB in tenuous and dense plasmas are presented. The REB/background plasma configuration is described by full set of 2D3V relativistic Vlasov equations for each plasma species and nonlinear Maxwell equations for self-consistent electromagnetic field. The physical parameters in runs carried out are close to those used in laboratory experiment at Kharkov IPT (Ya. Fainberg et al., 1994). The simulation points to the fact that the reached value of electric field depends on charge distribution and choice of intervals between bunches in programmed sequence.
42794986
Plasma wake-field acceleration of charged particles by selfmodulated long relativistic electron bunch
High-amplitude plasma wake-waves are excited by high-density relativistic electron bunches (REB) moving in a plasma. The wake- fields can be used to accelerate charged particles, to serve as electrostatic wigglers in free-electron plasma lasers (FEL), and also can find many other applications.