Thermal and non-thermal X-ray emission from the rotation-powered radio/γ-ray pulsar PSR J1740+1000Rigoselli, Michela; Mereghetti, Sandro; Anzuinelli, Sara; Keith, Michael; Taverna, Roberto; Turolla, Roberto; Zane, Silvia
doi: 10.1093/mnras/stac1130pmid: N/A
ABSTRACTWe report the results of new XMM-Newton observations of the middle-aged (τc = 1.1 × 105 yr) radio pulsar PSR J1740+1000 carried out in 2017–2018. These long pointings (∼530 ks) show that the non-thermal emission, well described by a power-law spectrum with photon index Γ = 1.80 ± 0.17, is pulsed with a ∼30 per cent pulsed fraction above 2 keV. The thermal emission can be well-fit with the sum of two blackbodies of temperatures kT1 = 70 ± 4 eV and kT2 = 137 ± 7 eV, and emitting radii $R_1=5.4_{-0.9}^{+1.3}$ km and $R_2=0.70_{-0.13}^{+0.15}$ km (for a distance of 1.2 kpc). We found no evidence for absorption lines as those observed in the shorter XMM-Newton observations (∼67 ks) of this pulsar carried out in 2006. The X-ray thermal and non-thermal components peak in antiphase and none of them is seen to coincide in phase with the radio pulse. This, coupled with the small difference in the emission radii of the two thermal components, disfavours an interpretation in which the dipolar polar cap is heated by magnetospheric backward-accelerated particles. Comparison with the other thermally emitting isolated neutron stars with spectra well described by the sum of two components at different temperatures shows that the ratios T2/T1 and R2/R1 are similar for objects of different classes. The observed values cannot be reproduced with simple temperature distributions, such as those caused by a dipolar field, indicating the presence of more complicated thermal maps.
A search for stellar structures around nine outer halo globular clusters in the Milky WayZhang, Shumeng; Mackey, Dougal; Da Costa, Gary S
doi: 10.1093/mnras/stac751pmid: N/A
ABSTRACTWe use deep imaging from the Dark Energy Camera to explore the peripheral regions of nine globular clusters in the outer halo of the Milky Way. Apart from Whiting 1 and NGC 7492, which are projected against the Sagittarius stream, we see no evidence for adjacent stellar populations to indicate any of these clusters is associated with coherent tidal debris from a destroyed host dwarf. We also find no evidence for tidal tails around any of the clusters in our sample; however, both NGC 1904 and 6981 appear to possess outer envelopes. Motivated by a slew of recent Gaia-based discoveries, we compile a sample of clusters with robust detections of extra-tidal structure, and search for correlations with orbital properties. While we observe that clusters with tidal tails are typically on moderately or very eccentric orbits that are highly inclined to the Galactic plane and often retrograde, these are neither necessary nor sufficient conditions for the formation of extra-tidal structure. That many objects with tidal tails appear to be accreted leads us to speculate that this lack of consistency may stem from the inhomogeneous dynamical history of the Milky Way globular cluster system. Finally, we note that clusters with prominent stellar envelopes detected in ground-based imaging (such as NGC 1851 and 7089) are now all known from Gaia to possess long tidal tails – experimental confirmation that the presence of an extended envelope is indicative of tidal erosion.
MOMO – V. Effelsberg, Swift, and Fermi study of the blazar and supermassive binary black hole candidate OJ 287 in a period of high activityKomossa, S; Grupe, D; Kraus, A; Gonzalez, A; Gallo, L C; Valtonen, M J; Laine, S; Krichbaum, T P; Gurwell, M A; Gómez, J L; Ciprini, S; Myserlis, I; Bach, U
doi: 10.1093/mnras/stac792pmid: N/A
ABSTRACTWe report results from our ongoing project MOMO (Multiwavelength Observations and Modelling of OJ 287). In this latest publication of a sequence, we combine our Swift UVOT–XRT and Effelsberg radio data (2.6–44 GHz) between 2019 and 2022.04 with public SMA data and gamma-ray data from the Fermi satellite. The observational epoch covers OJ 287 in a high state of activity from radio to X-rays. The epoch also covers two major events predicted by the binary supermassive black hole (SMBH) model of OJ 287. Spectral and timing analyses clearly establish: a new UV–optical minimum state in 2021 December at an epoch where the secondary SMBH is predicted to cross the disc surrounding the primary SMBH; an overall low level of gamma-ray activity in comparison to pre-2017 epochs; the presence of a remarkable, long-lasting UV–optical flare event of intermediate amplitude in 2020–2021; a high level of activity in the radio band with multiple flares; and particularly a bright, ongoing radio flare peaking in 2021 November that may be associated with a gamma-ray flare, the strongest in 6 yr. Several explanations for the UV–optical minimum state are explored, including the possibility that a secondary SMBH launches a temporary jet, but the observations are best explained by variability associated with the main jet.
Single-dish 1-cm-band radio photometry of protoplanetary discs: few centimetre-sized dust grains?Greaves, Jane S; Mason, Brian
doi: 10.1093/mnras/stac856pmid: N/A
ABSTRACTRadio-wavelength observations of protoplanetary discs can show whether large dust grains (pebbles) have formed on the pathway to aggregation of planetary cores. The 100-m Green Bank Telescope was used to make a four-subband (26–40 GHz) photometric survey of the Taurus and Ophiuchus regions, which is nearly complete for class II systems above fixed millimetre-flux thresholds. There is evidence of anomalous microwave emission in 40 per cent of the systems, indicating that radio observations of protoplanetary discs need good spectral coverage to distinguish the presence of dust. At most, one-quarter of the systems are seen to host pebbles, of radii as large as 1 cm. The lack of pebble-dominated systems suggests that this is a short-lived phase in particle size evolution, and/or that pebbles only grow in limited areas of the disc. Either case supports models where grains of centimetre size rapidly fragment and/or drift towards the star, potentially feeding growing planets. In the best-fitting systems, including the 26–40 GHz data raises the detected dust mass by up to an order of magnitude, and the mass distribution of the discs may be flatter. Both of these phenomena could help to solve the ‘missing mass’ problem, where the solid budget in protoplanetary discs is compared with the substantial requirements of extrasolar-planet systems.
High-mass pulsators in eclipsing binaries observed using TESSSouthworth, John; Bowman, Dominic M
doi: 10.1093/mnras/stac875pmid: N/A
ABSTRACTPulsations and binarity are both common features of massive stars. The study of pulsating massive stars in eclipsing binary systems holds great potential for constraining stellar structure and evolution theory. However, prior to the all-sky Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission, few such systems had been discovered or studied in detail. We have inspected the TESS light curves of a large number of eclipsing binaries known to contain high-mass stars, and compiled a list of 18 objects which show intrinsic variability. The light curves were modelled both to determine the physical properties of the systems, and to remove the effects of binarity in order to leave residual light curves suitable for asteroseismic analysis. Precise mass and radius measurements were obtained for δ Cir, CC Cas, SZ Cam V436 Per and V539 Ara. We searched the residual light curves for pulsation signatures and, within our sample of 18 objects, we find six definite and eight possible cases of β Cephei pulsation, seven cases of stochastic low-frequency (SLF) variability, and eight instances of possible slowly pulsating B (SPB) star pulsation. The large number of pulsating eclipsing systems we have identified makes asteroseismology of high-mass stars in eclipsing binaries a feasible avenue to constrain the interior physics of a large sample of massive stars for the first time.
Cool circumgalactic gas in galaxy clusters: connecting the DESI legacy imaging survey and SDSS DR16 Mg ii absorbersAnand, Abhijeet; Kauffmann, Guinevere; Nelson, Dylan
doi: 10.1093/mnras/stac928pmid: N/A
ABSTRACTWe investigate the cool gas absorption in galaxy clusters by cross-correlating Mg ii absorbers detected in quasar spectra from data release 16 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) with galaxy clusters identified in the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) survey. We find significant covering fractions ($1\!-\!5\, \mathrm{per\,cent}$ within r500, depending on the chosen redshift interval), ∼4–5 times higher than around random sightlines. While the covering fraction of cool gas in clusters decreases with increasing mass of the central galaxy, the total Mg ii mass within r500 is none the less ∼10 times higher than for SDSS luminous red galaxies. The Mg ii covering fraction versus impact parameter is well described by a power law in the inner regions and an exponential function at larger distances. The characteristic scale of the transition between these two regimes is smaller for large equivalent width absorbers. Cross-correlating Mg ii absorption with photo−$z$ selected cluster member galaxies from DESI reveals a statistically significant connection. The median projected distance between Mg ii absorbers and the nearest cluster member is ∼200 kpc, compared to ∼500 kpc in random mocks with the same galaxy density profiles. We do not find a correlation between Mg ii strength and the star formation rate of the closest cluster neighbour. This suggests that cool gas in clusters, as traced by Mg ii absorption, is: (i) associated with satellite galaxies, (ii) dominated by cold gas clouds in the intracluster medium, rather than by the interstellar medium of galaxies, and (iii) may originate in part from gas stripped from these cluster satellites in the past.
Intermediate- and high-velocity clouds in the Milky Way – I. Covering factors and vertical heightsLehner, Nicolas; Howk, J Christopher; Marasco, Antonino; Fraternali, Filippo
doi: 10.1093/mnras/stac987pmid: N/A
ABSTRACTIntermediate- and high-velocity clouds (IVCs, HVCs) are a potential source of fuel for star formation in the Milky Way (MW), but their origins and fates depend sensitively on their distances. We search for IVCs and HVCs in HST high-resolution ultraviolet spectra of 55 halo stars at vertical heights $|z|\gtrsim \,1$ kpc. We show that IVCs (40 ≤ |$v$LSR| < 90 ${\rm km\, s}^{-1}$) have a high detection rate – the covering factor, fc – that is about constant (fc = 0.90 ± 0.04) from $z$ = 1.5 to 14 kpc, implying IVCs are essentially confined to |$z$| ≲ 1.5 kpc. For the HVCs (90 ≤ |$v$LSR| ≲ 170 ${\rm km\, s}^{-1}$), we find fc increases from fc ≃ 0.14 ± 0.10 at |$z$| ≲ 2–3 kpc to fc = 0.60 ± 0.15 at 6 ≲ |$z$| ≲ 14 kpc, the latter being similar to that found towards QSOs. In contrast, the covering factor of very high-velocity clouds (VHVCs; |$v$LSR| ≳ 170 ${\rm km\, s}^{-1}$) is $f_c \lt 0.04$ in the stellar sample compared to 20 per cent towards QSOs, implying these clouds must be at d ≳ 10–15 kpc (|$z$| ≳ 10 kpc). Gas clouds with |$v$LSR| > 40 ${\rm km\, s}^{-1}$ at |b| ≳ 15° have therefore |$v$LSR| decreasing with decreasing |$z$|. Our findings are consistent with a Galactic rain and/or fountain origin for these clouds. In the latter scenario, VHVCs may mostly serve as fuel for the MW halo. In view of their high covering factors and since all the IVCs and some HVCs are found in the thick disc, they appear good candidates as gas reservoirs to help sustain star formation in the MW.