The nearby radio galaxy Centaurus A belongs to a class of active galaxies that are luminous at radio wavelengths. Most show collimated relativistic outflows known as jets, which extend over hundreds ...of thousands of parsecs for the most powerful sources. Accretion of matter onto the central supermassive black hole is believed to fuel these jets and power their emission
. Synchrotron radiation from relativistic electrons causes the radio emission, and it has been suggested that the X-ray emission from Centaurus A also originates in electron synchrotron processes
. Another possible explanation is inverse Compton scattering with cosmic microwave background (CMB) soft photons
. Synchrotron radiation needs ultrarelativistic electrons (about 50 teraelectronvolts) and, given their short cooling times, requires some continuous re-acceleration mechanism
. Inverse Compton scattering, on the other hand, does not require very energetic electrons, but the jets must stay highly relativistic on large scales (exceeding 1 megaparsec). Some recent evidence disfavours inverse Compton-CMB models
, although other work seems to be compatible with them
. In principle, the detection of extended γ-ray emission, which directly probes the presence of ultrarelativistic electrons, could distinguish between these options. At gigaelectronvolt energies there is also an unusual spectral hardening
in Centaurus A that has not yet been explained. Here we report observations of Centaurus A at teraelectronvolt energies that resolve its large-scale jet. We interpret the data as evidence for the acceleration of ultrarelativistic electrons in the jet, and favour the synchrotron explanation for the X-rays. Given that this jet is not exceptional in terms of power, length or speed, it is possible that ultrarelativistic electrons are commonplace in the large-scale jets of radio-loud active galaxies.
Context. We present a detailed view of the pulsar wind nebula (PWN) HESS J1825–137. We aim to constrain the mechanisms dominating the particle transport within the nebula, accounting for its ...anomalously large size and spectral characteristics. Aims. The nebula was studied using a deep exposure from over 12 years of H.E.S.S. I operation, together with data from H.E.S.S. II that improve the low-energy sensitivity. Enhanced energy-dependent morphological and spatially resolved spectral analyses probe the very high energy (VHE, E > 0.1 TeV) γ-ray properties of the nebula. Methods. The nebula emission is revealed to extend out to 1.5° from the pulsar, ~1.5 times farther than previously seen, making HESS J1825–137, with an intrinsic diameter of ~100 pc, potentially the largest γ-ray PWN currently known. Characterising the strongly energy-dependent morphology of the nebula enables us to constrain the particle transport mechanisms. A dependence of the nebula extent with energy of R ∝ Eα with α = −0.29 ± 0.04stat ± 0.05sys disfavours a pure diffusion scenario for particle transport within the nebula. The total γ-ray flux of the nebula above 1 TeV is found to be (1.12 ± 0.03stat ± 0.25sys) × 10−11 cm−2 s−1, corresponding to ~64% of the flux of the Crab nebula. Results. HESS J1825–137 is a PWN with clearly energy-dependent morphology at VHE γ-ray energies. This source is used as a laboratory to investigate particle transport within intermediate-age PWNe. Based on deep observations of this highly spatially extended PWN, we produce a spectral map of the region that provides insights into the spectral variation within the nebula.
Abstract
We report on multiwavelength target-of-opportunity observations of the blazar PKS 0735+178, located 2.°2 away from the best-fit position of the IceCube neutrino event IceCube-211208A ...detected on 2021 December 8. The source was in a high-flux state in the optical, ultraviolet, X-ray, and GeV
γ
-ray bands around the time of the neutrino event, exhibiting daily variability in the soft X-ray flux. The X-ray data from Swift-XRT and NuSTAR characterize the transition between the low-energy and high-energy components of the broadband spectral energy distribution (SED), and the
γ
-ray data from Fermi-LAT, VERITAS, and H.E.S.S. require a spectral cutoff near 100 GeV. Both the X-ray and
γ
-ray measurements provide strong constraints on the leptonic and hadronic models. We analytically explore a synchrotron self-Compton model, an external Compton model, and a lepto-hadronic model. Models that are entirely based on internal photon fields face serious difficulties in matching the observed SED. The existence of an external photon field in the source would instead explain the observed
γ
-ray spectral cutoff in both the leptonic and lepto-hadronic models and allow a proton jet power that marginally agrees with the Eddington limit in the lepto-hadronic model. We show a numerical lepto-hadronic model with external target photons that reproduces the observed SED and is reasonably consistent with the neutrino event despite requiring a high jet power.
Abstract
Magnetic fields in galaxies and galaxy clusters are believed to be the result of the amplification of intergalactic seed fields during the formation of large-scale structures in the ...universe. However, the origin, strength, and morphology of this intergalactic magnetic field (IGMF) remain unknown. Lower limits on (or indirect detection of) the IGMF can be obtained from observations of high-energy gamma rays from distant blazars. Gamma rays interact with the extragalactic background light to produce electron−positron pairs, which can subsequently initiate electromagnetic cascades. The gamma-ray signature of the cascade depends on the IGMF since it deflects the pairs. Here we report on a new search for this cascade emission using a combined data set from the Fermi Large Area Telescope and the High Energy Stereoscopic System. Using state-of-the-art Monte Carlo predictions for the cascade signal, our results place a lower limit on the IGMF of
B
> 7.1 × 10
−16
G for a coherence length of 1 Mpc even when blazar duty cycles as short as 10 yr are assumed. This improves on previous lower limits by a factor of 2. For longer duty cycles of 10
4
(10
7
) yr, IGMF strengths below 1.8 × 10
−14
G (3.9 × 10
−14
G) are excluded, which rules out specific models for IGMF generation in the early universe.
The unidentified very-high-energy (VHE;
E
> 0.1 TeV)
γ
-ray source, HESS J1826−130, was discovered with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) in the Galactic plane. The analysis of 215 h of HESS ...data has revealed a steady
γ
-ray flux from HESS J1826−130, which appears extended with a half-width of 0.21° ± 0.02
stat
° ± 0.05
sys
°. The source spectrum is best fit with either a power-law function with a spectral index Γ = 1.78 ± 0.10
stat
± 0.20
sys
and an exponential cut-off at 15.2
−3.2
+5.5
TeV, or a broken power-law with Γ
1
= 1.96 ± 0.06
stat
± 0.20
sys
, Γ
2
= 3.59 ± 0.69
stat
± 0.20
sys
for energies below and above
E
br
= 11.2 ± 2.7 TeV, respectively. The VHE flux from HESS J1826−130 is contaminated by the extended emission of the bright, nearby pulsar wind nebula, HESS J1825−137, particularly at the low end of the energy spectrum. Leptonic scenarios for the origin of HESS J1826−130 VHE emission related to PSR J1826−1256 are confronted by our spectral and morphological analysis. In a hadronic framework, taking into account the properties of dense gas regions surrounding HESS J1826−130, the source spectrum would imply an astrophysical object capable of accelerating the parent particle population up to ≳200 TeV. Our results are also discussed in a multiwavelength context, accounting for both the presence of nearby supernova remnants, molecular clouds, and counterparts detected in radio, X-rays, and TeV energies.
Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) is a sensitive area for wildlife, including Indian tiger and Asiatic elephant, in Kerala, southern India. Recently, forest fires in the PTR have threatened both the native ...vegetation as well as wildlife. In this study, we used temporal satellite remote sensing datasets corresponding to IRS-P6 AWiFS with 56 m resolution to identify the burnt areas and thereby estimate greenhouse gas emissions resulting from biomass burning. Results from satellite derived area estimates suggested nearly 2803 ha as burnt during the dry season (February-April), of which evergreen vegetation accounted for 12.29%, mixed deciduous forests about 40.39% and grasslands 47.3%. Variations in biomass burning events were related to both climatic and anthropogenic factors. Of the different vegetation types, grasslands accounted for the highest amount of CO
2
emissions compared to others. Nearly 0.0126Tg of CO
2
has been released during the four-month period from vegetation burning. Further, vegetation burning in the PTR region accounted for release of 0.00050Tg of CO, 1.81E-05 Tg of CH
4
, 2.67E-05 NOx, 3.03 E-05 Tg NOx, 1.64E-06Tg of N
2
O. Primary causes of vegetation fires in the tiger reserve have been analysed and quantitative estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from biomass burning have been provided. There is a need to provide alternative energy sources for the local people in order to ease the pressure on PTR forest resources. The results will be useful for forest managers and policy-makers to undertake some mitigation options relating to fire management and greenhouse gas emissions in the sensitive zones of the study area.
Urbanization has significant effects on local weather and climate and among these effects one of the most familiar is the urban heat island, for which the temperatures of the central urban locations ...are several degrees higher than those of nearby rural areas of similar elevation. Satellite data provides important inputs for estimating regional surface albedo and evapotranspiration required in the studies related to surface energy balance. Present study describes the analysis of day and night ENVISAT-AATSR satellite data for Urban heat island and surface thermal inertia. Field campaigns have been conducted in synchronous with the satellite data over pass for validating the surface temperature estimated from AATSR data. Satellite derived surface temperature values are within ±1° C from ground measured values. Heat island formations in urban regions of Hyderabad and environs can be clearly seen in the night time data with core urban regions showing high temperatures. Apparent thermal inertia derived from AATSR day and night data sets have shown typical variations over urban regions.
Abstract
GRB 221009A is the brightest gamma-ray burst (GRB) ever detected. To probe the very-high-energy (VHE; >100 GeV) emission, the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) began observations 53 ...hr after the triggering event, when the brightness of the moonlight no longer precluded observations. We derive differential and integral upper limits using H.E.S.S. data from the third, fourth, and ninth nights after the initial GRB detection, after applying atmospheric corrections. The combined observations yield an integral energy flux upper limit of
Φ
UL
95
%
=
9.7
×
10
−
12
erg
cm
−
2
s
−
1
above
E
thr
= 650 GeV. The constraints derived from the H.E.S.S. observations complement the available multiwavelength data. The radio to X-ray data are consistent with synchrotron emission from a single electron population, with the peak in the spectral energy distribution occurring above the X-ray band. Compared to the VHE-bright GRB 190829A, the upper limits for GRB 221009A imply a smaller gamma-ray to X-ray flux ratio in the afterglow. Even in the absence of a detection, the H.E.S.S. upper limits thus contribute to the multiwavelength picture of GRB 221009A, effectively ruling out an IC-dominated scenario.
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