There is something unknown in the cosmos. Something big. Which causes the acceleration of the Universe expansion, that is perhaps the most surprising and unexpected discovery of the last decades, and ...thus represents one of the most pressing mysteries of the Universe. The current standard ΛCDM model uses two unknown entities to make everything fit: dark energy and dark matter, which together would constitute more than 95 % of the energy density of the Universe. A bit like saying that we have understood almost nothing, but without openly admitting it. Here we start from the recent theoretical results that come from the extension of general relativity to antimatter, through CPT symmetry. This theory predicts a mutual gravitational repulsion between matter and antimatter. Our basic assumption is that the Universe contains equal amounts of matter and antimatter, with antimatter possibly located in cosmic voids, as discussed in previous works. From this scenario we develop a simple cosmological model, from whose equations we derive the first results. While the existence of the elusive dark energy is completely replaced by gravitational repulsion, the presence of dark matter is not excluded, but not strictly required, as most of the related phenomena can also be ascribed to repulsive-gravity effects. With a matter energy density ranging from ∼5 % (baryonic matter alone, and as much antimatter) to ∼25 % of the so-called critical density, the present age of the Universe varies between about 13 and 15 Gyr. The SN Ia test is successfully passed, with residuals comparable with those of the ΛCDM model in the observed redshift range, but with a clear prediction for fainter SNe at higher
z
. Moreover, this model has neither horizon nor coincidence problems, and no initial singularity is requested. In conclusion, we have replaced all the tough problems of the current standard cosmology (including the matter-antimatter asymmetry) with only one question: is the gravitational interaction between matter and antimatter really repulsive as predicted by the theory and as the observation of the Universe seems to suggest? We are awaiting experimental responses.
The unexpected discovery of the accelerated cosmic expansion in 1998 has filled the Universe with the embarrassing presence of an unidentified “dark energy”, or cosmological constant, devoid of any ...physical meaning. While this standard cosmology seems to work well at the global level, improved knowledge of the kinematics and other properties of our extragalactic neighborhood indicates the need for a better theory. We investigate whether the recently suggested repulsive-gravity scenario can account for some of the features that are unexplained by the standard model. Through simple dynamical considerations, we find that the Local Void could host an amount of antimatter (∼5×10
15
M
⊙
) roughly equivalent to the mass of a typical supercluster, thus restoring the matter-antimatter symmetry. The antigravity field produced by this “dark repulsor” can explain the anomalous motion of the Local Sheet away from the Local Void, as well as several other properties of nearby galaxies that seem to require void evacuation and structure formation much faster than expected from the standard model. At the global cosmological level, gravitational repulsion from antimatter hidden in voids can provide more than enough potential energy to drive both the cosmic expansion and its acceleration, with no need for an initial “explosion” and dark energy. Moreover, the discrete distribution of these dark repulsors, in contrast to the uniformly permeating dark energy, can also explain dark flows and other recently observed excessive inhomogeneities and anisotropies of the Universe.
ABSTRACT
We present the results of a long-term periodicity search in a sample of γ-ray blazars within a multiwavelength context. These blazars have been selected from the Steward Observatory sample ...as part of its optical monitoring program between 2008 and 2018. We study 15 sources with a temporal coverage in their optical total and polarized emission sufficiently large (>9 yr) to perform a reliable long-term periodicity analysis. We collect data from several observatories to extend the coverage, enabling the search of longer periods. In addition, data are also gathered in the high-energy (E > 100 MeV) γ-ray band from the Fermi Large Area Telescope; and in the 15 GHz radio band from the Owens Valley Radio Observatory. We identify 5 promising candidates to host quasi-periodic emission, AO 0235+164, PKS 1222+216, Mrk 501, BL Lacertae, and 1ES 2344+514 with periods in one or more bands and statistical significances ∼3σ after trial factor correction. AO 0235+164 shows a period of ∼8.2 yr in the R band; PKS 1222+216 has a quasi-periodic modulation in its total and polarized optical emission of ∼1.6 yr; Mrk 501 displays a ∼5 yr quasi-periodicity in optical and radio wavelengths; BL Lacertae presents a period of ∼1.8 yr in its polarized emission; and 1ES 2344 + 514 shows a hint of a ∼5.5 yr period in its optical R band. We interpret these results in the framework of the most common models and scenarios, namely the presence of a binary supermassive black hole system; or geometrical effects like helical or precessing jets.
ABSTRACT
We report on quasi-periodic variability found in two blazars included in the Steward Observatory Blazar Monitoring data sample: the BL Lac object 3C 66A and the Flat Spectrum Radio Quasar B2 ...1633+38. We collect optical photometric and polarimetric data in V and R bands of these sources from different observatories: St. Petersburg University, Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, WEBT–GASP, Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey, Steward Observatory, STELLA Robotic Observatory, and Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope. In addition, an analysis of the γ-ray light curves from Fermi–LAT is included. Three methods are used to search for any periodic behaviour in the data: the Z-transform Discrete Correlation Function, the Lomb–Scargle periodogram and the Weighted Wavelet Z-transform. We find pieces of evidence of possible quasi-periodic variability in the optical photometric data of both sources with periods of ∼3 yr for 3C 66A and ∼1.9 yr for B2 1633+38, with significances between 3σ and 5σ. Only B2 1633+38 shows evidence of this behaviour in the optical polarized data set at a confidence level of 2σ–4σ. This is the first reported evidence of quasi-periodic behaviour in the optical light curve of B2 1633+38. Also, a hint of quasi-periodic behaviour is found in the γ-ray light curve of B2 1633+38 with a confidence level ≥2σ, while no periodicity is observed for 3C 66A in this energy range. We propose different jet emission models that could explain the quasi-periodic variability and the differences found between these two sources.
In this short paper we reply to the Comment by M.J.T.F. Cabbolet on Villata’s theory of antigravity. The criticisms of methodological and ontological kind presented by that author come from a ...misinterpretation of some concepts, perhaps due to some lack of clarity or omission of details in Villata’s original article. In order to clarify these points, here we provide additional explanations regarding the assumptions and results of the theory.
Context.
Blazars are the rarest and most powerful active galactic nuclei. They play a crucial and expanding role in the multifrequency and multimessenger astrophysics of today. Dominating the ...high-energy extragalactic sky, they have been recently associated with high-energy astrophysical neutrinos and they may be among the accelerators of the ultra-high energy cosmic rays. Current blazar catalogs, however, are incomplete and they are depleted, in particular, at low Galactic latitudes.
Aims.
Our study is aimed at augmenting the current blazar census, starting from a sample of ALMA calibrators that provides more homogeneous sky coverage, especially at low Galactic latitudes, to build a catalog of blazar candidates that can provide candidate counterparts to unassociated
γ
-ray sources and sources of high-energy neutrino emission or ultra-high energy cosmic rays.
Methods.
Based on the ALMA Calibrator Catalog, we compiled a selection of 1580 ALMA Blazar Candidates (ABCs) for which we collected multiwavelength information, including
Gaia
photometric, parallax, and proper motion data, as well as SDSS and LAMOST photometric and spectral data, WISE photometric data, X-ray (
Swift
-XRT,
Chandra
-ACIS and
XMM-Newton
-EPIC) count-rates and spectra, and
Fermi
-LAT fluxes and spectral slopes. We also compared our ALMA Blazar Candidates with existing blazar catalogs, such as 4FGL, 3HSP, WIBRaLS2, and the KDEBLLACS.
Results.
The ABC catalog fills in the gaps with regard to low Galactic latitude sources in current blazar catalogs. By cross-matching this catalog with
Gaia
DR2, SDSS DR12, LAMOST DR5, AllWISE, and 4FGL catalogs, we obtained 805, 295, 31, 1311, and 259 matches, respectively. ALMA Blazar Candidates are significantly dimmer than known blazars in the
Gaia
g
band, while the difference in the
Gaia
b
−
r
color between the two populations is less pronounced. Also, ABC sources appear bluer in SDSS than known blazars, although with low statistical significance. Most ABCs classified as QSO and BL Lac fall into the SDSS color regions of low redshift quasars, with some QSOs entering the regions of higher redshift quasars. We collected 110 optical spectra in SDSS DR12 and LAMOST DR5, which mostly classify the corresponding sources as QSO (98), while 12 sources turned out to be galactic objects. Regarding the WISE colors, we found that ABC sources are significantly bluer than known blazars in the
w
2 −
w
3 and
w
3 −
w
4 colors. In X-ray, we detected 173 ABCs and we were able to extract X-ray spectra for 92 of them. Our sources are, on average, similar in the X-ray band to known blazars in terms of count rates and spectral slopes, implying that our sample covers the same region of the blazar parameter space in this band. A comparison of
γ
-ray properties shows that the ABCs are, on average, dimmer and that their
γ
-ray spectra are softer than known blazars, indicating a significant contribution on the part of FSRQ sources. Making use of WISE colors, we classified 715 ABCs as candidate
γ
-ray blazar of different classes.
Conclusions.
We built a new catalog of 1580 candidate blazars with a rich multiwavelength data-set, filling in the gaps for low Galactic latitude sources in current blazar catalogs. This will be particularly important for the identification of the source population of high-energy neutrinos or ultra-high energy cosmic rays, or to verify the
Gaia
optical reference frame. In addition, ALMA Blazar Candidates can be investigated both through optical spectroscopic observation campaigns or through repeated photometric observations for variability studies. In this context, the data collected by the upcoming LSST surveys will provide a key tool for investigating the possible blazar nature of these sources.
Context. Since 1997, BL Lacertae has undergone a phase of high optical activity, with the occurrence of several prominent outbursts. Starting in 1999, the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT) ...consortium has organised various multifrequency campaigns on this blazar, collecting tens of thousands of data points. One of the main issues in the analysis of this huge dataset has been the study of colour variability. Aims. The immense amount of optical and near-infrared data collected during the campaigns enables us to perform a thorough analysis of multiband data, with the aim to understand the flux variability mechanisms. Methods. We use a new approach for the analysis of these data, focusing on the source spectral evolution. Results. We show that the overall behaviour of the BL Lacertae light and colour curves can be explained in terms of a changing viewing angle of a moving, discrete emitting region, which causes variable Doppler boosting of the corresponding radiation. Conclusions. A fractal helical structure is suggested to be at the origin of the different time scales of variability.
ABSTRACT
4C 71.07 is a high-redshift blazar whose optical radiation is dominated by quasar-like nuclear emission. We here present the results of a spectroscopic monitoring of the source to study its ...unbeamed properties. We obtained 24 optical spectra at the Nordic Optical Telescope and William Herschel Telescope and 3 near-infrared spectra at the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo. They show no evidence of narrow emission lines. The estimate of the systemic redshift from the Hβ and Hα broad emission lines leads to zsys = 2.2130 ± 0.0004. Notwithstanding the nearly face-on orientation of the accretion disc, the high-ionization emission lines present large broadening as well as noticeable blueshifts, which increase with the ionizing energy of the corresponding species. This is a clear indication of strong ionized outflows. Line broadening and blueshift appear correlated. We applied scaling relationships to estimate the mass of the supermassive black hole from the Balmer and C iv lines, taking into account the prescriptions to correct for outflow. They give $M_{\rm BH} \sim 2 \times 10^9 \, M_\odot$. We derived an Eddington luminosity $L_{\rm Edd} \sim 2.5 \times 10^{47} \rm \, erg \, s^{-1}$ ∼ Ldisc, and a broad-line region (BLR) luminosity of $L_{\rm BLR} \sim 1.5 \times 10^{46} \rm \, erg \, s^{-1}$. The line fluxes do not show significant variability in time. In particular, there is no line reaction to the jet flaring activity detected in 2015 October and November. This implies that the jet gives no contribution to the photoionization of the BLR in the considered period.
PDF
