Allyn F. Tennant

Discovery of Spatial and Spectral Structure in the X-Ray Emission from the Crab Nebula

The Chandra X-Ray Observatory observed the Crab Nebula and pulsar during orbital calibration. Zeroth-order images with the High-Energy Transmission Grating (HETG) readout by the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer spectroscopy array (ACIS-S) show a striking richness of X-ray structure at a resolution comparable to that of the best ground-based visible-light observations. The HETG-ACIS-S images reveal, for the first time, an X-ray inner ring within the X-ray torus, the suggestion of a hollow-tube structure for the torus, and X-ray knots along the inner ring and (perhaps) along the inward extension of the X-ray jet. Although complicated by instrumental effects and the brightness of the Crab Nebula, the spectrometric analysis shows systematic variations of the X-ray spectrum throughout the nebula.

THE ULTRALUMINOUS X-RAY SOURCE POPULATION FROM THE CHANDRA ARCHIVE OF GALAXIES

One hundred fifty-four discrete non-nuclear ultraluminous X-ray (ULX) sources, with spectroscopically determined intrinsic X-ray luminosities greater than 10 39 ergs s � 1 , are identified in 82 galaxies observed with Chandra’s Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer. Source positions, X-ray luminosities, and spectral and timing characteristics are tabulated. Statistical comparisons between these X-ray properties and those of the weaker discrete sources in the same fields (mainly neutron star and stellar-mass black hole binaries) are made. Sources above � 10 38 ergs s � 1 display similar spatial, spectral, color, and variability distributions. In particular, there is no compelling evidence in the sample for a new and distinct class of X-ray object such as the intermediate-mass black holes. Eighty-three percent of ULX candidates have spectra that can be described as absorbed power laws ) �

Discovery of powerful gamma-ray flares from the Crab Nebula.

Gamma-ray observations of the Crab Nebula by two different space telescopes challenge particle acceleration theory. The well-known Crab Nebula is at the center of the SN1054 supernova remnant. It consists of a rotationally powered pulsar interacting with a surrounding nebula through a relativistic particle wind. The emissions originating from the pulsar and nebula have been considered to be essentially stable. Here, we report the detection of strong gamma-ray (100 mega–electron volts to 10 giga–electron volts) flares observed by the AGILE satellite in September 2010 and October 2007. In both cases, the total gamma-ray flux increased by a factor of three compared with the non-flaring flux. The flare luminosity and short time scale favor an origin near the pulsar, and we discuss Chandra Observatory x-ray and Hubble Space Telescope optical follow-up observations of the nebula. Our observations challenge standard models of nebular emission and require power-law acceleration by shock-driven plasma wave turbulence within an approximately 1-day time scale.

A COMPLETE SAMPLE OF ULTRALUMINOUS X-RAY SOURCE HOST GALAXIES

One hundred seven ultraluminous X-ray (ULX) sources with 0.3-10.0 keV luminosities in excess of 1e39 erg/s are identified in a complete sample of 127 nearby galaxies. The sample includes all galaxies within 14.5 Mpc above the completeness limits of both the Uppsala Galaxy Catalog and the Infrared Astronomical Satellite survey. The galaxy sample spans all Hubble types, a four decade range in mass and in star-formation rate. ULXs are detected in this sample at rates of one per 3.2e10 solar mass, one per 0.5 solar mass/year star-formation rate, and one per 57 cubic Mpc corresponding to a luminosity density of ~2e37 erg/s/Mpc3. At these rates we estimate as many as 19 additional ULXs remain undetected in fainter dwarf galaxies within the survey volume. An estimated 14 or 13%, of the 107 ULX candidates are expected to be background sources. The differential ULX luminosity function shows a power law slope of -1.2 to -2.0 with an exponential cutoff at 2e40 erg/s with precise values depending on the model and on whether the ULX luminosities are estimated from their observed numbers of counts or, for a subset of candidates, from their spectral shapes. Extrapolating the observed luminosity function predicts at most one very luminous ULX, L~1e41 erg/s, within a distance as small as 100 Mpc. The luminosity distribution of ULXs within the local universe cannot account for the recent claims of luminosities in excess of 2e41 erg/s requiring a new population class to explain these extreme objects.

Chandra X-Ray Observations of the Spiral Galaxy M81

A Chandra X-Ray Observatory ACIS-S imaging observation is used to study the population of X-ray sources in the nearby Sab galaxy M81 (NGC 3031). A total of 177 sources are detected with 124 located within the D25 isophote to a limiting X-ray luminosity of � 3 � 10 36 ergs s � 1 . Source positions, count rates, luminosities in the 0.3–8.0 keV band, limiting optical magnitudes, and potential counterpart identifications are tabulated. Spectral and timing analysis of the 36 brightest sources are reported including the low-luminosity active galactic nucleus, SN 1993J, and the Einstein-discovered ultraluminous X-ray source X6. The nucleus accounts for � 86%, or 5 � 10 40 ergs s � 1 , of the total X-ray emission from M81. Its spectrum is well fitted by an absorbed power law with photon index 1:98 � 0:08, consistent with previous observations (average index 1.9). SN 1993J has softened and faded since its discovery. At an age of 2594 days, SN 1993J displayed a complex thermal spectrum from a reverse shock rich in Fe L and highly ionized Mg, Si, and S but lacking O. A hard X-ray component, emitted by a forward shock, is also present. X6 is spatially coincident with a stellar object with optical brightness and colors consistent with an O9–B1 main-sequence star. It is also coincident with a weak radio source with a flux density of � 95 lJy at � ¼ 3:6 cm. The continuum-dominated X-ray spectrum of X6 is most closely reproduced by a blackbody disk model suggesting the X-ray source is

CHANDRA DISCOVERY OF LUMINOUS SUPERSOFT X-RAY SOURCES IN M81

A Chandra ACIS-S imaging observation of the nearby galaxy M81 (NGC 3031) reveals nine luminous soft X-ray sources. The local environments, X-ray spectral properties, and X-ray light curves of the sources are presented and discussed in the context of prevailing physical models for supersoft sources. It is shown that the sample falls within expectations based on population synthesis models taken from the literature, although the high observed luminosities (Lobs � 2 � 10 36 –3 � 10 38 ergs s � 1 in the 0.2–2.0 keV band) and equivalent blackbody temperatures (Teff � 40 80 eV) place the brightest detected M81 objects at the high-luminosity end of the class of supersoft sources defined by previous ROSAT and Einstein studies of nearby galaxies. This is interpreted as a natural consequence of the higher sensitivity of Chandra to hotter and more luminous systems. Most of the sources can be explained as canonical supersoft sources: accreting white dwarfs powered by steady surface nuclear burning with X-ray spectra well fitted by hot white dwarf local thermodynamic equilibrium atmosphere models. An exceptionally bright source is scrutinized in greater detail since its estimated bolometric luminosity, Lbol � 1:5 � 10 39 ergs s � 1 , greatly exceeds theoretical estimates for supersoft sources. This source may be beyond the stability limit and undergoing a phase of mass outflow under extreme conditions. Alternatively, a model in which the observed X-ray spectrum arises from an accretion disk around a black hole of mass � 1200=ðcos iÞ 1=2 M� (viewed at an inclination angle i) cannot be excluded. Subject headings: binaries: symbiotic — stars: atmospheres — stars: evolution — white dwarfs — X-rays: stars

DISCOVERY OF X-RAY EMISSION FROM THE CRAB PULSAR AT PULSE MINIMUM

The Chandra X-Ray Observatory observed the Crab pulsar using the Low-Energy Transmission Grating with the High-Resolution Camera. Time-resolved zeroth-order images reveal that the pulsar emits X-rays at all pulse phases. Analysis of the flux at minimum—most likely nonthermal in origin—places an upper limit (T∞ < 2.1 MK) on the surface temperature of the underlying neutron star. In addition, analysis of the pulse profile establishes that the error in the Chandra-determined absolute time is quite small, -0.2 ± 0.1 ms.

ULTRALUMINOUS X-RAY SOURCE CORRELATIONS WITH STAR-FORMING REGIONS

Maps of low-inclination nearby galaxies in Sloan Digitized Sky Survey u – g, g – r, and r – i colors are used to determine whether ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) are predominantly associated with star-forming regions of their host galaxies. An empirical selection criterion is derived from colors of H II regions in M 81 and M 101 that differentiates between the young, blue stellar component and the older disk and bulge population. This criterion is applied to a sample of 58 galaxies of Hubble type S0 and later and verified through an application of Fishers linear discriminant analysis. It is found that 60% (49%) of ULXs in optically bright environments are within regions blueward of their host galaxys H II regions compared to only 27% (0%) of a control sample according to the empirical (Fisher) criterion. This is an excess of 3σ above the 32% (27%) expected if the ULXs were randomly distributed within their galactic hosts. This indicates a ULX preference for young, 10 Myr, OB associations. However, none of the ULX environments have the morphology and optical brightness suggestive of a massive young super-star cluster though several are in extended or crowded star-forming (blue) environments that may contain clusters unresolved by Sloan imaging. Ten of the 12 ULX candidates with estimated X-ray luminosities in excess of 3 × 1039 erg s–1 are equally divided among the group of ULX environments redward of H II regions and the group of optically faint regions. This likely indicates that the brightest ULXs turn on at a time somewhat later than typical of H II regions; say 10-20 Myr after star formation has ended. This would be consistent with the onset of an accretion phase as the donor star ascends the giant branch if the donor is an 20 M ☉ star.

THE CRAB NEBULA SUPER-FLARE IN 2011 APRIL: EXTREMELY FAST PARTICLE ACCELERATION AND GAMMA-RAY EMISSION

We report on the extremely intense and fast gamma-ray flare above 100 MeV detected by AGILE from the Crab Nebula in mid-April 2011. This event is the fourth of a sequence of reported major gamma-ray flares produced by the Crab Nebula in the period 2007/mid-2011. These events are attributed to strong radiative and plasma instabilities in the inner Crab Nebula, and their properties are crucial for theoretical studies of fast and efficient particle acceleration up to 10{sup 15} eV. Here we study the very rapid flux and spectral evolution of the event that on 2011 April 16 reached the record-high peak flux of F = (26 {+-} 5) x 10{sup -6} photons cm{sup -2} s{sup -1} with a rise-time timescale that we determine to be in the range 6-10 hr. The peak flaring gamma-ray spectrum reaches a distinct maximum near 500 MeV with no substantial emission above 1 GeV. The very rapid rise time and overall evolution of the Crab Nebula flare strongly constrain the acceleration mechanisms and challenge MHD models. We briefly discuss the theoretical implications of our observations.

A Possible Faint Near-Infrared Counterpart to the Anomalous X-Ray Pulsar 1E 2259+586

We present near-infrared and optical observations of the field of the anomalous X-ray pulsar 1E 2259+586 taken with the Keck telescope. We derive a subarcsecond Chandra position and tie it to our optical reference frame using other stars in the field. We find a very faint source, Ks = 21.7 ± 0.2 mag, with a position coincident with the Chandra position. We argue that this is the counterpart. In the J, I, and R bands, we derive (2 σ) limits of 23.8, 25.6, and 26.4 mag, respectively. As with 4U 0142+61, for which a counterpart has previously been found, our results are inconsistent with models in which the source is powered by accretion from a disk but may be consistent with the magnetar model.