Search

Current observational evidence reveals that fast radio bursts (FRBs) exhibit bandwidths ranging from a few dozen MHz to several GHz. Traditional FRB searches primarily employ matched filter methods on time series collapsed across the entire observational bandwidth. However, with modern ultra-wideband receivers featuring GHz-scale observational bandwidths, this approach may overlook a significant number of events. We investigate the efficacy of sub-banded searches for FRBs, a technique seeking bursts within limited portions of the bandwidth. These searches aim to enhance the significance of FRB detections by mitigating the impact of noise outside the targeted frequency range, thereby improving signal-to-noise ratios. We conducted a series of Monte Carlo simulations, for the $400$-MHz bandwidth Parkes 21-cm multi-beam (PMB) receiver system and the Parkes Ultra-Wideband Low (UWL) receiver, simulating bursts down to frequency widths of about $100$\,MHz. Additionally, we performed a complete reprocessing of the high-latitude segment of the High Time Resolution Universe South survey (HTRU-S) of the Parkes-Murriyang telescope using sub-banded search techniques. Simulations reveal that a sub-banded search can enhance the burst search efficiency by $67_{-42}^{+133}$ % for the PMB system and $1433_{-126}^{+143}$ % for the UWL receiver. Furthermore, the reprocessing of HTRU led to the confident detection of eighteen new bursts, nearly tripling the count of FRBs found in this survey. These results underscore the importance of employing sub-banded search methodologies to effectively address the often modest spectral occupancy of these signals., Comment: Accepted for publication (A&A)

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are energetic, millisecond-duration radio pulses observed at extragalactic distances and whose origins are still a subject of heated debate. A fraction of the FRB population have shown repeating bursts, however it's still unclear whether these represent a distinct class of sources. We investigated the bursting behaviour of FRB 20220912A, one of the most active repeating FRBs known thus far. In particular, we focused on its burst energy distribution, linked to the source energetics, and its emission spectrum, with the latter directly related to the underlying emission mechanism. We monitored FRB 20220912A at $408$ MHz with the Northern Cross radio telescope and at $1.4$ GHz using the $32$-m Medicina Grueff radio telescope. Additionally, we conducted $1.2$ GHz observations taken with the upgraded Giant Meter Wave Radio Telescope (uGMRT) searching for a persistent radio source coincident with FRB 20220912A, which included high energy observations in the $0.3-10$ keV, $0.4-100$ MeV and $0.03-30$ GeV energy range. We report $16$ new bursts from FRB 20220912A at $408$ MHz during the period between October 16$^{\rm th}$ 2022 and December 31$^{\rm st}$ 2023. Their cumulative spectral energy distribution follows a power law with slope $\alpha_E = -1.3 \pm 0.2$ and we measured a repetition rate of $0.19 \pm 0.03$ hr$^{-1}$ for bursts having a fluence of $\mathcal{F} \geq 17$ Jy ms. Furthermore, we report no detections at 1.4 GHz for $\mathcal{F} \geq 20$ Jy ms. These non-detections imply an upper limit of $\beta < -2.3$, with $\beta$ being the $408$ MHz $-$ $1.4$ GHz spectral index of FRB 20220912A. This is inconsistent with positive $\beta$ values found for the only two known cases in which an FRB has been detected in separate spectral bands. We find that FRB 20220912A shows a decline of four orders of magnitude in its bursting activity at $1.4$ GHz over a .. (abridged), Comment: accepted for publication, 13 pages, 4 figures

We used the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) satellite to measure, for the first time, the 2-8 keV polarization of NGC 1068. We pointed IXPE for a net exposure time of 1.15 Ms on the target, in addition to two ~ 10 ks each Chandra snapshots in order to account for the potential impact of several ultraluminous X-ray source (ULXs) within IXPE's field-of-view. We measured a 2 - 8 keV polarization degree of 12.4% +/- 3.6% and an electric vector polarization angle of 101{\deg} +/- 8{\deg} at 68% confidence level. If we exclude the spectral region containing the bright Fe K lines and other soft X-ray lines where depolarization occurs, the polarization fraction rises up to 21.3% +/- 6.7% in the 3.5 - 6.0 keV band, with a similar polarization angle. The observed polarization angle is found to be perpendicular to the parsec scale radio jet. Using a combined Chandra and IXPE analysis plus multi-wavelength constraints, we estimated that the circumnuclear "torus" may sustain a half-opening angle of 50{\deg} - 55{\deg} (from the vertical axis of the system). Thanks to IXPE, we have measured the X-ray polarization of NGC 1068 and found comparable results, both in terms of polarization angle orientation with respect to the radio-jet and torus half-opening angle, to the X-ray polarimetric measurement achieved for the other archetypal Compton-thick AGN : the Circinus galaxy. Probing the geometric arrangement of parsec-scale matter in extragalactic object is now feasible thanks to X-ray polarimetry., Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables, submited to A&A

PKS 1830$-$211 is a $\gamma$-ray emitting, high-redshift (z $= 2.507 \pm 0.002$), lensed flat-spectrum radio quasar. During the period mid-February to mid-April 2019, this source underwent a series of strong $\gamma$-ray flares that were detected by both AGILE-GRID and Fermi-LAT, reaching a maximum $\gamma$-ray flux of $F_{\rm E>100 MeV}\approx 2.3\times10^{-5}$ ph cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$. Here we report on a coordinated campaign from both on-ground (Medicina, OVRO, REM, SRT) and orbiting facilities (AGILE, Fermi, INTEGRAL, NuSTAR, Swift, Chandra), with the aim of investigating the multi-wavelength properties of PKS 1830$-$211 through nearly simultaneous observations presented here for the first time. We find a possible break in the radio spectra in different epochs above 15 GHz, and a clear maximum of the 15 GHz data approximately 110 days after the $\gamma$-ray main activity periods. The spectral energy distribution shows a very pronounced Compton dominance (> 200) which challenges the canonical one-component emission model. Therefore we propose that the cooled electrons of the first component are re-accelerated to a second component by, e.g., kink or tearing instability during the $\gamma$-ray flaring periods. We also note that PKS 1830$-$211 could be a promising candidate for future observations with both Compton satellites (e.g., e-ASTROGAM) and Cherenkov arrays (CTAO) which will help, thanks to their improved sensitivity, in extending the data availability in energy bands currently uncovered., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 16 pages, 18 figures, 12 tables

We present the results of the first X-ray polarimetric observation of the low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1957+115, performed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer in May 2023. The binary system has been in a high-soft spectral state since its discovery and is thought to host a black hole. The $\sim$571 ks observation reveals a linear polarisation degree of $1.9\% \pm 0.6\%$ and a polarisation angle of $-41^\circ.8 \pm 7^\circ.9$ in the 2-8 keV energy range. Spectral modelling is consistent with the dominant contribution coming from the standard accretion disc, while polarimetric data suggest a significant role of returning radiation: photons that are bent by strong gravity effects and forced to return to the disc surface, where they can be reflected before eventually reaching the observer. In this setting, we find that models with a black hole spin lower than 0.96 and an inclination lower than $50^\circ$ are disfavoured., Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in A&A

Gamma-ray emission in the MeV-GeV range from explosive cosmic events is of invaluable relevance to understanding physical processes related to the formation of neutron stars and black holes. Here we report on the detection by the AGILE satellite in the MeV-GeV energy range of the remarkable long-duration gamma-ray burst GRB 221009A. The AGILE onboard detectors have good exposure to GRB 221009A during its initial crucial phases. Hard X-ray/MeV emission in the prompt phase lasted hundreds of seconds, with the brightest radiation being emitted between 200 and 300 seconds after the initial trigger. Very intense GeV gamma-ray emission is detected by AGILE in the prompt and early afterglow phase up to 10,000 seconds. Time-resolved spectral analysis shows time-variable MeV-peaked emission simultaneous with intense power-law GeV radiation that persists in the afterglow phase. The coexistence during the prompt phase of very intense MeV emission together with highly nonthermal and hardening GeV radiation is a remarkable feature of GRB 221009A. During the prompt phase, the event shows spectrally different MeV and GeV emissions that are most likely generated by physical mechanisms occurring in different locations. AGILE observations provide crucial flux and spectral gamma-ray information regarding the early phases of GRB 221009A during which emission in the TeV range was reported., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJL on September 19, 2023. Published online on October 17, 2023. Revised Figure 5 (June 13, 2024)

We present the first large sample of scintillation arcs in millisecond pulsars, analysing 12 sources observed with the Large European Array for Pulsars (LEAP), and the Effelsberg 100\,m telescope. We estimate the delays from multipath propagation, measuring significant correlated changes in scattering timescales over a 10-year timespan. Many sources show compact concentrations of power in the secondary spectrum, which in PSRs J0613$-$0200 and J1600$-$3053 can be tracked between observations, and are consistent with compact scattering at fixed angular positions. Other sources such as PSRs J1643$-$1224 and J0621+1002 show diffuse, asymmetric arcs which are likely related to phase-gradients across the scattering screen. PSR B1937+21 shows at least three distinct screens which dominate at different times and evidence of varying screen axes or multi-screen interactions. We model annual and orbital arc curvature variations in PSR J0613$-$0200, providing a measurement of the longitude of ascending node, resolving the sense of the orbital inclination, where our best fit model is of a screen with variable axis of anisotropy over time, corresponding to changes in the scattering of the source. Unmodeled variations of the screen's axis of anisotropy are likely to be a limiting factor in determining orbital parameters with scintillation, requiring careful consideration of variable screen properties, or independent VLBI measurements. Long-term scintillation studies such as this serve as a complementary tool to pulsar timing, to measure a source of correlated noise for pulsar timing arrays, solve pulsar orbits, and to understand the astrophysical origin of scattering screens., Comment: Submitted to MNRAS, first revision. 18 pages, 16 figures

We report on a comprehensive analysis of simultaneous X-ray polarimetric and spectral data of the bright atoll source GX 9+9 with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) and NuSTAR. The source is significantly polarized in the 4--8 keV band, with a degree of $2.2\% \pm 0.5\%$ (uncertainty at the 68% confidence level). The NuSTAR broad-band spectrum clearly shows an iron line, and is well described by a model including thermal disk emission, a Comptonized component, and reflection. From a spectro-polarimetric fit, we obtain an upper limit to the polarization degree of the disk of 4% (at 99% confidence level), while the contribution of Comptonized and reflected radiation cannot be conclusively separated. However, the polarization is consistent with resulting from a combination of Comptonization in a boundary or spreading layer, plus reflection off the disc, which gives a significant contribution in any realistic scenario., Comment: 10 pages, accepted for publication in A&A

Aims. Fast Radio Bursts are bright radio transients whose origin has not yet explained. The search for a multi-wavelength counterpart of those events can put a tight constrain on the emission mechanism and the progenitor source. Methods. We conducted a multi-wavelength observational campaign on FRB 20180916B between October 2020 and August 2021 during eight activity cycles of the source. Observations were led in the radio band by the SRT both at 336 MHz and 1547 MHz and the uGMRT at 400 MHz. Simultaneous observations have been conducted by the optical telescopes Asiago (Galileo and Copernico), CMO SAI MSU, CAHA 2.2m, RTT-150 and TNG, and X/Gamma-ray detectors on board the AGILE, Insight-HXMT, INTEGRAL and Swift satellites. Results. We present the detection of 14 new bursts detected with the SRT at 336 MHz and seven new bursts with the uGMRT from this source. We provide the deepest prompt upper limits in the optical band fro FRB 20180916B to date. In fact, the TNG/SiFAP2 observation simultaneous to a burst detection by uGMRT gives an upper limit E_optical / E_radio < 1.3 x 10^2. Another burst detected by the SRT at 336 MHz was also co-observed by Insight-HMXT. The non-detection in the X-rays yields an upper limit (1-30 keV band) of E_X-ray / E_radio in the range of (0.9-1.3) x 10^7, depending on which model is considered for the X-ray emission., Comment: A&A accepted

We present an X-ray spectro-polarimetric analysis of the bright Seyfert galaxy IC 4329A. The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observed the source for ~500 ks, supported by XMM-Newton (~60 ks) and NuSTAR (~80 ks) exposures. We detect polarisation in the 2-8 keV band with 2.97 sigma confidence. We report a polarisation degree of $3.3\pm1.1$ per cent and a polarisation angle of $78\pm10$ degrees (errors are 1 sigma confidence). The X-ray polarisation is consistent with being aligned with the radio jet, albeit partially due to large uncertainties on the radio position angle. We jointly fit the spectra from the three observatories to constrain the presence of a relativistic reflection component. From this, we obtain constraints on the inclination angle to the inner disc (< 39 degrees at 99 per cent confidence) and the disc inner radius (< 11 gravitational radii at 99 per cent confidence), although we note that modelling systematics in practice add to the quoted statistical error. Our spectro-polarimetric modelling indicates that the 2-8 keV polarisation is consistent with being dominated by emission directly observed from the X-ray corona, but the polarisation of the reflection component is completely unconstrained. Our constraints on viewer inclination and polarisation degree tentatively favour more asymmetric, possibly out-flowing, coronal geometries that produce more highly polarised emission, but the coronal geometry is unconstrained at the 3 sigma level., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 13 pages, 9 figures

We report on the second observation of the radio-quiet active galactic nucleus (AGN) MCG-05-23-16 performed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). The observation started on 2022 November 6 for a net observing time of 640 ks, and was partly simultaneous with NuSTAR (86 ks). After combining these data with those obtained in the first IXPE pointing on May 2022 (simultaneous with XMM-Newton and NuSTAR) we find a 2-8 keV polarization degree $\Pi$ = 1.6 $\pm$ 0.7 (at 68 per cent confidence level), which corresponds to an upper limit $\Pi$ = 3.2 per cent (at 99 per cent confidence level). We then compare the polarization results with Monte Carlo simulations obtained with the MONK code, with which different coronal geometries have been explored (spherical lamppost, conical, slab and wedge). Furthermore, the allowed range of inclination angles is found for each geometry. If the best fit inclination value from a spectroscopic analysis is considered, a cone-shaped corona along the disc axis is disfavoured., Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, 3 table. Submitted to MNRAS

X Persei is a persistent low-luminosity X-ray pulsar of period of $\sim$835 s in a Be binary system. The field strength at the neutron star surface is not known precisely, but indirect signs indicate a magnetic field above $10^{13}$ G, which makes the object one of the most magnetized known X-ray pulsars. Here we present the results of observations X Persei performed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). The X-ray polarization signal was found to be strongly dependent on the spin phase of the pulsar. The energy-averaged polarization degree in 3-8 keV band varied from several to $\sim$20 per cent over the pulse with a positive correlation with the pulsed X-ray flux. The polarization angle shows significant variation and makes two complete revolutions during the pulse period resulting in nearly nil pulse-phase averaged polarization. Applying the rotating vector model to the IXPE data we obtain the estimates for the rotation axis inclination and its position angle on the sky as well as for the magnetic obliquity. The derived inclination is close to the orbital inclination reported earlier for X Persei. The polarimetric data imply a large angle between the rotation and magnetic dipole axes, which is similar to the result reported recently for the X-ray pulsar GRO J1008$-$57. After eliminating the effect of polarization angle rotation over the pulsar phase using the best-fitting rotating vector model, the strong dependence of the polarization degree with energy was discovered with its value increasing from 0% at $\sim$2 keV to 30% at 8 keV., Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, submitted to MNRAS

We present an X-ray spectro-polarimetric analysis of the bright Seyfert galaxy NGC4151. The source has been observed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) for 700 ks, complemented with simultaneous XMM-Newton (50 ks) and NuSTAR (100 ks) pointings. A polarization degree ${\Pi} = 4.9 {\pm} 1.1 \%$ and angle ${\Psi}= 86{\deg} {\pm} 7{\deg}$ east of north ($68\%$ confidence level) are measured in the 2-8 keV energy range. The spectro-polarimetric analysis shows that the polarization could be entirely due to reflection. Given the low reflection flux in the IXPE band, this requires however a reflection with a very large ($> 38 \%$) polarization degree. Assuming more reasonable values, a polarization degree of the hot corona ranging from ${\sim}4$ to ${\sim}8\%$ is found. The observed polarization degree excludes a spherical lamppost geometry for the corona, suggesting instead a slab-like geometry, possibly a wedge, as determined via Monte Carlo simulations. This is further confirmed by the X-ray polarization angle, which coincides with the direction of the extended radio emission in this source, supposed to match the disc axis. NGC4151 is the first AGN with an X-ray polarization measure for the corona, illustrating the capabilities of X-ray polarimetry and IXPE in unveiling its geometry., Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures

Detecting a planetary companion in a short-period orbit through radio emission from the interaction with its host star is a new prospect in exoplanet science. Recently, a tantalising signal was found close to the low-mass stellar system GJ 1151 using LOFAR observations. We studied spectroscopic time-series data of GJ 1151 in order to search for planetary companions, investigate possible signatures of stellar magnetic activity, and to find possible explanations for the radio signal. We used the combined radial velocities measured from spectra acquired with the CARMENES, HARPS-N, and HPF instruments, extracted activity indices from those spectra in order to mitigate the impact of stellar magnetic activity on the data, and performed a detailed analysis of Gaia astrometry and all available photometric time series coming from the MEarth and ASAS-SN surveys. We found a M$>$10.6 M$_{\oplus}$ companion to GJ 1151 in a 390d orbit at a separation of 0.57 au. Evidence for a second modulation is also present; this could be due to long-term magnetic variability or a second (substellar) companion. The star shows episodes of elevated magnetic activity, one of which could be linked to the observed LOFAR radio emission. We show that it is highly unlikely that the detected GJ 1151 b, or any additional outer companion is the source of the detected signal. We cannot firmly rule out the suggested explanation of an undetected short-period planet that could be related to the radio emission, as we establish an upper limit of 1.2 M$_{\oplus}$ for the minimum mass., Comment: 18 pages, 11 figures. Accepted version, A&A (2023)

We report spectro-polarimetric results of an observational campaign of the bright neutron star low-mass X-ray binary Cyg X-2 simultaneously observed by IXPE, NICER and INTEGRAL. Consistently with previous results, the broad-band spectrum is characterized by a lower-energy component, attributed to the accretion disc with $kT_{\rm in} \approx$ 1 keV, plus unsaturated Comptonization in thermal plasma with temperature $kT_{\rm e} = 3$ keV and optical depth $\tau \approx 4$, assuming a slab geometry. We measure the polarization degree in the 2-8 keV band $P=1.8 \pm 0.3$ per cent and polarization angle $\phi = 140^{\circ} \pm 4^{\circ}$, consistent with the previous X-ray polarimetric measurements by OSO-8 as well as with the direction of the radio jet which was earlier observed from the source. While polarization of the disc spectral component is poorly constrained with the IXPE data, the Comptonized emission has a polarization degree $P =4.0 \pm 0.7$ per cent and a polarization angle aligned with the radio jet. Our results strongly favour a spreading layer at the neutron star surface as the main source of the polarization signal. However, we cannot exclude a significant contribution from reflection off the accretion disc, as indicated by the presence of the iron fluorescence line., Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

We report on the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observation of the closest and X-ray brightest Compton-thick active galactic nucleus (AGN), the Circinus galaxy. We find the source to be significantly polarized in the 2--6 keV band. From previous studies, the X-ray spectrum is known to be dominated by reflection components, both neutral (torus) and ionized (ionization cones). Our analysis indicates that the polarization degree is $28 \pm 7$ per cent (at 68 per cent confidence level) for the neutral reflector, with a polarization angle of $18{\deg} \pm 5{\deg}$, roughly perpendicular to the radio jet. The polarization of the ionized reflection is unconstrained. A comparison with Monte Carlo simulations of the polarization expected from the torus shows that the neutral reflector is consistent with being an equatorial torus with a half-opening angle of 45{\deg}-55{\deg}. This is the first X-ray polarization detection in a Seyfert galaxy, demonstrating the power of X-ray polarimetry in probing the geometry of the circumnuclear regions of AGNs, and confirming the basic predictions of standard Unification Models., Comment: 9 pages, accepted for publication in MNRAS, authors list updated

We report on the first observation of a radio-quiet Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) using polarized X-rays: the Seyfert 1.9 galaxy MCG-05-23-16. This source was pointed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) starting on May 14, 2022 for a net observing time of 486 ks, simultaneously with XMM-Newton (58 ks) and NuSTAR (83 ks). A polarization degree smaller than $\Pi<4.7\%$ (at the 99% c.l.) is derived in the 2-8 keV energy range, where emission is dominated by the primary component ascribed to the hot corona. The broad-band spectrum, inferred from a simultaneous fit to the IXPE, NuSTAR, and XMM-Newton data, is well reproduced by a power law with photon index $\Gamma=1.85\pm0.01$ and a high-energy cutoff $E_{\rm C}=120\pm15$ keV. A comparison with Monte Carlo simulations shows that a lamp-post and a conical geometry of the corona are consistent with the observed upper limit, a slab geometry is allowed only if the inclination angle of the system is less than 50$^{\circ}$., Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, 1 table. Submitted to MNRAS Letters

We report on the detection of quasi-periodic micro-structure in three millisecond pulsars (MSPs), PSRs J1022+1001, J2145-0750 and J1744-1134, using high time resolution data acquired with the Large European Array for Pulsars at a radio frequency of 1.4 GHz. The occurrence rate of quasi-periodic micro-structure is consistent among pulses with different peak flux densities. Using an auto-correlation analysis, we measure the periodicity and width of the micro-structure in these three pulsars. The detected micro-structure from PSRs J1022+1001 and J1744-1134 is often highly linearly polarised. In PSR J1022+1001, the linear polarisation position angles of micro-structure pulses are in general flat with a small degree of variation. Using these results, we further examine the frequency and rotational period dependency of micro-structure properties established in previous work, along with the angular beaming and temporal modulation models that explains the appearance of micro-structure. We also discuss a possible link of micro-structure to the properties of some of the recently discovered fast radio bursts which exhibit a very similar emission morphology., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, published in MNRAS

In this work we report the results of a nineteen-month Fast Radio Burst observational campaign carried out with the North-South arm of the Medicina Northern Cross radio telescope at 408~MHz in which we monitored four repeating sources: FRB20180916B, FRB20181030A, FRB20200120E and FRB20201124A. We present the current state of the instrument and the detection and characterisation of three bursts from FRB20180916B. Given our observing time, our detections are consistent with the event number we expect from the known burst rate ($2.7 \pm 1.9$ above our 10$\sigma$, 38~Jy~ms detection threshold) in the 5.2 day active window of the source, further confirming the source periodicity. We detect no bursts from the other sources. We turn this result into a 95\% confidence level lower limit on the slope of the differential fluence distribution $\alpha$ to be $\alpha > 2.1$ and $\alpha > 2.2$ for FRB20181030A and FRB20200120E respectively. Given the known rate for FRB20201124A, we expect $1.0 \pm 1.1$ bursts from our campaign, consistent with our non-detection., Comment: MNRAS Accepted, 10 pages, 6 figures

In this work we study variations in the parabolic scintillation arcs of the binary millisecond pulsar PSR J1643-1224 over five years using the Large European Array for Pulsars (LEAP). The 2D power spectrum of scintillation, called the secondary spectrum, often shows a parabolic distribution of power, where the arc curvature encodes the relative velocities and distances of the pulsar, ionised interstellar medium (IISM), and Earth. We observe a clear parabolic scintillation arc which varies in curvature throughout the year. The distribution of power in the secondary spectra are inconsistent with a single scattering screen which is fully 1D, or entirely isotropic. We fit the observed arc curvature variations with two models; an isotropic scattering screen, and a model with two independent 1D screens. We measure the distance to the scattering screen to be in the range 114-223 pc, depending on the model, consistent with the known distance of the foreground large-diameter HII region Sh 2-27 (112+/-17 pc), suggesting that it is the dominant source of scattering. We obtain only weak constraints on the pulsar's orbital inclination and angle of periastron, since the scintillation pattern is not very sensitive to the pulsar's motion, since the screen is much closer to the Earth than the pulsar. More measurements of this kind - where scattering screens can be associated with foreground objects - will help to inform the origins and distribution of scattering screens within our galaxy., Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures. Accepted by MNRAS

Very long baseline interferometric (VLBI) localisations of repeating fast radio bursts (FRBs) have demonstrated a diversity of local environments: from nearby star-forming regions to globular clusters. Here we report the VLBI localisation of FRB 20201124A using an ad-hoc array of dishes that also participate in the European VLBI Network (EVN). In our campaign, we detected 18 total bursts from FRB 20201124A at two separate epochs. By combining the visibilities from both observing epochs, we were able to localise FRB 20201124A with a 1-$\sigma$ error of 4.5 milliarcseconds (mas). We use the relatively large burst sample to investigate astrometric accuracy, and find that for $\gtrsim20$ baselines ($\gtrsim7$ dishes) that we can robustly reach milliarcsecond precision even using single-burst data sets. Sub-arcsecond precision is still possible for single bursts, even when only $\sim$ six baselines (four dishes) are available. We explore two methods for determining the individual burst positions: the peaks of the dirty maps and a Gaussian fit to the cross fringe pattern on the dirty maps. We found the latter to be more reliable due to the lower mean and standard deviation in the offsets from the FRB position. Our VLBI work places FRB 20201124A 705$\pm$26 mas (1-$\sigma$ errors) from the optical centre of the host galaxy, and consistent with originating from within the recently-discovered extended radio structure associated with star-formation in the host galaxy. Future high-resolution optical observations, e.g. with Hubble Space Telescope, can determine the proximity of our FRB 20201124A VLBI position to nearby knots of star formation., Comment: submitted, comments welcome

We present the results of a multiwavelength campaign of FRB 20201124A, the third closest repeating fast radio burst recently localized in a nearby (z=0.0978) galaxy. Deep VLA observations led to the detection of quiescent radio emission, also marginally visible in X-rays with Chandra. Imaging at 22 GHz allowed us to resolve the source on a scale of $\gtrsim$ 1 arcsec and locate it at the position of the FRB, within an error of 0.2 arcsec. EVN and e-MERLIN observations sampled small angular scales, from 2 to 100 mas, providing tight upper limits on the presence of a compact source and evidence for diffuse radio emission. We argue that this emission is associated with enhanced star formation activity in the proximity of the FRB, corresponding to a star formation rate of $\approx 10\ {\rm M}_\odot {\rm yr}^{-1}$. The surface star formation rate at the location of FRB 20201124A is two orders of magnitude larger than typically observed in other precisely localized FRBs. Such a high SFR is indicative of this FRB source being a new-born magnetar produced from a SN explosion of a massive star progenitor. Upper limits to the X-ray counterparts of 49 radio bursts observed in our simultaneous FAST, SRT and Chandra campaign are consistent with a magnetar scenario., Comment: Accepted by A&A letters

Due to be launched in late 2021, the Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) is a NASA Small Explorer mission designed to perform polarization measurements in the 2-8 keV band, complemented with imaging, spectroscopy and timing capabilities. At the heart of the focal plane is a set of three polarization-sensitive Gas Pixel Detectors (GPD), each based on a custom ASIC acting as a charge-collecting anode. In this paper we shall review the design, manufacturing, and test of the IXPE focal-plane detectors, with particular emphasis on the connection between the science drivers, the performance metrics and the operational aspects. We shall present a thorough characterization of the GPDs in terms of effective noise, trigger efficiency, dead time, uniformity of response, and spectral and polarimetric performance. In addition, we shall discuss in detail a number of instrumental effects that are relevant for high-level science analysis -- particularly as far as the response to unpolarized radiation and the stability in time are concerned., Comment: To be published in Astroparticle Physics

We report here on the discovery with XMM-Newton of pulsations at 22 ms from the central compact source associated with IKT16, a supernova remnant in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The measured spin period and spin period derivative correspond to 21.7661076(2) ms and $2.9(3)\times10^{-14}$ s,s$^{-1}$, respectively. Assuming standard spin-down by magnetic dipole radiation, the spin-down power corresponds to $1.1\times10^{38}$,erg,s$^{-1}$ implying a Crab-like pulsar. This makes it the most energetic pulsar discovered in the SMC so far and a close analogue of PSR J0537--6910, a Crab-like pulsar in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The characteristic age of the pulsar is 12 kyr. Having for the first time a period measure for this source, we also searched for the signal in archival data collected in radio with the Parkes telescope and in Gamma-rays with the Fermi/LAT, but no evidence for pulsation was found in these energy bands., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRAS Letters

We report on a systematic search for hard X-ray and gamma-ray emission in coincidence with fast radio bursts (FRBs) observed by the AGILE satellite. We used 13 years of AGILE archival data searching for time coincidences between exposed FRBs and events detectable by the MCAL (0.4-100 MeV) and GRID (50 MeV-30 GeV) detectors at timescales ranging from milliseconds to days/weeks. The current AGILE sky coverage allowed us to extend the search for high-energy emission preceding and following the FRB occurrence. We considered all FRBs sources currently included in catalogues, and identified a sub-sample (15 events) for which a good AGILE exposure either with MCAL or GRID was obtained. In this paper we focus on non-repeating FRBs, compared to a few nearby repeating sources. We did not detect significant MeV or GeV emission from any event. Our hard X-ray upper limits (ULs) in the MeV energy range were obtained for timescales from sub-millisecond to seconds, and in the GeV range from minutes to weeks around event times. We focus on a sub-set of 5 non-repeating and 2 repeating FRB sources whose distances are most likely smaller than that of 180916.J0158+65 (150 Mpc). For these sources, our MeV ULs translate into ULs on the isotropically-emitted energy of about 3x10^46 erg, comparable to that observed in the 2004 giant flare from the Galactic magnetar SGR 1806-20. On average, these nearby FRBs emit radio pulses of energies significantly larger than the recently detected SGR 1935+2154 and are not yet associated with intense MeV flaring., Comment: ApJ, 915, 102

Magnetars are a promising candidate for the origin of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs). The detection of an extremely luminous radio burst from the Galactic magnetar SGR J1935+2154 on 2020 April 28 added credence to this hypothesis. We report on simultaneous and non-simultaneous observing campaigns using the Arecibo, Effelsberg, LOFAR, MeerKAT, MK2 and Northern Cross radio telescopes and the MeerLICHT optical telescope in the days and months after the April 28 event. We did not detect any significant single radio pulses down to fluence limits between 25 mJy ms and 18 Jy ms. Some observing epochs overlapped with times when X-ray bursts were detected. Radio images made on four days using the MeerKAT telescope revealed no point-like persistent or transient emission at the location of the magnetar. No transient or persistent optical emission was detected over seven days. Using the multi-colour MeerLICHT images combined with relations between DM, NH and reddening we constrain the distance to SGR J1935+2154, to be between 1.5 and 6.5 kpc. The upper limit is consistent with some other distance indicators and suggests that the April 28 burst is closer to two orders of magnitude less energetic than the least energetic FRBs. The lack of single-pulse radio detections shows that the single pulses detected over a range of fluences are either rare, or highly clustered, or both. It may also indicate that the magnetar lies somewhere between being radio-quiet and radio-loud in terms of its ability to produce radio emission efficiently., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Corresponding author B. W. Stappers

The detection of a short hard X-ray burst and an associated bright soft X-ray source by the Swift satellite in 2020 October heralded a new magnetar in outburst, SGR J1830-0645. Pulsations at a period of ~10.4 s were detected in prompt follow-up X-ray observations. We present here the analysis of the Swift/BAT burst, of XMM-Newton and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array observations performed at the outburst peak, and of a Swift/XRT monitoring campaign over the subsequent month. The burst was single-peaked, lasted ~6 ms, and released a fluence of ~5e-9 erg cm^-2 (15-50 keV). The spectrum of the X-ray source at the outburst peak was well described by an absorbed double-blackbody model plus a power-law component detectable up to ~25 keV. The unabsorbed X-ray flux decreased from ~5e-11 to ~2.5e-11 erg cm^-2 s^-1 one month later (0.3-10 keV). Based on our timing analysis, we estimate a dipolar magnetic field ~5.5e14 G at pole, a spin-down luminosity ~2.4e32 erg s^-1, and a characteristic age ~24 kyr. The spin modulation pattern appears highly pulsed in the soft X-ray band, and becomes smoother at higher energies. Several short X-ray bursts were detected during our campaign. No evidence for periodic or single-pulse emission was found at radio frequencies in observations performed with the Sardinia Radio Telescope and Parkes. According to magneto-thermal evolutionary models, the real age of SGR J1830-0645 is close to the characteristic age, and the dipolar magnetic field at birth was slightly larger, ~1e15 G., Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters

We report on simultaneous radio and X-ray observations of the radio-emitting magnetar 1E1547.0-5408 on 2009 January 25 and February 3, with the 64-m Parkes radio telescope and the Chandra and XMM-Newton X-ray observatories. The magnetar was observed in a period of intense X-ray bursting activity and enhanced X-ray emission. We report here on the detection of two radio bursts from 1E1547.0-5408, reminiscent of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs). One of the radio bursts was anticipated by ~1s (about half a rotation period of the pulsar) by a bright SGR-like X-ray burst, resulting in a F_radio/F_X ~ 10^-9. Radio pulsations were not detected during the observation showing the FRB-like radio bursts, while they were detected in the previous radio observation. We also found that the two radio bursts are neither aligned with the latter radio pulsations nor with the peak of the X-ray pulse profile (phase shift of ~0.2). Comparing the luminosity of these FRB-like bursts and those reported from SGR1935+2154, we find that the wide range in radio efficiency and/or luminosity of magnetar bursts in the Galaxy may bridge the gap between "ordinary" pulsar radio bursts and the extragalactic FRB phenomenon., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 9 pages, 3 figures

The microquasar Cygnus X-3 underwent a giant radio flare in April 2017, reaching a maximum flux of $\sim 16.5$ Jy at 8.5 GHz. We present results from a long monitoring campaign carried out with Medicina at 8.5, 18.6 and 24.1 GHz, in parallel to the Mets\"ahovi radio telescope at 37 GHz, from 4 to 11 April 2017. We observe a spectral steepening from $\alpha = 0.2$ to 0.5 (with $S_{\nu} \propto \nu^{-\alpha}$) within 6 h around the epoch of the peak maximum of the flare, and rapid changes in the spectral slope in the following days during brief enhanced emission episodes while the general trend of the radio flux density indicated the decay of the giant flare. We further study the radio orbital modulation of Cyg X-3 emission associated with the 2017 giant flare and with six mini-flares observed in 1983, 1985, 1994, 1995, 2002 and 2016. The enhanced emission episodes observed during the decline of the giant flare at 8.5 GHz coincide with the orbital phase $\phi \sim 0.5$ (orbital inferior conjunction). On the other hand the light curves of the mini-flares observed at $15-22$ GHz peak at $\phi \sim 0$, except for the 2016 light curve which is shifted of 0.5 w.r.t. the other ones. We attribute the apparent phase shift to the variable location of the emitting region along the bent jet. This might be explained by the different accretion states of the flaring episodes (the 2016 mini-flare occurred in the hypersoft X-ray state)., Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal

Supernova remnants (SNRs) represent a powerful laboratory to study the Cosmic-Ray acceleration processes at the shocks, and their relation to the properties of the circumstellar medium. With the aim of studying the high-frequency radio emission and investigating the energy distribution of accelerated electrons and the magnetic field conditions, we performed single-dish observations of the large and complex Cygnus Loop SNR from 7.0 to 24.8 GHz with the Medicina and the Sardinia Radio Telescope, focusing on the northern filament (NGC 6992) and the southern shell. Both regions show a spectrum well fitted by a power-law function ($S\propto\nu^{-\alpha}$), with spectral index $\alpha=0.45\pm0.05$ for NGC 6992 and $\alpha=0.49\pm0.01$ for the southern shell and without any indication of a spectral break. The spectra are significantly flatter than the whole Cygnus Loop spectrum ($\alpha=0.54\pm0.01$), suggesting a departure from the plain shock acceleration mechanisms, which for NGC 6992 could be related to the ongoing transition towards a radiative shock. We model the integrated spectrum of the whole SNR considering the evolution of the maximum energy and magnetic field amplification. Through the radio spectral parameters, we infer a magnetic field at the shock of 10 $\mu$G. This value is compatible with a pure adiabatic compression of the interstellar magnetic field, suggesting that the amplification process is currently inefficient., Comment: 19 pages, 13 figures

NenuFAR (New extension in Nan\c{c}ay upgrading LoFAR) is a new radio telescope developed and built on the site of the Nan\c{c}ay Radio Observatory. It is designed to observe the largely unexplored frequency window from 10 to 85\,MHz, offering a high sensitivity across its full bandwidth. NenuFAR has started its "early science" operation in July 2019, with 58\% of its final collecting area being available. Pulsars are one of the major topics for the scientific exploitation of this frequency range and represent an important challenge in terms of instrumentation. Designing instrumentation at these frequencies is complicated by the need to compensate for the effects of both the interstellar medium and the ionosphere on the observed signal. Our real-time pipeline LUPPI (Low frequency Ultimate Pulsar Processing Instrumentation) is able to cope with a high data rate and to provide real-time coherent de-dispersion down to the lowest frequencies reached by NenuFAR (10\,MHz). The full backend functionality is described, as well as the main pulsar observing modes (folded, single-pulse, waveform, and dynamic spectrum). This instrumentation allowed us to detect 172 pulsars in our first targeted search below 85\,MHz, including 10 millisecond pulsars (6 of which detected for the first time below 100 MHz). We also present some of the "early science" results of NenuFAR on pulsars: a high frequency resolution mapping of PSR B1919$+$21's emission profile and a detailed observation of single-pulse sub-structures from PSR~B0809$+$74 down to 16\,MHz, the high rate of giant-pulse emission from the Crab pulsar detected at 68.7\,MHz (43 events/min), and the illustration of the very good timing performance of the instrumentation, allowing us to study dispersion measure variations in great detail., Comment: 13 pages, 14 figures, submitted to A&A

We present 11 detections of FRB 121102 in ~3 hours of observations during its 'active' period on the 10th of September 2019. The detections were made using the newly deployed MeerTRAP system and single pulse detection pipeline at the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa. Fortuitously, the Nancay radio telescope observations on this day overlapped with the last hour of MeerKAT observations and resulted in 4 simultaneous detections. The observations with MeerKAT's wide band receiver, which extends down to relatively low frequencies (900-1670 MHz usable L-band range), have allowed us to get a detailed look at the complex frequency structure, intensity variations and frequency-dependent sub-pulse drifting. The drift rates we measure for the full-band and sub-banded data are consistent with those published between 600-6500 MHz with a slope of -0.147 +/- 0.014 ms^-1. Two of the detected bursts exhibit fainter 'precursors' separated from the brighter main pulse by ~28 ms and ~34 ms. A follow-up multi-telescope campaign on the 6th and 8th October 2019 to better understand these frequency drifts and structures over a wide and continuous band was undertaken. No detections resulted, indicating that the source was 'inactive' over a broad frequency range during this time., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are short (millisecond) radio pulses originating from enigmatic sources at extragalactic distances so far lacking a detection in other energy bands. Magnetized neutron stars (magnetars) have been considered as the sources powering the FRBs, but the connection is controversial because of differing energetics and the lack of radio and X-ray detections with similar characteristics in the two classes. We report here the detection by the AGILE satellite on April 28, 2020 of an X-ray burst in coincidence with the very bright radio burst from the Galactic magnetar SGR 1935+2154. The burst detected by AGILE in the hard X-ray band (18-60 keV) lasts about 0.5 seconds, it is spectrally cutoff above 80 keV, and implies an isotropically emitted energy ~ $10^{40}$ erg. This event is remarkable in many ways: it shows for the first time that a magnetar can produce X-ray bursts in coincidence with FRB-like radio bursts; it also suggests that FRBs associated with magnetars may emit X-ray bursts of both magnetospheric and radio-pulse types that may be discovered in nearby sources. Guided by this detection, we discuss SGR 1935+2154 in the context of FRBs, and especially focus on the class of repeating-FRBs. Based on energetics, magnetars with fields B ~ $10^{15}$ G may power the majority of repeating-FRBs. Nearby repeating-FRBs offer a unique occasion to consolidate the FRB-magnetar connection, and we present new data on the X-ray monitoring of nearby FRBs. Our detection enlightens and constrains the physical process leading to FRBs: contrary to previous expectations, high-brightness temperature radio emission coexists with spectrally-cutoff X-ray radiation., Comment: Submitted to Nature Astronomy, May 18, 2020

FRB 180916 is a most intriguing source at 150 Mpc distance capable of producing repeating fast radio bursts with a periodic 16.35 day temporal pattern. We report on the X-ray and $\gamma$-ray observations of FRB 180916 obtained by AGILE and Swift. We focused on the recurrent 5-day time intervals of active radio bursting and present results obtained on Feb. 3 - 8; Feb. 25; Mar. 5 - 10; Mar. 22 - 28, 2020 during a multiwavelength campaign involving high-energy and radio observations. We also searched for temporal coincidences at millisecond timescales between all known radio bursts of FRB 180916 and X-ray and MeV events detectable by AGILE. We do not detect any simultaneous event or any extended X-ray and $\gamma$-ray emission on timescales of hours/days/weeks. Our cumulative X-ray (0.3-10 keV) flux upper limit of $5 \times\,10^{-14} \rm \, erg \, cm^{-2} s^{-1}$ (obtained during 5-day active intervals) translates into an isotropic luminosity upper limit of $L_{X,UL} \sim 1.5 \times\, 10^{41} \rm erg \, s^{-1}$. Observations above 100 MeV over a many-year timescale provide an average luminosity upper limit one order of magnitude larger. These results provide the so-far most stringent limits on high-energy emission from FRB 180916 and constrain the dissipation of magnetic energy from a magnetar-like source of radius $R_m$, internal magnetic field $B_m$ and dissipation timescale $\tau_d$ to satisfy the relation $R_{m,6}^3 B_{m,16}^2 \tau_{d,8}^{-1} \lesssim 1$, where $R_{m,6}$ is $R_m$ in units of $10^6$ cm, $B_{m,16}$ is $B_m$ in units of $10^{16}$ G, and $\tau_{d,8}$ in units of $10^8$ s., Comment: Accepted for publication by the Astrophysical Journal Letters on April 5, 2020

We report on the lowest-frequency detection to date of three bursts from the fast radio burst FRB 180916, observed at 328 MHz with the Sardinia Radio Telescope (SRT). The SRT observed the periodic repeater FRB 180916 for five days from 2020 February 20 to 24 during a time interval of active radio bursting, and detected the three bursts during the first hour of observations; no more bursts were detected during the remaining ~ 30 hours. Simultaneous SRT observations at 1548 MHz did not detect any bursts. Burst fluences are in the range 37 to 13 Jy ms. No relevant scattering is observed for these bursts. We also present the results of the multi-wavelength campaign we performed on FRB 180916, during the five days of the active window. Simultaneously with the SRT observations, others with different time spans were performed with the Northern Cross at 408 MHz, with XMM-Newton, NICER, INTEGRAL, AGILE, and with the TNG and two optical telescopes in Asiago, which are equipped with fast photometers. XMM-Newton obtained data simultaneously with the three bursts detected by the SRT, and determined a luminosity upper limit in the 0.3-10 keV energy range of ~$10^{45}$ erg/s for the burst emission. AGILE obtained data simultaneously with the first burst and determined a fluence upper limit in the MeV range for millisecond timescales of $ 10^{-8}$ erg cm$^{-2}$.Our results show that absorption from the circumburst medium does not significantly affect the emission from FRB 180916, thus limiting the possible presence of a superluminous supernova around the source, and indicate that a cutoff for the bursting mechanism, if present, must be at lower frequencies. Our multi-wavelength campaign sensitively constrains the broadband emission from FRB 180916, and provides the best limits so far for the electromagnetic response to the radio bursting of this remarkable source of fast radio bursts., Comment: ApJL, 896 L40

We focus on two repeating fast radio bursts (FRBs) recently detected by the CHIME/FRB experiment in 2018--2019 (Source 1: 180916.J0158+65, and Source 2: 181030.J1054+73). These sources have low excess dispersion measures (DMs) ($ < 100 \rm \, pc \, cm^{-3}$ and $ < 20 \rm \, pc \, cm^{-3}$, respectively), implying relatively small maximal distances. They were repeatedly observed by AGILE in the MeV--GeV energy range. We do not detect prompt emission simultaneously with these repeating events. This search is particularly significant for the submillisecond and millisecond integrations obtainable by AGILE. The sources are constrained to emit a MeV-fluence in the millisecond range below $F'_{MeV} = 10^{-8} \, \rm erg \, cm^{-2}$ corresponding to an isotropic energy near $E_{MeV,UL} \simeq 2 \times 10^{46}\,$erg for a distance of 150 Mpc (applicable to Source 1). We also searched for $\gamma$-ray emission for time intervals up to 100 days, obtaining 3$\,\sigma$ upper limits (ULs) for the average isotropic luminosity above 50 MeV, $L_{\gamma,UL} \simeq \,$(5-10)$\,\times 10^{43} \rm \, erg \, s^{-1}$. For a source distance near 100 kpc (possibly applicable to Source 2), our ULs imply $E_{MeV,UL}\simeq10^{40} \rm erg$, and $L_{\gamma,UL} \simeq \,$2$\,\times 10^{37} \rm \, erg \, s^{-1}$. Our results are significant in constraining the high-energy emission of underlying sources such as magnetars, or other phenomena related to extragalactic compact objects, and show the prompt emission to be lower than the peak of the 2004 magnetar outburst of SGR 1806-20 for source distances less than about 100 Mpc., Comment: to be published in ApJL

We present a study on the gamma-ray emission detected by the AGILE-GRID from the region of the SNR G78.2+2.1 (Gamma Cygni). In order to investigate the possible presence of gamma rays associated with the SNR below 1 GeV, it is necessary to analyze the gamma-ray radiation underlying the strong emission from the pulsar PSR J2021+4026, which totally dominates the field. An "off-pulse" analysis has been carried out, by considering only the emission related to the pulsar off-pulse phase of the AGILE-GRID light curve. We found that the resulting off-pulsed emission in the region of the SNR - detected by the AGILE-GRID above 400 MeV - partially overlaps the radio shell boundary. By analyzing the averaged emission on the whole angular extent of the SNR, we found that a lepton-dominated double population scenario can account for the radio and gamma-ray emission from the source. In particular, the MeV-GeV averaged emission can be explained mostly by Bremsstrahlung processes in a high density medium, whereas the GeV-TeV radiation by both Bremsstrahlung (E < 250 GeV) and inverse Compton processes (E > 250 GeV) in a lower density medium., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ on May 2, 2019

Aims. We present the second AGILE-GRID Catalog (2AGL) of {\gamma}-ray sources in the 100 MeV-10 GeV energy range. Methods. With respect to previous AGILE-GRID catalogs, the current 2AGL Catalog is based on the first 2.3 years of science data from the AGILE mission (the so called 'pointing mode') and incorporates more data and several analysis improvements, including better calibrations at the event reconstruction level, an updated model for the Galactic diffuse gamma-ray emission, a refined procedure for point-like source detection, and the inclusion of a search for extended {\gamma}-ray sources. Results. The 2AGL Catalog includes 175 high-confidence sources (above 4{\sigma} significance) with their location regions and spectral properties, and a variability analysis with 4-day light curves for the most significant ones. Relying on the error region of each source position, including systematic uncertainties, 121 sources are considered as positionally associated with known couterparts at different wavelengths or detected by other {\gamma}-ray instruments. Among the identified or associated sources, 62 are Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) of the blazar class. Pulsars represent the largest Galactic source class, with 40 associated pulsars, 7 of them with detected pulsation; 8 Supernova Remnants and 4 high-mass X-ray binaries have also been identified. A substantial number of 2AGL sources are unidentified: for 54 sources no known counterpart is found at different wavelengths. Among these sources, we discuss a sub-class of 29 AGILE-GRID-only {\gamma}-ray sources that are not present in 1FGL, 2FGL or 3FGL catalogs; the remaining sources are unidentified in both 2AGL and 3FGL Catalogs. We also present an extension of the analysis of 2AGL sources detected in the 50-100 MeV energy range., Comment: 54 pages, 19 figures, 15 tables, accepted to A&A, catalog web page: http://www.ssdc.asi.it/agile2agl/

We determined Faraday rotation measures (RMs) towards 137 pulsars in the northern sky, using Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) observations at 110-190 MHz. This low-frequency RM catalogue, the largest to date, improves the precision of existing RM measurements on average by a factor of 20 - due to the low frequency and wide bandwidth of the data, aided by the RM synthesis method. We report RMs towards 25 pulsars for the first time. The RMs were corrected for ionospheric Faraday rotation to increase the accuracy of our catalogue to approximately 0.1 rad m$^{\rm -2}$. The ionospheric RM correction is currently the largest contributor to the measurement uncertainty. In addition, we find that the Faraday dispersion functions towards pulsars are extremely Faraday thin - mostly less than 0.001 rad m$^{\rm -2}$. We use these new precise RM measurements (in combination with existing RMs, dispersion measures, and distance estimates) to estimate the scale height of the Galactic halo magnetic field: 2.0$\pm$0.3 kpc for Galactic quadrants I and II above and below the Galactic plane (we also evaluate the scale height for these regions individually). Overall, our initial low-frequency catalogue provides valuable information about the 3-D structure of the Galactic magnetic field., Comment: 31 pages, including 13 figures, 6 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

The origin of cosmic neutrinos is still largely unknown. Using data obtained by the gamma-ray imager on board of the AGILE satellite, we systematically searched for transient gamma-ray sources above 100 MeV that are temporally and spatially coincident with ten recent high-energy neutrino IceCube events. We find three AGILE candidate sources that can be considered possible counterparts to neutrino events. Detecting 3 gamma-ray/neutrino associations out of 10 IceCube events is shown to be unlikely due to a chance coincidence. One of the sources is related to the BL Lac source TXS 0506+056. For the other two AGILE gamma-ray sources there are no obvious known counterparts, and both Galactic and extragalactic origin should be considered., Comment: 21 pages, 15 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in ApJ

AGILE is a mission of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) Scientific Program dedicated to gamma-ray astrophysics, operating in a low Earth orbit since April 23, 2007. It is designed to be a very light and compact instrument, capable of simultaneously detecting and imaging photons in the 18 keV to 60 keV X-ray energy band and in the 30 MeV{50 GeV gamma-ray energy with a good angular resolution (< 1 deg at 1 GeV). The core of the instrument is the Silicon Tracker complemented with a CsI calorimeter and a AntiCoincidence system forming the Gamma Ray Imaging Detector (GRID). Before launch, the GRID needed on-ground calibration with a tagged gamma-ray beam to estimate its performance and validate the Monte Carlo simulation. The GRID was calibrated using a tagged gamma-ray beam with energy up to 500 MeV at the Beam Test Facilities at the INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati. These data are used to validate a GEANT3 based simulation by comparing the data and the Monte Carlo simulation by measuring the angular and energy resolutions. The GRID angular and energy resolutions obtained using the beam agree well with the Monte Carlo simulation. Therefore the simulation can be used to simulate the same performance on-light with high reliability., Comment: 19 page 12 figures

The main characteristics in the radio continuum spectra of Supernova Remnants (SNRs) result from simple synchrotron emission. In addition, electron acceleration mechanisms can shape the spectra in specific ways, especially at high radio frequencies. These features are connected to the age and the peculiar conditions of the local interstellar medium interacting with the SNR. Whereas the bulk radio emission is expected at up to $20-50$ GHz, sensitive high-resolution images of SNRs above 10 GHz are lacking and are not easily achievable, especially in the confused regions of the Galactic Plane. In the framework of the early science observations with the Sardinia Radio Telescope in February-March 2016, we obtained high-resolution images of SNRs Tycho, W44 and IC443 that provided accurate integrated flux density measurements at 21.4 GHz: 8.8 $\pm$ 0.9 Jy for Tycho, 25 $\pm$ 3 Jy for W44 and 66 $\pm$ 7 Jy for IC443. We coupled the SRT measurements with radio data available in the literature in order to characterise the integrated and spatially-resolved spectra of these SNRs, and to find significant frequency- and region-dependent spectral slope variations. For the first time, we provide direct evidence of a spectral break in the radio spectral energy distribution of W44 at an exponential cutoff frequency of 15 $\pm$ 2 GHz. This result constrains the maximum energy of the accelerated electrons in the range $6-13$ GeV, in agreement with predictions indirectly derived from AGILE and \textit{Fermi}-LAT gamma-ray observations. With regard to IC443, our results confirm the noticeable presence of a bump in the integrated spectrum around $20-70$ GHz that could result from a spinning dust emission mechanism., Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures

We have observed a complex and continuous change in the integrated pulse profile of PSR B2217+47, manifested as additional components trailing the main peak. These transient components are detected over 6 years at $150$ MHz using the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR), but they are not seen in contemporaneous Lovell observations at $1.5$ GHz. We argue that propagation effects in the ionized interstellar medium (IISM) are the most likely cause. The putative structures in the IISM causing the profile variation are roughly half-way between the pulsar and the Earth and have transverse radii $R \sim 30$ AU. We consider different models for the structures. Under the assumption of spherical symmetry, their implied average electron density is $\overline{n}_e \sim 100$ cm$^{-3}$. Since PSR B2217+47 is more than an order of magnitude brighter than the average pulsar population visible to LOFAR, similar profile variations would not have been identified in most pulsars, suggesting that subtle profile variations in low-frequency profiles might be more common than we have observed to date. Systematic studies of these variations at low frequencies can provide a new tool to investigate the proprieties of the IISM and the limits to the precision of pulsar timing., Comment: to be published in MNRAS

The LIGO-Virgo Collaboration (LVC) detected, on 2017 August 17, an exceptional gravitational-wave (GW) event temporally consistent within $\sim\,1.7 \, \rm s$ with the GRB 1708117A observed by Fermi-GBM and INTEGRAL. The event turns out to be compatible with a neutron star-neutron star (NS-NS) coalescence that subsequently produced a radio/optical/X-ray transient detected at later times. We report the main results of the observations by the AGILE satellite of the GW170817 localization region (LR) and its electromagnetic (e.m.) counterpart. At the LVC detection time $T_0$, the GW170817 LR was occulted by the Earth. The AGILE instrument collected useful data before and after the GW-GRB event because in its spinning observation mode it can scan a given source many times per hour. The earliest exposure of the GW170817 LR by the gamma-ray imaging detector (GRID) started about 935 s after $T_0$. No significant X-ray or gamma-ray emission was detected from the LR that was repeatedly exposed over timescales of minutes, hours, and days before and after GW170817, also considering Mini-calorimeter and Super-AGILE data. Our measurements are among the earliest ones obtained by space satellites on GW170817 and provide useful constraints on the precursor and delayed emission properties of the NS-NS coalescence event. We can exclude with high confidence the existence of an X-ray/gamma-ray emitting magnetar-like object with a large magnetic field of $10^{15} \, \rm G$. Our data are particularly significant during the early stage of evolution of the e.m. remnant., Comment: Submitted to Astrophysical Journal Letters on October 13, 2017; LVC; revised October 25, 2017; accepted October 25, 2017

On July 31st, 2016, the ICECUBE collaboration reported the detection of a high-energy starting event induced by an astrophysical neutrino. We report here about the search for a gamma-ray counterpart of the ICECUBE-160731 event made with the AGILE satellite. No detection was found spanning the time interval of +/- 1 ks around the neutrino event time T0 using the AGILE "burst search" system. Looking for a possible gamma-ray precursor in the results of the AGILE-GRID automatic Quick Look procedure over predefined 48-hours time-bins, we found an excess above 100 MeV between one and two days before T0, positionally consistent with the ICECUBE error circle, having a post-trial significance of about 4 sigma. A refined data analysis of this excess confirms a-posteriori the automatic detection. The new AGILE transient source, named AGL J1418+0008, thus stands as possible ICECUBE-160731 gamma-ray precursor. No other space missions nor ground observatories have reported any detection of transient emission consistent with the ICECUBE event. We show that Fermi-LAT had a low exposure of the ICECUBE region during the AGILE gamma-ray transient. Based on an extensive search for cataloged sources within the error regions of ICECUBE-160731 and AGL J1418+0008, we find a possible common counterpart showing some of the key features associated to the high-energy peaked BL Lac (HBL) class of blazars. Further investigations on the nature of this source using dedicated SWIFT ToO data are presented., Comment: 23 pages, 8 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in ApJ

In September 2016, the microquasar Cygnus X-3 underwent a giant radio flare, which was monitored for 6 days with the Medicina Radio Astronomical Station and the Sardinia Radio Telescope. Long observations were performed in order to follow the evolution of the flare on a hourly scale, covering six frequency ranges from 1.5 GHz to 25.6 GHz. The radio emission reached a maximum of 13.2 +/- 0.7 Jy at 7.2 GHz and 10 +/- 1 Jy at 18.6 GHz. Rapid flux variations were observed at high radio frequencies at the peak of the flare, together with rapid evolution of the spectral index: alpha steepened from 0.3 to 0.6 within 5 hours. This is the first time that such fast variations are observed, giving support to the evolution from optically thick to optically thin plasmons in expansion moving outward from the core. Based on the Italian network (Noto, Medicina and SRT) and extended to the European antennas (Torun, Yebes, Onsala), VLBI observations were triggered at 22 GHz on five different occasions, four times prior to the giant flare, and once during its decay phase. Flux variations of 2-hour duration were recorded during the first session. They correspond to a mini-flare that occurred close to the core ten days before the onset of the giant flare. From the latest VLBI observation we infer that four days after the flare peak the jet emission was extended over 30 mas., Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

The LIGO/Virgo Collaboration (LVC) detected on 2017 January 4, a significant gravitational-wave (GW) event (now named GW170104). We report in this Letter the main results obtained from the analysis of hard X-ray and gamma-ray data of the AGILE mission that repeatedly observed the GW170104 localization region (LR). At the LVC detection time $T_0$ AGILE observed about 36% of the LR. The gamma-ray imaging detector did not reveal any significant emission in the energy range 50 MeV--30 GeV. Furthermore, no significant gamma-ray transients were detected in the LR that was repeatedly exposed over timescales of minutes, hours, and days. We also searched for transient emission using data near $T_0$ of the omnidirectional detector MCAL operating in the energy band 0.4--100 MeV. A refined analysis of MCAL data shows the existence of a weak event (that we call "E2") with a signal-to-noise ratio of $4.4\,\sigma$ lasting about 32 ms and occurring $0.46\,\pm\,0.05 \,\rm s$ before $T_0$. A study of the MCAL background and of the false-alarm rate of E2 leads to the determinination of a post-trial significance between $2.4\,\sigma$ and $2.7\,\sigma$ for a temporal coincidence with GW170104. We note that E2 has characteristics similar to those detected from the weak precursor of the short GRB 090510. The candidate event E2 is worth consideration for simultaneous detection by other satellites. If associated with GW170104, it shows emission in the MeV band of a short burst preceding the final coalescence by 0.46 sec and involving $\sim 10^{-7}$ of the total rest mass energy of the system., Comment: Submitted to Astrophysical Journal Letters on 2017 May 31; revised 2017 July 19; accepted 2017 July 20

Observations of supernova remnants (SNRs) are a powerful tool for investigating the later stages of stellar evolution, the properties of the ambient interstellar medium, and the physics of particle acceleration and shocks. For a fraction of SNRs, multi-wavelength coverage from radio to ultra high-energies has been provided, constraining their contributions to the production of Galactic cosmic rays. Although radio emission is the most common identifier of SNRs and a prime probe for refining models, high-resolution images at frequencies above 5 GHz are surprisingly lacking, even for bright and well-known SNRs such as IC443 and W44. In the frameworks of the Astronomical Validation and Early Science Program with the 64-m single-dish Sardinia Radio Telescope, we provided, for the first time, single-dish deep imaging at 7 GHz of the IC443 and W44 complexes coupled with spatially-resolved spectra in the 1.5-7 GHz frequency range. Our images were obtained through on-the-fly mapping techniques, providing antenna beam oversampling and resulting in accurate continuum flux density measurements. The integrated flux densities associated with IC443 are S_1.5GHz = 134 +/- 4 Jy and S_7GHz = 67 +/- 3 Jy. For W44, we measured total flux densities of S_1.5GHz = 214 +/- 6 Jy and S_7GHz = 94 +/- 4 Jy. Spectral index maps provide evidence of a wide physical parameter scatter among different SNR regions: a flat spectrum is observed from the brightest SNR regions at the shock, while steeper spectral indices (up to 0.7) are observed in fainter cooling regions, disentangling in this way different populations and spectra of radio/gamma-ray-emitting electrons in these SNRs., Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication to MNRAS on 18 May 2017

[Abridged] The Sardinia Radio Telescope (SRT) is the new 64-m dish operated by INAF (Italy). Its active surface will allow us to observe at frequencies of up to 116 GHz. At the moment, three receivers, one per focal position, have been installed and tested. The SRT was officially opened in October 2013, upon completion of its technical commissioning phase. In this paper, we provide an overview of the main science drivers for the SRT, describe the main outcomes from the scientific commissioning of the telescope, and discuss a set of observations demonstrating the SRT's scientific capabilities. One of the main objectives of scientific commissioning was the identification of deficiencies in the instrumentation and/or in the telescope sub-systems for further optimization. As a result, the overall telescope performance has been significantly improved. As part of the scientific commissioning activities, different observing modes were tested and validated, and first astronomical observations were carried out to demonstrate the science capabilities of the SRT. In addition, we developed astronomer-oriented software tools, to support future observers on-site. The astronomical validation activities were prioritized based on technical readiness and scientific impact. The highest priority was to make the SRT available for joint observations as part of European networks. As a result, the SRT started to participate (in shared-risk mode) in EVN (European VLBI Network) and LEAP (Large European Array for Pulsars) observing sessions in early 2014. The validation of single-dish operations for the suite of SRT first light receivers and backends continued in the following years, and was concluded with the first call for shared-risk/early-science observations issued at the end of 2015., Comment: 26 pages, 18 figures, accepted for publication in Section 13 'Astronomical instrumentation' of Astronomy & Astrophysics

In the frame of the Astronomical Validation activities for the 64m Sardinia Radio Telescope, we performed 5-22 GHz imaging observations of the complex-morphology supernova remnants (SNRs) W44 and IC443. We adopted innovative observing and mapping techniques providing unprecedented accuracy for single-dish imaging of SNRs at these frequencies, revealing morphological details typically available only at lower frequencies through interferometry observations. High-frequency studies of SNRs in the radio range are useful to better characterize the spatially-resolved spectra and the physical parameters of different regions of the SNRs interacting with the ISM. Furthermore, synchrotron-emitting electrons in the high-frequency radio band are also responsible for the observed high-energy phenomenology as -e.g.- Inverse Compton and bremsstrahlung emission components observed in gamma-rays, to be disentangled from hadron emission contribution (providing constraints on the origin of cosmic rays)., Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure, Conference: "Supernova Remnants: An Odyssey in Space after Stellar death"