Search

We explore the possibility of detecting the excess of the cosmic radio background toward galaxy clusters due to its Compton scattering by electrons of the hot intergalactic gas. When mapping the background fluctuations at frequencies below MHz, this effect gives rise to a radio source at the location of the cluster. At higher frequencies, where the microwave (relic) radiation dominates in the cosmic background, a "negative" source (a "shadow" on the map of background fluctuations) is observed at the location of the cluster due to the transfer of some of the relic photons upward along the frequency axis upon their scattering (into the range GHz; Sunyaev and Zeldovich 1970, 1972). We have computed the spectra of the expected radio background distortions for various parameters of clusters and show that in many cases in the wide frequency range the measurement of the distortions will be hindered by the intrinsic thermal (bremsstrahlung) radiation from the intergalactic gas and the scattered radio emission from cluster galaxies associated with their past activity, including the synchrotron radiation from ejected relativistic electrons. Below MHz the scattering effect always dominates over the thermal gas radiation due to the general increase in the intensity of the cosmic radio background, but highly accurate measurements at such frequencies become difficult. Below MHz the effect is suppressed by the induced scattering. We have found the frequency ranges that are optimal for searching for and measuring the Compton radio background excess. We show that hot () clusters at high () redshifts are most promising for its observation. Because of the strong concentration of the bremsstrahlung to the cluster center, the peripheral observations of the Compton excess must be more preferable than the central ones. Moreover, owing to the thermal radiation of the gas and its concentration to the center, the above-noted transition from the "negative" source on the map of background fluctuations to the "positive" one when moving downward along the frequency axis must occur not gradually but through the stage of a "hybrid source"—the appearance of a bright spot surrounded by a dark ring. This form of the source in projection is explained by its unusual three-dimensional shape in the form of a narrow radio bremsstrahlung peak rising from the center of a wide deep hole associated with the Compton scattering of the cosmic microwave background. The scattered radiation from an active central cluster galaxy in the past can amplify the effect. An analogous "hybrid source" also appears on the map of background fluctuations near a frequency of GHz—when passing from the deficit of the cosmic microwave background to its excess (due to the scattered photons). The unusual shape of the source is again associated with the thermal gas radiation. Simultaneous measurements of the radio bremsstrahlung flux from the gas and the amplitude of the distortions due to the radio and cosmic microwave background scattering will allow the most important cluster parameters to be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the phenomena of rapid energy release of enormous power associated with the collapse or merging of stars. As a result of internal processes, populations of nonthermal accelerated particles radiating in a wide energy range are formed in them. A number of observations have shown that photons with energies up to tens of TeV are detected from some GRBs. However, due to the great energy losses of radiating particles, the explanation of this high-energy radiation in terms of standard radiation mechanisms runs into great difficulties. In this paper, based on the model of adiabatic expansion for the GRB afterglow phase, we investigate the influence of magnetic inhomogeneities on the spectra within the electron and proton synchrotron radiation mechanism by taking into account the Compton scattering of synchrotron photons. We show that the magnetic inhomogeneity effect can increase the maximum energies of the synchrotron radiation from electrons and protons several fold without affecting the maximum energies of the Compton photons being produced in the Klein–Nishina regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present the generalities of the Compton interaction process; we analyse the different paradigms of Inverse Compton Sources, implemented or in commissioning phase at various facilities, or proposed as future projects. We present an overview of the state of the art, with a discussion of the most demanding challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present the generalities of the Compton interaction process; we analyse the different paradigms of Inverse Compton Sources, implemented or in commissioning phase at various facilities, or proposed as future projects. We present an overview of the state of the art, with a discussion of the most demanding challenges.

One of the most noteworthy aspects of computed tomography (CT) based on the nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) transmission method is the isotope selectivity that makes it possible to discern an isotope of interest from other isotopes within a sample. We experimentally obtained a three-dimensional (3D) isotope-selective CT image based on the NRF transmission method (3D NRF-CT) for the enriched lead isotope distribution of 208Pb in a cylindrical holder in a previous study. The cylindrical holder's diameter and height are 25 mm and 20 mm, respectively. The NRF-CT imaging technique requires a considerable data accumulation time. It took 48 h to obtain an image with a resolution of 4 mm/pixel in the horizontal plane and 8 mm/pixel in the vertical plane using a laser Compton scattering (LCS) gamma-ray beam with a beam size of 2 mm and a flux density of 10 photons/s/eV. Improving the NRF-CT image resolution with the existing hardware is challenging. Therefore, we proposed an alternative method to improve the NRF-CT image resolution using the fusion visualization (FV) technique by combining the NRF-CT image including isotopic information with a gamma-CT image, which provides better pixel resolution. The 3D gamma-CT image for the same sample was measured at the same beamline BL1U in the ultraviolet synchrotron orbital radiation-III (UVSOR-III) synchrotron radiation facility at the Institute of Molecular Science at the National Institutes of Natural Sciences in Japan under similar experimental conditions except for the LCS gamma-ray beam flux and beam size. Obtaining a 3D gamma-CT image with a resolution of 1 mm/pixel took 5 h using an LCS gamma-ray beam with a beam size of 1 mm and a flux density of 0.7 photons/s/eV. The data processing of the FV technique has been developed, and the 3D NRF-CT image quality was improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production, application, and/or measurement of polarised X-/gamma rays are key to the fields of synchrotron science and X-/gamma-ray astronomy. The design, development and optimisation of experimental equipment utilised in these fields typically relies on the use of Monte Carlo radiation transport modelling toolkits such as Geant4. In this work the Geant4 "G4LowEPPhysics" electromagnetic physics constructor has been reconfigured to offer a best set of electromagnetic physics models for studies exploring the transport of low energy polarised X-/gamma rays. An overview of the physics models implemented in "G4LowEPPhysics", and it's experimental validation against Compton X-ray polarimetry measurements of the BL38B1 beamline at the SPring-8 synchrotron (Sayo, Japan) is reported. "G4LowEPPhysics" is shown to be able to reproduce the experimental results obtained at the BL38B1 beamline (SPring-8) to within a level of accuracy on the same order as Geant4's X-/gamma ray interaction cross-sectional data uncertainty (approximately ± 5 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synchrotron radiation from a decelerating blastwave is a widely accepted model of radio to X-ray afterglow emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). GeV gamma-ray emission detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) and the duration of which extends beyond the prompt gamma-ray emission phase is also compatible with broad features of afterglow emission. We revisit the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission model from a decelerating blastwave to fit multiwavelength data from three bright GRBs, namely GRB 190114C, GRB 130427A, and GRB 090510. We constrain the afterglow model parameters using the simultaneous fit of the spectral energy distributions at different times and light curves at different frequencies for these bursts. We find that a constant density interstellar medium is favoured for the short GRB 090510, while a wind-type environment is favoured for the long GRB 130427A and GRB 190114C. The sub-TeV component in GRB 190114C detected by MAGIC is the SSC emission in our modelling. Furthermore, we find that the SSC emission in the Thomson regime is adequate to fit the spectra and light curves of GRB 190114C. For the other two GRBs, lacking sub-TeV detection, the SSC emissions are also modelled in the Thomson regime. For the model parameters we have used, the γγ attenuation in the blastwave is negligible in the sub-TeV range compared to the redshift-dependent γγ attenuation in the extragalactic background light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report here results of the analysis of correlated flux variations between the optical and GeV γ-ray bands in three bright BL Lac objects, namely AO 0235+164, OJ 287, and PKS 2155−304. This was based on the analysis of about 10 yr of data from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope covering the period between 2008 August 8 and 2018 August 8 along with optical data covering the same period. For all the sources, during the flares analysed in this work, the optical and γ-ray flux variations are found to be closely correlated. From broad-band spectral energy distribution modelling of different epochs in these sources using the one-zone leptonic emission model, we found that the optical–ultraviolet emission is dominated by synchrotron emission from the jet. The γ-ray emission in the low synchrotron peaked sources AO 0235+164 and OJ 287 is found to be well fitted with external Compton (EC) component, while the γ-ray emission in the high synchrotron peaked source PKS 2155−304 is well fitted with synchrotron self-Compton component. Further, we note that the γ-ray emission during the high-flux state of AO 0235+164 (epochs A and B) requires seed photons from both the dusty torus and broad-line region, while the γ-ray emission in OJ 287 and during epochs C and D of AO 0235+164 can be modelled by EC scattering of infrared photons from the torus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dominant radiation mechanism that produces the prompt emission in gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) remains a major open question. Spectral information alone has proven insufficient in elucidating its nature. Time-resolved linear polarization has the potential to distinguish between popular emission mechanisms, e.g. synchrotron radiation from electrons with a power-law energy distribution or inverse Compton scattering of soft seed thermal photons, which can yield the typical GRB spectrum but produce different levels of polarization. Furthermore, it can be used to learn about the outflow's composition (i.e. whether it is kinetic-energy-dominated or Poynting-flux-dominated) and angular structure. For synchrotron emission, it is a powerful probe of the magnetic field geometry. Here, we consider synchrotron emission from a thin ultrarelativistic outflow, with bulk Lorentz factor Γ(R) = Γ0(R / R 0)− m /2 ≫ 1, that radiates a Band-function spectrum in a single (multiple) pulse(s) over a range of radii, R 0 ≤ R ≤ R 0 + Δ R. Pulse profiles and polarization evolution at a given energy are presented for a coasting (m = 0) and accelerating (m = −2/3) thin spherical shell and for different viewing angles for a top-hat jet with sharp as well as smooth edges in emissivity. Four different magnetic field configurations are considered, such as a locally ordered field coherent over angular scales θ B ≳ 1/Γ, a tangled field (B ⊥) in the plane transverse to the radial direction, an ordered field (B ∥) aligned in the radial direction, and a globally ordered toroidal field (B tor). All field configurations produce distinct polarization evolution with single (for B ⊥ and B ∥) and double (for B tor) 90○ changes in the polarization position angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an implementation of a self-consistent way of modelling synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) effects in gamma-ray burst afterglows, with and without approximated Klein–Nishina suppressed scattering for the afterglow modelling code boxfit , which is currently based on pure synchrotron emission. We discuss the changes in spectral shape and evolution due to SSC effects, and comment on how these changes affect physical parameters derived from broad-band modelling. We show that SSC effects can have a profound impact on the shape of the X-ray light curve using simulations including these effects. This leads to data that cannot be simultaneously fit well in both the X-ray and radio bands when considering synchrotron-only fits, and an inability to recover the correct physical parameters, with some fitted parameters deviating orders of magnitude from the simulated input parameters. This may have a significant impact on the physical parameter distributions based on previous broad-band modelling efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining the nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) transmission method with computed tomography (CT) can be a novel method for imaging the isotope distributions, which is indispensable in nuclear engineering. We performed an experiment to reconstruct a three-dimensional NRF-CT image with isotope selectivity of enriched lead isotope rods (208Pb) together with a set of different rods, including another enriched isotope (206Pb), iron, and aluminum rods, inserted into a cylindrical aluminum holder. Using a laser Compton scattering (LCS) gamma ray beam with a 5.528 MeV maximum energy, 2 mm beam size, and 10 photon·s−1·eV−1 flux density, which is available at the BL1U beamline in the ultraviolet synchrotron orbital radiation-III (UVSOR-III) synchrotron radiation facility at the Institute of Molecular Science at the National Institutes of Natural Sciences in Japan, and we excited the Jπ = 1− NRF level at 5.512 MeV in 208Pb. An isotope-selective three-dimensional NRF-CT image of the 208Pb isotope distribution was experimentally obtained for the first time with a pixel resolution of 4 mm in the horizontal plane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nature of the intense X-ray emission from powerful extragalactic jets at large (>1 kpc) scale is still debated. The scenario that invokes the inverse Compton scattering of the cosmic microwave background by electrons is challenged by the lack of gamma-ray emission in the GeV band. An alternative assumes synchrotron emission by a distinct population of ultra-high energy electrons. Here, we present a concrete attempt to apply this scenario, exploring the specific model in which the ultra-high energy electrons are accelerated in a shear layer surrounding the jet. We limit the study to non-relativistic flows and particle acceleration is treated by a Fokker–Planck equation. The observed relation between low energy (radio, optical) and X-ray emission prompts us to assume that the required population of pre-accelerated particles is provided by a shock responsible for the acceleration of the electrons emitting at low frequencies. We apply the model to the emission of the principal knots of the jets of PKS 0637–752 and PKS 1136–135, two of the best-studied objects. For the set of fiducial parameters adopted, the condition that the jet power does not exceeds a limiting value of 1048 erg s−1 constrains the magnetic field above |$10\, \mu$| G and indicates moderate beaming (δ ≃ 2) for PKS 0637–752. For both sources, the requirement that acceleration of the electrons proceeds faster than radiative cooling can be met if the magnetic turbulence in the shear layer follows a Kolmogorov spectrum, I (k) ∝  k − q with q  = 5/3, but cannot satisfied in the Bohm-like case (q  = 1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supernova remnant RX J1713.7-3946 has exhibited the largest surface brightness and a detailed spectral and shell-type morphology, and is one of the brightest TeV sources. The recent H.E.S.S. observation of RX J1713.7-3946 revealed a broken power-law GeV–TeV gamma-ray and a more extended gamma-ray spatial radial profile than in the X-ray band. Based on the diffusion shock acceleration model, we solve spherically symmetric hydrodynamic equations and particle transport equations, and investigate the multi-band non-thermal emission of RX J1713.7-3946 and radial profiles of its surface brightness for two selected zones in the leptonic scenario for gamma-ray emission. We found (1) the diffusion coefficient has a weak energy dependence, and the Kolmogorov type is favored; (2) the magnetic field strength can vary linearly or nonlinearly with radius for different surrounding environments because of possible turbulence in the shock downstream region, and compressional amplification is likely to exist at the shock front; (3) the non-thermal photons from radio to X-ray bands are dominated by synchrotron emission from relativistic electrons if the GeV–TeV gamma-rays are produced by inverse Compton scattering from these electrons interacting with the background photons; then the X-ray and gamma-ray radial profiles can be reproduced except for the more extended gamma-ray emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent detection of sub-TeV emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) represents a breakthrough in the GRB study. The multiwavelength data of the afterglows of GRB 190114C support the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) origin for its sub-TeV emission. We present a comparative analysis on the SSC emission of GRB afterglows in the homogeneous and wind environments in the framework of the forward shock model. The γγ absorption of very-high-energy photons due to pair production within the source and the Klein–Nishina effect on the inverse Compton scattering are considered. Generally a higher SSC flux is expected for a larger circum-burst density due to a larger Compton parameter, but meanwhile the internal γγ absorption is more severe for sub-TeV emission. The flux ratio between the SSC component and the synchrotron component decreases more quickly with time in the wind medium case than in the homogeneous density medium case. The light curves of the SSC emission are also different for the two types of media. We also calculate the cascade emission resulting from the absorbed high-energy photons. In the ISM environment with n ≳ 1 cm−3, the cascade synchrotron emission could be comparable to the synchrotron emission of the primary electrons in the optical band, which may flatten the optical afterglow light curve at an early time (t < 1 hr). In the wind medium with A* ≳ 0.1, the cascade emission in the eV–GeV band is comparable or even larger than the emission of the primary electrons at the early time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structure and electronic state in a fluid alkali metal have been investigated by using synchrotron radiation. X-ray diffraction and small angle X-ray scattering measurements of fluid rubidium (Rb) were carried out for observing local and intermediate atomic arrangements, and X-ray Compton scattering measurements were carried out for observing electronic state in the fluids. Variation in physical quantities obtained by these measurements has revealed a particular density range of the fluid, where the stability problem of the electron gas becomes an issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐resolution (0.12 a.u.) electron momentum density projections (Compton profiles) of a hexagonal Zn single crystal have been measured along five high‐symmetry directions in reciprocal space. The experiment was performed with the use of 115.6 keV synchrotron radiation on the BL08W station at SPring‐8. The quality of the measured Compton profiles is significantly better than that of previous medium‐ and high‐resolution data. The experimental data were compared with the corresponding theoretical Korringa–Kohn–Rostoker (KKR) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Some minor and major differences between the two theoretical band‐structure calculations have been observed. However, the good quality experimental results indicate their better agreement with DFT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fermi-LAT collaboration presented the second gamma-ray burst (GRB) catalog covering its first 10 years of operations. A significant fraction of afterglow-phase light curves in this catalog cannot be explained by the closure relations of the standard synchrotron forward-shock model, suggesting that there could be an important contribution from another process. In view of the above, we derive the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) light curves from the reverse shock in the thick- and thin-shell regime for a uniform-density medium. We show that this emission could explain the GeV flares exhibited in some LAT light curves. Additionally, we demonstrate that the passage of the forward shock synchrotron cooling break through the LAT band from jets expanding in a uniform-density environment may be responsible for the late time (≈102 s) steepening of LAT GRB afterglow light curves. As a particular case, we model the LAT light curve of GRB 160509A that exhibited a GeV flare together with a break in the long-lasting emission, and also two very high energy photons with energies of 51.9 and 41.5 GeV observed 76.5 and 242 s after the onset of the burst, respectively. Constraining the microphysical parameters and the circumburst density from the afterglow observations, we show that the GeV flare is consistent with an SSC reverse-shock model, the break in the long-lasting emission with the passage of the synchrotron cooling break through the Fermi-LAT band, and the very energetic photons with SSC emission from the forward shock, when the outflow carries a significant magnetic field (RB ≃ 30) and it decelerates in a uniform-density medium with a very low density (). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

eHWC J2019+368 is one of the sources emitting γ-rays with energies higher than 100 TeV based on the recent measurement with the High Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC), and the origin is still in debate. The pulsar PSR J2021+3651 is spatially coincident with the TeV source. We investigate theoretically whether the multiband non-thermal emission of eHWC J2019+368 can originate from the pulsar wind nebula (PWN) G75.2+0.1 powered by PSR J2021+3651. In the model, the spin-down power of the pulsar is transferred to high-energy particles and magnetic field in the nebula. As the particles with an energy distribution of either a broken power law or a power law continually injected into the nebula, the multiband non-thermal emission is produced via synchrotron radiation and inverse Compton scattering. The spectral energy distribution of the nebula from the model with the reasonable parameters is generally consistent with the detected radio, X-ray, and TeV γ-ray fluxes. Our study supports that the PWN has the ability to produce the TeV γ-rays of eHWC J2019+368, and the most energetic particles in the nebula have energies up to about 0.4 PeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X‐ray Compton scattering measurements using synchrotron radiation are carried out for liquid sodium (Na) from 473 K up to 1273 K. Utilizing the liquid state allows us to realize a continuous density reduction by controlling temperature and pressure. Valence Compton profiles (CPs) clearly exhibit thermodynamic state dependence as the temperature increases. Experimental CPs, CP differences, and electron kinetic energy are compared with those of the electron gas model. Combined with the analysis using the Fourier‐transformed CPs, the observed behaviors can be reasonably explained by the reduction in the electron density with volume expansion of the liquid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. We investigate a two-temperature advective transonic accretion disc around a black hole and analyse its spectrum in the presence of radiative processes such as bremsstrahlung, synchrotron, and inverse-Comptonisation. The aim is to link the emergent spectra with constants of motion of the accretion disc fluid, however, the number of unknowns in two-temperature theory exceeds the number of equations for a given set of constants of motion. We intend to remove the degeneracy using a general methodology and obtain a unique solution, along with its spectrum. Methods. We used hydrodynamic equations (continuity, momentum, and energy conservation equation) to obtain sonic points and solutions. To solve these equations of motion we used the 4th order Runge-Kutta method. For the spectral analysis, general and special relativistic effects were taken into consideration. The system is, nonetheless, degenerate and we remove the degeneracy by choosing the solution with maximum entropy, as dictated by the second law of thermodynamics. Results. We obtained a unique transonic solution for a given set of constants of motion. The entropy expression is a tool used to make a selection between the degenerate solutions. We found that Coulomb coupling is a weak energy exchange term, which allows protons and electrons to settle down into two different temperatures, justifying, hence, our study of two-temperature flows. The information of the electron flow allows us to model the spectra. We show that the spectra of accretion solutions depend on the associated constants of motion. At low accretion rates, bremsstrahlung is important. A fraction of the bremsstrahlung photons may be of higher energy than the neighbouring electrons, energising them through the process of Compton scattering. Synchrotron emission, on the other hand, provides soft photons, which can be inverse-Comptonised to produce a hard power law part in the spectrum. Luminosity increases with the increase in the accretion rate of the system, as well as with the increase in BH mass. However, the radiative efficiency of the flow has almost no dependence on the BH mass, but it sharply rises with the increase in the accretion rate. The spectral index, however, hardens with the increase in the accretion rate, while it does not change much with the variation in BH mass. In addition to the constants of motion, the value of the plasma beta parameter and magnitude of magnetic dissipation in the system also helps in shaping the spectrum. A shocked solution exists in two-temperature accretion flows in a limited region of the parameter space. We find that a shocked solution is always brighter than a solution without a shock. Conclusions. An accreting system in two-temperature regime admits multiple solutions for the same set of constants of motion, producing widely different spectra. Comparing the observed spectrum with that derived from a randomly chosen accretion solution would give us a wrong estimation of the accretion parameters of the system. The form of entropy measurement we obtained helped us to remove the degeneracy of the solutions and allowed us to understand the physics of the system, shorn of arbitrary assumptions. In this work, we show how the spectra and luminosities of an accreting system depend on the constants of motion, producing solutions ranging from radiatively inefficient flows to luminous flows. An increase in BH mass quantitatively changes the system, making the system more luminous, while the spectral bandwidth also increases. A higher BH mass system spans the range from radio to gamma-rays. However, increasing the accretion rate around a BH of certain mass has little influence on the frequency range of the spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: X‐ray microbeam radiation therapy is a preclinical concept for tumor treatment promising tissue sparing and enhanced tumor control. With its spatially separated, periodic micrometer‐sized pattern, this method requires a high dose rate and a collimated beam typically available at large synchrotron radiation facilities. To treat small animals with microbeams in a laboratory‐sized environment, we developed a dedicated irradiation system at the Munich Compact Light Source (MuCLS). Methods: A specially made beam collimation optic allows to increase x‐ray fluence rate at the position of the target. Monte Carlo simulations and measurements were conducted for accurate microbeam dosimetry. The dose during irradiation is determined by a calibrated flux monitoring system. Moreover, a positioning system including mouse monitoring was built. Results: We successfully commissioned the in vivo microbeam irradiation system for an exemplary xenograft tumor model in the mouse ear. By beam collimation, a dose rate of up to 5.3 Gy/min at 25 keV was achieved. Microbeam irradiations using a tungsten collimator with 50 μm slit size and 350 μm center‐to‐center spacing were performed at a mean dose rate of 0.6 Gy/min showing a high peak‐to‐valley dose ratio of about 200 in the mouse ear. The maximum circular field size of 3.5 mm in diameter can be enlarged using field patching. Conclusions: This study shows that we can perform in vivo microbeam experiments at the MuCLS with a dedicated dosimetry and positioning system to advance this promising radiation therapy method at commercially available compact microbeam sources. Peak doses of up to 100 Gy per treatment seem feasible considering a recent upgrade for higher photon flux. The system can be adapted for tumor treatment in different animal models, for example, in the hind leg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inverse Compton scattering provides means to generate low‐divergence partially coherent quasi‐monochromatic, i.e. synchrotron‐like, X‐ray radiation on a laboratory scale. This enables the transfer of synchrotron techniques into university or industrial environments. Here, the Munich Compact Light Source is presented, which is such a compact synchrotron radiation facility based on an inverse Compton X‐ray source (ICS). The recent improvements of the ICS are reported first and then the various experimental techniques which are most suited to the ICS installed at the Technical University of Munich are reviewed. For the latter, a multipurpose X‐ray application beamline with two end‐stations was designed. The beamline's design and geometry are presented in detail including the different set‐ups as well as the available detector options. Application examples of the classes of experiments that can be performed are summarized afterwards. Among them are dynamic in vivo respiratory imaging, propagation‐based phase‐contrast imaging, grating‐based phase‐contrast imaging, X‐ray microtomography, K‐edge subtraction imaging and X‐ray spectroscopy. Finally, plans to upgrade the beamline in order to enhance its capabilities are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The isotope selectivity of computed tomography (CT) imaging based on nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) transmission method using a quasi-monochromatic laser Compton scattering (LCS) gamma-ray beam in the MeV region was demonstrated at the Ultra Violet Synchrotron Orbital Radiation–III (UVSOR-III) Synchrotron Radiation Facility (Institute of Molecular Science, National Institute of Natural Science) for two enriched lead isotope rods (206Pb and 208Pb) implanted in an aluminum cylinder. Since these two rods show the same gamma-ray attenuation in atomic processes, it is impossible to differentiate between them using a standard Gamma-CT technique based on atomic attenuation of gamma rays. The LCS gamma-ray beam had a maximum energy of 5.528 MeV and an intensity of approximately 5.5 photons/s/eV at the resonance energy (Jπ = 1&$8722; at 5.512 MeV in 208Pb). A lead collimator with a hole diameter of 1 mm was used to define the size of the LCS gamma-ray beam at the CT target. The CT image of the 208Pb rod was selectively obtained with a 2-mm pixel size resolution, which was determined by the horizontal step size of the CT stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beam energy of the circular electron–positron collider should be measured precisely to the order of 1 MeV, in order to decrease the uncertainty of the Higgs/W/Z bosons' mass measurement. For this purpose, a lepton bunch is extracted from the collider and collides with an Yttrium–Aluminum–Garnet laser pulse. After the inverse Compton scattering, the main beam and the scattered beam pass through an analytical magnetic field and are deflected to different angles. At the end of the drift beam pipes, the deflecting distances are detected with the spatial resolution of several microns. The systematic uncertainties caused by the detector arrangement, the magnetic field, the angle between the detector plane and the incident beam, and the synchrotron radiation are discussed in detail. The simulations of the statistical errors are given with a toy Monte Carlo sample. With some proper corrections, the beam energy uncertainty of the Higgs mode is around 2 MeV. Our method is applicable to different operating modes of the collider. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With low-emittance synchrotron radiation rings, introducing accurate x-ray beams to a sample is difficult, and ensuring that the direction of the undulator beam is stable is essential. However, measuring the centroid of the undulator photon beam at the beamline front-end (FE) is difficult because the soft x-ray radiation is contaminated by the bending magnets upstream and downstream of the undulator. The x-ray beam position monitors (XBPMs), based on the interaction with the halo of undulator radiation, cannot estimate the centroid of the beam, and they cannot eliminate the effects of the bending magnets. To solve this problem, we have developed an energy-resolved beam-monitoring system for undulator radiation with the scattering from a diamond thin film deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) in this study. An undulator x-ray beam is irradiated onto this film, and its elastic and Compton scattering are observed through a 50 μm-diameter pinhole. A beam spot is detected through a pinhole camera system using a direct-detection-type charge-coupled device camera with energy resolution. The peak of the first-order harmonic of the undulator radiation is selectively visualized to measure the centroid of the undulator radiation, as well as the spectrum. The proposed system using a CVD diamond film can provide accurate position information for a photon beam exiting the FE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite being hard to measure, GRB prompt gamma-ray emission polarization is a valuable probe of the dominant emission mechanism and the GRB outflow's composition and angular structure. During the prompt emission the GRB outflow is ultrarelativistic with Lorentz factors Γ ≫ 1. We describe in detail the linear polarization properties of various emission mechanisms: synchrotron radiation from different magnetic field structures (ordered: toroidal B tor or radial B ∥, and random: normal to the radial direction B ⊥), Compton drag, and photospheric emission. We calculate the polarization for different GRB jet angular structures (e.g. top-hat, Gaussian, power law) and viewing angles θobs. Synchrotron with B ⊥ can produce large polarizations, up to |$25{{\ \rm per\ cent}}\lesssim \Pi \lesssim 45{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$|⁠ , for a top-hat jet but only for lines of sight just outside (θobs − θ j ∼ 1/Γ) the jet's sharp edge at θ = θ j . The same also holds for Compton drag, albeit with a slightly higher overall Π. Moreover, we demonstrate how Γ-variations during the GRB or smoother jet edges (on angular scales ≳ 0.5/Γ) would significantly reduce Π. We construct a semi-analytic model for non-dissipative photospheric emission from structured jets. Such emission can produce up to |$\Pi \lesssim 15{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$| with reasonably high fluences, but this requires steep gradients in Γ(θ). A polarization of |$50{{\ \rm per\ cent}}\lesssim \Pi \lesssim 65{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$| can robustly be produced only by synchrotron emission from a transverse magnetic field ordered on angles ≳ 1/Γ around our line of sight (like a global toroidal field, B tor, for 1/Γ < θobs < θ j ). Therefore, such a model would be strongly favoured even by a single secure measurement within this range. We find that such a model would also be favoured if |$\Pi \gtrsim 20{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$| is measured in most GRBs within a large enough sample, by deriving the polarization distribution for our different emission and jet models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BL Lac objects can be extreme in two ways: with their synchrotron emission, peaking beyond 1 keV in their spectral energy distribution, or with their gamma-ray emission, peaking at multi-TeV energies up to and beyond 10–20 TeV, like 1ES 0229+200. This second type of extreme BL Lacs – which we can name TeV-peaked BL Lacs – is not well explained by the usual synchrotron self-Compton scenarios for BL Lacs. These sources are also important as probes for the intergalactic diffuse infrared background and cosmic magnetic fields, as well as possible sites of production of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays and neutrinos. However, all these studies are hindered by their still very limited number. Here I propose a new, simple criterium to select the best candidates for TeV observations, specifically aimed at this peculiar type of BL Lac objects by combining X-ray, gamma-ray, and infrared data. It is based on the observation of a clustering towards a high X-ray to GeV gamma-ray flux ratio, and it does not rely on the radio flux or X-ray spectrum. This makes it suitable to find TeV-peaked sources also with very faint radio emission. Taking advantage of the Fermi all-sky gamma-ray survey applied to the ROMA-BZCAT and Sedentary Survey samples, I produce an initial list of 47 TeV-peaked candidates for observations with present and future air-Cherenkov telescopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we measured the Compton scattering spectra of Al, Ag and Au metals changing the harmonic order of X-rays from an undulator. The width of the Compton scattered X-ray spectrum changed depending on the harmonic order of X-rays. This indicates that Compton scattering spectra shape reflects a momentum perpendicular to the traveling direction in Hermite–Gaussian (HG) light.

In nonlinear Thomson scattering, the main emission line and its harmonics form a band-like structure due to the laser pulse shape induced ponderomotive broadening. We propose to use tapered undulators to mimic Thomson scattering and measure the intensity-dependent electron mass shift experimentally. We also numerically show that the effect is observable for realistic electron beams like in DESY or SKIF.

MAXI J1820+070, a black hole candidate first detected in early 2018 March, was observed by XMM–Newton during the outburst rise. In this letter we report on the spectral and timing analysis of the XMM–Newton X-ray and UV data, as well as contemporaneous X-ray data from the Swift satellite. The X-ray spectrum is well described by a hard thermal Comptonization continuum. The XMM–Newton X-ray light curve shows a pronounced dipping interval, and spectral analysis indicates that it is caused by a moderately ionized partial covering absorber. The XMM–Newton /OM U -filter data do not reveal any signs of the 17 h orbital modulation that was seen later on during the outburst decay. The UV/X-ray cross-correlation function shows a complex shape, with a peak at positive lags of about 4 s and a precognition dip at negative lags, which is absent during the X-ray dipping episode. Such shape could arise if the UV emission comes partially from synchrotron self-Compton emission near the black hole, as well as from reprocessing of the X-rays in the colder accretion disc further out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Order of magnitude variability has been observed in the blazar sub-class of active galactic nuclei on minute time-scales. These high-energy flares are often difficult to explain with shock acceleration models due to the small size of the inferred emitting region, with recent particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, showing that magnetic reconnection is a promising alternative mechanism. Here, we present a macroscopic emission model physically motivated by PIC simulations, where the energy for particle acceleration originates from the reconnecting magnetic field. We track the radial growth and relative velocity of a reconnecting plasmoid, modelling particle acceleration and radiative losses from synchrotron and synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission. To test the viability of magnetic reconnection as the mechanism behind rapid blazar flares we simultaneously fit our model to the observed light curve and Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) from the 2016 TeV flare of BL Lacertae. We find generally that, without considering external photons, reconnecting plasmoids are unable to produce Compton-dominant TeV flares and so cannot reproduce the observations due to overproduction of synchrotron emission. Additionally, problematically large plasmoids, comparable in size to the entire jet radius, are required to emit sufficient SSC gamma-rays to be observable. However, our plasmoid model can reproduce the rapid TeV light curve of the flare, demonstrating that reconnection is able to produce rapid, powerful TeV flares on observed time-scales. We conclude that while reconnection can produce SSC flares on the correct time-scales, the primary source of TeV emission cannot be SSC and the size of plasmoids required may be implausibly large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feeble radiative efficiency characteristic of Low-Luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei (LLAGNs) is ascribed to a sub-Eddington accretion rate, typically at log (L bol/ L edd) ≲ −3. At the finest angular resolutions that are attainable nowadays using mid-infrared (mid-IR) interferometry, the prototypical LLAGN in NGC 1052 remains unresolved down to |$\lt \!5\, \rm {mas}$| (⁠|$0.5\, \rm {pc}$|⁠). This is in line with non-thermal emission from a compact jet, a scenario further supported by a number of evidences: the broken power-law shape of the continuum distribution in the radio-to-UV range; the |${\sim } 4{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$| degree of polarization measured in the nuclear mid-IR continuum, together with the mild optical extinction (⁠|$A_V \sim 1\, \rm {mag}$|⁠); and the 'harder when brighter' behaviour of the X-ray spectrum, indicative of self-Compton synchrotron radiation. A remarkable feature is the steepness of the IR-to-UV core continuum, characterized by a power-law index of ∼2.6, as compared to the canonical value of 0.7. Alternatively, to explain the interferometric data by thermal emission would require an exceptionally compact dust distribution when compared to those observed in nearby AGN, with |$A_V \gtrsim 2.8\, \rm {mag}$| to account for the IR polarization. This is in contrast with several observational evidences against a high extinction along the line of sight, including the detection of the nucleus in the UV range and the well-defined shape of the power-law continuum. The case of NGC 1052 shows that compact jets can dominate the nuclear emission in LLAGN across the whole electromagnetic spectrum, a scenario that might be common among this class of active nuclei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) can arise from synchrotron maser emission at ultrarelativistic magnetized shocks, such as produced by flare ejecta from young magnetars. We combine particle-in-cell simulation results for the maser emission with the dynamics of self-similar shock deceleration, as commonly applied to gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), to explore the implications for FRBs. The upstream environment is a mildly relativistic baryon-loaded shell released following a previous flare, motivated by the high electron–ion injection rate |$\dot{M} \sim 10^{19}\!-\!10^{21}$|  g s−1 needed to power the persistent radio nebula coincident with the repeating burster FRB 121102 and its high rotation measure. The radio fluence peaks once the optical depth ahead of the shock to induced Compton scattering τc ≲ 3. Given intervals between major ion ejection events Δ T ∼ 105  s similar to the occurrence rate of the most powerful bursts from FRB 121102, we demonstrate the production of ∼0.1–10 GHz FRBs with isotropic radiated energies ∼1037–1040 erg and durations ∼0.1–10 ms for flare energies E ∼ 1043–1045 erg. Deceleration of the blast wave, and increasing transparency of the upstream medium, generates temporal decay of the peak frequency, similar to the observed downward frequency drift seen in FRB 121102 and FRB 180814.J0422+73. The delay Δ T ≳ 105 s between major ion-injection events needed to clear sufficiently low densities around the engine for FRB emission could explain prolonged 'dark periods' and clustered burst arrival times. Thermal electrons heated at the shock generate a short-lived ≲1 ms (1 s) synchrotron transient at gamma-ray (X-ray) energies, analogous to a scaled-down GRB afterglow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the collidine analogues of Barluenga's Reagent (IPy2BF4) reported, a flat cation is necessary for the generation of a modulated phase, in keeping with the “Ratchet Model” theory [Kim et al., Crystal Growth & Design, 2014, 14, 6294]. Attempts to study “diffuse modulation” in Br(Coll)2ClO4 have shown that these non-Bragg features disappear very rapidly on exposure to synchrotron radiation, an effect thought to be caused by the radiation damage disrupting the lattice vibrations that cause the modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the collidine analogues of Barluenga's Reagent (IPy2BF4) reported, a flat cation is necessary for the generation of a modulated phase, in keeping with the “Ratchet Model” theory [Kim et al., Crystal Growth & Design, 2014, 14, 6294]. Attempts to study “diffuse modulation” in Br(Coll)2ClO4 have shown that these non-Bragg features disappear very rapidly on exposure to synchrotron radiation, an effect thought to be caused by the radiation damage disrupting the lattice vibrations that cause the modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray microbeam radiotherapy can potentially widen the therapeutic window due to a geometrical redistribution of the dose. However, high requirements on photon flux, beam collimation, and system stability restrict its application mainly to large-scale, cost-intensive synchrotron facilities. With a unique laser-based Compact Light Source using inverse Compton scattering, we investigated the translation of this promising radiotherapy technique to a machine of future clinical relevance. We performed in vitro colony-forming assays and chromosome aberration tests in normal tissue cells after microbeam irradiation compared to homogeneous irradiation at the same mean dose using 25 keV X-rays. The microplanar pattern was achieved with a tungsten slit array of 50 μm slit size and a spacing of 350 μm. Applying microbeams significantly increased cell survival for a mean dose above 2 Gy, which indicates fewer normal tissue complications. The observation of significantly less chromosome aberrations suggests a lower risk of second cancer development. Our findings provide valuable insight into the mechanisms of microbeam radiotherapy and prove its applicability at a compact synchrotron, which contributes to its future clinical translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microscopy techniques are now considered popular for rapid and label-free complementary spectrochemical analysis of chemical elements and molecular systems in biological specimens. The morphological heterogeneity but also the inhomogeneities associated with the thickness/density of biological samples demonstrate challenges for the quantitative XRF microimaging. Therefore, in the present work, we proposed for the first time the application of the total absorbance under the FTIR spectra as a mass surface correction procedure for two-dimensional (2D) XRF microimaging of tissues. We also evaluated the equivalence of the developed correction method based on total absorbance of FTIR spectra with the proposed approaches based on incoherent scattering of primary X-rays as well as on the membrane Si–Kα transmission signal, on the example of selected rat organ tissues. Thin cryo-sections taken from various organs of Wistar rats were deposited on silicon nitride membranes (Si 3 N 4). The FTIR microscopy studies were performed to collect infrared absorption spectra, used then for the determination of total absorbance values in the selected areas of tissue samples. In turn, hard X-ray imaging based on synchrotron radiation allowed the determination of characteristic radiation intensities of the elements detectable from the tissue, as well as the characteristic radiation of the membrane Si and incoherently scattered X-ray photons (Compton scattering). The latter served as correction factors for the surface mass of the sample alongside the FTIR total absorbance. The qualitative and quantitative analyses showed a high agreement between the results of elemental surface mass correction using total absorbance under FTIR spectra of tissues with those obtained using surface mass correction factors determined directly from XRF spectra. Therefore, the proposed procedure is a good alternative in cases where the surface mass effect of the sample cannot be eliminated based on the information provided directly by the XRF spectrum, as in the case of using polymer films as sample support. We have also proposed a procedure for synchronizing SRXRF and FTIR images, not limited to visual inspection of imaging/mapping data, but also enabling quantitative analysis. We found that the total absorbance determined from FTIR spectra can be successfully used as a correction factor for eliminating the surface mass effect in XRF microimaging of thin freeze-fried tissues and therefore to obtain the surface mass-independent elemental quantities. The proposed approach for 2D-FTIR-XRF analysis can also be a powerful and versatile tool for fostering a correlation and co-localization analysis to search for common distribution patterns between molecular arrangements and chemical elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First-ever magnetic Compton profiles (MCPs) of non-stoichiometric Ni 0.9-x Pr x Fe 2.1 O 4 inverse spinel ferrites. • Decomposed experimental MCPs into constituent profiles of Ni, Fe, Pr-4f and diffuse electrons. • Validated MCP based total and site-specific spin moments using FP-LAPW calculations. • Explored role of orbital magnetic moments using MCP data and magnetization data. • Revealed effect of Pr-4f states in amending the spin moments and electronic properties. Magnetic Compton profiles of 5 % and 15 % Pr-doped non-stoichiometric NiFe 2 O 4 have been measured using synchrotron radiations of energy 182.65 keV at SPring-8, Japan. An analysis of MCPs measured at 6 and 300 K show that the total spin moment decreases with increasing temperature and Pr concentration in Ni 0.9-x Pr x Fe 2.1 O 4 which is consistent with the magnetic moment (spin + orbital) as observed from magnetization measurements data. Spin moments at different sites are deduced using decomposition of MCPs in the elemental profiles of Ni, Pr-4f, Fe and diffused electrons. Spin moments at Ni-site have been found to play crucial role in emergence of absolute spin moments. Spin moments at Pr-site is aligned antiparallel to that of Ni and Fe sites. The orbital magnetic moment is also deduced from the subtraction of MCP based spin moments from the magnetization data. Theoretical FP-LAPW based total and atom specific spin moments are found in consonance with the MCP based data. Total and spin projected density of states are also computed using the FP-LAPW method to validate role of Pr-4f and Fe-3d (O h) states in amending the total magnetic moment with Pr concentration. The M−H based saturation magnetization derived at 6 and 300 K temperature show that the saturation magnetic moments reduce from 2.21 → 2.05 μ B /f.u. at 6 K and 2.10 → 1.98 μ B /f.u. at 300 K with increase in Pr concentration from 5 % → 15 %. On the basis of hysteresis curve and coercive force, both the doped compounds show soft magnetism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cryostat was constructed for high-resolution X-ray Compton scattering measurements at temperature down to 1.7 K, in order to investigate superfluid helium-4. Compton profiles of helium were measured using synchrotron X-rays for gas and liquid phases, respectively. In the measurement of the liquid phase, we succeeded in measuring the Compton profile of the superfluid helium at 1.7 K. Comparison of the results with theoretical calculation reveals importance of many-body effects beyond the mean-field treatment of electron systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intense, quasi-monochromatic, polarized γ -ray beams with high and tunable energy produced by Compton scattering of laser photons against relativistic electrons are used for fundamental studies and applications. Following a series of photoneutron cross section measurements in the Giant Dipole Resonance (GDR) energy region performed at the NewSUBARU synchrotron radiation facility, we have developed the eliLaBr Monte Carlo simulation code for characterization of the scattered γ -ray photon beams. The code is implemented using Geant4 and is available on the GitHub repository (https://github.com/dan-mihai-filipescu/eliLaBr). Here we report the validation of the eliLaBr code on NewSUBARU LCS γ -ray beam flux and spectral distribution data and two applications performed with it for asymmetric transverse emittance profiles electron beams, characteristic for synchrotrons. The first application is based on a systematic investigation of transverse collimator offsets relative to the laser and electron beam axis. We show that the maximum energy of the LCS γ -ray beam is altered by vertical collimator offsets, where the edge shifts towards lower energies with the increase in the offset. Secondly, using the eliLaBr code, we investigate the effect of the laser polarization plane orientation on the properties of the LCS γ -ray beams produced with asymmetric emittance electron beams. We show that: 1. The use of vertically polarized lasers contributes to the preservation of the LCS γ -ray beam maximum energy edge by increasing the precision in the vertical collimator alignment. 2. Under identical conditions for the electron and laser beams phase-space distributions, the energy spectrum of the scattered LCS γ -ray beam changes with the laser beam polarization plane orientation. More precisely, the use of vertically polarized laser beams slightly deteriorates the LCS γ -ray beam energy resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Measured spin momentum densities for Ni/Co doped LCMO using synchrotron radiations. • Elaborated peculiarities of magnetism using experimental MCPs and DFT computations. • Revealed mixed valence states of Mn and its ferromagnetic interaction with Ni and Co. • Explored Z-in and Z-out JT distortion in LCMO and after Ni and Co doping. • Disseminated guidelines for interpretation of MCP data using ab-initio computations. Magnetic Compton profiles (MCPs) of La 0.7 Ca 0.3 Mn 0.95 (Ni/Co) 0.05 O 3 between 8 and 250 K have been measured using high energy inelastic scattering at SPring-8, Japan. For a quantitative analysis on amendment of magnetic properties, temperature-dependent experimental MCPs are decomposed into constituent profiles related to Mn, Ni/Co and itinerant (diffuse) electrons. Decomposed profiles unambiguously show that Mn-3d electrons are ferromagnetically coupled with Ni/Co ions while itinerant electrons are linked anti-ferromagnetically with Mn-3d and Ni/Co-3d electrons. An annotation of MCP and VSM data depicts that the orbital magnetic moments are anti-ferromagnetically coupled to total spin moments. Variation in magnetic response in undoped and Ni/Co doped perovskites is devoted to formation of mixed valence states of Mn atom. The spin contribution at different sites are found to be in tune with present density functional theory (DFT) based calculations which are thoroughly analyzed on the basis of changes in the e g and t 2g states of Mn, Ni/Co caused by Jahn-Teller distortion. Present MCP data and DFT calculations set guidelines to probe the reliable origin to examine magnetic response and half-metallic properties of such manganites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]