Search

We present the results of our analysis of multiwavelength observations for the long gamma-ray burst GRB 200829A. The burst redshift $z \approx 1.29 \pm 0.04$ has been determined photometrically at the afterglow phase. In gamma rays the event is one of the brightest (in isotropic equivalent), $E_{iso} \gtrsim 10^{54}$ erg. The multicolor light curve of the GRB 200829A afterglow is characterized by chromatic behavior and the presence of a plateau gradually transitioning into a power-law decay that can also be interpreted as a quasi-synchronous inhomogeneity (flare). We assume that the presence of a chromatic inhomogeneity in the early afterglow is consistent with the model of a structured jet., Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures

SRGE J170245.3+130104 was discovered by the eROSITA telescope aboard the SRG space observatory on March 13-15, 2020 during the first half-year scan of its all-sky X-ray survey. The optical counterpart of the X-ray source was photometrically identified as a distant quasar candidate at $z\approx5.5$. Follow-up spectroscopic observations, done in August/September 2020 with the SCORPIO-II instrument at the BTA 6-m telescope, confirmed that SRGE J170245.3+130104 is a distant quasar at redshift z=5.466. The X-ray luminosity of the quasar during the first half-year scan of the eROSITA all-sky survey was $3.6^{+2.1}_{-1.5}\times 10^{46}$ erg/s (in the 2-10 keV energy range), whereas its X-ray spectrum could be described by a power law with a slope of $\Gamma=1.8^{+0.9}_{-0.8}$. Six months later (September 13-14, 2020), during the second half-year scan of the eROSITA all-sky survey, the quasar was detected again and its X-ray luminosity had decreased by a factor of 2 (at the $\approx 1.9\sigma$ confidence level). The SRGE J170245.3+130104 proves to be the most X-ray luminous among all known X-ray quasars at $z>5$. It is also one of the radio-loudest distant quasars (with radio-loudness $R\sim10^3$), which may imply that it is a blazar. In the Appendix, we present the list of all $z>5$ quasars detected in X-rays to date., Comment: Preprint: Original russian text: Pis'ma v Astronomichesky Zhurnal 2021, volume 47,Number 3, pages 155-173

The physical scenario responsible for gamma-ray flaring activity and its location for Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars is still debated. The study of the statistical distribution of waiting-times between flares (the time intervals between consecutive activity peaks) can give information on the distribution of flaring times, and constrain the physical mechanism responsible for gamma-ray emission. We adopt here a Scan-Statistic driven clustering method (iSRS) to recognize flaring states within the FERMI-LAT data, and identify the time of activity-peaks. Results: Flares waiting times can be described with a poissonian process, consisting of a set of overlapping bursts of flares, with an average burst duration of about 0.6 year, and average rate of 1.3/y . For waiting times below 1d host-frame we found a statistically-relevant second population, the fast-component, mainly from CTA 102 data. The period of conspicuous detection of the fast component for CTA 102 coincides with the crossing-time of the superluminal K1 feature with the C1 stationary feature in radio reported in Jorstad et al. (2017); Casadio et al. (2019). Conclusions: To reconcile the mechanism proposed in Jorstad et al. (2017); Casadio et al. (2019) with the bursting-activity, we have to assume that plasma streams with a typical length of about 2pc (in the stream reference-frame) reach the recollimation-shock. Otherwise, the distribution of waiting-times can be interpreted as originating from relativistic-plasma moving along the jet for a deprojected length of about 30-50pc (assuming a Lorentz-factor=10), that sporadically produces gamma-ray flares. In magnetic-reconnection scenario, reconnection events or plasma injection to the reconnection-sites should be intermittent. Individual plasmoids can be resolved in a few favourable cases only (Christie et al., 2019); they could be responsible for the fast component., Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication on Astronomy and astrophysics

SRGE J170245.3+130104 was discovered by the eROSITA telescope aboard the SRG space observatory on March 13-15, 2020 during the first half-year scan of its all-sky X-ray survey. The optical counterpart of the X-ray source was photometrically identified as a distant quasar candidate at $z\approx5.5$. Follow-up spectroscopic observations, done in August/September 2020 with the SCORPIO-II instrument at the BTA 6-m telescope, confirmed that SRGE J170245.3+130104 is a distant quasar at redshift z=5.466. The X-ray luminosity of the quasar during the first half-year scan of the eROSITA all-sky survey was $3.6^{+2.1}_{-1.5}\times 10^{46}$ erg/s (in the 2-10 keV energy range), whereas its X-ray spectrum could be described by a power law with a slope of $\Gamma=1.8^{+0.9}_{-0.8}$. Six months later (September 13-14, 2020), during the second half-year scan of the eROSITA all-sky survey, the quasar was detected again and its X-ray luminosity had decreased by a factor of 2 (at the $\approx 1.9\sigma$ confidence level). The SRGE J170245.3+130104 proves to be the most X-ray luminous among all known X-ray quasars at $z>5$. It is also one of the radio-loudest distant quasars (with radio-loudness $R\sim10^3$), which may imply that it is a blazar. In the Appendix, we present the list of all $z>5$ quasars detected in X-rays to date., Comment: Preprint: Original russian text: Pis'ma v Astronomichesky Zhurnal 2021, volume 47,Number 3, pages 155-173

The physical scenario responsible for gamma-ray flaring activity and its location for Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars is still debated. The study of the statistical distribution of waiting-times between flares (the time intervals between consecutive activity peaks) can give information on the distribution of flaring times, and constrain the physical mechanism responsible for gamma-ray emission. We adopt here a Scan-Statistic driven clustering method (iSRS) to recognize flaring states within the FERMI-LAT data, and identify the time of activity-peaks. Results: Flares waiting times can be described with a poissonian process, consisting of a set of overlapping bursts of flares, with an average burst duration of about 0.6 year, and average rate of 1.3/y . For waiting times below 1d host-frame we found a statistically-relevant second population, the fast-component, mainly from CTA 102 data. The period of conspicuous detection of the fast component for CTA 102 coincides with the crossing-time of the superluminal K1 feature with the C1 stationary feature in radio reported in Jorstad et al. (2017); Casadio et al. (2019). Conclusions: To reconcile the mechanism proposed in Jorstad et al. (2017); Casadio et al. (2019) with the bursting-activity, we have to assume that plasma streams with a typical length of about 2pc (in the stream reference-frame) reach the recollimation-shock. Otherwise, the distribution of waiting-times can be interpreted as originating from relativistic-plasma moving along the jet for a deprojected length of about 30-50pc (assuming a Lorentz-factor=10), that sporadically produces gamma-ray flares. In magnetic-reconnection scenario, reconnection events or plasma injection to the reconnection-sites should be intermittent. Individual plasmoids can be resolved in a few favourable cases only (Christie et al., 2019); they could be responsible for the fast component., Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication on Astronomy and astrophysics

Space scientific exploration is becoming the main battlefield for mankind to explore the universe. Countries around the world have successively launched various space exploration satellites. Accurate calibration on the ground is a key factor for space science satellites to obtain observational results. In order to provide calibration for various satellite-borne detectors, several monochromatic X-rays facilities has been built at National Institute of Metrology, P.R. China (NIM). These facilities are mainly based on grating diffraction and Bragg diffraction, the energy range of produced monochromatic X-rays is (0.218-301) keV. The facilities have a good performance on energy stability, monochromaticity and flux stability. Monochromaticity of all facilities is better than 3.0%, the stability of energy is better than 1.0% over 8 hours, and the stability of flux is better than 2.0% over 8 hours. The calibration experiments of satellite-borne detectors, such as energy linearity, energy resolution, detection efficiency and temperature response can be carried out on the facilities. So far we have completed the calibration of two satellites, and there are still three satellites in progress. This work will contribute to the development of X-ray astronomy, and contribute to the development of Chinese space science., Comment: 17 pages, 22 figures

We suggest a crucial direct-observational test for measuring distinction between the standard $\Lambda$CDM model and recently proposed phantom dark energy positive curvature cosmological model. The test is based on the fundamental distance--flux--redshift relation for general Friedmann models. It does not depend on the CMBR data, on the large-scale structure growth models, and also on the value of the Hubble constant $H_0$. Our crucial test can be performed by future gamma-ray burst observations with THESEUS space mission and by using gravitational-wave standard siren observations with modern advanced LIGO--Virgo and also forthcoming LISA detectors., Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, MNRAS accepted 18.09.2020

In this study we overview recent advances with prediction of solar activity using as a proxy solar background magnetic field and detection of grand solar cycles of about 400 years separated by grand solar minima (GSMs).The previous GSM known as the Maunder minimum was recorded from 1645 to 1715. The terrestrial temperature during Maunder Minimum was reduced by up to 1.0C that led to freezing rivers, cold winters and summers. The modern GSM started in 2020 and will last for three solar cycles until 2053. During this GSM two processes will affect the input of solar radiation: a decrease of solar activity and an increase in total solar irradiance because of solar inertial motion (SIM). For evaluation of the latter this study uses daily ephemeris of the Sun-Earth (SE) distances in two millennia from 600 to 2600 showing significant decreases of SE distances in the first 6 months of a year by 0.005 au in 600 to 1600 and by more than 0.01 au in 1600 to 2600 with consequent increases of SE distances in the second halves of a year. Although, these increases are not fully symmetric in the second millennium (1600 to 2600), during which the longest SE distances are gradually shifted from 21 June to 15 July in 2600 while the shortest ones from 21 December to 15 January. These distance variations impose significant increases of solar irradiance in the first six months of each year in the two millennia, which are not fully offset by the solar radiation decreases in the last six months in millennium 1600 to 2600. This misbalance creates an annual surplus of solar radiation to be processed by the terrestrial atmosphere and ocean environments that can lead to an increase of terrestrial temperature. We estimate that decrease of solar activity during GSM combined with its increase imposed by SIM will lead to a reduction of terrestrial temperature during the modern GSM to the levels of 1700., Comment: 26 pages, 11 figures, 2 appendices

For most of their existence stars are fueled by the fusion of hydrogen into helium proceeding via two theoretically well understood processes, namely the $pp$ chain and the CNO cycle. Neutrinos emitted along such fusion processes in the solar core are the only direct probe of the deep interior of the star. A complete spectroscopy of neutrinos from the {\it pp} chain, producing about 99\% of the solar energy, has already been performed \cite{bib:Nature-2018}. Here, we report the direct observation, with a high statistical significance, of neutrinos produced in the CNO cycle in the Sun. This is the first experimental evidence of this process obtained with the unprecedentedly radio-pure large-volume liquid-scintillator Borexino detector located at the underground Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy. The main difficulty of this experimental effort is to identify the excess of the few counts per day per 100 tonnes of target due to CNO neutrino interactions above the backgrounds. A novel method to constrain the rate of \bi contaminating the scintillator relies on the thermal stabilisation of the detector achieved over the past 5 years. In the CNO cycle, the hydrogen fusion is catalyzed by the carbon (C) - nitrogen (N) - oxygen (O) and thus its rate, as well as the flux of emitted CNO neutrinos, directly depends on the abundance of these elements in solar core. Therefore, this result paves the way to a direct measurement of the solar metallicity by CNO neutrinos. While this result quantifies the relative contribution of the CNO fusion in the Sun to be of the order of 1\%, this process is dominant in the energy production of massive stars. The occurrence of the primary mechanism for the stellar conversion of hydrogen into helium in the Universe has been proven., Comment: 43 pages, 14 figures

We examine the prospects of the high redshift Long Gamma Ray Bursts (LGRB) Hubble Diagram as a test of the basic cosmological principles. Analysis of the Hubble Diagram allows us to test several fundamental cosmological principles using the directly observed flux-distance-redshift relation. Modern LGRB data, together with the correlation between the spectral peak energy and the isotropic-equivalent radiated energy (the so-called Amati relation) can be used for construction of the Hubble Diagram at the model-independent level. We emphasise observational selection effects, which inevitably exist and distort the theoretically predicted relations. An example is the weak and strong gravitational lensing bias effect for high redshift LGRB in the presence of limited observational sensitivity (Malmquist bias). After bias correction, there is a tendency to vacuum dominated models with $\Omega_\Lambda \rightarrow 0.9$, $\Omega_\text{m} \rightarrow 0.1$. Forthcoming gamma-ray observations by the space THESEUS mission together with ground and space based multimessenger facilities will allow us to improve essentially the restrictions on alternative basic principles of cosmological models., Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables, edited and references corrected, MNRAS accepted

Hot Jupiters seem to get rarer with decreasing stellar mass. The goal of the Pan-Planets transit survey was the detection of such planets and a statistical characterization of their frequency. Here, we announce the discovery and validation of two planets found in that survey, Wendelstein-1b and Wendelstein-2b, which are two short-period hot Jupiters that orbit late K host stars. We validated them both by the traditional method of radial velocity measurements with the HIgh Resolution Echelle Spectrometer (HIRES) and the Habitable-zone Planet Finder (HPF) instruments and then by their Transit Color Signature (TraCS). We observed the targets in the wavelength range of $4000 - 24000$ Angstr\"om and performed a simultaneous multiband transit fit and additionally determined their thermal emission via secondary eclipse observations. Wendelstein-1b is a hot Jupiter with a radius of $1.0314_{-0.0061}^{+0.0061}$ $R_J$ and mass of $0.592_{-0.129}^{+0.165}$ $M_J$, orbiting a K7V dwarf star at a period of $2.66$ d, and has an estimated surface temperature of about $1727_{-90}^{+78}$ K. Wendelstein-2b is a hot Jupiter with a radius of $1.1592_{-0.0210}^{+0.0204}$ $R_J$ and a mass of $0.731_{-0.311}^{+0.541}$ $M_J$, orbiting a K6V dwarf star at a period of $1.75$ d, and has an estimated surface temperature of about $1852_{-140}^{+120}$ K. With this, we demonstrate that multiband photometry is an effective way of validating transiting exoplanets, in particular for fainter targets since radial velocity (RV) follow-up becomes more and more costly for those targets., Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A

We suggest a crucial direct-observational test for measuring distinction between the standard $\Lambda$CDM model and recently proposed phantom dark energy positive curvature cosmological model. The test is based on the fundamental distance--flux--redshift relation for general Friedmann models. It does not depend on the CMBR data, on the large-scale structure growth models, and also on the value of the Hubble constant $H_0$. Our crucial test can be performed by future gamma-ray burst observations with THESEUS space mission and by using gravitational-wave standard siren observations with modern advanced LIGO--Virgo and also forthcoming LISA detectors., Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, MNRAS accepted 18.09.2020

In this study we overview recent advances with prediction of solar activity using as a proxy solar background magnetic field and detection of grand solar cycles of about 400 years separated by grand solar minima (GSMs).The previous GSM known as the Maunder minimum was recorded from 1645 to 1715. The terrestrial temperature during Maunder Minimum was reduced by up to 1.0C that led to freezing rivers, cold winters and summers. The modern GSM started in 2020 and will last for three solar cycles until 2053. During this GSM two processes will affect the input of solar radiation: a decrease of solar activity and an increase in total solar irradiance because of solar inertial motion (SIM). For evaluation of the latter this study uses daily ephemeris of the Sun-Earth (SE) distances in two millennia from 600 to 2600 showing significant decreases of SE distances in the first 6 months of a year by 0.005 au in 600 to 1600 and by more than 0.01 au in 1600 to 2600 with consequent increases of SE distances in the second halves of a year. Although, these increases are not fully symmetric in the second millennium (1600 to 2600), during which the longest SE distances are gradually shifted from 21 June to 15 July in 2600 while the shortest ones from 21 December to 15 January. These distance variations impose significant increases of solar irradiance in the first six months of each year in the two millennia, which are not fully offset by the solar radiation decreases in the last six months in millennium 1600 to 2600. This misbalance creates an annual surplus of solar radiation to be processed by the terrestrial atmosphere and ocean environments that can lead to an increase of terrestrial temperature. We estimate that decrease of solar activity during GSM combined with its increase imposed by SIM will lead to a reduction of terrestrial temperature during the modern GSM to the levels of 1700., Comment: 26 pages, 11 figures, 2 appendices

For most of their existence stars are fueled by the fusion of hydrogen into helium proceeding via two theoretically well understood processes, namely the $pp$ chain and the CNO cycle. Neutrinos emitted along such fusion processes in the solar core are the only direct probe of the deep interior of the star. A complete spectroscopy of neutrinos from the {\it pp} chain, producing about 99\% of the solar energy, has already been performed \cite{bib:Nature-2018}. Here, we report the direct observation, with a high statistical significance, of neutrinos produced in the CNO cycle in the Sun. This is the first experimental evidence of this process obtained with the unprecedentedly radio-pure large-volume liquid-scintillator Borexino detector located at the underground Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy. The main difficulty of this experimental effort is to identify the excess of the few counts per day per 100 tonnes of target due to CNO neutrino interactions above the backgrounds. A novel method to constrain the rate of \bi contaminating the scintillator relies on the thermal stabilisation of the detector achieved over the past 5 years. In the CNO cycle, the hydrogen fusion is catalyzed by the carbon (C) - nitrogen (N) - oxygen (O) and thus its rate, as well as the flux of emitted CNO neutrinos, directly depends on the abundance of these elements in solar core. Therefore, this result paves the way to a direct measurement of the solar metallicity by CNO neutrinos. While this result quantifies the relative contribution of the CNO fusion in the Sun to be of the order of 1\%, this process is dominant in the energy production of massive stars. The occurrence of the primary mechanism for the stellar conversion of hydrogen into helium in the Universe has been proven., Comment: 43 pages, 14 figures

We examine the prospects of the high redshift Long Gamma Ray Bursts (LGRB) Hubble Diagram as a test of the basic cosmological principles. Analysis of the Hubble Diagram allows us to test several fundamental cosmological principles using the directly observed flux-distance-redshift relation. Modern LGRB data, together with the correlation between the spectral peak energy and the isotropic-equivalent radiated energy (the so-called Amati relation) can be used for construction of the Hubble Diagram at the model-independent level. We emphasise observational selection effects, which inevitably exist and distort the theoretically predicted relations. An example is the weak and strong gravitational lensing bias effect for high redshift LGRB in the presence of limited observational sensitivity (Malmquist bias). After bias correction, there is a tendency to vacuum dominated models with $\Omega_\Lambda \rightarrow 0.9$, $\Omega_\text{m} \rightarrow 0.1$. Forthcoming gamma-ray observations by the space THESEUS mission together with ground and space based multimessenger facilities will allow us to improve essentially the restrictions on alternative basic principles of cosmological models., Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables, edited and references corrected, MNRAS accepted

Hot Jupiters seem to get rarer with decreasing stellar mass. The goal of the Pan-Planets transit survey was the detection of such planets and a statistical characterization of their frequency. Here, we announce the discovery and validation of two planets found in that survey, Wendelstein-1b and Wendelstein-2b, which are two short-period hot Jupiters that orbit late K host stars. We validated them both by the traditional method of radial velocity measurements with the HIgh Resolution Echelle Spectrometer (HIRES) and the Habitable-zone Planet Finder (HPF) instruments and then by their Transit Color Signature (TraCS). We observed the targets in the wavelength range of $4000 - 24000$ Angstr\"om and performed a simultaneous multiband transit fit and additionally determined their thermal emission via secondary eclipse observations. Wendelstein-1b is a hot Jupiter with a radius of $1.0314_{-0.0061}^{+0.0061}$ $R_J$ and mass of $0.592_{-0.129}^{+0.165}$ $M_J$, orbiting a K7V dwarf star at a period of $2.66$ d, and has an estimated surface temperature of about $1727_{-90}^{+78}$ K. Wendelstein-2b is a hot Jupiter with a radius of $1.1592_{-0.0210}^{+0.0204}$ $R_J$ and a mass of $0.731_{-0.311}^{+0.541}$ $M_J$, orbiting a K6V dwarf star at a period of $1.75$ d, and has an estimated surface temperature of about $1852_{-140}^{+120}$ K. With this, we demonstrate that multiband photometry is an effective way of validating transiting exoplanets, in particular for fainter targets since radial velocity (RV) follow-up becomes more and more costly for those targets., Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A

Space scientific exploration is becoming the main battlefield for mankind to explore the universe. Countries around the world have successively launched various space exploration satellites. Accurate calibration on the ground is a key factor for space science satellites to obtain observational results. In order to provide calibration for various satellite-borne detectors, several monochromatic X-rays facilities has been built at National Institute of Metrology, P.R. China (NIM). These facilities are mainly based on grating diffraction and Bragg diffraction, the energy range of produced monochromatic X-rays is (0.218-301) keV. The facilities have a good performance on energy stability, monochromaticity and flux stability. Monochromaticity of all facilities is better than 3.0%, the stability of energy is better than 1.0% over 8 hours, and the stability of flux is better than 2.0% over 8 hours. The calibration experiments of satellite-borne detectors, such as energy linearity, energy resolution, detection efficiency and temperature response can be carried out on the facilities. So far we have completed the calibration of two satellites, and there are still three satellites in progress. This work will contribute to the development of X-ray astronomy, and contribute to the development of Chinese space science., Comment: 17 pages, 22 figures

For most of their existence stars are fueled by the fusion of hydrogen into helium proceeding via two theoretically well understood processes, namely the $pp$ chain and the CNO cycle. Neutrinos emitted along such fusion processes in the solar core are the only direct probe of the deep interior of the star. A complete spectroscopy of neutrinos from the {\it pp} chain, producing about 99\% of the solar energy, has already been performed \cite{bib:Nature-2018}. Here, we report the direct observation, with a high statistical significance, of neutrinos produced in the CNO cycle in the Sun. This is the first experimental evidence of this process obtained with the unprecedentedly radio-pure large-volume liquid-scintillator Borexino detector located at the underground Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy. The main difficulty of this experimental effort is to identify the excess of the few counts per day per 100 tonnes of target due to CNO neutrino interactions above the backgrounds. A novel method to constrain the rate of \bi contaminating the scintillator relies on the thermal stabilisation of the detector achieved over the past 5 years. In the CNO cycle, the hydrogen fusion is catalyzed by the carbon (C) - nitrogen (N) - oxygen (O) and thus its rate, as well as the flux of emitted CNO neutrinos, directly depends on the abundance of these elements in solar core. Therefore, this result paves the way to a direct measurement of the solar metallicity by CNO neutrinos. While this result quantifies the relative contribution of the CNO fusion in the Sun to be of the order of 1\%, this process is dominant in the energy production of massive stars. The occurrence of the primary mechanism for the stellar conversion of hydrogen into helium in the Universe has been proven., Comment: 43 pages, 14 figures

Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) may have been created by density fluctuations in the early Universe and could be as massive as $> 10^9$ solar masses or as small as the Planck mass. It has been postulated that a black hole has a temperature inversely-proportional to its mass and will thermally emit all species of fundamental particles via Hawking Radiation. PBHs with initial masses of $\sim 5 \times 10^{14}$ g (approximately one gigaton) should be expiring today with bursts of high-energy gamma radiation in the GeV--TeV energy range. The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory is sensitive to gamma rays with energies of $\sim$300 GeV to past 100 TeV, which corresponds to the high end of the PBH burst spectrum. With its large instantaneous field-of-view of $\sim 2$ sr and a duty cycle over 95%, the HAWC Observatory is well suited to perform an all-sky search for PBH bursts. We conducted a search using 959 days of HAWC data and exclude the local PBH burst rate density above $3400~\mathrm{pc^{-3}~yr^{-1}}$ at 99% confidence, the strongest limit on the local PBH burst rate density from any existing electromagnetic measurement., Comment: Corresponding authors: K.L. Engel & A. Peisker. 13 pages, 5 figures

Three deep radio continuum surveys of the Andromeda galaxy, M 31, were performed at 11.3, 6.2, and 3.6 cm wavelength with the Effelsberg 100-m telescope. At all wavelengths, the total and polarized emission is concentrated in a ring-like structure between about 7 kpc and 13 kpc radius from the center. Propagation of cosmic rays away from star-forming regions is evident. The ring of synchrotron emission is wider than the ring of the thermal radio emission, and the radial scale length of synchrotron emission is larger than that of thermal emission. The polarized intensity from the ring varies double-periodically with azimuthal angle, indicating that the ordered magnetic field is almost oriented along the ring, with a pitch angle of -14{\deg} $\pm$ 2{\deg}. Faraday rotation measures (RM) show a large-scale sinusoidal variation with azimuthal angle, signature of an axisymmetric spiral (ASS) regular magnetic field, plus a superimposed double-periodic variation of a bisymmetric spiral (BSS) field with about 6x smaller amplitude. The dominating ASS field of M 31 is the most compelling case so far of a field generated by the action of a mean-field dynamo. The RM amplitude between 6.2 cm and 3.6 cm is about 50% larger than between 11.3 cm and 6.2 cm, indicating that Faraday depolarization at 11.3 cm is stronger than at 6.2 cm and 3.6 cm. The phase of the sinusoidal RM variation of -7{\deg} $\pm$ 1{\deg} is interpreted as the average spiral pitch angle of the regular field. The average pitch angle of the ordered field, as derived from the intrinsic orientation of the polarized emission (corrected for Faraday rotation), is significantly smaller: -26{\deg} $\pm$ 3{\deg}. The difference in pitch angle of the regular and the ordered fields indicates that the ordered field contains a significant fraction of an anisotropic turbulent field that has a different pattern than the regular (ASS + BSS) field., Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy 6 Astrophysics

In recent years, several nova explosions have been detected by Fermi/LAT at E>100 MeV, mainly early after the explosion and for a short period of time. The first evidence of particle acceleration in novae was found in the 2006 eruption of RS Oph, to explain the faster than expected deceleration of the blast wave. As a consequence, emission of high-energy gamma-rays mainly from neutral pion decay and inverse Compton scattering is expected. We aim to understand the early shock evolution, when acceleration of particles can take place, in nova explosions. To achieve this goal, we perform a multiwavelength study of the 2014 outburst of V745 Sco, a symbiotic recurrent nova similar to RS Oph. The analysis of early Swift/XRT observations, simultaneous to the tentative Fermi detection, is combined with Chandra and NuStar data, to get a global picture of the nova ejecta and the red giant wind evolution. Early radio and IR data are also compiled, providing information about the forward shock velocity and its magnetic field. The comparison with the plasma properties of RS Oph shows striking similarities, such as the skipping of the adiabatic phase occurring in supernova remnants, a hint of particle acceleration. The multiwavelength study of V745 Sco provides new insights into the evolution of the hot plasma in novae and its interaction with the circumstellar material, a powerful tool to understand the nature of the high-energy gamma-ray emission from symbiotic recurrent novae., Comment: 15 pages, 14 Figures

The nucleus of the Jupiter-family comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko was discovered to be bi-lobate in shape when the European Space Agency spacecraft Rosetta first approached it in July 2014. The bi-lobate structure of the cometary nucleus has led to much discussion regarding the possible manner of its formation and on how the composition of each lobe might compare with that of the other. During its two-year-long mission from 2014 to 2016, Rosetta remained in close proximity to 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, studying its coma and nucleus in situ. Based on lobe-specific measurements of HDO and H2O performed with the ROSINA DFMS mass spectrometer on board Rosetta, the Deuterium-to-Hydrogen ratios in water from the two lobes could be compared. No appreciable difference was observed, suggesting that both lobes formed in the same region and are homogeneous in their Deuterium-to-Hydrogen ratios., Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures. Submitted to MNRAS

Measurements of Ion velocity distributions are one of basic goals of space plasma studies. There is variety of ion and electron spectrometers (e.g. Wuest et al, 2007, Young et al., 2007, Zurbuchen and Gershman, 2016, Vaisberg et al, 2016). The most frequently used ion spectrometer is top-hat analyzer (Carlson et al., 1983) consisting of toroidal electrostatic analyzer, electrostatic scanner and time-of-flight section with thin foil as start element and ion pre-acceleration. We describe new energy-mass analyzer with electrostatic scanner providing hemispheric field-of view with small aberration, toroidal electrostatic analyzer, time-of-flight synchronizer with simple gate. It provides desirable hemisphere scanning, wide energy range and reasonable mass resolution. It can provide detailed measurements of the ion velocity distribution of ion species without significant gaps to obtain reliable moments of plasma flow. This analyzer without TOF ability can be used for measurements of electron component. With simple electro-optics elements this analyzer can be easily modified to many goals of plasma investigations., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures

Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) may have been created by density fluctuations in the early Universe and could be as massive as $> 10^9$ solar masses or as small as the Planck mass. It has been postulated that a black hole has a temperature inversely-proportional to its mass and will thermally emit all species of fundamental particles via Hawking Radiation. PBHs with initial masses of $\sim 5 \times 10^{14}$ g (approximately one gigaton) should be expiring today with bursts of high-energy gamma radiation in the GeV--TeV energy range. The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory is sensitive to gamma rays with energies of $\sim$300 GeV to past 100 TeV, which corresponds to the high end of the PBH burst spectrum. With its large instantaneous field-of-view of $\sim 2$ sr and a duty cycle over 95%, the HAWC Observatory is well suited to perform an all-sky search for PBH bursts. We conducted a search using 959 days of HAWC data and exclude the local PBH burst rate density above $3400~\mathrm{pc^{-3}~yr^{-1}}$ at 99% confidence, the strongest limit on the local PBH burst rate density from any existing electromagnetic measurement., Comment: Corresponding authors: K.L. Engel & A. Peisker. 13 pages, 5 figures

Three deep radio continuum surveys of the Andromeda galaxy, M 31, were performed at 11.3, 6.2, and 3.6 cm wavelength with the Effelsberg 100-m telescope. At all wavelengths, the total and polarized emission is concentrated in a ring-like structure between about 7 kpc and 13 kpc radius from the center. Propagation of cosmic rays away from star-forming regions is evident. The ring of synchrotron emission is wider than the ring of the thermal radio emission, and the radial scale length of synchrotron emission is larger than that of thermal emission. The polarized intensity from the ring varies double-periodically with azimuthal angle, indicating that the ordered magnetic field is almost oriented along the ring, with a pitch angle of -14{\deg} $\pm$ 2{\deg}. Faraday rotation measures (RM) show a large-scale sinusoidal variation with azimuthal angle, signature of an axisymmetric spiral (ASS) regular magnetic field, plus a superimposed double-periodic variation of a bisymmetric spiral (BSS) field with about 6x smaller amplitude. The dominating ASS field of M 31 is the most compelling case so far of a field generated by the action of a mean-field dynamo. The RM amplitude between 6.2 cm and 3.6 cm is about 50% larger than between 11.3 cm and 6.2 cm, indicating that Faraday depolarization at 11.3 cm is stronger than at 6.2 cm and 3.6 cm. The phase of the sinusoidal RM variation of -7{\deg} $\pm$ 1{\deg} is interpreted as the average spiral pitch angle of the regular field. The average pitch angle of the ordered field, as derived from the intrinsic orientation of the polarized emission (corrected for Faraday rotation), is significantly smaller: -26{\deg} $\pm$ 3{\deg}. The difference in pitch angle of the regular and the ordered fields indicates that the ordered field contains a significant fraction of an anisotropic turbulent field that has a different pattern than the regular (ASS + BSS) field., Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy 6 Astrophysics

The nucleus of the Jupiter-family comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko was discovered to be bi-lobate in shape when the European Space Agency spacecraft Rosetta first approached it in July 2014. The bi-lobate structure of the cometary nucleus has led to much discussion regarding the possible manner of its formation and on how the composition of each lobe might compare with that of the other. During its two-year-long mission from 2014 to 2016, Rosetta remained in close proximity to 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, studying its coma and nucleus in situ. Based on lobe-specific measurements of HDO and H2O performed with the ROSINA DFMS mass spectrometer on board Rosetta, the Deuterium-to-Hydrogen ratios in water from the two lobes could be compared. No appreciable difference was observed, suggesting that both lobes formed in the same region and are homogeneous in their Deuterium-to-Hydrogen ratios., Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures. Submitted to MNRAS

In recent years, several nova explosions have been detected by Fermi/LAT at E>100 MeV, mainly early after the explosion and for a short period of time. The first evidence of particle acceleration in novae was found in the 2006 eruption of RS Oph, to explain the faster than expected deceleration of the blast wave. As a consequence, emission of high-energy gamma-rays mainly from neutral pion decay and inverse Compton scattering is expected. We aim to understand the early shock evolution, when acceleration of particles can take place, in nova explosions. To achieve this goal, we perform a multiwavelength study of the 2014 outburst of V745 Sco, a symbiotic recurrent nova similar to RS Oph. The analysis of early Swift/XRT observations, simultaneous to the tentative Fermi detection, is combined with Chandra and NuStar data, to get a global picture of the nova ejecta and the red giant wind evolution. Early radio and IR data are also compiled, providing information about the forward shock velocity and its magnetic field. The comparison with the plasma properties of RS Oph shows striking similarities, such as the skipping of the adiabatic phase occurring in supernova remnants, a hint of particle acceleration. The multiwavelength study of V745 Sco provides new insights into the evolution of the hot plasma in novae and its interaction with the circumstellar material, a powerful tool to understand the nature of the high-energy gamma-ray emission from symbiotic recurrent novae., Comment: 15 pages, 14 Figures

Measurements of Ion velocity distributions are one of basic goals of space plasma studies. There is variety of ion and electron spectrometers (e.g. Wuest et al, 2007, Young et al., 2007, Zurbuchen and Gershman, 2016, Vaisberg et al, 2016). The most frequently used ion spectrometer is top-hat analyzer (Carlson et al., 1983) consisting of toroidal electrostatic analyzer, electrostatic scanner and time-of-flight section with thin foil as start element and ion pre-acceleration. We describe new energy-mass analyzer with electrostatic scanner providing hemispheric field-of view with small aberration, toroidal electrostatic analyzer, time-of-flight synchronizer with simple gate. It provides desirable hemisphere scanning, wide energy range and reasonable mass resolution. It can provide detailed measurements of the ion velocity distribution of ion species without significant gaps to obtain reliable moments of plasma flow. This analyzer without TOF ability can be used for measurements of electron component. With simple electro-optics elements this analyzer can be easily modified to many goals of plasma investigations., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures

Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) may have been created by density fluctuations in the early Universe and could be as massive as $> 10^9$ solar masses or as small as the Planck mass. It has been postulated that a black hole has a temperature inversely-proportional to its mass and will thermally emit all species of fundamental particles via Hawking Radiation. PBHs with initial masses of $\sim 5 \times 10^{14}$ g (approximately one gigaton) should be expiring today with bursts of high-energy gamma radiation in the GeV--TeV energy range. The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory is sensitive to gamma rays with energies of $\sim$300 GeV to past 100 TeV, which corresponds to the high end of the PBH burst spectrum. With its large instantaneous field-of-view of $\sim 2$ sr and a duty cycle over 95%, the HAWC Observatory is well suited to perform an all-sky search for PBH bursts. We conducted a search using 959 days of HAWC data and exclude the local PBH burst rate density above $3400~\mathrm{pc^{-3}~yr^{-1}}$ at 99% confidence, the strongest limit on the local PBH burst rate density from any existing electromagnetic measurement., Comment: Corresponding authors: K.L. Engel & A. Peisker. 13 pages, 5 figures

The European Space Agency (ESA) spacecraft Rosetta accompanied the Jupiter-family comet (JFC) 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko for over two years along its trajectory through the inner solar system. Between 2014 and 2016, it performed almost continuous in-situ measurements of the comet's gaseous atmosphere in close proximity to its nucleus. In this study, the $^{16}$O/$^{18}$O ratio of H$_2$O in the coma of 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko, as measured by the ROSINA DFMS mass spectrometer on board Rosetta, was determined from the ratio of H${_2}^{16}$O / H${_2}^{18}$O and $^{16}$OH / $^{18}$OH. The value of 445 $\pm$ 35 represents an $\sim$ 11% enrichment of $^{18}$O compared with the terrestrial ratio of 498.7 $\pm$ 0.1. This cometary value is consistent with the comet containing primordial water, in accordance with leading self-shielding models. These models predict primordial water to be between 5% to 20% enriched in heavier oxygen isotopes compared to terrestrial water. Addendum: The $^{16}$O/$^{17}$O ratio of H$_2$O in the coma of 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko., Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, 4 tables + Addendum. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics (A&A) Journal, Rosetta Special Issue 2019