We investigate neutrino emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) under alternative scenarios for prompt emission (the photospheric and synchrotron self-Compton scenarios) rather than the classical optically thin synchrotron scenario. In the former scenario, we find that neutrinos from the pp reaction can be very important at energies around 10-100 TeV. They may be detected by IceCube/KM3Net and useful as a probe of baryon acceleration around/below the photosphere. In the latter scenario, we may expect about EeV pgamma neutrinos produced by soft photons. Predicted spectra are different from that in the classical scenario, and neutrinos would be useful as one of the clues to the nature of GRBs (the jet composition, emission radius, magnetic field and so on).
The excesses of the cosmic positron fraction recently measured by PAMELA and the electron spectra by ATIC, PPB-BETS, Fermi and H.E.S.S. indicate the existence of primary electron and positron sources. The possible explanations include dark matter annihilation, decay, and astrophysical origin, like pulsars. In this work we show that these three scenarios can all explain the experimental results of the cosmic $e^\pm$ excess. However, it may be difficult to discriminate these different scenarios by the local measurements of electrons and positrons. We propose possible discriminations among these …
We derive new bounds on Lorentz violations in the electron sector from existing data on high-energy astrophysical sources. Synchrotron and inverse Compton data give precisely complementary constraints. The best bound on a specific combination of electron Lorentz-violating coefficients is at the 6 x 10^(-20) level, and independent bounds are available for all the Lorentz-violating c coefficients at the 2 x 10^(-14) level or better. This represents an improvement in some bounds by fourteen orders of magnitude.
BL Lacertae objects are extreme extragalactic sources characterized by the emission of strong and rapidly variable nonthermal radiation over the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Synchrotron emission followed by inverse Compton scattering in a relativistic beaming scenario is generally thought to be the mechanism powering these objects. ...
Results of a leptonic jet model for the prompt emission and early afterglows of GRBs are presented. The synchrotron component is modeled with the canonical Band spectrum and the synchrotron self-Compton component is calculated from the implied synchrotron-emitting electron spectrum in a relativistic plasma blob. In the comoving frame the magnetic field is assumed to be tangled and the electron and photon distributions are assumed to be isotropic. The Compton-scattered spectrum is calculated using the full Compton cross-section in the Thomson through Klein-Nishina using the Jones formula. Pair …
We investigate thermal synchrotron radiation at semi-relativistic and relativistic temperatures. We find an analytic expression for the angle-averaged emission coefficient, and show that it is significantly more accurate that those derived previously. We also present analytic approximations to the synchrotron turnover frequency. Then, we treat Comptonization of the synchrotron radiation, and give simple expressions for the spectral shape and the emitted power. We also consider modifications of the above results by bremsstrahlung. The importance of Comptonization of synchrotron radiation in com…
Soft cyclo-synchrotron photons produced by thermal electrons moving in a magnetic field can be subsequently Comptonized to produce hard X-ray and $γ$-ray emission. An accurate determination of the amount of soft cyclo-synchrotron photons produced from such plasmas is clearly necessary. We present the complete solution to the cyclo-synchrotron problem. We calculate the emission produced by an isotropic distribution of thermal electrons moving in a magnetic field, for temperatures ranging from $5\times10^8$K to $3.2\times10^{10}$K. The applicability of the standard synchrotron formula is evaluat…
We consider in this paper the effect of synchrotron self-Compton process on X-ray afterglows of gamma-ray bursts. We find that for a wide range of parameter values, especially for the standard values which imply the energy in the electrons behind the afterglow shock is tens times as that in the magnetic field, the electron cooling is dominated by Compton cooling rather than synchrotron one. This leads to a different evolution of cooling frequency in the synchrotron emission component, and hence a different (flatter) light curve slope in the X-ray range. This effect should be taken into account…
Motivated by recent reports of strongly correlated radio and X-ray variability in 3C279 (Grandi, etal 1995), we have computed the relative amplitudes of variations in the synchrotron flux at $ν$ and the self-Compton X-ray flux at 1 keV ($R(ν)$) for a homogeneous sphere of relativistic electrons orbiting in a tangled magnetic field. Relative to synchrotron self-Compton scattering without induced Compton scattering, stimulated scattering reduces the amplitude of $R(ν)$ by as much as an order of magnitude when $τ_T \gtwid 1$. When $τ_T$ varies in a fixed magnetic field, $R_τ$ increases monotonica…
Annihilating dark matter particles produce roughly as much power in electrons and positrons as in gamma ray photons. The charged particles lose essentially all of their energy to inverse Compton and synchrotron processes in the galactic environment. We discuss the diffuse signature of dark matter annihilations in satellites of the Milky Way (which may be optically dark with few or no stars), providing a tail of emission trailing the satellite in its orbit. Inverse Compton processes provide X-rays and gamma rays, and synchrotron emission at radio wavelengths might be seen. We discuss the possib…
We present a complete set of diagnostic tools aimed at reproducing synthetic non-thermal (synchrotron and/or Inverse Compton, IC) emissivity, integrated flux energy, polarization and spectral index simulated maps in comparison to observations. The time dependent relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (RMHD) equations are solved with a shock capturing code together with the evolution of the maximum particles energy. Applications to Pulsar Wind Nebulae (PWNe) are shown.
The detection in 10 bursts of an optical counterpart emission (i.e. during the prompt GRB phase) that is 10-10000 brighter than the extrapolation of the burst spectrum to optical frequencies suggests a synchrotron self-Compton origin for the GRB emission, synchrotron producing the optical counterpart emission. In this model, the second upscattering of the burst photons yields a prompt GeV-TeV emission, whose brightness depends strongly on an unknown quantity, the peak energy of the primary synchrotron spectrum. Measurements of the optical, gamma-ray, and GeV prompt fluxes can be used to test t…
We find that energy losses due to synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission in blazar jets can produce distinctive signatures in the time-averaged synchrotron and SSC spectra of these objects. For a fairly broad range of particle injection distributions, SSC-loss dominated synchrotron emission exhibits a spectral dependence $F_ν\sim ν^{-3/2}$. The presence or absence of this dependence in the optical and ultraviolet spectra of flat spectrum radio quasars such as 3C~279 and in the soft X-ray spectra of high frequency BL Lac objects such as Mrk 501 gives a robust measure of the importance of SSC l…
We consider the effects of inverse Compton scattering of synchrotron photons from relativistic electrons in GRB afterglows. We compute the spectrum of the inverse Compton emission and find that it can dominate the total cooling rate of the afterglow for several months or even years after the initial explosion. We demonstrate that the presence of strong inverse Compton cooling can be deduced from the effect it has on the time-evolution of the cooling break in the synchrotron spectral component, and therefore on the optical and X-ray afterglow lightcurves. We then show how the physical interpret…
Based on the detected variability time scales of X-ray and TeV gamma-ray emission, and the observed multiwavelength photon spectrum, of Mrk 421 we place constraints on the allowed parameter space (magnetic field and Doppler factor of the emission region) for the homogeneous synchrotron self-Compton model. The spectra calculated for the allowed parameters are marginally consistent with the available spectral information above $\sim 1$ TeV reported by the Whipple Observatory in the case of a 1 day flare time scale. However, for the recently reported very short duration flares varying on a time s…
We investigate how the presence of a non-thermal tail beyond a Maxwellian electron distribution affects the synchrotron process as well as Comptonization in plasmas with parameters typical for accretion flows onto black holes. We find that the presence of the tail can significantly increase the net (after accounting for self-absorption) cyclo-synchrotron emission of the plasma, which emission then provides seed photons for Compton upscattering. Thus, the luminosity in the thermally-Comptonized spectrum is enhanced as well. The importance of these effects increases with both increasing Eddingto…
Chandra observations of knots and hot spots in spatially resolved X-ray jets of radio galaxies show that the X-ray fluxes often lie above an extrapolation from the radio-to-optical continuum fluxes. We show that combined synchrotron and Compton losses on a single power-law electron injection function can produce a hardening in the electron spectrum at electron Lorentz factors γ\~ 2e8/[Γ(1+z)] due to KN energy losses on the cosmic microwave background radiation. Here Γis the bulk Lorentz factor of the outflow, and z is the source redshift. This produces a flattening in the spectrum at frequenci…
With the anticipated launch of GLAST, the existing X-ray telescopes, and the enhanced capabilities of the new generation of TeV telescopes, developing tools for modeling the variability of high energy sources such as blazars is becoming a high priority. We point out the serious, innate problems one zone synchrotron-self Compton models have in simulating high energy variability. We then present the first steps toward a multi zone model where non-local, time delayed Synchrotron-self Compton electron energy losses are taken into account. By introducing only one additional parameter, the length of…
The role of Compton cooling in the standard model for the afterglows of gamma-ray bursts is considered. When electrons cool by scattering off their own synchrotron photons, three cooling regimes are identified in which the observed synchrotron radiation exhibits qualitatively different characteristics. Depending on the values of the source parameters, an afterglow may evolve through one, two or all three of these regimes. Since synchrotron radiation can be regarded as Compton scattering of the virtual photons due to the magnetic field, in one of these regimes the instantaneous synchrotron spec…
H.E.S.S. observed TeV blazar PKS 2155--304 in a strong flare state in 2006 July. The TeV flux varied on timescale as short as a few minutes, which sets strong constraints on the properties of the emission region. By use of the synchrotron self-Compton model, we found that models with the bulk Lorentz factor $\sim 100$, the size of the emission region $\sim 10^{15}$ cm, and magnetic field $\sim 0.1$ G explain the observed spectral energy distribution and the flare timescale $\sim$ a few minutes. This model with a large value of $Γ$ accounts for the emission spectrum not only in the TeV band but…
We model rapid variability of multifrequency emission from blazars occurring across the electromagnetic spectrum (from radio to gamma-rays). Lower energy emission is produced by the synchrotron mechanism, whereas higher energy emission is due to inverse Compton scattering of the synchrotron emission. We take into account energy stratification established by particle acceleration at shock fronts and energy losses due to synchrotron emission. We also consider the effect of light travel delays for the synchrotron emission that supplies the seed photons for inverse Compton scattering. The producti…
In this paper we study formation broad band energy spectra of electrons due to synchrotron radiation and inverse Compton (IC) scattering. The effect of transition of IC cooling from the Thomson regime to the Klein-Nishina regime can be very significant in the environments where radiation density dominates over the magnetic field density. We discuss impact of this effect on the formation of synchrotron and IC radiation components of TeV electrons in binary systems with very luminous optical stars. Such a scenario can be realized, for example, at the wind termination shock of the pulsar in PSR B…
Jet models for the high-energy emission of Galactic X-ray binary sources have regained significant interest with detailed spectral and timing studies of the X-ray emission from microquasars, the recent detection by the HESS collaboration of very-high-energy gamma-rays from the microquasar LS~5039, and the earlier suggestion of jet models for ultraluminous X-ray sources observed in many nearby galaxies. Here we study the synchrotron and Compton signatures of time-dependent electron injection and acceleration, adiabatic and radiative cooling, and different jet geometries in the jets of Galactic …
Comparison of the detailed calculations of the synchrotron radiation of expanding magnetized clouds with the temporal and spectral evolution of radio flares observed from the recently discovered galactic microquasar GRS 1915+105 imposes strong constraints on the model parameters of relativistic plasmoids. The data of radio monitoring of the pair of ejecta not only enable unambiguous determination of the aspect angle and the speeds of propagation of both components, but also contain an important information about the energy source for acceleration of the electrons, in particular, may distinguis…
Multiwavelength observations of blazars such as Mrk 421 and Mrk 501 show that they exhibit strong short time variabilities in flare-like phenomena. Based on the homogeneous synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model and assuming that time variability of the emission is initiated by changes in the injection of nonthermal electrons, we perform detailed temporal and spectral studies of a purely cooling plasma system. One important parameter is the total injected energy E and we show how the synchrotron and Compton components respond as E varies. We discuss in detail how one could infer important physic…
The time-resolved spectra of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) remain in conflict with many proposed models for these events. After proving that most of the bursts in our sample show evidence for spectral "shape-shifting", we discuss what restrictions that BATSE time-resolved burst spectra place on current models. We find that the synchrotron shock model does not allow for the steep low-energy spectral slope observed in many bursts, including GRB 970111. We also determine that saturated Comptonization with only Thomson thinning fails to explain the observed rise and fall of the low-energy spectral slope…
The possibility to detect simultaneously in the X-ray band the synchrotron and Inverse Compton (IC)emission of intermediate BL Lac objects offers the unique opportunity to study contemporaneously the low- and high-energy tails of the electron distribution in the jets of these sources. We attempted to disentangle the X-ray spectral variability properties of both the low- and high-energy ends of the synchrotron and Inverse Compton emission of the intermediate BL Lac object S5 0716+71. We carried out spectral, temporal and cross-correlation analyses of the data from a long XMM-Newton pointing of …
The high frequency peaked blazar PKS 2155-304 is one of the brightest and most intensively studied prototype of BL Lac objects. Gamma-rays from PKS 2155-304 have been detected from the MeV to TeV ranges. We computed a synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model, based on the temporal behavior of the particles distribution, responsible for the high-energy emission. Using the available simultaneous multiwavelength data, we simulated the overall spectral energy distribution (SED) and the spectral variability of this source.
We report intensity variations of different spectral components in the BL Lac object S5 0716+714 detected during coordinated BeppoSAX and optical observations in 1996 and 1998. The transition between synchrotron and inverse Compton emission has been clearly detected as sharp X-ray spectral breaks at around 2-3 keV on both occasions. Correlated optical and soft X-ray variability was found during the second BeppoSAX pointing when intensive optical monitoring could be arranged. The hard (Compton) component changed by a factor of 2 between the two observations, but remained stable within each expo…
The emission mechanism of the gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is still a matter of debates. The standard synchrotron energy spectrum of cooling electrons F_E ~ E^{-1/2} is much too soft to account for the majority of the observed spectral slopes. An alternative in the form of quasi-thermal Comptonization in a high compactness source has difficulties in reproducing the peak of the observed photon distribution below a few hundred keV. We show here that for typical parameters expected in the GRB ejecta the observed spectra in the 20-1000 keV BATSE energy range can be produced by inverse Compton scatterin…
The VLBI observations at 22 GHz and 43 GHz of the quasar 3C273 obtained during a multi-frequency campaign in late 1992 in the radio, millimetre and X-ray bands allow us to derive the components' angular sizes, their peak fluxes and turnover frequencies. Lower limits to the Doppler factors have been derived by comparing the observed X-ray fluxes with those predicted by the Synchrotron Self-Compton model. Independent estimates of the Doppler factors were obtained through the assumption of the energy equipartition between the particles and the magnetic field. Of the five components used to model …
Pulsar wind driven synchrotron nebulae are offering a unique view on the connection of the pulsar wind and the surrounding medium. The Crab nebula is particularly well suited for detailed studies of the different emission regions. As inferred from the observed synchrotron emission extending beyond MeV energies, the Crab is a unique and extreme accelerator. In the framework of the synchrotron/inverse Compton emission model, the same electrons with energies exceeding $10^{15}$ eV that are responsible for the MeV synchrotron emission produce via inverse Compton scattering 10-50 TeV radiation whic…
High energy emission (> tens MeV) of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) provides an important clue to understand the physical processes involved in GRBs, which may be correlated with the GRB early afterglow. A shallow decline phase has been well detected in about half {\it Swift} Gamma-ray Burst X-ray afterglows. The widely considered interpretation involves a significant energy injection and possibly time-evolving shock parameter(s). This work we calculate the synchrotron-self-Compton (SSC) radiation of such an external forward shock and show that it could explain the well-known long term high energy (i…
Blazars are characterized by large amplitude and fast variability, indicating that the electron distribution is rapidly changing, often on time scales shorter than the light crossing time. The emitting region is sufficiently compact to let radiative losses dominate the cooling of high energy electrons. We study the time dependent behaviour of the electron distribution after episodic electron injection phases, and calculate the observed synchrotron and self Compton radiation spectra. Since photons produced in different part of the source have different travel times, the observed spectrum is pro…
We report the discovery of an X-ray counterpart to the southern radio hotspot of the largest-known radio quasar 4C 74.26 (whose redshift is z=0.104). Both XMM-Newton and Chandra images reveal the same significant (10arcsec, i.e. 19kpc) offset between the X-ray hotspot and the radio hotspot imaged with MERLIN. The peak of the X-ray emission may be due to synchrotron or inverse-Compton emission. If synchrotron emission, the hotspot represents the site of particle acceleration and the offset arises from either the jet exhibiting Scheuer's `dentist's drill' effect or a fast spine having less momen…
In the standard scenario of the fireball model of gamma-ray bursts(GRBs), the huge initial energy release produces a relativistic blast wave expanding into the external medium and a reverse shock moving into and heating the fireball ejecta. We calculate the high energy gamma-ray emission due to inverse Compton scattering of the synchrotron photons from relativistic electrons in the reverse shock. Under the favorable values of the physical parameters of the GRBs and the interstellar medium, our result shows that during the prompt phase, this emission dominates over the component from the forwar…
The observed hard X-ray (HXR) flux spectrum $I(ε)$ from solar flares is a combination of primary bremsstrahlung photons $I_P(ε)$ with a spectrally modified component from photospheric Compton backscatter of downward primary emission. The latter can be significant, distorting or hiding the true features of the primary spectrum which are key diagnostics for acceleration and propagation of high energy electrons and of their energy budget. For the first time in solar physics, we use a Green's function approach to the backscatter spectral deconvolution problem, constructing a Green's matrix includi…
Rapid inverse Compton cooling sets in when the brightness temperature (T_B) of a self-absorbed synchrotron source with power-law electrons reaches ~10^{12} K. However, T_B inferred from observations of intra-day variable sources (IDV) are well above the "Compton catastrophe" limit. This can be understood if the underlying electron distribution cuts off at low energy. We approximate a low-energy cut-off with monoenergetic electrons. We compute the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) spectrum of such distribution, and using the IDV source S5~0716+714 as an example, we compare it to the observed SED o…
A prediction for the energy shift of the synchrotron spectrum of flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) during high-energy flares is presented. If the $γ$-ray emission of FSRQs is produced by Comptonization of external radiation, then the peak of the synchrotron spectrum is predicted to move to lower energies in the flare state. This is opposite to the well-known broadband spectral behavior of high-frequency peaked BL-Lac objects where the external radiation field is believed to be weak and synchrotron-self Compton scattering might be the dominant $γ$-ray radiation mechanism. The synchrotron peak…
The process responsible for the Chandra-detected X-ray emission from the large scale jets of powerful quasars is a matter of ongoing debate. The two main contenders are external Compton (EC) scattering off the cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons (EC/CMB) and synchrotron emission from a population of electrons separate from those producing the radio - IR emission. So far, no clear diagnostics have been presented to distinguish which of the two, if any, is the actual X-ray emission mechanism. Here we present such diagnostics based on a fundamental difference between these two models: the p…
Several hotspots of FRII radio sources have previously been detected in the X-ray at a flux level consistent with the X-rays being due to inverse-Compton scattering of radio synchrotron photons (`synchrotron self-Compton'), if the magnetic fields in the hotspots are close to their equipartition values. However, the number of hotspots compact and bright enough to exhibit detectable X-ray emission is small, so it is worth searching for synchrotron self-Compton emission in the optical, in spite of the obvious observational difficulties of such an approach. In this note I report on a possible dete…
A widely discussed explanation for the origin of the X-ray emission observed from knots in extended quasar jets with the Chandra X-ray Obseratory is Compton-scattered CMBR by electrons with Lorentz factors $γ^\prime \sim 10^2$. This model faces difficulties in terms of total energy requirements, and in explaining the spatial profiles of the radio, optical, and X-ray knots in sources such as PKS 0637-752, 3C 273, or PKS 1127-145. These difficulties can be resolved in the framework of one- and two-component synchrotron models. We propose a model where the broad band radio to X-ray synchrotron em…
We present a model of the spectra of gamma-ray emitting blazars in which a single homogeneous emission region both emits synchrotron photons directly and scatters them to high (gamma-ray) energy before emission (a ``synchrotron self-Compton'' or SSC model). In contrast to previous work, we follow the full time dependent evolution of the electron and photon spectra, assuming a power-law form of the electron injection and examine the predictions of the model with regard to variability of the source. We apply these computations to the object Mkn 421, which displayed rapid variability in its X-ray…
We extend a method for modeling synchrotron and synchrotron self-Compton radiations in blazar jets to include external Compton processes. The basic model assumption is that the blazar radio through soft X-ray flux is nonthermal synchrotron radiation emitted by isotropically-distributed electrons in the randomly directed magnetic field of outflowing relativistic blazar jet plasma. Thus the electron distribution is given by the synchrotron spectrum, depending only on the Doppler factor $δ_{\rm D}$ and mean magnetic field $B$, given that the comoving emission region size scale $R_b^\prime \lesssi…
In this paper we complete the set of diagnostic tools for synchrotron emitting sources presented by Del Zanna et al. (Astron. Astrophys. 453, 621, 2006) with the computation of inverse Compton radiation from the same relativistic particles. Moreover we investigate, for the first time, the gamma-ray emission properties of Pulsar Wind Nebulae in the light of the axisymmetric jet-torus scenario. The method consists in evolving the relativistic MHD equations and the maximum energy of the emitting particles. The particle energy distribution function is split in two components: the radio one connect…
We introduce a methodology for analysis of multiwavelength data from X-ray selected BL Lac (XBL) objects detected in the TeV regime. By assuming that the radio--through--X-ray flux from XBLs is nonthermal synchrotron radiation emitted by isotropically-distributed electrons in the randomly oriented magnetic field of a relativistic blazar jet, we obtain the electron spectrum. This spectrum is then used to deduce the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) spectrum as a function of the Doppler factor, magnetic field, and variability timescale. The variability timescale is used to infer the comoving blob r…
The synchrotron reflection scenario recently proposed to explain $γ$-ray flares observed from blazar jets is studied. Our analysis takes into account the angular distribution of the beamed radiation, the finite extent of the scattering region, and light travel-time effects. We compare energy densities and powers for synchrotron, SSC, reflected synchrotron (RSy), and external Compton (EC) scattering processes. If the width of the scattering layer is much larger than $ΓR^\prime_B$, where $Γ$ and $ R^\prime_B$ denote the bulk Lorentz factor and comoving-frame radius of the plasma blob, respective…
We present detailed calculations of nonthermal synchrotron and synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) spectra radiated by blast waves that are energized by interactions with a uniform surrounding medium. Radio, optical, X-ray and gamma-ray light curves and spectral indices are calculated for a standard parameter set that yields hard GRB spectra during the prompt emission phase. Because no lateral spreading of the blast-wave is assumed, the calculated temporal breaks represent the sharpest breaks possible from collimated outflows in a uniform surrounding medium. Absence of SSC hardenings in observed GR…
Most of the Universe's populations of low energy cosmic ray electrons in the energy range of 1-100 MeV still manage to elude from detection by our instruments, since their synchrotron emission is at too low frequencies. We investigate a mechanism which can lead to observable emission of such electron populations: synchrotron-self Comptonization (SSC). The inverse Compton (IC) scattering can shift an otherwise unobservable low-frequency 10 kHz-10 MHz photons into observable radio, infrared (IR) or even more energetic wave-bands. The resulting emission should be polarized. We also consider IC sc…
We analyse the influence of the stochastic particle acceleration for the evolution of the electron spectrum. We assume that all investigated spectra are generated inside a spherical, homogeneous source and also analyse the synchrotron and inverse Compton emission generated by such an object. The stochastic acceleration is treated as the diffusion of the particle momentum and is described by the momentum-diffusion equation. We investigate the stationary and time dependent solutions of the equation for several different evolutionary scenarios. The scenarios are divided into two general classes. …
The recent detection of an unusually hard spectral component in GRB941017 extending to $\ge200$ MeV is hard to explain as a synchrotron emission from shock-accelerated electrons. It was argued to imply acceleration of protons to ultra-high energy. We show here that the "high energy tail" can be explained as emission from shock-accelerated electrons in the early afterglow epoch, taking into account the effect of synchrotron self-absorption. High energy observations set in this case stringent constraints on model parameters: A lower limit to the total explosion energy $E\gsim5 \times 10^{53}$ er…
We show that the external Compton (EC) model for the production of the GeV emission in blazars makes specific predictions for the spectrum and variability of those blazars characterized by a high Compton dominance (Compton to synchrotron luminosity ratio). These unavoidable features have not been observed, casting doubt on the validity of this popular model. We argue that synchrotron-self Compton (SSC) models including the higher orders of Compton scattering are more promising, and we briefly discuss the implications of our findings for the geometry of the broad line region (BLR).
The principal paradigm for the prompt emission of gamma-ray bursts invokes diffusive acceleration at shocks internal to the dynamic ultrarelativistic outflow. This paper explores expectations for burst emission spectra arising from shock acceleration theory in the limit of particles cooling much slower than their acceleration. Parametric fits to burst spectra obtained by the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (CGRO) are explored for the cases of the synchrotron, inverse Compton and synchrotron self-Compton radiation mechanisms, using a linear combination of thermal and non-thermal electron populati…
We calculate the synchrotron self-Compton emission from internal shocks occurring in relativistic winds as a source of gamma-ray bursts, with allowance for self-absorption. For plausible model parameters most pulses within a Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) are optically thick to synchrotron self-absorption at the frequency at which most electrons radiate. Up-scattering of photon number spectra harder than $ν^0$ (such as the self-absorbed emission) yields inverse Compton photon number spectra that are flat, therefore our model has the potential of explaining the low-energy indices harder than $ν^{-2/3}$ …
We investigate for possible evidence of inverse Compton (IC) emission in the X-ray afterglow of XRF 050406. In the framework of the standard fireball model, we show how the late-time flattening observed in the X-ray light curve between \~10^{4} s and ~10^{6} s can be explained in a synchrotron-plus-IC scenario, when the IC peak frequency crosses the X-ray band. We thus conclude that the appearance of an IC component above the synchrotron one at late times successfully accounts for these X-ray observations.
H1426+428 is one of blazars that are observed by $γ$-rays in the TeV region. Because TeV $γ$-rays from distant sources are subject to attenuation by the extragalactic background light (EBL) via electron-positron pair production, the intrinsic spectrum of the TeV $γ$-rays should be inferred by using the models of radiation processes and EBL spectrum. We set constraints on the physical condition of H1426+428 with the synchrotron-self-Compton model applying several EBL models. We find that the emission region of H1426+428 is moving toward us with the bulk Lorentz factor of $\sim 20$ and that its …
We present the results of two ToO BeppoSAX observations of BL Lac. During the first observation we detected both the synchrotron and the Compton components. Fast time variability was present, but only for the synchrotron component. During the second observation the spectrum was flatter and only the Compton component was present. Four different SED are presented and can be described by a blob moving along a jet and responsible for the SSC emission. The seed photons for the Compton scattering are the synchrotron photons themself plus possibly external photons coming from the broad line region.
We study Klein-Nishina (KN) effects in the spectrum produced by a steady state, non-thermal source where rapidly accelerated electrons cool by emitting synchrotron radiation and Compton upscattering ambient photons produced outside the source. We focus on the case where the radiation density inside the source exceeds that of the magnetic field. We show that the KN reduction in the electron Compton cooling rate causes the steady-state electron spectrum to harden at energies above γ_{KN}, where γ_{KN}= 1/4ε_0 and ε_0=hν_0/m_ec^2 is the characteristic ambient photon energy. The source synchrotron…
Analytic approximations for synchrotron, synchrotron self-Compton (SSC), and external Compton (EC) processes are used to constrain model parameters for knot and hot-spot emission in extended jets of radio galaxies. Equipartition formulas are derived that relate the Doppler factor $δ$ and comoving magnetic field $B$ assuming a nonthermal synchrotron origin of the radio emission, and synchrotron, SSC and EC origins of the X-ray emission. Expressions are also derived for $δ$ and $B$ that minimize the total jet powers of the emitting region in synchrotron, SSC and EC models for the X-ray emission.…
We investigate the GeV emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), using the results from the Energetic Gamma Ray Experimental Telescope (EGRET), and in view of the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST). Assuming that the conventional prompt and afterglow photons originate from synchrotron radiation, we compare an accompanying inverse-Compton component with EGRET measurements and upper limits on GeV fluence, taking Klein-Nishina feedback into account. We find that EGRET constraints are consistent with the theoretical framework of the synchrotron self-Compton model for both prompt and aftergl…
Although thermal disk emission is suppressed or absent in the hard state of X-ray binaries, the presence of a cold, thin disk can be inferred from signatures of reprocessing in the ~2-50 keV band. The strength of this signature is dependent on the source spectrum and flux impinging on the disk surface, and is thus very sensitive to the system geometry. The general weakness of this feature in the hard state has been attributed to either a truncation of the thin disk, large ionization, or beaming of the corona region away from the disk with β~0.3. This latter velocity is comparable to jet nozzle…
